Losing Coolant '14 R/T

YooperScott · Jun 10, 2019

Back a couple of months ago I had thought I noticed that awful smell of coolant. I checked the overflow and it was low, but not bad. 2014 r/t ~70k miles. Kept an eye on it but did not do anything immediately. Then I kept noticing the smell and searched on here to see many comments about waterpump issues. So, I went ahead and replaced it a few weeks ago. The stock one felt a little tight but otherwise no big deal. I keep checking and the overflow is SLOWLY losing level. And there is the slight coolant smell. I jacked it up yesterday but for the life of me cannot really see any signs of where there would be a leak? I've ruled out things like head gasket because it doesn't smoke and there is the coolant smell under the hood, but I figured there should be something even slightly noticeable. The only thing I did yesterday was clean up as much as possible any signs of coolant from when the waterpump was done and I know I had dripped some when filling it up. I had already cleaned up the tray underneath at the time but did not do a perfect job from the filler neck down so hopefully if it is seeping somewhere I can catch it. Anyone else out there have any ideas of "common" places to look?

Thanks
Scott

henfield · Jun 10, 2019

Check all hoses including those to the heater matrix.
Check the heater matrix as best you can for visible leaks. If you turn on the heater to screen and with no ac and you get moisture appearing your matrix is bad,

DeaconBlue · Jun 11, 2019

The factory radiators in our Durango's seem to have a known leak issue - same units used for the V8 and the V6 with the HD cooling that comes with the factory tow package. Mostly likely a crack in the plastic side tank somewhere on the driver's side. Have a coolant system pressure leak down test done and/or add some die to the coolant and use a black light to track down the leak. I lived with it for a while and when it got worst I finally had it replaced at the dealership under the extended warranty.

https://www.dodgedurango.net/forums...forums/durango-discussions-2014/72638-need-get-these-fluid-leaks-addressed.html

rasull12 · Jun 12, 2019

i had a similar issue. I have a 2015 citadel with the hemi with 44k miles but only had it about 3 years(purchased new in march 2016). Water pump has been replaced twice once around 12k miles and then again at 28k miles but that is a known issue and since it is covered it doesn't really bother me. i had a 2013 with a hemi before this one and in the 3 years and 78k miles i owned that one the water pump had been replaced 3 times.
since that last change i have noticed a smell of coolant but the level never really seemed to be going down and when i asked dealer a few times about it they were never able to smell anything or identify an issue (but did top off coolant twice over that time of about 16 months). until finally a few weeks back driving to work the temp started rising and began to overheat but i turned ac off and traffic had let up and temp started falling. it stayed around normal temp without using climate control and then dropped it off to dealer that afternoon. they said that the radiator was weeping and leaking very slightly and that caused the temp to rise (even though the overflow tank was still in the normal range) regardless they changed the radiator out and has been fine since.

long story short, it seems that the same may be happening to yours. on a side note, since you said you replaced the water pump yourself did you submit the cost to FCA for the pump itself? it is under extended warranty due to their frequent failures. 10 years or 150k i believe.

SQUASHMIRE · Jun 14, 2019

My 2013 durango, V8 was losing coolant. Could not find leak. Made up a tester with a gage and quick connect to an air compressor that threaded into the system by removing a plug near the top/front of engine. Turns out the leak was the radiator cap releasing at too low of a pressure.

Losing Coolant '14 R/T

YooperScott

henfield

DeaconBlue

rasull12

SQUASHMIRE

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