I have a 2000 Dodge ram 1500 5.9. It looks like it dribbles out from the driver side bottom of the radiator but doesn't leak all the time only when the trucks running. Where would it be coming from?

 

The petcock aka drain valve of the radiator.
May have a leak between aluminum and plastic part of radiator.
Leaking upper hose.
That's 'bout it

 

If it's just a small leak then feeding the system a couple spoons of pepper should do the trick (provided the leak isn't from something that is easily fixed like tightening drain ****, etc.)

 

"FAIL!"

 

Surely you jest?????

Why not fix the leak properly????

 

Knock it if you will, but it's worked first hand many times. Has helped me on two of my personal cars, one with a very slow leak when fully pressurized and my truck's rad which exploded last week at the tank/core interface. Obviously I replaced the rad in my truck, but the pepper helped one hell of a lot when I had to go running around for parts in it while it was broke. Turned a fountain into a couple drops on the ground. It isn't "fail" advice; it's an old trick like putting ATF in oil to stop ticky lifters. The OP did not specify if he is low on cash and how bad the leak is. I've had and seen cars with slight leaks under full pressure where cleaning up mating surfaces and tightening or adding clamps do not solve the problem.

 

It is "Fail" advice. Even for temporary use, you wil have hell flushing it out. It will enhance corrosion and a host of other problems.

And ATF in the crankcase is just as bad - inless you want to crate oil leaks, etc. It has been common to put n gas to cut carbon, but sometimes with less than dsireable outcomes.

Why not tell him to go this route?




This is what makes me leary of buying a used vehicle without knowing how it was taken care of......

 

check for where its coming from. you may have to unbolt the fan shroud and slide it back to get a good luck.

its likely to be from the crimped seam between the plastic side tank and the aluminum core. mine opened up and started leaking there a couple of weeks ago.

if you can't easily find it, you can get an air pressure kit, or pay a shop to run a pressure test. it might leak more when its hot (more pressure), or it might leak more when its cold (contracted/opened seam).


hopefully its just a loose hose or clamp, but i doubt it.

 

Find and fix while it's a small leak, because when you least suspect, it'll open up and dump all your coolant on the ground. And ditto, hopefully it's just a loose clamp.

 

Check near the top on the end of radiator. If it was at the bottom, it would leak all the time (until it ran out). ALso, are you sure it isn't the windshield washer tank dribbling?