Hello,

My old 95 Dakota Sport Club Cab 5.2L has had multiple coolant leaks. I saw leaks from the water pump, thermostat housing and coolant inlet tube and so I rolled up my sleeves
and fixed them.

To my dismay, I am still getting whiffs of coolant and the level is going down really slowly, so I did a pressure test tonight and found coolant weeping from the area in the attached photo.

Is it looks like seepage at the joint between the two metal parts. I looked and can't see any coolant above this area so I'm pretty confident it's not the t-stat housing anymore.

Is this a head gasket issue? Or a timing cover to block issue? My apologies for photo it was pretty dark and it was difficult to focus on that area.

 

By the way this view is from the passenger's side of the truck. Looking into the engine. The royal blue thing is the passenger's side valve cover.

 

Is that the timing cover to block parting line? My 96 360 developed a leak there, on the drivers side..... had to pull the cover to fix that one, changed timing set while I was in there.

 

That can be either the timing chain cover gasket (and if I go in there, I'd do timing chain set, water pump, and bypass hose for your cousin and mine, Justin Case), or seepage from above collecting there (again, due to age and history I'd examine the bypass hose).

I'd plan on doing a timing chain and gasket set; if you're really paranoid, get a new timing chain cover in case it's corroded out with age any; and do the water pump and the bypass hose at least.

(Timing chain cover is expensive enough that you may want to pass on that! $220+ at RockAuto!)

RwP