Caravan Coolant Leak under Passenger Side
#1
Caravan Coolant Leak under Passenger Side
I have this annoying coolant leak under the passenger side of the engine. I have replaced the bottom hose. I checked the water pump and don't see any coolant leaking while the engine is running. I see the coolant on the ground after the van sits for a long time. Mostly in the morning. I have looked at the hoses that I can and don't see where the leak is coming from. I can see that it runs down and drips off of the bottom hose. The van is not overheating. I do smell some coolant burning at times. Any Ideas????
#2
metal heater lines repair
The metal lines that supply the coolant to the rear heater are known to rust out. Fixed mine yesterday.
Here is a great article:
http://forum.chryslerminivan.net/sho...ghlight=heater
Here is a great article:
http://forum.chryslerminivan.net/sho...ghlight=heater
#3
I am going thru this same problem right now. My story - (1999 Grand Caravan 3.8L 131K) few days ago discovered coolant on the ground, engine cold. jacked her up and coolant seemed to be coming from where the lower hose connects to the water pump, hose was old and cracked and it really looked like it was coming from there. So I replaced the lower hose and upper (it was just as old), new 50/50 coolant, and everything seemed fixed. Then a day or two later I went out to the cold car and sure enough there's a little coolant on the ground. Damn. Could not seem to pinpoint the location, since it was no longer leaking and everything seemed dry. Drove car and nothing leaked when the engine was running or warm from running. Then this morning went out to the cold car and there was a whole bunch of coolant on the ground. Jacked up the front end and fortunately I caught it while it was still leaking out. It was leaking from the water pump (either weep hole or seal), down the side of the pump, onto the lower hose, dripping off the hose to the plastic guard and onto the ground.
It now has a date with the service department and I'm also gonna have both of those steel heater hoses replaced because they are rusted to all heck and I'm sure they don't have much life left in them.
It now has a date with the service department and I'm also gonna have both of those steel heater hoses replaced because they are rusted to all heck and I'm sure they don't have much life left in them.
Last edited by jetdrvr; 05-06-2009 at 12:26 PM.
#4
Mine too
Just came in from shoveling snow. Yea, big storm today. Moved my 2000 Caravan and see a bright green spot about 6" in diameter under where the passenger side was sitting overnight. Here and I was wondering what was taking her so long to heat up all the time. Cash flow is an issue right now until sometime in the spring. Anything I can do besides just keep adding more coolant until I can get it fixed?
#6
06 caravan--went to advance auto and borrowed their coolant pressure kit--attached to radiator intake, pumped to 16 lbs. no more, don't want to damaged something in radiator. Waited and say leak dripping under passenger side off the bottom of the compressor a/c. looked up and mine was coming from timing chain cover.
I don't think this will be your problem area. previous owner screwed it. it didn't even have a gasket under timing chain cover or a crank shaft seal. What the heck. but it's worthing getting the pressure check test. their connectors are not the best from advance auto because it pops the stopper pops out of the radiator inlet because it's not a connector type just a push down into the inlet hole of the radiator. do put a rag around the inlet when pumping.
I don't think this will be your problem area. previous owner screwed it. it didn't even have a gasket under timing chain cover or a crank shaft seal. What the heck. but it's worthing getting the pressure check test. their connectors are not the best from advance auto because it pops the stopper pops out of the radiator inlet because it's not a connector type just a push down into the inlet hole of the radiator. do put a rag around the inlet when pumping.
#7
Leak
Ok So Got In Our Van Yesterday Morning And Let It Sit Running To Warm Up For About 10 Mins. Went To Gas station less than 1 mile down road pulled in and heater hose came off ,put it back on (There Was Still Water In Van)drove back home and It started to over heat but was just past the half way mark on temp gage, I stopped and now There is Coolant leaking from under passenger side of van under sliding door What Could It Be And How Can I Fix It
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#8
Go to advance auto or autozone borrow a pressure coolant test. easy to use plug into the radiator and pump it 15 pounds of pressure. you should see any leak within 5 minutes.
Also depending on how much time past between you seeing heater hose off: the leak coming off heater hose could have pooled up somewhere and then leaked under the passenger side making you think it you had another leak. do you still have the leak under passenger the next day?
do you have a/c heater in back area? if so check the aluminum line going back, maybe rust out or damaged. you can buy a kit that loops back to the front without going all the way back to the rear a/c heat area if you desire to elilminate the rear. of course you may not have a leak in the pipe under passenger side going back.
water pump check for leaks draining backwards under the passenger side.
Also depending on how much time past between you seeing heater hose off: the leak coming off heater hose could have pooled up somewhere and then leaked under the passenger side making you think it you had another leak. do you still have the leak under passenger the next day?
do you have a/c heater in back area? if so check the aluminum line going back, maybe rust out or damaged. you can buy a kit that loops back to the front without going all the way back to the rear a/c heat area if you desire to elilminate the rear. of course you may not have a leak in the pipe under passenger side going back.
water pump check for leaks draining backwards under the passenger side.
#9
I have a similar problem as folks above. My 2001 Dodge Grand Caravan is leaking antifreeze under the passenger side area. I pinpointed the pipe it's coming from and patched it with some putty from Auto Zone. Initially it slowed the leak but after a couple days started up again. The pipe where it's leaking from runs to a short rubber hose nearby that attaches to a metal line along the van frame toward the rear tire on the same side. There are three such pipes running alongside one another. I'm wondering: Is it possible to cut the section of pipe where it's leaking and replace it with a rubber hose with clamps instead of replacing the entire length of pipe that runs up into the engine area and seems to join up with the water pump inlet pipe? My concern is that if I replace that section the antifreeze will find a way to leak through the hose clamps. Thanks.