On my 2k dakota 3.9 i keep having antifreeze drip down to the steering rack. I looked and it all puddles under where the thermostat is. I put a new gasket, stat and rtv sealant and still loosing fluid. Is there any other place it could come from other than the heater hose and the thermostat?

 

not sure an answer but I noticed mine burning smoke from the grill today when the defrost is on and I think it was coming from the heater core because it stopped when I turned off the defrost...check the condenser and radiator for leaks and/or rust or leaks sounds liek what I need to do haha

 

The little area under the thermostat has a puddle of antifreeze right now. When i rev it some comes out but i can't tell where the heck it is coming from lol. It all started when it got cold here in tx.

 

check the ECT sensor could be seeping out of that hole

 

Never heard of that lol.

 

Crack an egg into the radiator. The egg will plug the hole! It really works.

Not the most perminant fix though.

 

Check this. It is a very common problem with Dakota. I just had to replace it. It was leaking a little for a few weeks and I didnt know where it was comign from. When it broke in half it then became very easy to find. It is the part that connects your two upper radiator hoses togther

http://c2c.activant.com/ctoc/index.j...p_B1YUVHFWBQAA

 

well the ECT was just a thought but i had this same problem on my 5.2L there's a little dip in the mating surface on the intake and this is why the paper gasket didnt work for me. dont use one. use this stuff. http://www.permatex.com/products/Aut...one_Gasket.htm
it works amazing. just apply a fair amount to the thermostat housing and the intake let sit for about 2 minutes then put it together and torque accordingly. it works amazing. haven't had a problem since

 

2000DakotaQuad has it right, the coolant filler is a plastic tee and over time it rots away from the inside out. Very hard leak to find. Dealers sell the tee and both hoses for about $40.00, that should solve the problem. Just replaced one on mine after developing a leak. The way it drips, it is hard to track.

 

you have a by-pass hose leaking.

mine did same thing and it took forever to find it thought it was a leaking t-stat gasket.

the hose is under the AC pump and is about 5" long.

remove AC pump but do not disconnect the hoses.

you should see the hose connecting to the top for water pump and block.

replace the hose and it should fix the problem.

killer