Threaded pipe plug at rear of head leaking coolant
 

So I had the slow coolant leak in my '06 that I noticed when I turned the motor off. I went to the local Mopar dealer and got the new piece of 3", 7/8" diameter heater hose and spring clamps, and spent 2 hours on Saturday replacing that piece of heater hose underneath my exhaust manifold that's right next to the turbo. I was hoping that would solve the problem, but . . .

As it ends up, the leak is still there. After scratching my head for a bit, I started to trace the trail of coolant on the head and the block. Where my coolant drip is coming from is on the very rear of the head, from the threaded pipe plug that's square in the middle of the head (right up against the firewall). You can see it from underneath the truck if you look up at the top of the head from between the tranny pan and the exhaust pipe. The plug is actually wet! However, the freeze plug next to it is dry-so I guess I should count my blessings [redface]

It looks like the plug takes a 1/2" drive ratchet, but I have absolutely no idea on how to maneuver one back there. I know on other threads on here that guys have seen this before and have figured out ways to get a ratchet back there to tighten up the plug.

Look at the pics and tell me what you think. One of the pics shows the $24 piece of hose .... the other one shows the threaded plug. I'm pretty mechanically inclined, but I'm at a total loss on this one...

Sorry! Pics didn't post the first time...

I have a Matco thin head 1/2 in ratchet that would probably fit. You might look into something like that.

Thanks-I've seen the matco teardrop ratchets before. I don't have one though so I'll have to look and see what buddy of mine might have one in his toolchest :)

Has anyone else had problems with these rear threaded plugs leaking? I can't be the only one that has

Is there enough play in the motor mounts to put a jack under the transmission and give you another inch of clearance?

I doubt it-if I dropped the tranny the top end of that plug would come closer to the firewall :(

I think he meant the opposite. Loosen the tranny mount and jack it up to tilt the engine forward just a little.

Go buy a stick of 1/2" bar stock. Cut a piece 3/4" long and stick it in there. Tighten it with a 1/2" open end wrench.

That, my friend, is BRILLIANT! (if there's room to get it in the plug...)

Actually I finally figured out how to tighten the plug today. I joined 2 24" 3/8 drive ratchet extensions, put a 3/8 to 1/2" adapter on the end, and then a 1/2" universal on the adapter. I fed the end-to-end extensions with the 1/2" universal on the end up between the tranny and the exhaust downpipe from the turbo, and was able to jiggle the 1/2" universal end into the hole in the pipe plug. Man that pipe plug was loose! Kinda scary-wonder how long I had before it totally worked itself loose, squirting 200 degree coolant everywhere! Anyway, I tightened it up, and no more leaks!

If you guys have a coolant leak from the rear of the block, and it's not from the heater hoses-there are two pipe plugs back there that could be leaking. The one that was leaking on mine was in the center of the rear of the head-it's tightened with a 1/2" drive ratchet. The smaller one (right behind the exhaust port of cylinder 6) takes a 3/8" drive.