2005 2500, just over 80k miles. No longer a daily driver. Drive it a couple times a month.

Got home today and as I stopped in the driveway, smoke was coming out from under the hood.

Shut it down and popped the hood. Something was dripping on the exhaust just aft of the turbo and then burning off.

Must have been happening for a few miles on the way home cause you can see where it kept leaking and it was splashing over other areas of the engine compartment.


Looked around and it appears the leak is coming from this cap.



The top side of the cap has liquid pooled there and it's tough to tell from the photo but it was dripping down to the clamps and then to the turbo.

NOW here is my problem...I can't find that cap depicted on any parts diagrams. The HVAC plumbing diagram ends with the rubber 90degree hose and the HVAC units diagram only shows the supply and return to the heat exchanger.

Anyone know what part that cap and inline piece are? Or even what it's used for?

Thanks

 

looks like a T for flushing the coolant system

 

That is the "T" connection from a coolant flush kit. It appears to be the one that comes packaged with the Prestone Flush and Fill Kit. Someone cut that hose and installed the tee in order to flush the cooling system. The tees like the one shown in the photo are known for cracking at the cap or splitting at the neck below the threads. I do not recommend using a flushing tee at all for a few reasons. One of them being that they typically fail after a year or two.

 

That's exactly what the parts guy said. If I was still back in Alaska, I'd take it back to the mechanic and have me replace that 90degree hose.

Considering it wouldn't be worth the drive I ordered one and can hopefully install it this weekend.

Thanks for your help!

 

Replacing the hose is the best way to go. Happy to do so!

 

I just saw you're in Elkton.

I have a buddy who lives up there. I'm now down in AACo.

Do I need to worry about fluid leaking from the heat exchanger when I change the hose?

 

Yeah! Beautiful farmland here in Fair Hill.

I would unscrew that cap and drain the coolant into a clean container. Best to perform this while the system is cold. You could also drain some coolant out through the petcock,albeit; they have a tendency to break for some folks. I recommend against that unless you are sure it will work. A best practice is to remove the lower radiator hose In order to drain some off.

 

Or a str. Coupler will work

 

Picked up part on the way home yesterday and had the new hose installed in15min this AM.

Thanks for you help!