I recently got a 96 dodge ram 5.2 4wd that was sitting for a while, and the other day i noticed that the upper radiator hose is soft after its fully warmed up. The gauge goes up to 200 and stays there all the time once warm, but it never builds pressure in the system. A few weeks ago I also noticed a running water sound coming from near the heater core under the dash when i started it up cold. The noise is gone now though. The gauge seems to cool down really fast too. Coolant overflow stays the same. And i tried replacing the cap and to burp air out and top off, but still nothing. The water pump squeeks bad too when i shot wd40 back near its pully. Any ideas.

 

If it's really the water pump squeaking, just replace it ASAP because it's not going to last much longer anyway.

The rest of your symptoms are consistent with there being air in the system. Do a search for "burp" in the 2nd Gen Ram section and you'll find oodles of information about burping these old critters.

 

thanks ill check that. as for the pump, what other parts should i replace as well, besides the thermostat. I rememeber seeing a small tube off the side of it, will a new pump come with that?

 

No, pump doesn't come with the tube, and the end of the tube likes to corrode, so when you pull it out..... it breaks off, and the oring won't stay in place any more. They are available in the "help" section of most auto parts stores.

When you pull the water pump, it also disturbs the gaskets between the timing cover, and the block. (water pump bolts also hold the timing cover in place.) So, a week or so down the road, a leak there isn't uncommon. I recommend doing the timing cover gasket as well as the front crank seal when you do the pump. If your engine has a bunch of miles on it, doing the timing chain and gears wouldn't be a bad plan either, after all, you will be RIGHT there.

 

well i just threw a new 180* degree thermostat in and parked on incline to try and get rid of all the air. But the cooling system still does not pressurize. I ran it up to temp with the cap off and top off as nessesary, after about 15 min I put the cap back on and waited, but no pressure. When i rev the engine now, i can hear the running water noise under the dash. Is is safe to use a coolant stop leak product?

 

No. As most stop leak additives cause a build up to "stop a leak" in turn they can also build up in places with less psi. Causing a clog. Most common in the heater core. If it's leaking replace it!