[AeroZ]

Hello.

So I few weeks ago I had the oil filter housing replaced. Today I noticed that the level of coolant in the reservoir doesn’t change when engine is cold or hot. So I checked under the radiator cap and there was no coolant to be seen. When I’ve driven my car for the past two weeks the coolant temperature have been normal. No overheating.
I’m now wondering what next. Is there a leak from the replacement or maybe there was still air in the system and after driving the car it bled itself and the coolant level dropped.
I visually didn’t see coolant dripping or pooling anywhere.

Not sure what to next. The shop that did the oil filter housing don’t have time available for three weeks.

 

[Sienile]

Top off with the bleeder screw open then put it back on and top off again. Go for a short drive, at least a few blocks. Let it cool and recheck. Top off and go for another drive, cool, and recheck. It should be fine then. If not, you have a leak.

 

[AeroZ]

Top off with the bleeder screw open then put it back on and top off again. Go for a short drive, at least a few blocks. Let it cool and recheck. Top off and go for another drive, cool, and recheck. It should be fine then. If not, you have a leak.

Do you know how the coolant moves through the oil filter housing? There are many pathways there. Does only oil move through the cooling block on top? I only know that the hose that is connected to the housing is the coolant hose but how does it move inside the housing and where does it exit?


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[Sienile]

Flow comes in from the hose and through the base of the cooler with passages going up to the cooler block. Then it exits in the top of the block through 2 ports.

 

[AeroZ]

Flow comes in from the hose and through the base of the cooler with passages going up to the cooler block. Then it exits in the top of the block through 2 ports.

Oh. I thought oil goes through the cooler block at the top. Sounds like there are multiple places where it could leak there.


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[AeroZ]

Anyway I just completed the first step. Opened the bleeding screw and topped the radiator off. The good thing is that coolant immediately started to flow from the bleeding screw and the radiator needed only like 100ml or so to top off. Took the car for a ride to get to the optimal temperature also had heat at the max with low blower speed and it got hot as it should. After the drive I inspected the engine compartment and with my inexperienced eyes I couldn’t find any leaks of coolant. But strange thing is that the overflow tank was still showing the same level of coolant as it did when cold.
I’ll top it off again in a couple of hours when it’s cooled down. This time I don’t open the bleeding screw, correct? And should I also squeeze the big coolant hose that runs next to the radiator or better not to if I don’t have a funnel attached to the radiator?

PS. Also checked oil. Looked good so at least the coolant isn’t leaking there.

 

[Sienile]

Bleeder screw shouldn't be necessary after the initial fill unless there is an issue, like a leak or stuck closed thermostat. Sounds like they didn't properly air bleed after replacing the cooler.

 

[AeroZ]

Bleeder screw shouldn't be necessary after the initial fill unless there is an issue, like a leak or stuck closed thermostat. Sounds like they didn't properly air bleed after replacing the cooler.

Checked the radiator again and had to add about the same amount of coolant as the first time. I also checked the coolant reservoir tank’s tube and it was not clogged. After the drive I let the car idle and checked the coolant reservoir and the level rose about 1cm/0,4in.
So if I now let it cool down again and the radiator isn’t full then a leak is probably somewhere? I really couldn’t find any coolant anywhere under the hood. The only place that I couldn’t see was the oil filter housing itself. But as far as I could reach there was no coolant or wets spots at the back of the valley nor near the opening down the side where the oil filter is installed.


Just did the third check and again the radiator wasn’t full but this time it required less coolant than the two previous times. I added something like 25ml to top it off.
I got a canister that had like 1.5L coolant in it and currently I got like 1.25L left.

I’m not going to take it for a ride today anymore but maybe tomorrow take it to work and re-check it after work.
I’m going to keep trying if I can’t find a leak. Since I have enough coolant left and it’s 3 weeks until I can take the car to the shop then why not. I also ordered a new radiator cap. It’ll take two weeks to arrive but it’s cheap and it doesn’t hurt to tey replacing it.

 

[Sienile]

Does sound like there's a hidden leak somewhere, or a really stubborn air pocket. If it's an air pocket, it should come out with a long enough trip, so if you top off before work and it's low once it cools then that's not the issue for sure.

Good idea on the cap. A leaking cap seal can cause it to pull in air rather than coolant.

 

[AeroZ]

Does sound like there's a hidden leak somewhere, or a really stubborn air pocket. If it's an air pocket, it should come out with a long enough trip, so if you top off before work and it's low once it cools then that's not the issue for sure.

Good idea on the cap. A leaking cap seal can cause it to pull in air rather than coolant.

PS. How does the rear heater work? At the back of the van. Does it have a separate heater core? Does the hot coolant flow to the back to heat it?


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[mallowj667]

Pressure test the radiator through the radiator cap with a test kit, you can rent one from AutoZone. Should hold 16 psi. If it holds pressure then it just has to be bleed.

 

[AeroZ]

Pressure test the radiator through the radiator cap with a test kit, you can rent one from AutoZone. Should hold 16 psi. If it holds pressure then it just has to be bleed.

Unfortunately I don't live in the US and done have AutoZone or any other place to rent the tester. I'd have to take it to a shop and pay at least an hour worth of labor. But since it's going to the shop anyway for that issue in a few weeks I'd rather try what's possible myself in the meantime.

Sienile, when you replaced your oil filter housing did you just took the parts with provided seals and that's it? I'm wondering if the sealant that the shop used in addition to the seals might actually be the issue here. While peaking at the housing from the top of the oil filter side I think I saw sealant on the cooler block. I saw something black running along the edge of it. I find it hard to believe that the filter housing would be defective. I've only heard/read good things about it.
And if there's a leak that I visually can't find anywhere and the last job that was done to the car was the oil filter housing replacement then it kind of points to where the issue is or might be. But ofcourse I could've had the issue before that because even now the engine/coolant temp is normal and I've like only once checked under the radiator cap in the last two years, I've only checked the reservoir and it's at normal level when cool.

 

[Sienile]

I did my own... I do all my own work, aside from alignments... and I did those when I had a job that had a machine for them.

If you remember, I advised against using any RTV on the oil cooler gaskets when you first had it done. If it isn't given a good cure time, it could make it more prone to a leak than without.

Check the common leak areas, heater Y pipes, coolant crossover, water pump, and undercarriage lines (a rock might have scratched one).

 

[AeroZ]

I did my own... I do all my own work, aside from alignments... and I did those when I had a job that had a machine for them.

If you remember, I advised against using any RTV on the oil cooler gaskets when you first had it done. If it isn't given a good cure time, it could make it more prone to a leak than without.

Check the common leak areas, heater Y pipes, coolant crossover, water pump, and undercarriage lines (a rock might have scratched one).

I mean yeah, I don't know why decided to add sealant. But oil cooler housing leaking is a speculation for now. Even if that is the case I don't know how they could take it apart and reseal it if the sealant is all dried up with the seals/gaskets. Dorman doesn't offer those cooler block seals/gaskets separately as well.
I filled the radiator up yesterday evening but I didn't take it to a drive today. When I get home I'll recheck if the coolant in the radiator is still full or not. I guess it would be full when cold. And after that I'll take it to another drive and then inspect the engine compartment and underside for leaks once more.

 

[Sienile]

Mopar gaskets should fit the Dorman part, if that's the issue.

 

[AeroZ]

Mopar gaskets should fit the Dorman part, if that's the issue.

Hmm, I only found this set. 2014-2022 Mopar O Ring Kit 68191356AA | Mopar One Online

and that doesn't include the cooler block gaskets.

 

[AeroZ]

Still same. Even after not driving the car since topping the radiator yesterday the coolant level was still down. Today I had a glimmer of hope finding a leak because there was a damp spot under the car but it was just the A/C water. A question if I top up the radiator and if the oil filter housing is leaking would the coolant leak into into the valley or not? My physics is not that good.

 

[mallowj667]

Harbor freight has a cooling system pressure tester that's really cheap, it will also help locate the leak.

 

[AeroZ]

So yeah, I'm pretty positive that it's the oil filter housing leaking. I topped the radiator off yesterday and it was down to the usual level again today. So the added coolant went somewhere. But since I didn't warm the engine up the leaked coolant wasn't burned off by the engine. I finally found some x-angle down the oil filter side into the valley and saw that there was some liquid down there reflecting to the light of my flashlight. That doesn't tell ofcourse where the leak is exactly - is it from one or more of the ports underneath the housing or from the cooler block.
At this point I feel like I'd just take the damn thing apart myself. There are many videos available that I could follow but the problem is that they used sealant and the gaskets that came with the Dorman housing are probably not reusable. Pluss the sealant is now gunked up around the gaskets and ports.

 

[R/Thirteen]

Hmm, I only found this set. 2014-2022 Mopar O Ring Kit 68191356AA | Mopar One Online

To my knowledge mopar does not sell the plate cooler to oil filter housing body seals. Other than the Dorman kit or from a Chinese aftermarket plate cooler I do not know where you can get those oval shaped seals.