So, I finally bought my first truck, and picked a 97 Ram 1500 4x4 w/ the 5.9L Magnum engine, only 120k miles and got an amazing price on it...now I know why....


It has a pretty good coolant leak, and from what I could see (without ripping it apart) it seemed like a good possibility that the water pump or the short rubber hose behind it was to blame.


After getting everything pulled off, including the alternator, as well as alternator and a/c engine bracket, I believe I have found the source of the leak, but it wasn't the water pump, or the little rubber hose behind it.


I'm actually not sure what would cause a leak at this location....


I've added pictures of both the left and right sides of the engine, as it seems to be leaking from the same spot on both sides. Also have attached pics using a black light, trying to show the UV dye I used.


Any ideas or thoughts would be greatly appreciated!!!


So for some reason I can't upload, but hopefully these links works...

 

Ummm. Where's the pics?

 

Ok, pics are there now, YAY!

 

Yeah buddy, you get to do a timing cover!

See the coolant passages go through the timing cover:

http://www.allusedtruckparts.com/eba...5B_%281%29.jpg

Which seals against the block. You can see where the coolant passages go into the block:

http://www.moparmotor.com/mm5/graphi...001/8C59LG.jpg

 

Excellent pictures. You really don't want that coolant getting into the oil, which it looks like it is. Don't drive it like that. Park it till it's fixed. You need to replace timing cover gasket, including the front crank seal, and water pump and bypass hose. Might want to change thermostat too and timing chain if it looks very sloppy. And since you are there, how's your plenum gasket look?

Plenum discussion
https://dodgeforum.com/forum/2nd-gen...um-thread.html

 

And make sure you change the oil right after you repair it.

Dave

 

Thanks for all the replies!

I've picked up the following:
Cloye Double Roller Timing Set - Figured since I'm this far in, I may as well just change it. (Also, in a side by side comparison, this is literally identical to the Comp Cams double roller set, part for part and half the price. From what I read, Cloyes makes Comp Cams parts. If anyone wants the part number, I'll grab it.)
Timing Cover Gasket Set (Fel-pro)
Water Pump (Murray)
180 Degree thermostat and new gasket (Murray thermostat, Fel-pro gasket)
Oil pan gasket (It looks as if it seeps a bit) (Fel-pro)

I'll have to pick up that bypass hose, forgot about that one.

So far I think I've lucked out, and there doesn't appear to be any coolant in the oil. Looks as if it is just leaking to the outside, which I should consider myself lucky for that.

Since I'm changing the oil pan gasket out, is it best to do the oil pan gasket, and then the timing cover gasket after, or the other way around?

I rearranged my garage, and have it parked up on ramps atm so I can do the oil pan gasket with more ease, but if I should do the timing cover gasket first, I'll pull it off the ramps.

I was told by the previous owner that there was a recall because of the plenum gasket, and the truck had already gone in and been fixed. For this recall, does anyone know if they just switched the plenum gasket out for a new one, or if they actually switch the plenum plate as well? I can always do the magnet test to verify

If it hasn't been changed for an aluminum one, is this the best time to do it? Also, if the price difference isn't that much, would I be better off buying an aftermarket intake manifold, instead of just swapping out the plenum pan?

Eventually I was planning on installing a different cam, intake, heads, exhaust, etc... but if I'm taking the intake manifold off, maybe now would be the best time to do the intake and cam? I'm not in the mood to put down money for new heads and full exhaust quite yet.

 

No recall for the plenum gasket. There was a TSB for excessive spark knock, and all that was was a software update on the PCM. Supposedly, it wasn't related to the plenum being blown.... Jury is still out on that one.

If you have a lot of miles on your truck, swap out the oil pump, and pickup, as well. It's one more bolt once the pan is out of the way.

Do both at the same time. Reinstall the timing cover first, and get it lined up with block real nice before tightening it down. Makes sure you don't get any leaks where block/pan/cover come together.

On a 4x4, you don't really need it up on ramps to drop the oil pan..... (I know, mine sits a couple inches higher than the half-tons.....) I don't trust ramps. Had a bad experience, and that was with a car, not a truck that out weighed it.....

 

There should have been a recall with all the people that have had to deal with it. Better known as the "death flash". A software band aid so that Chrysler didn't have to fix thousands of bad plenums. If i was on the jury my vote would be GUILTY!