Hey there! I have been a long time member of the other Dodge board, but thought I would post my question here. Since the first of may I have noticed that I get a little coolant drip out the TOP of the overflow bottle.. Where the rubber attaches to the nipple. It will sometimes drip a couple drops, other times it runs down the wheel well.

Has been to the dealer three times for this. First time they presure tested the system, all OK. THen I had a couple drops from the water pump so they replaced that along with New reservoir bottle, return line, and Thermostat. THey did a block test to see if exaust in the coolant... Negative ( Cking head gasket). I sent an oil sample in, Zero coolant in the oil and vise versa. We changed the radiator cap as well.

Right after I got it back from dealer I have been stuffing some paper towel in the rubber tube to see if and when it happens. The most I usually get out is a few drops that makes the paper a little pink. It will sometimes go 4-500 miles with NOthing!! I use thr truck to coomute and I also pull my large horse trailer withit. It's certainly not condensor water...

Dealer did a final diagnosis as "Vapor" of hot coolant returning to the reservoir and condensing at the top and running out. Thats all fine and dandy, but it will sometimes it it after you only drove 3-4 miles after a cold start.

My coolant level in the reservoir changes VERY LITTLE from hot to cold. Pretty much stays the same. Radiator is always full when I pull the cap to ck. If coolant was getting PUSHED out and NOT back to the radiator the overflow tank would be full correct????

Hopeing someone on this board can help. Not too worried and the truck runs AWESOME!! Thanks for the time!!

It's a 2006 3500 SRW 5.9 l with 16,000 unmodded miles.

 

Wow, I can't believe they did all that work. What a bunch of morons. Mine did the same thing so I put a 99 cent hose clamp on the line and problem solved.

 

It's NOT dripping from the connectors to the Radiator or the coolant bottle itself.... It is dripping from the TOP of the coolant reservoir right up where you would fill the reservoir with coolant. There is a little rubber tube attached to the overflow nipple and extends down by the Battery box.. it is coming from the very top. I too have clamps on both ends since the day I brought the truck home.. A diesel mechanic on the other board told me that if my cooling system was working perfectly, you should see very little change in level in the reservoir as it was designed to catch overflow...

 

Okay, I think I was misunderstanding you so I went outside and took a look. And I was. My issue was with the hose leading to the reservoir. Mine dripped where is exited the radiator (just below the cap). That's where I added the hose clamp.

While out there I did peek at the reservoir itself and noticed mine has dripped out of the overflow tube also. I have seen wet spots on the control arms at times also. But I really don't think its a problem.

 

Thank you very much!!! See, I knew there had to be somebody out there with the same deal! LOLOL Is the control arm under the truck that the Passenger wheel attaches to? The ONLY way I would have EVEN noticed this is that one day it dripped all the way down to the concrete when I got home!! LOLOL I t was dry within minutes but I just happened to catch it! LOLOL Had I not seen it, I woudn't of cared! Thanks!

 

Well, I drove 120 miles pulling my trailer in the heat. It was about 85 drgrees on the way over 102 on the way back. On the way over there was very very little coolant out the overflow nipple. On the way back, a little more but not very much at all! My coolant level in the reservoir increased about 2" .. which Has never happened, always stayed the same level but after I took some coolant out of it last night, doing much better I think!

 

Most overflow tanks are marked full cold and full hot. They should change from hot to cold due to the coolant expanding with heat. The level drops because the pressure cap have a vent to allow the radiator to pull coolant back in when the system cools off.

 

Thanks! I had already researched that and found just what you describe. I have been chasing a little problem for a couple months now where I get a little seepage out the overflow TOP nipple ( Little rubber tube hangs down...) Have been trying to find the sweet spot for this cooling system. Dealer has pressure tested and other stuff. Oil analysis came back fine, Not a big deal, just bugs me!! LOL

 

Mine too; from both ends! Mine is mostly making a mess on the air box, under the nipple on the radiator. I thought it might be leaking from a soft press-fit hose on the nipple, so I clamped it. Not sure if it's still leaking; I never cleaned off the orange stain on the air box.

I have not taken it in, yet. I hate not having my truck for 1-2 days.

Tony

 

Just put a couple of clamps on it and be done with it! LOL His isn't coming out of the hose though, it is coming out of the nipple on the overflow. Where it would actually come out if the tank was overfilled. I think he is on to something witht the correct level though. I always double check cold and hot. And it will change a little from summer ot winter!

 

Your right, After I had my water pump replaced the dealer said there was a tech tip to reduce the coolant level as the tanks were basically mismarked!! LOLOL I thought it was too low so I added some. But as I said above I reduced it back down to their level and it is much better!!! Went out and looked this morning and the coolant that had gone in the tank when hot was all sucked back into the system over night and back down to where I had it!!! I think I may have found it's sweet spot! Thanks for the help!! Either way here is what I did

I stuffed some Paper towel into the rubber nipple so that if it DOES drip a little bit, The towel catches it and I don't have a mess!!!! Lets just say that when the dealer saw that he remarked that I had a FEMALE truck as evidenced by the _______ that was in the tube!!!

 

Just as an update in case anyone is following this: I drove to the desert last night and when I got home my paper towel was all pink from coolant ( I had it stuffed in the rubber tube). I am thinking that by plugging that, it might cause some back pressure and make it worse so I took it out. ANy vapor that would have normally just go away will be caught by the paper towel and give you the idea it's worse.. LOLOL SO I am going to leave it open! Any other ideas???

 

yeah i would just route it up a little higher than where its at now, allowing gravity to keep it inside the bottle..do not plug it..

mine drip's on the top of my top shock tower from driving the **** out of it in the desert and sometimes its either a/c or coolant on my bottom conrtol arm...it can be a pain but if you take your time just look for a good routing spot and this will clear your problem, you may need to get a little longer hose

 

I did the same exact thing you did...but I also added a hose clamp to the reservoir nipple where the hose attaches just to be on the safe side. Gets awful hot out here sometimes and if at ALL possible, I would like to keep the coolant IN my truck. Tye (Buckshotmckee) pointed it out to me at the last truck meet (thanks Tye) and I immediately went and hose clamped the "loose ends" when I got home...