2000 Ram 2500, 5.9 gas.

On the road a couple of days ago- checking the rear view mirror, all I saw was smoke.
Pulled over, popped the hood and blew out a small fire (luckily) on a couple of plug wires (guessing fluid on the exh manifold ignited)

Trans fluid all over the right side of the engine compartment, AND what I'm guessing is cross-contamination into the coolant because there was fluid (about 1/2") floating on top of the overflow reservoir.
No idea how the radiator is piped internally. Is it conceivable that whatever blew, did so internally to cause cross-contamination- and also externally to get blown by the fan into the engine compartment?
If that's the case, I can't understand why I didn't also lose coolant- how could I get cross-contamination, without a leak on the cooling side?

In retrospect- the truck had suddenly started running hot briefly a couple times before this happened, so probably contaminated t-stat to be replaced? Flush tranny and cooling system, natch?

Puzzled...appreciate any input?

 

So is there ATF in the radiator?

 

Not seeing it when I popped the cap- but being lighter than water, I figured that the trans fluid would naturally run into the overflow if it got into the cooling system (??)

 

If transmission fluid is all over the right side of the engine, I'd closely check the transmission lines running to/from the radiator for breaks, as they are likely leaking. The radiator has a capillary tube that runs inside of the tank of the radiator to provide transmission cooling. In rare cases, that tube can break and cause transmission fluid to get into the coolant. If that's the case, the radiator will need replacing.

 

^^^
Thanks.
I replaced the radiator two years ago , at that time I had to use a short section of hose/clamps on the lower hose at the radiator connection- if I remember correctly, there was a problem where the hydraulic QD fitting didn't match up to the new radiator. No obvious puncture/tears that I can see.

Radiator replacement it is. I assume it's a must to flush the transmission, right?

 

If you have transmission fluid all over the right side of the motor, I'd check those transmission lines very closely. Just because you can't see a breach of the line doesn't mean that the breach doesn't exist. That transmission fluid spray onto the motor came from somewhere and those lines are the only logical choice.

 

^^^
Thanks
I was assuming the failure of the radiator caused both leakage into the coolant, and outside the core where it got sprayed by the fan.
I'll be replacing that hose anyway to rule it out. Would seem odd that there were two failures in different locations at the same time (?).

 

Pull a cooler line - maybe the top one- and pressure test rad. If there's cross contamination you should get air out of tx cooler and really shouldn't be able to build pressure

If you don't own a tester you could do this in AutoZone's parking lot after renting

I wouldn't rush to replace a radiator without a little more diagnosis

 

Edited:
None of this computes with me...
If there were a breach in the engine coolant core, I don't see how that would not have resulted in a coolant leak as it was under pressure. No coolant leak.
By the same "logic", I don't get how trans fluid could cross contaminate into the antifreeze unless there were a breach.

Guess that's why I'm not a mechanic.

 

If the trans cooler in the radiator failed, you would see trans fluid in the radiator and/or pink fluid in the trans. Check the trans fluid. It is entirely possible for the cooler to fail, but, NOT have an external coolant leak.