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Pudge
Dodge Dakota
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4/23/2006
19:07:06
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 Subject: antifreeze leak
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Message:
98 dakota 2.5 i have what appears to be a leak coming from the bottom of the engine but i cant tell exactly where it is coming from. just had the coolant flushed a month ago b4 i drove cross country. any help would be appreciated
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TigerDak
Dodge Dakota
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4/23/2006
19:27:40
|  RE: antifreeze leak
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Message:
You probably have a freeze plug that is leaking.
When they make engines, they have to use sand during the molding phase. Once the engine block is finished, they needed to have a way to get the sand out of the engine. So they put holes in the bottom of the engine to drain out the sand, but then they have to plug up the little hole with something called a freeze plug. It's a round piece of metal, about 1" in diameter.
Yours is leaking probaby because it has rusted through a hole in it.
So, .... what do you need to do? You need to pull out the old rusted freeze plug and install a new one. However, you don't have to put in a new metal freeze plug. I would recommend an expansison plug. It is a neoprene/metal mechanism that fits inside the hole, and as you tighten it with a wrench, it expands and plugs up the hole. It's a better way to go, because if you use an OEM metal freeze plug, you have to have it perfectly placed in there, and of course there's no real room to work with so pounding the hammer is a pain.
Just use a neoprene expansion plug and do it yourself. A 4-hour job of raising the engine and hammering away perfectly just became a 20-minute job with an expansion plug. Just make sure you tighten it good!
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Pudge
Dodge Dakota
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4/25/2006
01:47:35
| RE: antifreeze leak
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Message:
thanks for he help. any pics of where it is actually located or will it be simple to find?
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Lucas
Dodge Dakota
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4/25/2006
16:49:33
| RE: antifreeze leak
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Message:
I had this on a 5.2 happen. Check the bypass hose.
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TigerDak
Dodge Dakota
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4/25/2006
19:54:53
| RE: antifreeze leak
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Message:
Well *IF* I'm right and it is a freeze plug, there are usually about 5-6 of them on each side of the engine block. They are not actually on the bottom, but they are close. Check on the sides of the engine block near the bottom. Just follow the green....
Make sure your hoses are not leaking out somewhere either. But just guessing it sounds like a freeze plug.
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Alec
Dodge Dakota
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4/26/2006
03:01:16
| RE: antifreeze leak
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I've had 4 freeze plugs replaced. I'm almost sure that is your problem also.
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Pudge
Dodge Dakota
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4/30/2006
14:26:09
| RE: antifreeze leak
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Message:
thanks for all the info checked all the hoses and they are all good taking it somewhere to get looked at where i live dont realy have a place to work on my truck without upsetting someone
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Mikey
Dodge Dakota
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5/03/2006
09:27:41
|  RE: antifreeze leak
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Message:
I thought that freeze (or frost plugs as I have heard them be called ) were so that if you have too much water in your anti-freeze and your coolant freezes, it wont crack your block. All that will happen is you will blow out a frost plug(hence the term "frost" or "freeze" plug).
You should also check your block heater if you have one and also the gasket on your water pump.
My 2 cents.
Hope this helps.
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