'99 Caravan 3.3 Coolant Leak

I'm mystified where this leak is coming from. Here's what I see.

Driver's side and to the rear. I see puddling on a little ledge below
where the rear head and engine mate and just in front of where the exhaust
manifold connects to the exhause crossover. I can see it from above when
looking past the exhaust crossover pipe with my right elbow resting on the
battery and my left resting on the frame right in front of the radiator.

The view isn't very good because of the crossover pipe and the air intake
conduit and all that stuff. I just can't see any evidence of leaking above
or near that one point where it's puddling. What I can see of the heater
hoses looks dry. So I'm stumped. Any ideas?

Thanks,
David

 

I have a 94 GC with a 3.3. I had a mysterious leak. It turned out to
be the head gasket.

It is NOT a common problem on this engine, from what I have read.
However, it DOES happen. I used to have to top up my coolant every
couple of weeks.

After the Head Gasket was replaced, I have not had to touch to coolant
in six months.

Take it to a reputable shop and have them put it on a hoist. Where
mine was leaking there was a white residue which could clearly be seen
from behind and under the engine.

If you are going to replace the head gasket, use the Chrysler part -
superior quality at a cheaper price.

The job was about $1000 CDN$ (would be $600 - $800 US??? equiv.)

YMMV

hth

Cloaked

 

Hello:
double check the head gasket,also if you have re air and heat their could also
be a leak in the rear coolant lines to the rear heater core.
THANK YOU
EARL

 

Yup. Turned out to be the head gasket. Never seen a head gasket leak to the
outside before. Yuk.

 

If its just leaking on the ouside, I used the Aluma-Seal Powder made by solder
seal. I am not an advocate of a mechanic in a can but this stuff works
wonders. I used in my 94, 3.3 GC in 1999 when the coolant was leaking where
the timing cover bolts to the block I presently have 192,000 miles on this
vehicle and have not had a drop since. This was a temp fix in February 99 when
the temp was about 10 degrees, just waiting for the weather to warm up. It
worked so well I just left it.

I also use this stuff in an 89 Cavalier 2.8 V-6 which has a cracked head also
leaking just on the outside (very common on these engines) and it also has
worked great for the past 5 years. It sure beats $1000.00 just to stop a
coolant leak when you really think about it. Good luck and give it a try, its
only about a $1.50, well worth the gamble.

Thanks,
Butch

 

Thanks for the tip. I have to be honest here.... this is my friends van and
they already took it in. I sure as heck would rather have paid $1.50. Are
there unpleasant side effects to using this stuff?

 

To date I have found no drawbacks. (the guy getting $1000.00 to replace the
head gasket may not like it) It is supposed to harden when it gets hot and hits
air. I heard people say it will clog heater cores and engines etc, but I have
seen non of that in the past 5 years and almost 200,000 miles.

In fact last weekend I had to replace the lines going to the rear heater core,
and saw no build up at all in the metal lines or hoses. Both heaters in my van
work great so I'm sold on this stuff. It comes in a clear plastic tube and
looks like Aluminum Powder, and you put it in your cooling system. I worked in
an auto parts store in the late 60's till about 1978 and back then it was real
popular with the "Old Timer" type of mechanics. When I started having my
problem and saw that it was still made, I thought I would give it a try and had
great success in both of my applications.

Good Luck,
Butch