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Coolant & Oil Leaks

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4.2K views 9 replies 6 participants last post by  DeaconBlue  
#1 ·
Hi guys, recently bought a used 2018 V6 GT for my wife.

Noticed a coolant smell as well as oil spots in the garage.

See below pics. Suggestions on culprits before I take it to the shop are appreciated.

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#2 ·
Remove the radiator hose from the thermostat housing where it is leaking. Check the radiator hose and thermostat housing, clean up the housing, replace the factory spring clamp. A simple worm gear clamp may be an alternative option.

Where is the hose with oil on it going to? The picture is too zoomed in to see surrounding location for reference.
 
#3 ·
Unfortunately people aren't going to know the v6 as well as they know the v8.

Regarding the coolant leak it looks like something is up with hose in the middle of the Pic. As Enthusiast said disconnect it and reconnect with a new hose clamp to address. However the leak might be coming from something above the hose in your Pic. I'd be looking at the water pump because it's a known issue / failure point.

Oil leaks generally occur where two metal parts connect to each other. Usually a gasket fails and this is why oil starts leaking.

If both coolant and oil is leaking I'd suspect that the engine somehow overheated. Which goes back to maybe a failing water pump.
 
#4 ·
I have replaced the thermostats (includes the housing), the coolant crossover (Dorman aluminum unit) on my 2014 3.6l V6 as well as the oil to coolant heat exchanger (again Dorman aluminum unit) also called the oil cooler / oil filter housing here;


Now since you have the 2016 and newer 3.6L with stop start - I am not sure if there are differences on you engine.
 
#5 ·
Also please note that the stainless steel worm gear hose clamp on my lower radiator hose on the engine block side periodically need to be re-tightened. I have no idea why or how it loosens up, but it does. I know to check that hose clamp, when I either smell coolant after a hot shut down or notice drips on the lower plastic splash pan. 😕
 
#6 ·
I believe it's been posted before that the factory clamps work best on these hoses, but I don't remember why.
 
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#8 ·
I've got a 2018 Durango GT 3.6L too. The arrows are pointing to the PCV valve as best I can tell. It's normal for there to be oil buildup where the hose connects to the valve. Doesn't seem to matter how much you push that connection together, I always get some oil seepage.

You said there are oil spots on the ground? Have you confirmed that oil is running from that spot, down the back of the engine, and to the ground? Only crankcase vapor is flowing through that tube so it would take a long time for enough oil to build up. If your Durango has a lot of miles on it, PCV valves are an easy swap and so is that hose if you're worried.

Places I would check for oil leaks are in the valley of the block where the oil cooler sits, and the upper/lower oil pan mating surfaces