When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I took video of the leak from in front of the pump and from the rear. I started the engine up and there was no leakage. Waited about 5 minute after adding a small amount of coolant to the reservoir. While waiting, I pulled the radiator cap and added what amounted to at least better than a quart of coolant. It warmed up and the leaking began. I can't get a good look at WHERE exactly it's leaking but it appears to be coming from above the pulley as you can see toward the end of the video that it is leaking on the pulley and then trickling down from there. I remind that I did check for play on the fan pulley and there is none. It seems snug. So is there a hose back there that I'm not seeing? Could there be a possibility that it is the thermostat that fails once it is open? I'm stumped at this point.
I took video of the leak from in front of the pump and from the rear. I started the engine up and there was no leakage. Waited about 5 minute after adding a small amount of coolant to the reservoir. While waiting, I pulled the radiator cap and added what amounted to at least better than a quart of coolant. It warmed up and the leaking began. I can't get a good look at WHERE exactly it's leaking but it appears to be coming from above the pulley as you can see toward the end of the video that it is leaking on the pulley and then trickling down from there. I remind that I did check for play on the fan pulley and there is none. It seems snug. So is there a hose back there that I'm not seeing? Could there be a possibility that it is the thermostat that fails once it is open? I'm stumped at this point.
Since I can't SEE that hose, perhaps the best plan is to remove the alternator, swing the A/C out of the way and just replace the thermostat. It's a cheap part and all I'm really out is the time of labor, which I have and it shouldn't be something that would be high risk of reinjuring my rotator cuff. This would give me access to the hose and then I could see if it was the culprit or not and just replace it also. I watched a video and the person doing the work STRONGLY suggest that in many cases the thermostat housing neck gets easily corroded and it's best to replace it at the same time.
You'll want to take the water pump off too to replace the hose.
If I remove the alternator and move the A/C aside I'll have complete access to that hose won't I? Looking at the video I posted about changing the thermostat, it appears I wouldn't have to pull the water pump. Take a look at the thermostat video and correct me if I'm wrong. I don't want to pull the water pump if it's not bad and I can avoid it. That's a lot of extra work!
My guess is that it is the 90-degree elbow hose that is leaking. At least I'm hoping that is where it is. I've got all the parts now. The pump, that short hose, thermostat and some RTV, along with gasket and the o-ring for the small tube on the right of the pump.
Not that anyone is following this thread any longer but let's refer to the last picture I posted. That's not my Durango but it is the same. I swung the A/C unit out of the way as well as the alternator. The large bracket that houses those two units is all that is in the way of the thermostat. In fact once I got bracket out everything was pretty easy to get at. I could have even removed the water pump but I didn't see anything that warranted that. So I gambled and just replace the thermostat, the thermostat housing, gasket and the short 90-degree hose just to the right of it, that goes to the top of the pump.
When I was done, I put in fresh anti-freeze and topped off the radiator and the reservoir. Started it up and it leaked. The temp gauge never went over half way but it leaked pretty much in the same fashion as before. After I drove it for about 6 or 7 minutes I got back to the house and it wasn't leaking hardly at all. So I added coolant and it began leaking harder like before. I guess it's safe to say that even though there is no play in the fan pulley, it must be leaking out of that "**** hole" that is hidden. I think tomorrow I'll remove the A/C and alternator again and pull the pump that way. There seemed to me a lot more room I would think.
I was thinking the hose was more obscured than that.
It is!!! There is no way you can see that hose with everything in there. Once you get the big bracket out, there's a lot of room and that helps when you're trying to get those hoses off without ruin them, as you can see by that picture I posted.
The weird thing was there was gunk all around the pump area and the thermostat area as well. It was so thick it was very still and sticky like someone had over cooked brownies really bad. I used a screwdriver and putty knife to get it out but even just getting it off the tools was a challenge. Whatever it was, was really baked on there.
Water Pump Leaking - Video attached on 2nd page.
