2004 ram 1500 5.7 hemi. Completed major work on a replacement 5.7 engine. Put in new oil & coolant into engine. Noticed a coolant leak at top of engine between timing chain cover & engine block. In checking i found out i missed putting in a bolt when water pump was installed. Fixed that! Checked oil level (with dipstick) and it seemed that oil level was high, so drained oil pan. Found out that there was about a quart of coolant in the oil pan with the oil.
Can coolant leak into oil pan thru timing chain cover or is block cracked??? Engine has never been started.

 

Well, that's usually a sign of head gasket leak or cracked block. Not sure how water pump bolts would affect things. Since you took steps to remedy, fill it back up with oil, drive and check again. If still recurring, go rent a block tester and see what you find.

 

I have not worked on a 5.7 but a missing bolt that goes into a cooling passage can cause cross contamination. Especially, since the engine hasn't been started and you probably don't have oil at the top of your cooling system.

 

I'd recommend that you keep the oil pan drained and remove the plug. Refill the coolant and see if you get a leak out of the drain hole.
You may need to remove the thermostat to do this.

 

as long as no one thinks its a coolant leak from the timing chair cover - took a closer look around the heads and found signs of external coolant leak around the right head at the upper side of that head. now thinking that there is an issue with that head gasket or even that head. There is no more coolant in the pan (left oil drain plug off) but coolant level is down in radiator. next is to top off radiiator & see what happens.
(my feeling right now is that its either a head gasket or head issue)

 

topped off the radiator with coolant, left oil pan drain open and afer 2 days - coolant level did not go down & no coolant found in the oil pan, no external leaks. Apart of being paranoid, I'm gonna say that the missing bolt - which goes thru the water pump and timing cover to the block near a coolant passage was the cause of this mess.
Time to move on, finish up and start this beast.

 

Have not done an update for some time. Learned a lot on this rebuld .
But to update this post of mine the coolant leak was caused by a bad cyl head. Replaced cyl head and no issues. The old gas in gas tank proved to be no issue
Truck has been up and running.

An issue that has turned up is Bank 1 Sensor 1 - code P0133 which is the 02 sensor upstream needs to be replaced. Not surprised about that has that is the bank that lost a valve seat most likely contaminated.

Qustion is what brand sensor is best for replacement?.

 

NTK or Denso, I think both are OEM. Stay away from Bosch. They just don't work that great in these trucks.

 

hey can you be able to help me with mines I have 5.7 hemi dodge magnum having a hard time seeing why coolant is going straight my oil pan I changed head gaskets and heads water pump and oil cooler I even poured water into my water pump galley on the timing cover and goes straight to oil pan if you can text me or email me 419-409-9177