ok let me start out with what i have and have had done

my truck is a 2001 dodge ram with a 5.9l. last november i notic that my truck was ideling rough so i changed plugs one was kinda white so that put my on alert. i started marking the coolant tank and noticed that it was going down. i looked for leaks and found none. no drips or nothing. i cheched the thermastat nothing up there. cheched all fittings. well my dad work for dodge so we finally took it in and the took the heads off. good thing! one had a crack and the other one had 3 burnt valves. so it got new heads put on it. but im still watchin my coolant lever go down maybe like 1/8" everyday. i dont smell anything sweet in the exhuast. i only ask the question because for the first year and a half that had the truck that level never moved.

so i hope that some of you might have another idea? that you may have ran across that we are just not thinking about? any help would be great!

 

I wonder if you don't have more engine cracking or leaks than just the head. Or maybe you're on your way to the oh so favorite heater core leak.

 

Did you guys deck the block before you put on the new heads? If you had overheated the engine, chances are you warped the block.

 

Check your oil?

 

It could be a lot of things, But, you should get some dye for the coolant, and a black lite and see if you have a leak some where that is evaporating before you actually see the coolant leaking on the ground or wherever.

On a side note, I know all the years of the 2nd gens have certain probs, but I am so glad mine is not a 2001. They are the biggest POS Dodge put out before the 2002 models. They used junk for parts because they ran low(so they got the cheapest crap they could get and only cared about getting some more trucks out before the new generation. Which is why some 02's still have solid axles and 318's and 360's . I know it's a money thing obviously, but they basically raped the truck buyer.

 

the truck had never overheated and we looked it all over real close first so we didnt feel the need to do this. but if i cant find it we might be going back to that.

was going to check that tonight after work. if there is coolant in there most likly thing would be?

the dye was the first thing we did and found nothing so idk

and i will ingnor your little paragraph at the bottom

 

As long as it makes you feel better,

 

try a pressure test on the radiator.
anything odd on the plugs ?

 

pressure test has been done didnt lose a thing. as far as the plugs after the last head they put on they look good no white on them.

 

well after looking the truck over and not finding the leak we took it back into the dealer. and theyer going to replace a bunch of stuff on it. there gong to remove the heads have them blocked put new head gaskets in, a new water pump, thermostat, timing chain cover gasket and front crank seal. so we shale see.