I have a 96 Ram 2500 with the 5.9 gas engine. I think that one of the freeze plugs on the front of the engine is leaking. Can someone tell me where the front ones are located and what size they are?

Thanks

 

The freeze plugs in the block are 1-5/8". I replaced all of mine when I replaced the motor a few years ago with Dorman deep cup style brass plugs. The two on the front of the motor are on each side of the timing cover, just above the oil pan. The 4 freeze plugs in the heads are 1-1/4".

 

ok, thank you. I'm planning to replace the front two next weekend to see if that stops the leak.

 

To be sure you solve the leak issue, might want to find exactly where its coming from by pressurizing the cooling system without the motor running. A leak in that general area could also be caused by the timing cover gasket or the water pump. A tester like this can be used to put pressure on the cooling system (connects a hand pump to the radiator) to allow you to watch the front of the motor to see exactly where the leak is coming from:

http://www.stant.com/consumer-products/testers-adapters

 

The ones behind the motor mounts are notorious for rusting out....

 

you can get a complete kit at o'reilly from Sealed Power for a good price, or buy individual plugs anywhere, or buy a box of 10. steel or brass.

 

thx for all the advice. Gonna wait till this upcoming weekend, and then deal with it. Waterpump was replaced last year, so pretty sure it's not that. I am gonna leave it until the weekend and then deal with it. I'm pretty sure that once I pull it out of the way, I will find the leak. Everything I can see from trying to look behind everything points to the freeze plug, but it's so hard to see down there behind the alternator, etc.

 

I removed the alternator, ac compressor, and support bracket (95 dodge ram 5.9). pressurized the system with a pressure kit. now I could see a critical area. I had leaks at the bypass hose clamp and at the timing chain cover. I simply tightend the hose clamp screw and the water pumps bolts (that I had not tighten enough when replace the water pump earlier).

 

Just out of curiosity, the bolts holding the AC Alternator Bracket on, are they threaded? I snapped the heads off of both bolts holding that sucker on, and want to know if, with a bit of persuasion, I could take that bracket off with the shaft of those bolts still in.

-AxE

 

Bolts are threaded, bracket is not. And PB Blaster is your friend.

Make sure you remove the bolt behind the idler pulley. Took me longer than I care to admit to find that one.