I need help Diagnosing an oil and coolant leak.

Mopargarage · **Posted:** Wed Jan 02, 2019 10:52 am

Trying to trace where oil and coolant is coming from on my liberty crd. The driver's side appears to have oil leaking down onto the starter but I can't see where it's coming from and the passenger side looks to be mostly coolant. Has anyone else had this issue? I've done an egr delete thinking the coolant and oil was coming from that but it's still happening. I also replaced the head gasket thinking it was coming from the back of the head or block. It's running down the side of the bell housing. I don't have anymore ideas on what to do from here on out. Any info or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

WWDiesel · **Posted:** Wed Jan 02, 2019 1:33 pm

Have you tried putting the UV dye in the coolant and using a UV light to pinpoint the leak location?
And on the EGR delete, did you totally remove all the EGR parts including the EGR cooler and all associated hoses?
There is a freeze plug on the rear of the head. If it leaks it will run down on the bellhousing.

Mopargarage · **Posted:** Wed Jan 02, 2019 2:42 pm

I have not used the uv due yet. I will now. I just replaced the rear crankshaft seal and had the transmission out. I could see freeze plugs when I was under. Visually they looked fine. Can you see those plugs in the picture with the trans out?

APC9199 · **Posted:** Wed Jan 02, 2019 2:49 pm

WWDiesel's suggestion is probably spot on for the oil leak. There isn't much else on the drivers side that can leak onto the bell housing.

Regarding the coolant on the passenger side, there are a few more options depending on where it is actually leaking onto. If it is also near the bell housing then the freeze plugs are probably still to blame. If it is on the firewall, motor mount or inner frame leaking back toward the transmission it is probably a leak on the coolant reservoir. Check all the hose connections as well as the fluid level sensor on the bottom. If it is toward the front of the motor running down the side, and starts higher up on the motor, it is probably the thermostat. Make sure your water pump isn't leaking which should be easy to see from the bottom side. It will leak in the same place as the thermostat but will be easy to spot especially when running. Finally, ensure the connections on the oil cooler aren't leaking. It is directly behind the water pump, below the turbo, on the side of the motor and can be a little tougher to see. Also, make sure the connections for the bypass line that came with the EGR delete kit are sealed up well.

Mopargarage · **Posted:** Wed Jan 02, 2019 3:11 pm

I found a leaky hose underneath the coolant reservoir and replaced that. From what I could see the egr bypass parts are dry. Everything above the starter looks dry. Same with the passenger side. Pretty much it's dry above the turbo oil return line. Both sides appear to be coming from a low point.

Mopargarage · **Posted:** Wed Jan 02, 2019 9:10 pm

I did also pressurize the coolant system to mimic the coolant leak. It held pressure and didn't leak. After I drive it for 5 minutes then bring it into the garage and look under it then I see it running down the bell housing and onto the oil filter.

Mopargarage · **Posted:** Wed Jan 02, 2019 9:20 pm

I guess I better bust out the snake camera and take look behind the head.

Mopargarage · **Posted:** Thu Jan 03, 2019 12:02 am

APC9199 wrote:

WWDiesel's suggestion is probably spot on for the oil leak. There isn't much else on the drivers side that can leak onto the bell housing.

Regarding the coolant on the passenger side, there are a few more options depending on where it is actually leaking onto. If it is also near the bell housing then the freeze plugs are probably still to blame. If it is on the firewall, motor mount or inner frame leaking back toward the transmission it is probably a leak on the coolant reservoir. Check all the hose connections as well as the fluid level sensor on the bottom. If it is toward the front of the motor running down the side, and starts higher up on the motor, it is probably the thermostat. Make sure your water pump isn't leaking which should be easy to see from the bottom side. It will leak in the same place as the thermostat but will be easy to spot especially when running. Finally, ensure the connections on the oil cooler aren't leaking. It is directly behind the water pump, below the turbo, on the side of the motor and can be a little tougher to see. Also, make sure the connections for the bypass line that came with the EGR delete kit are sealed up well.

I'll look over coolant hoses again .

Mopargarage · **Posted:** Thu Jan 03, 2019 12:04 am

WWDiesel wrote:

Have you tried putting the UV dye in the coolant and using a UV light to pinpoint the leak location?
And on the EGR delete, did you totally remove all the EGR parts including the EGR cooler and all associated hoses?
There is a freeze plug on the rear of the head. If it leaks it will run down on the bellhousing.

I hope it's not the freeze plugs

WWDiesel · **Posted:** Thu Jan 03, 2019 9:43 am

Mopargarage wrote:

WWDiesel wrote:

UV dye in the coolant and using a UV light to pinpoint the exact leak location?

I hope it's not the freeze plugs

https://www.amazon.com/Interdynamics-Ce ... B002M4E0VC
& most all of the big box parts stores incuding NAPA carry UV cooling system die.

Mopargarage · **Posted:** Thu Jan 03, 2019 5:37 pm

WWDiesel wrote:

Mopargarage wrote:

WWDiesel wrote:

UV dye in the coolant and using a UV light to pinpoint the exact leak location?

I hope it's not the freeze plugs

https://www.amazon.com/Interdynamics-Ce ... B002M4E0VC
& most all of the big box parts stores incuding NAPA carry UV cooling system die.

I have a commercial account at napa. I'll get some next time I'm there.

papaindigo · **Posted:** Thu Jan 03, 2019 5:44 pm

"running down the bell housing and onto the oil filter." Look at hoses to/from coolant tank and the hoses to/from heater core including for weak OEM tension clamps; consider leaky heater core venting coolant thru the firewall drain that's in that area. I know it's forward of that area but water does go into odd places when driving so check hoses (the whole ball of them) around oil cooler and thermostat bypass.

flash7210 · **Posted:** Fri Jan 04, 2019 8:30 am

Mopargarage wrote:

I did also pressurize the coolant system to mimic the coolant leak. It held pressure and didn't leak. After I drive it for 5 minutes then bring it into the garage and look under it then I see it running down the bell housing and onto the oil filter.

This doesn’t make sense.
5 minutes of driving a cold engine isn’t enough to build pressure in the cooling system.

Pressurize the cooling system to 16 psi.
Walk away and come back 30 minutes later.
Then check pressure on the gauge and search for leaks.

BTW, the oil leaking onto the starter is probably coming from the rear main seal.

Ludi Neethling · **Joined:** Sat Feb 02, 2013 11:04 am **Posts:** 87

I deleted my post. Nor relevant.

TKB4 · **Posted:** Wed Jan 09, 2019 6:33 am

I agree with flash and papa indigo.
If not losing pressure don't see how it could be leaking visually. But if it is leaking, heater hoses and heater core are likely culprit.
Maybe the Y adapter that you replaced as part of the weeks kit that deleted the tube across front of engine from egr or loose clamps on the metal portion of run to heater core the portion that is bolted to valve cover.. Of course if you had a head gasket leak that could raise the pressure in coolant system only when running engine but you just replaced the head gasket so if a similar situation it would have to be cracked head or other coolant passage.

Have you done the quick test for pressure in coolant bottle by first opening the radiator cap on cold engine then replacing it and starti and run engine about 60 seconds and then recheck for pressure in coolant bottle by removing cap again ?

Mopargarage · **Posted:** Tue Jun 11, 2019 6:17 pm

TKB4 wrote:

I agree with flash and papa indigo.
If not losing pressure don't see how it could be leaking visually. But if it is leaking, heater hoses and heater core are likely culprit.
Maybe the Y adapter that you replaced as part of the weeks kit that deleted the tube across front of engine from egr or loose clamps on the metal portion of run to heater core the portion that is bolted to valve cover.. Of course if you had a head gasket leak that could raise the pressure in coolant system only when running engine but you just replaced the head gasket so if a similar situation it would have to be cracked head or other coolant passage.

Have you done the quick test for pressure in coolant bottle by first opening the radiator cap on cold engine then replacing it and starti and run engine about 60 seconds and then recheck for pressure in coolant bottle by removing cap again ?

Pretty sure it was leaking from the rear of the head. I'm beginning to think the original head bolts weren't torqued right or something. It always had an oil leak ever since I bought it. With everything on upper end of the motor removed I could see exactly where it was coming from going out the back of the head down onto the transmission bellhousing. Maybe bad head gasket is the cause?

Sent from my SM-G960U1 using Tapatalk

Mopargarage · **Posted:** Tue Jun 11, 2019 6:19 pm

I can't wait to take the original head into the machine shop. It's definitely got something wrong going on. I took my spare head to a machine shop and it was pressure tested, no warping and had new valve seats installed. Only cost 160 dollars

Sent from my SM-G960U1 using Tapatalk

Mopargarage · **Posted:** Tue Jun 11, 2019 6:20 pm

Back in it again.

Sent from my SM-G960U1 using Tapatalk

TKB4 · **Posted:** Tue Jun 11, 2019 8:19 pm

Pretty pic but hope you didn't put the head on over the ARP studs, that would really be a booger !!

Mopargarage · **Posted:** Wed Jun 19, 2019 5:25 pm

TKB4 wrote:

Pretty pic but hope you didn't put the head on over the ARP studs, that would really be a booger !!

That's how the instructions said to do it if you're replacing the head gasket and it's how we do it on our race motors when changing head gaskets.

Sent from my SM-G960U1 using Tapatalk

I need help Diagnosing an oil and coolant leak.

Who is online