Alright, so here is what has happened. I have a 1999 Dodge Ram 1500 4x4 with the 5.2L v8. I was driving a few days ago and heard a loud squeal from under the hood. When I was looking out my window to merge lanes to pull over, I noticed some smoke coming from the corner of the hood. I pulled over immediately and opened the hood. To my demise the radiator had blown a hole and was spewing anti-freeze all over the engine and myself. Not so much fun... I was lucky enough to pull over about 1/4 mile from and advanced auto parts that happened to have a new radiator in stock. I bought it and swapped out the old one on the side of the road. Kind of sucked... Anyways, I filled up the new radiator and the reservoir with new anti-freeze and let the motor run for a bit. Then I re-filled the radiator with some more anti-freeze. I started the truck up and got right home. Now, 2 days later, I started up the truck and to my surprise the truck was leaking anti-freeze. I cannot tell where it is coming from because it is hitting the fan and going everywhere. I just ordered some new hoses and I will put those in tonight. If that is not it, what else could it be?

 

Timing cover may be leaking...common problem and easy to fix...do timing chain at same time its a breeze...or the thermostat housing is leaking

 

First off, make sure to get a new radiator cap in addition to the radiator.

Next, reach in with the engine off and try to wiggle the water pump pulley. If there is any play, you've got worn water pump bearings and it's leaking past the seals. Could also be coming from the weep hole on the pump too if it doesn't wiggle any.

These engines also almost always leak where the upper radiator hose goes into the intake around the flange. Can be tough to see.

 

Intake gasket, thermostat housing gasket, timing cover gasket, water pump, rad, the rad hoses, freeze plugs, I think that's about it...try and clean all the coolant off, start the truck (maybe drive it a little) get it warm and watch for a leak. Shut the truck off and keep watching. You'll find it.

 

You could always get it pressurized to pinpoint leak

 

Take a close look at the bypass hose behind PS pump....

 

If the fan is tossing it around, gotta becoming from the radiator somewhere.....

 

So after posting this, I drove the truck home and had a little overheating. I was able to limp home without much over 210 degrees. I went to Autozone and noticed that there was considerable leaking coming from the motor. I just finished installing upper and lower radiator hoses, hoping that was the issue. Sadly, I turned the truck on and it ran well for about 2 minutes. However my victory was soon shattered when I noticed a little antifreeze leaking. Soon after that I noticed a lot of antifreeze leaking. I turned off the truck and looked under it and there was a constant bead of antifreeze pouring out. I did manage to find out that the hoses are fine, but the antifreeze seems to be coming from the front of the motor. I believe one of the pulleys. Realizing that it may be a bad water pump now. My question is, would a bad water pump just leak slightly? Or is it possible to have a constant bead of antifreeze pour out like that?

 

Sure could and could very well be the pump as well as the gasket as well..

 

The pump's gasket?