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dianesdak88
Dodge Dakota
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2/15/2006
17:28:54
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 Subject: Please, Help
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This is Dianes88Dak, can't log in, anyway...
This post isn't about my 88Dak, but I hope one or a few of you motorheads can help. I'm also sorry it is a bit on the long side to try to describe all I know of the problem...
My son's 98 Plymouth Breeze has acquired a part time or very minimal radiator leak and no heat.
It started a month or so ago as he was driving to work (3 miles away). He noticed the temp was climbing as car warmed up & but he still had no defrost/heat. Temp continued to climb rapidly so he came back home. It was leaking coolant but we couldn't see where it was coming from and everything looked fine. No water in oil or visa-versa, either.
He also informed me at this time, he hadn't had much heat for the last few days(I atributed this to the fact that he had been loosing coolant for several day and as it got lower and lower there wasn't any water to warm it up).
We could not see anywhere it was leaking from, but it had a steady drip from front-end area (under rad. area coming off front-end cross overs etc.), but we couldn't see no area's that looked like it was actual coming from. All hoses, clamps, petcock, rad. & the cap(which is in the middle of a hose) looked fine.
We were in a hurry as it was getting dark and going to be really cold...so we just added stop leak and new coolant and the heat was working again.
It was fine for a several weeks. He checked all his levels as he was going to a friends house about 65 miles away, nothing was low.
Car was fine the whole time he was gone (3 days, lots of driving around + trip on hwy, etc), and he had gotten into the habit of looking as walking to & from car for any drips or puddles.
Then, a couple days after his return he started loosing his heat again and coolant was low, but he hadn't seen any leaking.
We checked everything again & couldn't see any dripping or puddles or anything that looked wet. We topped it off again. But this time, there was no heat except when you first turn it on and hasn't been up.
Now, today after he was at work for a short time, posibly 10-15 minutes he was advised his car was leaking coolant and had a fairly big puddle under it. I'm assuming it has been leaking some after each shut off, but after several minutes as it starts to cool off and that is why he has not seen it leaking. I also thought before it was leaking maybe only while driving.
He's usually inside at home or work long enough for it to quit leaking & probably dry out enough to not notice.
Where do I go from here?? Does this sound like a stopped up heater core, bad rad. or cap, clogged hose or what. I am totally at a loss as what to do. Can't afford a shop, which I don't trust them anyway and usually do everything myself. Still can see no bad hose, loose clamps or area directly on radiator that the water in coming from. We have no shop manual for it for trouble shooting and I couldn't find any help doing a search on the net.
Thanks in advance for any advice anyone might be able to give as it will be truly appreciated.
Dianes88Dak
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jj
Dodge Dakota
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2/15/2006
18:07:40
|  RE: Please, Help
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my first guess is waterpump. But it could be anything, you have to get it to leak and watch it.
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dianesdak88
Dodge Dakota
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2/15/2006
18:35:02
|  RE: Please, Help
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Message:
Thanks so much jj!
That backs up our fear of that, doubly. That's the same opinion from a guy my son works with also, as to the way the car was sitting in the lot and the area of the puddle.
Thanks again and have a Great Evening! Diane
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