I inherited my dad's 1995 Ram 1500. It has close to 200,000 miles on it. I want to keep it on the road in his memory, but it's starting to nickel and dime me to death.

Anywho...we had 4 straight nights of teen temps and I started noticing coolant on the driveway...just small spots. I climbed under the truck and saw a slow leak from the bell housing just behind the oil pan. The leak seems to be growing. I can't find any coolant topside. So far, the leak isn't bad enough that I can smell coolant.

Are there coolant hoses at the rear of the engine (5.2)?

If I have a busted water jacket, what will that mean $-wise?

Could there be another cause?

Thanky

 

you may have a freeze pug rusting out. to my knolig thats the only thing back thare. there like 2 buks but there alot of work. durop trany or pull eng to get to them.

 

cracked head?? very expensive. pray for the best

 

Could be an intake leak running down the back of the engine.
It's difficult to see back there.

 

If it's a cracked head, wouldn't I have coolant in the oil? (don't as of yet)

I am getting rusty core plug advice on another site.

Where exactly would I look for an intake leak?

I'm not a gearhead, so would it be best to take it to a stealership or a trusted hometown shop?

Thanky'gin

 

on the back of the intake. towards the distributor. good luck tryin to find, almost impossible to see back there

 

K...just crawled under the front end of the truck and it's a corroded core plug about the size of a 50-cent piece on the driver side. The coolant is pretty old, so it may be acidic. I think I'll put a bandaid on it...flush the radiator and add 2 packs of Aluma-seal...whaddyathink?

Can a core plug be welded shut in place? Or should I try to grind it out and use an expanding rubber/nut-bolt plug? JB Weld?

Thankyx3

 

You know you can replace those things.
They just pound in.

 

Back of the motor? Heater core hoses?

EDIT: oops, shoulda read the last two posts... durr

 

It actually looks like there's some room in there to work, but how would I remove the bad plug?

And when I do, how much coolant is gonna gush out?