Hello,

I'm trying to rebuild my truck after 11 years in Quebec's corrosive environment. I moved to the West Coast last year.

I had been losing coolant for a while and the radiator looked completely rotten so I replaced it. It definitely slowed it down, but I still smelled coolant and it was still disappearing.

I did a pressure test and saw coolant leaking from the front of the engine. The issue is that to see where it's coming from I have to remove the AC / alternator bracket, but then the water inlet pipe
doesn't have anything to mount on. So I can't really pressure test with full visibility.

I disassembled everything and can see coolant in quite a few areas. I know the T-stat housing is leaking, the water bypass pipe and a lot of the coolant sensors apparently. Why would all of this be leaking?

This is the Mopar Performance M1 intake you're looking at. I installed it in around 2005. Are there known problems with this manifold?

What concerns me is two things:

1) It looks like coolant may be leaking from the intake manifold at the front. And in which case I'd need to pull it.
2) The bypass pipe looks like it was leaking badly. What are the chances it would be leaking where the metal fitting is inserted into the manifold? In this case I don't know what would be done, since it
came with the manifold. If it's just the rubber pipe I don't know why it would be leaking.

Can you have a look at let me know what you think should be replaced?

I'd rather not have to pull everything apart again.

 

Might try and give the coolant temp sensor there by the t-stat a couple more turns. It's tapered pipe thread, so it likely won't take much.

For the stuff on the passenger side there, reseal the thermostat housing, clean everything up good, and see if that doesn't take care of it. It looks like it is leaking from the t-stat, and running down to the other spots.

The white stuff where the intake meets the head..... clean it up, see what happens. That may just be normal oxidization. Doesn't really look like a coolant leak there.....

Bypass hose is notorious for leaking. You could try and turn that fitting in some more, or, pull it, put some teflon tape on it, and screw it back in. Put a new hose on, with new clamps. I actually expect that the hose is the issue, rather than the fitting.

 

Thanks for your advice. I took it and replaced the T-stat housing and gasket, coolant inlet pipe and bypass pipe. Also tightened up all the sensor fittings.

No more leaks. You saved me a ton of work.

Thanks!

 

Excellent.

 

A little tip if it leaks again, Permatex makes a thin grey sealant for water pumps and thermostat housings. I've fixed many a leak with it. Looking at the pictures, when you said corrosive, you weren't woofing!!!! I'm fortunate enough to live on the south end of the rust belt. I see corrosion, but never that bad.