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3.3 minivan coolant leak near trans cooler lines?

Posted By: 360view

3.3 minivan coolant leak near trans cooler lines? - 11/11/17 03:15 AM

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?
Posted By: rhad

Re: 3.3 minivan coolant leak near trans cooler lines? - 11/11/17 05:26 AM

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
Posted By: 360view

Re: 3.3 minivan coolant leak near trans cooler lines? - 11/11/17 12:44 PM

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?
Posted By: moparx

Re: 3.3 minivan coolant leak near trans cooler lines? - 11/11/17 05:36 PM

my vote is for the tank crack, or possibly a bad core at the crimp due to aluminum corrosion caused by ???
beer
Posted By: AARCONV

Re: 3.3 minivan coolant leak near trans cooler lines? - 11/11/17 07:45 PM

use a radiator pressure tester to verify, I think autozone might loan those tools out?
Posted By: wingman

Re: 3.3 minivan coolant leak near trans cooler lines? - 11/11/17 07:49 PM

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.
Posted By: 360view

Re: 3.3 minivan coolant leak near trans cooler lines? - 11/11/17 10:33 PM

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.
Posted By: 360view

Re: 3.3 minivan coolant leak near trans cooler lines? - 11/13/17 10:44 PM

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.
Posted By: SNK-EYZ

Re: 3.3 minivan coolant leak near trans cooler lines? - 11/14/17 01:11 AM

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.
Posted By: rhad

Re: 3.3 minivan coolant leak near trans cooler lines? - 11/14/17 06:33 AM

i repaired radiators for 37 years,my bet is still on a cracked plastic tank!!
Posted By: RapidRobert

Re: 3.3 minivan coolant leak near trans cooler lines? - 11/14/17 07:04 AM

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).

Attached picture SAM_0837-003.JPG
Posted By: 360view

Re: 3.3 minivan coolant leak near trans cooler lines? - 11/14/17 05:44 PM

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.
Posted By: A727Tflite

Re: 3.3 minivan coolant leak near trans cooler lines? - 11/14/17 06:22 PM

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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