Timing Chain Cover Leak

Friends,

I had a radiator shop look at the leak and they said it was the timing chain cover that is leaking. Plus one of the water pump bolts is broke. I looked up in the Haynes Manual the procedure and it seems to be a bit beyond my capabilities to remove all these parts and replace the seals. Is it that difficult?

Still need help. My original posts are below. After running her for a while with the dye I don't know anymore than I did before other than there is a very little bit coming from one of the water pump mounting bolts. It seems that most of the anti-freeze is coming out of

the seam that I mentioned below. The oil dipstick almost touches this seam about ten inches down from the top. The dye was glowing almost up

to where the thermostat is but seem to stop well before it got to this area and as near as I can tell it is dry right below the thermostat. Could it be the water pump? Should I replace it? I still can't find the weep hole below the water pump pully. Money is tight right now and

can't really afford to take her to a shop. Any help would be appriciated.

Thanks, Steve

Friends,

I have a 1996 Ram 4X4 1500 PU, SLT, 5.9L, 75K. I have had a small antifreeze leak for quite a while. It was never enough to leave a spot on the ground but I would occasionally get a whiff when I got out of the truck and would have to top off the reservoir every once and a while. Yesterday there was a small pool on the ground and it used a third of the reservoir in a day. Please forgive the terms I am going to use below as I really don't know what I'm talking about, as usual. I'm having trouble finding the exact location of the leak. It does not appear to be any hoses. The best I can trace the leak is that it is wet on a seam about three inches BEHIND the seam that the water pump is mated to (with those six or seven bolts), on the passenger side. In other words there is the mating surfaces to which the water pump is bolted (passenger side); then a few inches behind this is a seam. It appears that the coolant is coming out of this seam; leaking onto the oil pan seam; running back a couple of inches; dripping onto an engine mount; then onto the axle; then to the ground.

Is it possible this leak is actually from the water pump? I don't know if a pressure test would help me as I was watching it drip but could not trace it any further up than I so eloquently stated above.

Steve

Okay,

After I ran the truck a bit I took the alternator support, air filter, and radiator hose clamp off and looked at the base of the thermostat. Nothing at all appears wet around it. Based on the amount I lost I would think it would appear a bit wet but not at all. As for the weep hole I can in no way find it. I've been above and below the truck and ran my hand all over the bottom just behind the pully and had more mirrors under it than are in a fun house. BigAl you were talking about just behind the fan pulley right? The highest area I can find wet is along that seam I mentioned above. The oil dip stick actually comes close to this seam as it goes down into the engine. I put some dye in it but don't know what else to try. Could the water pump be leaking out of this seam?

Thanks