02 limited 3.7 Leaking coolant

[02silliberty]

02 limited 3.7 4x4 185k original owner.
3rd radiator
1 water pump
Small ground puddling at front of engine and coolant dripping from the plastic oil slide below oil filter and appears on the front of the oil pan connecting to the block and blowing back on the drivers side of engine
I've read a lot of the threads here about coolant leaks and plan on trying a pressure test.
I can see the water pump weep hole on its top side and its clean.
The harmonic balancer doesn't appear to have residue on the smooth surface so im thinking it's not the water pump shaft seal again.
How tough is it to remove the harmonic balancer and put it back on and the timing chain cover as a professional DIY?
Looking for videos or write ups with tips.
Thx

 

[tommudd]

Water pump gaskets can cause leaks to show up at that area
doesn't have to be coming from a weep hole
I've replaced 5-6 on customers KJs that the gasket was just bad
either that or leaking close to the upper hose and blowing back, if using cheap radiators I'd check that first
Buddy bought cheap with warranty, after 11 of them in less than two years he gave up and bought a good Mopar one

But pressure check first before you go just throwing money at it

 

[jeeptorino68]

Balancer kinda *****...
Need a special puller for jeep/chryseler vehicles and a extra long installer tool

Autozone had both for rent in my town though...if you take it out. Replace the front seal too around the balancer

 

[Royy]

Instead of getting the special installer tool, you can just use the crankshaft bolt to drive the pulley down.

 

[jeepguy4276]

I’m having an issue with a coolant leak now as well. I need to pull the skid plate to look at it. I’m not sure where it’s leaking. It only leaks while running. I guess a pressure test is the first place to start.

 

[uss2defiant]

i have had some sort of corrosion on the mating surface of where the WP gasket goes to.
Basically a bunch of small dimples along the surface.
I had to add JB weld and sand it down smooth. Had to do this twice and hopefully it's still working fine.
Hopefully you don't have the same issue as i did.

 

[02silliberty]

It maybe just the lower hose as i found a drip that hit ****** lines and runs back some. Wipping bottom off well to see if the white residue reappears

 

[02silliberty]

Looks like its at the bottom of the timing chain cover. I've cleaned well all around the front and there seems to be coolant that's leaking out at the bottom on the drivers side, runs back onto where the oil pan is and drips on that plastic slide just below the oil filter.
Any good how to's on this?
Looking for the tricks on how to move stuff without maybe having to completely disconnect.

 

[Duster]

Are you saying the coolant is dripping on the same little V channel the oil runs down when changing the oil filter?

If so you might be saving me from pulling my hair out in frustration over something else.

I thought I had a drain leak on my radiator, but now I know it's leaking at the bottom left crimps. Once in a while if it say long enough between one drive and the next I would find a little spot that would stay on the driveway because the coolant is kinda oily. The temperature dropped here like 40 degrees all at one time. I didn't work Sunday so it had sat from like 11pm Sat to 4pm Sun and I came out to a larger spot which made me look harder and I found that leak. Doesn't leak while running. Just when sitting cold.

In the process I saw what looked like an oil leak that returned. Either leaking at the filter, or the front seal leaking again. I was pretty certain I tightened the filter good. So I was cussing the seal and really pissed off making no sense of it.

See a while back I found a leak in my PCV elbows. I assumed my breather filter got too restricted and the old dry rubber just gave in. But I went ahead and replaced everything including the PCV while I was at it even though the PCV had a nice rattle and didn't seem bad. This was in June. The next project was going to be to clean real good so I could remove the radiator and tackle the front seal. Prior to the PCV elbow issue I was just keeping it topped off to the next oil change. Then I realized it just straight up quit leaking after I did the PCV work. Not a drop in 3 months. I changed the oil I think 2200 miles ago so I was like no way its leaking around the filter now.

I was cussing thinking the seal started leaking again or the new PCV I put on just 3 months ago has gone bad and the pressure is pushing the oil out, at the same time I am figuring out my radiator is leaking. But maybe that is not it at all. Maybe it is coolant coming from somewhere which already looks and feels like oil, running down this dirty oily V thing under the oil filter.

I am trying to figure out in my mind how it is getting over there or where else it is coming from if so? The radiator seems to be dripping off the valance thing under the bumper on the left hand side because my driveway slopes to the left a bit. Scratching my head now on this other possibility.

I will have to get under and have a good look while everything is filthy still and hope I find it by locating a clean spot or trail.

I really hope it is not the timing chain cover gasket because if that is the problem I will be wanting to do everything while I am in there.

 

[02silliberty]

Yes, small amount of coolant that drips from that v shaped engineered after thought slide that some DA created after probably seeing you can't hold the oil filter upright and pull it from the 4x4 3.7. Looks like very bottom of cover it where coolant builds up. The oil pan edge and bolts is where the build up is dripping at while sitting overnight. I need to clean more under area to see if it's leaking while driving.
My lower rad hose at thermostat housing drips very very little and rides down ****** line so that spot was more on passenger side.
I can get my fingers around the water pump connection to the cover and don't have coolant there plus the water pump sticks out over the harmonic balancer and there's nothing there or being slung around like it did when the WP went last.
I've left skid plat off for a year to find leaks.
I need to pressure test and see if i can make it leak. Does t stat closed matter?