JennyA

well since you have a garage to get it out of the weather take it for a good ride then after putting it in the garage try taping a small sheet of clear plastic under where you think the leak might be and try to get it level so you can catch some of the fluid before it soaks into the concrete floor, should be able to determine if it is anti freeze or trans oil then next nite try cleaning off everything where it might be leaking and tape some white Kleenex around each tube and or connection to pinpoint where the leak is. good luck let us know what you find...    plus after you shut the engine off the pressure and or heat on the coolant builds up more as it isn't being circulated as when the engine is running...

Thank you all so much for the help and advice. I've got the piece off and given it to my friend to fabricate another. So hopefully by tomorrow I will be back on the road with no more issues. If ever I do have any I know now exactly where to go for advice. Now I just need a forum this good about ungreatful kids...lol
 

Thank you all so much for the help and advice. I've got the piece off and given it to my friend to fabricate another. So hopefully by tomorrow I will be back on the road with no more issues. If ever I do have any I know now exactly where to go for advice. Now I just need a forum this good about ungreatful kids...lol
 

Thats what I was thinking.  Sorry, thought it was copper, I guess not!  

Don't use copper!  Galvanic corrosion of aluminum is highly likely when it is in contact with copper.  Yes, there is some level of protection against this with the anti-freeze, but I wouldn't take that risk.  The radiator, engine block, and head are all aluminum.  I wouldn't put copper anywhere near that if I could avoid it.
 
That being said - is yours a 3.5L?  There were a lot of similar issues with the 2008-2010 Grand Caravan/Town & Country heater return hoses.  The plastic tends to crack given it's proximity to the exhaust pipe - it's not shielded well enough.  A few people have had aluminum Ys made and cut the existing hoses to fit with the new Y (you may need some adapters, heater hose, and worm-drive clamps to hack this fix together).  Once they made the fix, they've never had an issue again.