Actually it's a baffle designed to combat the yellow goo that forms in there.

There should be no play when you rock the fan. Time for replacement. The timing chains hold up well with good oil and oil maintenance. I"m still on the original chains with 337K mi and they looked good when I removed the valve covers. Be aware that the thermostat is underneath... follow the lower return hose from the radiator and where it connects is the housing. Don't strip those bolts!

The coolant drain is on lower right corner of radiator, if you're facing the truck. I can reach mine by going through this hole in the bumper. Tight fit if you've got big hands like me.

 

Ive been looking at various pics of this engine to get a better feel of its layout. I noticed early on the thermostat
housing to be at the bottom hose rather than the top as Ive been used to seeing. The bolt stripping warning is
one of the things that gives me a bad feeling with this one. Ive never dealt with an engine before with so much cast
aluminium involved.

I had a vision of bolts breaking off when removing or stripping when installing. Looking at the thread with the big pics of
an engine breakdown I see where a few of the water pump bolts pass through the timing chain cover going in the block.

I also saw where the PCV valve was broken at the takeoff neck. Seeing that makes me think mine may be cracked there as well.
How is the PCV valved removed? It looks like it has some kind of strange clamp to manipulate. Its also shrouded with the heater hose
and AC lines where getting a hand on it is not easy.

 

I don't recall any issues with pcv removal. Suggest you YouTube it.

The first time I pulled the thermostat however, was a PITA. Sprayed plenty of liquid wrench as the bolts fought me every turn till they were out. All the threads were oxidized. I dipped then in grease before replacing.

 

That’s what worries me, then have all the threads in the timing cover rip out. Hard to trust cast aluminum.

I was wondering if the pump has been replaced before. It has the weep hole on top. I saw a mention of this on a replacement pump. Did factory pumps have the weep hole on top?

 

I think that was my thread (linked earlier) that you read. I didn't like the way it sat up top in a valley cause stuff could drain down into it. I struck a plastic screw anchor in it. It covers the hole, yet allows coolant to flow out whenever the time comes. Yes, the Mopar will have a weep hole too.

The GMB I linked to has been great and was very reasonably priced. They are a bearing maker and that's the part that usually fails first. Plus the impeller is metal. The plastic one in the cheap parts store one I had did last 80K though.

 

This one looks like it has a rubber looking black plug in the weep hole. I find it odd for it to be on top. It makes wonder if those
are used in some other application where the weep hole would be on the bottom? When you replaced your pump were the bolts
easily removed or feel like they were tight or seized? I havent tried removing those since Im still giving consideration to getting it.

 

Thanks for the info and pic on the coolant drain location!

 

Well, the weep hole being up top does make it easy to spot, once it starts leaking. I don't remember having to fight with the WP bolts. They are various lengths, so make sure you keep them in order and don't go gorilla on them and break one off. Tighten in a star pattern (like you would lug nuts) starting off gently. Draw a diagram on some cardboard, or stick the bolts in the new pump as they come out, then transfer to the old.

 

Thanks for the responses so far. I am going today to make the deal to get the truck. I hope its not another bad decision I seem to be good at doing.

 

Dodgevity, its the same color as the truck in your pic. This one has the hard bed cover included but its not mounted. Does anyone really leave those on the truck much?
Looks like a total pain to install and remove.
I got to look for the coolant drain. I see what looks like a hose nipple with a round deal next to it with two protruding nubs. Is that a valve head of some sort?