HELP

[JennyA]

I just got a 2010 Dodge journey from an individual and I love the thing however I have not even put 1000 miles on it and it is making a tapping noise in the motor and last night when trying to get onto the interstate I gave it more gas than I ever have before and when I did something broke blew out IDK what happened and steam went spewing out. temp gauge went a little bit above normal before I got stopped at the nearest gas station but by no means in the hot range.i let it cool for about an hour and filled the reservoir with coolant. I then drove it home less than a mile where it was steaming again. I left it over night refilled the reservoir today and cranked it let it set  in idle for 15-20 min. Nothing happened, as soon as I hit the gas pedal a little woosh fluid poured from the back side of the motor. I can not see what all is back there, I do see a lot of hoses back there. What I need to know is it most likely a hose blown or something simple I could fix myself? Or does it sound like something more serious? Please Please be something cheap and easy to fix. I am on disability and raising my grandkids so any money after bills and neccessities each month is non existent. 

[2late4u]

probally a freeze plug that has rusted out, you need to get a mechanic to check it out. or fooling with it yourself you will probably overheat the engine and ruin it... good  luck

[OhareFred]

Can you give us some more information, like do you have 3 zone heat and AC.?  Does the car idle ok and only steams when you accelerate?  Did you check your oil to see if there is any water in it?

 

if you can answer these we may have a better idea.  It could be a blown head gasket, it could be blown heater hoses to the rear unit, or a few other things.  Sorry to say but when I had the rear heater hoses replaced it was almost $500.  

[jkeaton]

You need to get it somewhere for a diagnosis. All we can do is guess. 

[JennyA]

On ‎10‎/‎30‎/‎2017 at 4:54 PM, OhareFred said:

Can you give us some more information, like do you have 3 zone heat and AC.?  Does the car idle ok and only steams when you accelerate?  Did you check your oil to see if there is any water in it?

 

if you can answer these we may have a better idea.  It could be a blown head gasket, it could be blown heater hoses to the rear unit, or a few other things.  Sorry to say but when I had the rear heater hoses replaced it was almost $500.  

It is the 3 zone ac/heat .No water in the oil Thank goodness.

And yes I filled the reservoir and let it idle for about 45 min, I saw no steam no leak until I hit the accelerator  slightly and it poured from behind the engine. I have found where it is leaking, the Y connector behind the motor. From what I have read it was a known issue that Dodge resolved in 2009. Mine is a 2010 so that part should not even be on mine right?  My guy friend is a journeyman for a  metal fabrication company and is going to fabricate the piece out of aluminum once I get it off and he can get the exact measurements. Now I guess my question would be, what would be the best way to get it out of there? IDK if I should try from underneath or lower it off the mounts or remove the intake. I need the cheapest, quickest fix. ,Thank you all so much for your help with this.

Edited October 31, 2017 by JennyA

[OhareFred]

Well, I had mine done  ( an 09 R/T) at the dealer under my extended warranty, so cant tell you how to get it off. You may have enough rubber hose to just cut it out, but I really dont know.  As far as I know all the three zone systems have that part.  They didn’t figure anything out in 09, was the first model year for the car (although they were available the second half of 08.  Got mine in July of 08).

 

I do recall this being talked about and I recall someone used a copper plumbing Y pipe from the hardware store ( Im pretty sure).  Try searching the forum for heater Y pipe, or maybe some else knows more.

 

Let us know!

 

Edited October 31, 2017 by OhareFred

[km-04]

Good luck with this JennyA. Please let us know how it goes for you.

[bfurth]

19 hours ago, OhareFred said:

Well, I had mine done  ( an 09 R/T) at the dealer under my extended warranty, so cant tell you how to get it off. You may have enough rubber hose to just cut it out, but I really dont know.  As far as I know all the three zone systems have that part.  They didn’t figure anything out in 09, was the first model year for the car (although they were available the second half of 08.  Got mine in July of 08).

 

I do recall this being talked about and I recall someone used a copper plumbing Y pipe from the hardware store ( Im pretty sure).  Try searching the forum for heater Y pipe, or maybe some else knows more.

 

Let us know!

 

 

Don't use copper!  Galvanic corrosion of aluminum is highly likely when it is in contact with copper.  Yes, there is some level of protection against this with the anti-freeze, but I wouldn't take that risk.  The radiator, engine block, and head are all aluminum.  I wouldn't put copper anywhere near that if I could avoid it.

 

That being said - is yours a 3.5L?  There were a lot of similar issues with the 2008-2010 Grand Caravan/Town & Country heater return hoses.  The plastic tends to crack given it's proximity to the exhaust pipe - it's not shielded well enough.  A few people have had aluminum Ys made and cut the existing hoses to fit with the new Y (you may need some adapters, heater hose, and worm-drive clamps to hack this fix together).  Once they made the fix, they've never had an issue again.

[OhareFred]

3 hours ago, bfurth said:

 

Don't use copper!  Galvanic corrosion of aluminum is highly likely when it is in contact with copper.  Yes, there is some level of protection against this with the anti-freeze, but I wouldn't take that risk.  The radiator, engine block, and head are all aluminum.  I wouldn't put copper anywhere near that if I could avoid it.

 

That being said - is yours a 3.5L?  There were a lot of similar issues with the 2008-2010 Grand Caravan/Town & Country heater return hoses.  The plastic tends to crack given it's proximity to the exhaust pipe - it's not shielded well enough.  A few people have had aluminum Ys made and cut the existing hoses to fit with the new Y (you may need some adapters, heater hose, and worm-drive clamps to hack this fix together).  Once they made the fix, they've never had an issue again.

 

Thats what I was thinking.  Sorry, thought it was copper, I guess not!  

[JennyA]

3.5 v6 yes. And I am using aluminum to replace the Y. I

 

[JennyA]

Thank you all so much for the help and advice. I've got the piece off and given it to my friend to fabricate another. So hopefully by tomorrow I will be back on the road with no more issues. If ever I do have any I know now exactly where to go for advice. Now I just need a forum this good about ungreatful kids...lol

 

[2late4u]

2 hours ago, JennyA said:

Thank you all so much for the help and advice. I've got the piece off and given it to my friend to fabricate another. So hopefully by tomorrow I will be back on the road with no more issues. If ever I do have any I know now exactly where to go for advice. Now I just need a forum this good about ungreatful kids...lol

 

you should get your friend to make 10 or 15 of them and then put them on ebay for sale........here is one kit../www.ebay.com/sch/eBay-Motors-/6000/m.html?_ssn=newyorkbuyer    you tube video   Fix Y Pipe Heater Hose Leak kit 2008-2014 Dodge Caravan Chrysler Town and Country Minivan couldn't find one on journey but gives you  idea on what is done...

Edited November 3, 2017 by 2late4u

[2late4u]

I found the near identical brass "T" connector at Home Depot- Sharkbite PEX P/N UC370LFA, SKU 697285919914. Don't forget to pick up 3 - 4 adjustable hose clamps, 1/2" to 1-1/4". You will probably also need 1' of 5/8" radiator heater hose for the connection to the engine tube. I found no reason to drain down any coolant- simply replaced any small amount following a test- just topped off what antifreeze that was needed.   i checked several videos on you tube a lot of them using a brass t connector .dont know if that would be better than the aluminum one sold by dorman company, would use it befor using a copper tee ,one person said he bought the aluminum one and it split after one yr....

[jkeaton]

10 hours ago, JennyA said:

Thank you all so much for the help and advice. I've got the piece off and given it to my friend to fabricate another. So hopefully by tomorrow I will be back on the road with no more issues. If ever I do have any I know now exactly where to go for advice. Now I just need a forum this good about ungreatful kids...lol

 

 

Glad you got it figured out. How I handled ungrateful kids? Stopped doing everything for them......

[2late4u]

4 hours ago, jkeaton said:

 

Glad you got it figured out. How I handled ungrateful kids? Stopped doing everything for them......

so true jkeaton, you're only a doormat if you let them treat you that way...

[bfurth]

On ‎11‎/‎2‎/‎2017 at 11:42 PM, 2late4u said:

I found the near identical brass "T" connector at Home Depot- Sharkbite PEX P/N UC370LFA, SKU 697285919914. Don't forget to pick up 3 - 4 adjustable hose clamps, 1/2" to 1-1/4". You will probably also need 1' of 5/8" radiator heater hose for the connection to the engine tube. I found no reason to drain down any coolant- simply replaced any small amount following a test- just topped off what antifreeze that was needed.   i checked several videos on you tube a lot of them using a brass t connector .dont know if that would be better than the aluminum one sold by dorman company, would use it befor using a copper tee ,one person said he bought the aluminum one and it split after one yr....

 

Brass is still a copper/zinc alloy.  While it is closer on the galvanic chart to aluminum than straight copper, it is only closer by one spot (go figure - copper alloys are all right next to each other...)

 

The aluminum Y splitting would have to be due to a bad weld.  If you really want it done perfectly, it should be forged and machined (no seams = no obvious weak points).

 

While YouTube has a lot of good information, don't take everything literally.  All of those videos of brass T's for the Town and Country are... less than properly educated on galvanic corrosion.  Again - anti-freeze has corrosion inhibitors, but do you really want to artificially increase the risk of destroying your cooling system?  Without a brass/copper fitting having been tested with the factory-fill coolant, I wouldn't put it anywhere near that system.