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Senior Gamer
USA
869 Posts |
 Posted - May 30 2012 : 7:12:47 PM
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Sooooo, my wife drives a(n) 09 Dodge Journey that we bought off the showroom floor. Being dumb enough to buy a launch-year model has been taking it's toll on me...one problem after the other. Ugh.
The latest problem has me scratching my head bigtime though. I do not claim to be an auto mechanic. On the contrary, it's one of the things where I'm horribly unskilled. I do have a (very) basic automotive knowledge and tend to work on my own **** though. Things like brakes, oil changes, etc...easy stuff. This current problem has me completely stumped...
About a month ago Patty went to Morgantown (around 30mi), parked, and went into the mall. When she got out she saw no fluid nor did she smell anything. 30 minutes later she comes back out and there's a boatload of antifreeze puddled under the car. She calls me and I load up some tools and run down to give it a look.
There was NO evidence of a leaking hose nor was the reservoir cracked or anything like that. I automatically think the worst and call a tow truck. They take it back to the plant where I can get a better look at it. I re-fill the antifreeze and look for leaks. Nada. Let it idle for a while (to ensure the thermostat kicking open)...still nothing. I run it up the road and back...nothing. Temp gauge perfect and no sign of leakage. I get back in and take the ride again, only I run the hell out of it this time. Same results. Nothing.
So then I assume it was an anomaly and give it back to Patty to drive as she normally would. She pops the hood daily and keeps an eye on antifreeze level as well as watching the temp gauge as she drives. Nothing. No signs of a leak nor is it running hot.
Fast forward about 3 weeks. Boom...it happens again. Exact same scenario. She runs it, parks it, goes in to some store, walks out and finds a sea of antifreeze.
I just can't figure it out. If the thermostat was sticking it could potentially 'boil' the antifreeze up out of the overflow on the reservoir tank...but it seems to me that it would happen while it was hot (ie running). It seems to be pushing it out AFTER she parks and shuts it down, which makes absolutely NO sense to me. Let alone the fact that I cannot seem to figure out WHERE it's pushing it out. There's no sign of fluid near the reservoir overflow hose when this happens, so it doesn't seem to be coming from there. Any ideas?
Oh, and I've already checked the oil for milky-ness (nope) and the exhaust while running (no signs there either) |
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Advanced Gamer
USA
1991 Posts |
Posted - May 30 2012 : 8:03:56 PM
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Seems like the problem would go away if she quit going out shopping....
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Adding nothing constructive to a thread near you
 
Hotdog Carts by Dacoto
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Senior Gamer
USA
869 Posts |
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Senior Gamer
USA
795 Posts |
Posted - May 30 2012 : 9:48:06 PM
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| Though it doesn't appear to be the reservoir it very well still could be. It could be when the coolant gets hot enough it allows a crack to open up and dump fluid all over but as it cools down it reseals itself. I'd take the reservoir completely out and look over the who thing in good lighting for anomalies. Worse case scenario, there is nothing wrong with it and you're back at square one. Best case scenario you discover the problem. |
lausdomini | griffey95 | Facial La Fleur | KARMAgoesHARD |
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Senior Gamer
USA
869 Posts |
Posted - May 31 2012 : 03:36:05 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Facial La Fleur
Though it doesn't appear to be the reservoir it very well still could be. It could be when the coolant gets hot enough it allows a crack to open up and dump fluid all over but as it cools down it reseals itself. I'd take the reservoir completely out and look over the who thing in good lighting for anomalies. Worse case scenario, there is nothing wrong with it and you're back at square one. Best case scenario you discover the problem.
Hmmm, good idea. I did pull it initially but not in good enough lighting to see the type of defect you're talking about (well hidden). Sounds like the easiest place to start anyway since it's only two bolts to pop it off. |
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a1a1a1
 0
Zone: None
Total games played:
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Starting Gamer
0 Posts |
Posted - May 31 2012 : 04:46:29 AM
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| let me knw what it ends up being my Honda did this the other day at the LCBO. Theres been nothing for weeks as well |
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Senior Gamer
USA
795 Posts |
Posted - May 31 2012 : 04:48:49 AM
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| Also if it happens again, have your wife try to narrow down where it's coming from. Note which side of the vehicle the puddle is on and try to examine where in the engine compartment there is dampness the best she can. At least then you have a better idea where to look. |
lausdomini | griffey95 | Facial La Fleur | KARMAgoesHARD |
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Tandar1
210,980
Zone: Recreation
Total games played:
547
Current Streak: 0
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Member of the Moment Guy
USA
5330 Posts |
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360voice Staff
USA
6648 Posts |
Posted - May 31 2012 : 05:38:20 AM
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Actually with my 15 plus years of auto repair experience it sounds like it could be the waterpump.
I have dealt with Audi's and Ford's but I have seen the same thing that it doesn't show a leak until it cools down. I would look for residue near the waterpump and see. A lot of manufacturers went to basically a plastic WP recently and I have seen the housings for them crack and leak on the cool down. Now I'm not familiar with the 3.5s but that would be my thought. I don't think it has anything to do with the t-stat itself as you would have residue on the coolant bottle.
I did some digging and T-Stat housings have been seen to leak on those vehicles, but there is no TSBS on that issue. There are also reports of cracked coolant bottles, but you said there are no leaks there. If the journey is like other modern cars there could be a cover or shield under the car that is hiding the issue as well.
Find someone with a coolant pressure tester and you should be able to find the leak pretty quickly.
Just my 2 cents
(EDIT) I did some research on it and they don't see a lot of Waterpump issues on that engine but they do see the T-stat housings leak. |
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Senior Gamer
USA
869 Posts |
Posted - May 31 2012 : 06:50:30 AM
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Sounds like something I may not be able to fix myself. I suppose I'll have to bite the bullet and take it in for the pressure test.
Either that or I'll just change the t-stat and t-stat housing and go from there.
If any of y'all see a gray haired dude with a sugar bear on his shoulder broke down along the interstate on the way to Achievement Fest, stop and pick me up  |
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the dren
108,470
Zone: Recreation
Total games played:
321
Current Streak: 2463
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Advanced Gamer
USA
1895 Posts |
Posted - May 31 2012 : 08:16:43 AM
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| We had a similar problem with a Mazda MPV Minivan. Wasn't the bottle, wasn't the overflow valve, replaced the thermostat. turned out we had a crack in the radiator, and like mentioned above, when it heated up, the crack sealed as the metal heated up and things looked fine, but when it cooled down the crack opened. And it sprayed right into the water pump area, making it look suspect. I had to catch it in the act. Replaced the radiator and the cooling fan and the prolem went away. |
-The Dren
Clan Easy Frag
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360voice Staff
USA
6648 Posts |
Posted - May 31 2012 : 09:59:06 AM
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Yeah, it could be the radiator as well though the Dodge store I called had not seen that as a common issue.
Pressure test and all shall be revealed. |
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Senior Gamer
USA
869 Posts |
Posted - May 31 2012 : 6:28:34 PM
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And the love just keeps on a comin' .....
About 2 hours ago I get a text from Briana. Her boyfriend slammed a deer with his car and she wants me to bring her car to them since his was being towed away. Noooo problem. Patty hops in her car and I get in Pattys. She starts backing out and stops...bad sign. I get out and she says the temp light is on (in Briana's car). I check the antifreeze and it's damn near dry. I fill it and check for apparent leaks...nada. No biggie.
She goes ahead and leaves and I follow in her car. She keeps doing silly **** like brake-checking and I'm wondering WTF she's doing and cussing her for texting and driving. Turns out she actually was brake checking. We get to a store a couple miles away and she pulls over telling me that she has no brakes. I hop in it and pump the brakes and fluid is squirting out from behind the left front...popped brake line...wonderful. I drive it home and park it in our sea of vehicular problems until tomorrow
So apparently Patty's car problems will be on hold until I change out Briana's brake lines tomorrow and hopefully find her antifreeze leak. Then I'll go back to the problem at hand.
All told, I guess I should be thanking Tyler for hitting the deer. Otherwise Briana would have been the one behind the wheel when the brake line popped and god only knows what could have happened. So even though it's compounded my problems, it should be a relatively easy fix and all in all it was pretty lucky to have happened the way it did  |
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Cormyre
121,380
Zone: Recreation
Total games played:
397
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Moderator
USA
7766 Posts |
Posted - Jun 01 2012 : 10:32:18 AM
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| lol and I thought my mom had vehicle bad luck... |
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THEeskEMO
148,949
Zone: Recreation
Total games played:
293
Current Streak: 0
Longest Streak: 111
Average Gamer
USA
397 Posts |
Posted - Jun 01 2012 : 2:34:43 PM
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Damn dude! Just keeps piling on for you. :(
Let us know what the anti-freeze leak ends up being! |
Herbie Grand Champions!
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Any auto mechanics here?
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