Lost all coolant tonight while driving...
#1
Lost all coolant tonight while driving...
2008 Ram 1500, 4.7L, Auto, 2WD.
Tonight on the way home, I noticed the truck was idling rough at stoplights. Later, I noticed the volt gauge was going up and down. Shortly after I heard the serpentine belt squeaking a little bit. So I figured the belt was slipping, and that's why the voltage was going up and down. About 15 minutes later, the voltage dropped, and a "check gauges" light came on. Then the belt started squealing loudly, and steam started to come from the hood. I pulled into an auto parts store, and popped the hood.
Pretty much the entire engine bay was covered in coolant, and dripping from everywhere. I couldn't really tell where it was leaking, because it was dripping everywhere. So I let it cool for a little bit, bought a gallon of coolant (it took the whole gallon), and filled up the radiator. Started up the truck, belt squealing, and hightailed it home. The heater went from hot to cold after about 2 miles, so I figured I just spit out that gallon of coolant. Got home, with the temp gauge hovering right around "H". Popped the hood, and again, there was coolant everywhere. I rinsed the entire engine bay with the garden hose, and that's where am at tonight.
Tomorrow I plan on filling it back up with coolant, and letting it get up to temp, to see where the leak is.
With all that said, are there any common failures in the 3rd gen 4.7's cooling system? Anywhere I should look first?
Tonight on the way home, I noticed the truck was idling rough at stoplights. Later, I noticed the volt gauge was going up and down. Shortly after I heard the serpentine belt squeaking a little bit. So I figured the belt was slipping, and that's why the voltage was going up and down. About 15 minutes later, the voltage dropped, and a "check gauges" light came on. Then the belt started squealing loudly, and steam started to come from the hood. I pulled into an auto parts store, and popped the hood.
Pretty much the entire engine bay was covered in coolant, and dripping from everywhere. I couldn't really tell where it was leaking, because it was dripping everywhere. So I let it cool for a little bit, bought a gallon of coolant (it took the whole gallon), and filled up the radiator. Started up the truck, belt squealing, and hightailed it home. The heater went from hot to cold after about 2 miles, so I figured I just spit out that gallon of coolant. Got home, with the temp gauge hovering right around "H". Popped the hood, and again, there was coolant everywhere. I rinsed the entire engine bay with the garden hose, and that's where am at tonight.
Tomorrow I plan on filling it back up with coolant, and letting it get up to temp, to see where the leak is.
With all that said, are there any common failures in the 3rd gen 4.7's cooling system? Anywhere I should look first?
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So, went outside this morning and visually inspected everything. Nothing stood out. I grabbed the upper radiator hose, and squeezed it. It was dry, and also sounded like air was squeezing out from the front of the motor. So I pulled the upper radiator hose, and started pouring coolant in the hose, so it would run down into the water pump. I could hear the coolant running down into the water pump. Then, as fast as I was pouring it in, it started pouring out on the ground. It was coming from the fan pulley area. I grabbed the fan, and wiggled it.
Holy moly, the entire fan, and fan pulley has about 2-3 inches of back and forth play. So I guess the water pump is fubar. Gonna try to tear it down today.
Holy moly, the entire fan, and fan pulley has about 2-3 inches of back and forth play. So I guess the water pump is fubar. Gonna try to tear it down today.