Strange sound and coolant leak.

[Nateban]

Thank you in advance for any help. I have a 2006 Dodge Ram 2500 Mega Cab with the 5.9 Cummins. I’m at 160,000 and have just recently had to start putting money into it. I did the transmission a bit over a year ago and this last summer did the front end and AC.

For the last year or so, when it’s warm out, I get a low pitch whining sound on acceleration. The noise increases then subsides as I gain speed. It sounds like the turbo on semi’s as they accelerate from a stop. It’s never been something I’ve worried about until yesterday when it got really loud and continued on and off at highway speeds. When I got home the truck was idling high. I popped the hood and noticed it seemed like the fan was changing speeds, like it was hot, but it didn’t read hot. Then I saw it was dripping a substantial amount of coolant down the front of the engine.

The coolant made me think it was the water pump, but I couldn’t see for sure. The noise was not a grinding or humming, it was more like a turbo or fan sound. Anyone have any ideas?

 

[Bob4x4]

It very likely is the water pump leaking and the low coolant level is possibly allowing it to run warmer than normal turning on the fan clutch

 

[phantomusa]

Check your coolant level first in the radiator not in the overflow bottle you mite be leaking coolant out the weep hole in bottom of water pump
If you not showing high coolant temperature your fan shouldn't be turning unless it's going bad and is engaging when your driving it will sound like a turbo winning
Pappy