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3.3 minivan coolant leak near trans cooler lines? #2401642
11/10/17 11:15 PM
11/10/17 11:15 PM
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360view Offline OP
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2005 3.3L V6 Town&Country minivan Extended length wheelbase.
99,000 miles.

Spotted a coolant leak today on my Mon's van:
driver's side lower radiator corner
near where the transmission cooler lines connect.

As best I can see the leak may be where
the bottom of plastic side tank
crimp connects to the aluminum radiator core.

No sign of coolant in the ATF and trans dipstick level was at mark.
Radiator was still full but overflow tank was empty.
No sign of dents or impacts.

Is there something else near that spot
that commonly causes a coolant leak on these vans?

Re: 3.3 minivan coolant leak near trans cooler lines? [Re: 360view] #2401713
11/11/17 01:26 AM
11/11/17 01:26 AM
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garnett kansas
rhad Offline
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most likely the plastic tank is cracked,i have seen them crack right by the crimp and it looks like the crimp is bad,you have to look close to see the crack


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Re: 3.3 minivan coolant leak near trans cooler lines? [Re: 360view] #2401773
11/11/17 08:44 AM
11/11/17 08:44 AM
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360view Offline OP
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This 2005 model year vehicle has the official Chrysler reddish orange coolant mix.

Apparently some Chrysler owners do not like that particular antifreeze formulation.

Is it prone to cause plastic to crack?

Does it attack seals or gaskets?

Or is the problem insufficient aluminum protection?

Re: 3.3 minivan coolant leak near trans cooler lines? [Re: 360view] #2401882
11/11/17 01:36 PM
11/11/17 01:36 PM
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north of coder
moparx Offline
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my vote is for the tank crack, or possibly a bad core at the crimp due to aluminum corrosion caused by ???
beer

Re: 3.3 minivan coolant leak near trans cooler lines? [Re: 360view] #2401966
11/11/17 03:45 PM
11/11/17 03:45 PM
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NEW JERSEY
AARCONV Offline
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use a radiator pressure tester to verify, I think autozone might loan those tools out?

Re: 3.3 minivan coolant leak near trans cooler lines? [Re: 360view] #2401972
11/11/17 03:49 PM
11/11/17 03:49 PM
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St. Charles, MO
wingman Offline
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Do a pressure check. We had that exact van and same problem I thought it was the radiator. Turns out the small hose to the overflow tank was leaking and causing the overflow tank to empty.


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Re: 3.3 minivan coolant leak near trans cooler lines? [Re: 360view] #2402034
11/11/17 06:33 PM
11/11/17 06:33 PM
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360view Offline OP
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I will double check the hose from radiator pressure cap to overflow tank.
Since the radiator cap is on the passenger side
and the coolant overflow tank is on the drivers side
that hose is extra long on this van
and its path is twisted around wiring bundles and other sharp edged metal structures.
It could easily get rubbed and develop a leak.

I will rent a pressure tester.

Re: 3.3 minivan coolant leak near trans cooler lines? [Re: 360view] #2403154
11/13/17 06:44 PM
11/13/17 06:44 PM
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Long hose from radiator cap to overflow tank checked out good.
Overflow tank checks good.

Failed pressure check.
Leaks from same driver side lower spot as when running.

Re: 3.3 minivan coolant leak near trans cooler lines? [Re: 360view] #2403231
11/13/17 09:11 PM
11/13/17 09:11 PM
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The Mother in laws 2008 Grand Caravan had a coolant leak last year.

It ended up being one of the Y's that split the heater hoses for front and rear.

On her's they were on the drivers side at the firewall.

A Y shaped plastic tube, it split along a seam.


Kayse can't keep up at all now. lol
Re: 3.3 minivan coolant leak near trans cooler lines? [Re: SNK-EYZ] #2403380
11/14/17 02:33 AM
11/14/17 02:33 AM
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garnett kansas
rhad Offline
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i repaired radiators for 37 years,my bet is still on a cracked plastic tank!!


my ladder of success is missing some rungs
Re: 3.3 minivan coolant leak near trans cooler lines? [Re: 360view] #2403391
11/14/17 03:04 AM
11/14/17 03:04 AM
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Lincoln Nebraska
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RapidRobert Offline
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Quote:
I will rent a pressure tester.
I didn't see this in time to offer a possible easier solution, You can buy a "tank valve" from Oreillys for less that $3 out the door & screw it into the cooling sender 1/8 NPT port & with an air chuck with shop air & a tire psi gauge pump the system up to 10 & see where it leaks from if external (hopefully not internal).

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Re: 3.3 minivan coolant leak near trans cooler lines? [Re: 360view] #2403489
11/14/17 01:44 PM
11/14/17 01:44 PM
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360view Offline OP
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Had a 5 year old one pint bottle of Dike Radiator temporary leak seal, the one recommended by Cummins.

I had never used any and decided to try it.

Mixed the one pint of gooey green mixture into 1 gallon of coolant as per instructions. Takes a fair bit of mixing, and I used a gloved hand to break up the last of the clumps.

Poured into cold radiator.
Discovered i should have drained out 1.5 gallons and put extra half gallon into overflow tank, because not all the mixture would go back into the radiator due to trapped air.

Put cap back on, started engine, and let coolant come up to normal running temperature.
Slow drips from radiator stopped within 15 minutes.
Shut off engine and let cool overnight.
Was able to add another pint of mix to radiator this morning.
Started engine and let it come up to normal temperature.
No visible drips during half hour of running.

Still plan to replace radiator.
At same time replace water pump and hoses.

My gut tells me anti-leak mixture would be expected to wear water pump impellor faster.

Re: 3.3 minivan coolant leak near trans cooler lines? [Re: 360view] #2403507
11/14/17 02:22 PM
11/14/17 02:22 PM
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Michigan
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A727Tflite Online content
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Chrysler used to add a pellet to each vehicle back in the day. Was a combination of natural shredded wood products and some other stuff compressed in to a pellet the size of a bottle cap in diameter. Looked like s smaller cork.

The water pump expert in the engine group told me it actually helped keep the ceramic seal clean and in good condition in the water pump.







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