Any (contemporary) MOPAR techs here??

Got a lil issue with my (late) '02 RAM with a 4.7. It seems to be losing water whether running or not. Maybe just while sitting. Anyway, I'm gonna get a pressure tester so I can try to force the issue and locate the source of the leak and was wondering if a Snap On SVTS262 will work or not. I'm only questioning it's fitment because of all the adapters included with some of these testers.

Question #2 would be is there any KNOWN issues where these things will lose water while sitting (besides a freeze plug)

It just turned 154,000 miles

Got a lil issue with my (late) '02 RAM with a 4.7. It seems to be losing water whether running or not. Maybe just while sitting. Anyway, I'm gonna get a pressure tester so I can try to force the issue and locate the source of the leak and was wondering if a Snap On SVTS262 will work or not. I'm only questioning it's fitment because of all the adapters included with some of these testers.

Question #2 would be is there any KNOWN issues where these things will lose water while sitting (besides a freeze plug)

It just turned 154,000 miles

dont know about the losing while sitting issues , but we have done a ton of intake and head gaskets on those motors for leaking ? but with those you would see the fluids in the oil .

maybe a lose hose clamp,heater core,thermostat housing,any bypass hoses,i'm just trying to think of anywhere the water can go that would possibly leak b4 you get to the pressure check.

Oil looks like oil. Hadn't driven it in over a week when I drove it last night. Just now I put in almost TWO gallons of water. Oddly, after adding the water I don't see any drip. But it has to be dripping from somewhere

Looking from the top side I don't see anything that looks like it's been leaking. (man I wish I had my concrete floor and 9000# lift here)

can you put a piece of cardboard or something under your truck?

Wow! two gallons? How long does it take you to loose that much?

Bad head gasket -- either leaks into the oil or burns it up in a cylinder or two while driving (lots of white smoke from the exhaust) or runs out onto the ground.

Bad intake gasket -- same symtoms as a bad head gasket not as likley. (but not out of the question)

Bad freeze plug -- runs out onto the ground.

Cracked block -- internally, water in crankcase, or burns it up in a cylinder.
externally, runs out onto the ground.

Cracked head -- same as bad head gasket.

Radiator and hoses -- runs out onto the ground.

Heater core -- runs out inside of the vehicle.

Think simple, think simple.. :)

Got the problem of a gravel drive and people coming to dig up the front AND back yard tomorrow for landscaping.

When I added the water today I expected to lean down and see a drip. I didn't. motor is dry. Oil looks like oil. Runs fine @ high or low speed. No smoke that I've seen.

As far as how long it takes to leak, I don't know. I can only assume that the level was low when last parked, then the rest leaked out while I was at the beach.

Anyone know if that Snap On tester will seal properly?

If you have the "regular" type radiator cap, even a side tank, you can buy one from your local parts store. Just a pump devise with a guage attached and some adapters for different size inlets. Place it on your radiator inlet, pump it up to the pressure writen on your cap, (15lbs-18lbs) and see if it leaks down...

I know how to use one. I just don't OWN one and am looking at that particular Snap On unit. Just want to make sure it will fit.

How did the overflow tank look? Weak radiator cap? If I'm right, the pressure would push into the tank when running and overflow it while driving, but at shut off, it could vacuum everything out of the tank.

The tank and cap are both new. Neck on the old tank was cracked, and I replaced the cap just cause I was there.

Did some "Googling" and noticed that some Snap on svts262 kits only have one adapter:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/SNAP-SVT-262-Cooling-System-Radiator-Pressure-Tester-/180534504576?cmd=ViewItem&pt=Motors_Automotive_Tools&hash=item2a08b1ec80

And some svts262 kits have three:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Snap-on-Radiator-Pressure-Tester-SVTS262-/230500973557?cmd=ViewItem&pt=Motors_Automotive_Tools&hash=item35aaedbbf5

The more adapters the more chances it will fit yours. I have a tester that only has two and havent had any problems checking any cars yet but one and that was a '98 vw jetta that has a stupid plastic bottle on the fender with a screw on top :)

Or are those adapters just for checking the radiator cap? I think so. I havent had mine out for awhile. (Boy a lot of help that was!)

Thanks. I had been watching one with 3 adapters but wasn't around when it ended last night. Only sold for about $56.00

Intake does not have any coolant passages on that motor, intake gaskets dont fail because they are actually silicone oring.... the only problems with the 4.7 ohc is sludging, dropping valve seats, and head gaskets due to warpage of head. The head gaskets are metal shim type and any warpage of the head leads to slow loss of coolant.

Still haven't had the chance to get under it yet, but I think there was a drip from the rear right side of the motor. Hard to tell with the A/C dripping there too

Well...I finally got a tester bought off ebay without paying an arm and/or a leg for it, and it seems the leak is between the aluminum radiator core and one of those stinkin plastic tanks.

So the question is, are they repairable at all, or do I just need to find a replacement

Replace! Not worth rebuilding...

Got one today. Was $102.36 including tax. Basically dropped right in, but has a narrower core than the original. Guess we'll see how well it works