Coolant overflow....question

[roperteacher]

Hey there! I noticed a couple of times ( About once a month or so) that after I turn the truck off a few minutes ( Usually in HOT HOT weather) that I have a quarter sized spot of fluid just inside the passenger side tire. I traced it all the way up and it is coolant. The coolant however has come out of the overflow tube on the plastic coolant bottle. You can see where some of it has dried on the wheel well. Coolant has an " Add" mark and a " Full" mark. There is a man made blue line someone has drawn on the bottle from the factory that is about 1" below the full line. My coolant level has been at that BLUE LINE since new and never moved. Not too worried but has anyone else ever noticed this on their 06??? If I parked on dirt, I would Never notice it I guess. Thanks!Oo.

 

[CSkal]

I noticed the same thing on my '06. The blue line on the overflow reservoir, and a slight leakage at the overflow tube at the radiator. Some people put a clamp on the hose; I cut a little bit off the end of the hose and put a zip-tie on it. Not elegant or beautiful, but it works .

 

[roperteacher]

Cskal, thanks for the advice. . mine is not coming from the overflow at the radiator, but coming out of the overflow the PLASTIC reservoir. If you look just at the top where the cap goes on the bottle you see a hooked overflow opening. Thats where mine is coming out but I will def check the one coming from the radiator!! Thanks!:-laf

 

[mberry]

No disrespect, but could it be the condensate drain from the A/C?

 

[roperteacher]

No disrespect taken, but nope... A/C condensor water is usually further back when it hits the ground. usually under the front of the running board. THe few times I have checked it, it was water, cold water!! LOLOL It's oily coolant alright and there is usually a drop on the frame just over the spot on the ground. And it is pink... :-laf I posted over on Carson Dodge website and they suggested I ck the Heater splitter. Waiting to hear back fom John on where I might find this heater splitter! Thanks for the help.

 

[MStrain]

When I first got my 2006 it was doing the same thing, pull up after a drive and come out later to a little coolant drip under the transmission. Turns out it was a loose hose clamp on a little hose about 2 inches long for the heater behind the turbo on the engine block. That and a wierd vibration in the driver side mirror are the only things I have had to have fixed in 24K. The problem was kind of hard to diagnose because it was not consistent, it would only happen once in a while, I guess it was happening if I shut off the engine when it was hotter than normal like if I did alot of uphill driving, the coolant was under a more pressure than usual, but it was a simple fix, tighten the hose clamp, can't get any easier than that.

 

[JoelMartin]

I noticed the same thing on my '06. The blue line on the overflow reservoir, and a slight leakage at the overflow tube at the radiator. Some people put a clamp on the hose; I cut a little bit off the end of the hose and put a zip-tie on it. Not elegant or beautiful, but it works .

I put a hose clamp on mine and it fixed the problem. Oo.

 

[CDonaldson]

I had it too, put a hose clamp on both ends - at radiator and reservoir.



CD

 

[roperteacher]

THanks for all the advice. I will start with all the hose clamp checks and bill Chrysler for my labors. .

 

[CDonaldson]

While you're at it, bill them for the clamps too. There were NO clamps on mine, had to add them. Made me take a look all over the engine bay to see if anything else needed something that should have been standard. They should have either included the clamps or used the right dia hose.



CD

 

[Tmartin000]

As long as you don't see bubbling !!!!

 

[roperteacher]

LOLOL Nope no bubbling!! I have an update: I checked the heater hose clamps, both were tight. I put zip ties on the radiator and coolant bottle sides of the return hose. Coolant is definately just coming from the overflow. Of course today and for the next month or so, nothing!

 

[roperteacher]

Update.......

Update... ... ... I checked all connections of the return tube to the coolant bottle from the radiator, all dry. . no residue. I put a zip tie on the radiator side but am going to pick up some clamps today, zip tie is less than cheasy. . LOLOLOL Going to see how to get to the one at the bottom of the collant bottle w/o removing it... Might be fun.



I checked the 2" hose behind the turbo, dry and tight. So for sure it it just seeping a little from the overflow. Fluid level was full in the radiator, and is right on the " Blue line" marked on the bottle from the factory.



I have witnessed no bubbling while idleing or at shut down. Origionally I filled the coolant bottle to the " Full" mark which was past the blue mark. Maybe it is just equalizing... . ????????? I am guessing head gaskets are a bit of an extreme at ths point?

 

[roperteacher]

Quick update..

I talked to my service writer today and he spoke to his best tech. Said that since the weather in our area has turned very hot here lately that the system could be equalizing. . Said not to add a DROP of coolant to the bottle and watch it for a while. If it keeps getting lower and lower then to bring it in for diagnosis. Right now, it's right on the blue line!!

 

[cojhl2]

Did a search re: "coolant overflow" and found this thread. I have a problem related to this.



Dodge Dakota V8. For the past 8mos or so been smelling coolant after shutdown. Today I pulled a trailer to Denver and back and it blew all the coolant out of the overflow tank. The coolant comes from the overflow of the overflow tank.



The engine runs very good amd I see no bubbles in the hose that goes to the radiator.



Any ideas?? Could it be the radiator cap is no good,, (although it looks and seems to be ok) Or is the thermostat too wide open??



I dunno,, any help will be appreciated.



Also the engine runs about 200 on pulls which I think it has always done. .

 

[rbattelle]

Could it be the radiator cap is no good,, (although it looks and seems to be ok)

That was my first thought. The one on my Ram from the factory went bad on me about 8 months ago. Started squirting out too much coolant.



The factory one looked fine, but I think the spring had weakened. Replaced it with a Stant vented cap and it's been fine since.



Radiator caps are cheap, so I'd start there.



Ryan

 

[cojhl2]

Thank you for the response Ryan, you are right for no more than they cost that makes it a good starting point.



I'll keep this thread posted.

 

[cojhl2]

Update

Well here is the latest.



I put on a new radiator cap (coolant pressure cap) could not see much wrong witht the old one though.



I could still smell coolant after shutdown but I did not know if it was from residual as I blew it all over the engine from that trailer tow a week ago.



Since I had added red antifreeze last week I wanted to flush the system and refresh the coolant anyway, so I said what the heck go for it, replace the thermostat while yeratit.



Cost me 235$ to pressureize, check for leaks, flush, install new thermo and new coolant.



I took the old thermo and boiled it in water and could not see that it opened. I don't know what the boiling pt is at 6500 ft but I think it should have opened.



So,, hopefully the problem is fixed.



I would guess it was the thermostat. I thought they usually failed in the open state.



I'll update this thread if there is any other conclusion.

 

[roperteacher]

Glad you figured it out!! I had my truck in last week and they replaced the water pump under warranty and I had them change out the thermostat as well on my dime. They said the old thermostat was working great but after they replaced it my problem has vanished as well!! SO I don't care what fixed it, as long as it was fixed. . LOLOLOo.

 

[dcherill]

just a reminder that the max line on the overflow bottle is for when the system is hot, not cool. when the system cools off, it will siphon fluid out of the bottle and bring the overflow level back down. do not fill the overflow bottle to max, it should be closer to Min