coolant leak
 

I have started to notice a small puddle of coolant under my truck when it is cold outsite. It only happen when its below 60 outside and the truck has not been driven. Usually overnight. Looked under it and saw coolant dripping from the bell housing. Could this be a rear freeze plug leaking?:(

Silver_goat, on my 06 on the passenger side of the truck unger the hood. There was a small length of hose w/ worm gear clamps. Mine was leaking there and was running down the bellhousing. The warranty fix was a new section of hose w/clamps that always held tension, pretty much like the rest of the clamps under the hood. The dealer still couldn't locate the leak on my first visit. I spent the time and found it then they fixed. Oh well, that did fix it.

I noticed that hose you are talking about. I did not take the time to check it because it would only leak when cold. My thinking was if the hose was bad it should leak all the time and not just when cold.

I appreciate your info. I will get under there and take a look.

Goat.

me too
 

Silver_goat,

Did your dealership get this fixed. I have the same problem since coming back for a Vegas trip. It's staying the night at the dealership, they would not replace mentioned hose. It was the "cannot be duplicated" statement, this after 3 visits. They went on a long explanation about other things that it could be, i just want it fixed.

I found it the next morning after the return trip, i was sweating bullets. I thought for sure it was a leaking torque converter.

I'm glad i did a search on this....this site amazes me!!

Have not had a chance yet. Been on the road working. I am going to get out tomorrow and get under the truck and see if I can see where its leaking from before going to the dealer. If I can point it out to them directly it seems to help things get done. I do not want to take it in and get that "unable to duplicate problem" stuff from the dealer.[nonono]

I will post my findings.

goat

10-4

i just got my back with no repairs, they could not duplicate problem. I'll have to follow your lead...find it for them

well i guess i'll see in the morning.

thanks....

btw, what type of work does your truck do? i just pull our toy for now.

Check the plugs on the top of the engine next to the Valve cover. They should have a square hole that a 3/8ths ratchet will fit. They maybe loose.

I had that coolant leak two years ago. Same thing, noticed it dripping of the bell housing. Traced it up to the top of the block just below the valve cover. There was a faint trace trail of coolant leading rearward. The cummins engine, when parked level, block is at a 17 degree angle, so that where it drips to. Like 03 ant a hemi said, check your pipe plugs on the passenger side top of the block. I lost about a quart before I found the source. Just off the top of my head there are 3 - 1/2" pipe plugs that should torque to 40 ft.lbs and 1 - 3/8" pipeplug that requires 25 ft. lbs, mine where all very very loose! A 3/8 drive fits perfect.

what is funny about those plugs is that you dont notice that they are leaking. You would think they would be wet. But mine werent. The only reason I got onto this was I noticed discoloration around the holes. And noticed I had an oil leak. from the valve cover. So I checked everything that a wrench or adaptor could fit into.

Thanks for the info guys. I found what I beleive is the coolant leak. The drip was comming from the bottom of the tube that a gray hose connects to comming from the heater core on the passenger side. The hose had some clamps on it that were loose and needed to be tightened. Based on how loose these clamps were, I think the hose was the problem. I checked the plugs on the head and they were all tight and no coolant was there. Hopefully that is all it was.

The leak could be comming from the tube that connects the back of the block to the hose but I doubt it.

I will give it a day or so to see. It was leaking pretty good. Had a 10 inch puddle of coolant under the truck and could see it dripping.

Goat

Prospector,

check your hose. (Wow there a joke in that statement [dummy] ) I bet that's where your leak is comming from.

My truck really does not have to work to hard:) :) I use it on the weekends to tow my 10k 5ver and work around the yard. It also is my daily commuter so it never really gets worked all that hard.

goat

My truck just started leaking I thought trans,but it was alot thinner.Dieseltruckresource + search feature=no trip to the dealer thanks guy's Attachment 74931 Attachment 74932Attachment 74933

me too
 

I've got the same leak. It took me awhile to figure out where it was coming from. I have noticed that it will only do it if it's cold out and I don't let the truck fully warm up bofore shutting it down. When I would go visit my girlfried I would just drive around town a few miles and shut it back down. It hasn't done it if I drive the truck and let it warm up. Anyways, need to still need to get it fixed by the dealer

Goat,
Thanks for the heads up....

The dealer could not locate,but it has not leaked since it was brought home from it's sleep over at the dealership...

I'll still keep an eye on that hose.....

Prospector

Great pictures 610. That is it exactly. I have not had the leak since I tightened those clamps.

No problem prospector! Keep an eye on it and let us know. Funny how some dealers have trouble finding these kinds of problems.

I just got an 06, and it has started a small drip of coolant from the bell housing.

I also sometimes do short trips, and it has been cool...

I've been having a heck of a time telling where it's coming from, so this thread was great. I'll go check those plugs, and the hose in the AM...

I too had the coolant leak from bell housing when truck sit for a while. Mine was the small hose with the two gear clamps on it. Clamps where a little loose.

Do they make a constant pressure clamp (like the ones used to connect the radiator with the large coolant hoses) that fit the size of this small connector hose?
thanks Jamie

I'd assume so. I think there are a couple on my truck, for heater hoses.

Just snugging those clamps down though did the trick, and only took a couple seconds.

My 06 also had a coolant leak coming form the heater core hose. Just tightened the clamps ( about 5 turns on each clamp) and the leak went away. My buddys 07 had the same leak. Anybody with an 06 or early 07 should check their clamps.

I had the exact same leak. This is my first diesel and saw red..and dripping from the bell housing...I freaked. I didnt know coolant was also red in the diesel lol.

But the dealer took it..and it didnt leak for them. They left it in the garage..that night it leaked at hom outside ( mid winter) It ended up just being a loose clamp.

Is it possible those threaded clamps don't seal properly? This is the second time I've had to tighten mine down and it looks like the rubber is starting to deform a little from being round??? and causing mine to leak.
Jamie

I also wonder if spring loaded clamps would be better...

When mine was leaking, it was mainly dripping when I did a short trip, not fully warm. Maybe being so close to the exhaust/turbo causes things to get pretty hot, and expand and contract more than a typical hose clamp/pipe...

Thanx to forum members
 

I just wanted to say thanx to all who posted about the antifreeze leaking from the bell housing! I freaked out when I saw it leaking out of my bell housing and the possibility of a freeze plug on back of the motor under the housing and the ******* telling me it's not covered because I did not change my coolant and this huge bill I don't have the money for made my chest hurt. It's at the ******* now and I hope the mechanic knows what it is.

The worm gear clamps tend to stretch over time from expansion and contraction. This is why they tend to leak only when cold. The pipe expands and stretches the clamp, then the pipe cools and leaks.

This is why they have an update for this problem were the worm gear clamps are replaced with spring clamps.

Goat!
 

I tightened the clamps on mine as well however this may be a temporary fix. If it continues to leak, there is a replacement hose that is slightly smaller and new clamps available. Attachment 31988

Attachment 31989

Nice Find on the kit. Not had any issues with mine since I tightened it up. Look like the clamps in the kit are the way to go.

A lot of guy's do not like those spring clamps.. I do, they are self adjusting and will tighten up when the hose shrinks.

The reason the worm gear clamps leak is they get stretched out when they heat up, and then they can't contract when things cool off. I replaced my hose and clamps last summer with the parts above. In fact those pictures above are mine. :) It has not leaked since.

Well, add me to the list... mine were by no means loose, but i got an 8 mm on em at lunch and cinched em up. I about crapped my drawers this morning to find what I thought was transmission fluid on the bottom of the bell housing. The taste eased my fears though. Will see if cinching them down does the trick. If not, will be headed to the dealer for some constant pressure clamps. Oh, yeah, my plugs were all tight.

Coolant leaks usually occur when there is a big drop in temps. The metal fitting contracts more than the clamp. When I worked at the shop it was normal to have vehicles stacked up on very cold mornings because of coolant leaks due loose clamps. Maybe the constant tension clamps will work better than the worm drive. Aside from the obviously worn or oversize spring clamp, all the other leaks were on the worm drive types.

Two cold nights later and not a drop! I LOVE DTR - thanks everyone!!!

I had the same problem, what an amazing coincidence[verymad]! Does anyone have the dealer part numbers for the new (smaller) piece of hose and clamps? Also how much coolant do you have to drain to swap the hose out? Thanks guys

I've noticed a small puddle under mine twice recently... red tinted real thin fluid. Seems to thin to be trans ATF so I'm hoping I've got the same hose clamp issus... I'll check it out. Is this an '06 thing?

Yeah, on all the threads about this, everyone who posts seems to have an 06.