water is leaking from somewhere and im getting two different answers

Asked by mikeemac Nov 23, 2015 at 12:15 PM about the 2001 Dodge Grand Caravan Sport FWD

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

i have a 2001 dodge caravan with the 3.3 liter. we noticed water under the
motor and took it to two different repair shops and got two different diagnosis.
one said it was leaking water from the lower intake gasket and the other shop
said it was a freeze plug behind the transmission. the van has 90-k miles and
is garage kept here in Arizona. Who do i believe ?

3 Answers

That is impossible for us to say without seeing the car. Could be either. Yes, a freeze plug, which is exactly that, it will blow out or partially blow out and leak, to prevent the block from cracking. A freeze plug will even leak if you live in the part of AZ where it never freezes. BUT.. a freeze plug is not behind the transmission, they are in the block and heads if front of it

9 people found this helpful.

Is the water clean, clear water or is it green? Clear water could be condensation from your air conditioner. The leaks may be from both places! The one behind the engine will be expensive to repair but the intake gasket not so much. You could always try some Alumaseal if the leaks are small and you can't afford to do the repairs right now.

4 people found this helpful.
30

All of the freeze plugs are behind the bell housing on a 3.3, look at the online images, and yes the tranny needs to come out in that case. The intake manifold gasket leaks right there at the top of the bell housing also, and is a relatively common problem, especially in hot climates.

3 people found this helpful.

Your Answer:

Grand Caravan

Looking for a Used Grand Caravan in your area?

CarGurus has 2,032 nationwide Grand Caravan listings starting at $2,995.

Postal Code:

CarGurus Experts

  • #1
    Whitney C
    Reputation
    3,690
  • #2
    timof5
    Reputation
    3,670
  • #3
    Rowefast
    Reputation
    2,790
View All

Find great deals from top-rated dealers

Search

Related Models For Sale

Used Chrysler Town & Country
4 Great Deals out of 117 listings starting at $6,999
Used Honda Odyssey
40 Great Deals out of 1,048 listings starting at $5,490
Used Toyota Sienna
45 Great Deals out of 878 listings starting at $3,000
Used Dodge Caravan
4 listings
Used Ford Explorer
71 Great Deals out of 2,068 listings starting at $3,995
Used Dodge Durango
59 Great Deals out of 2,208 listings starting at $5,500
Used Ford Expedition
27 Great Deals out of 813 listings starting at $7,888
Used Kia Sedona
12 Great Deals out of 219 listings starting at $3,800
Used Ford F-150
321 Great Deals out of 13,751 listings starting at $1,712
Used Dodge RAM 1500
4 Great Deals out of 63 listings starting at $3,000
Used Toyota Tacoma
50 Great Deals out of 1,081 listings starting at $9,998

Content submitted by Users is not endorsed by CarGurus, does not express the opinions of CarGurus, and should not be considered reviewed, screened, or approved by CarGurus. Please refer to CarGurus Terms of Use. Content will be removed if CarGurus becomes aware that it violates our policies.