Leaking Coolant

[EDGE Motorsport]

Guys, my car is leaking coolant, about 2 cups per night....

it's coming from the front of the engine somewhere and dripping on to the sway bar then hitting the floor... any ideas ? do the water pupm gaskets let go to tell you the water pumps on its way out???

please help

EDGE

 

[EDGE Motorsport]

..doble post..

 

[nyuk98gt]

EDGE:

There is a weep hole in the water pump (I think it is on the top) but it is hidden by the pulley. There is a big o-ring that seals the pump to the engine and I doubt that it has failed. Check the weep hole and if there is coolant there, then the water pump seal is going and the pump will have to be replaced (four bolts, a new o-ring, and some fresh coolant and the job is done).

Check the lower intake manifold for cracks (look for coolant oozing out) as well as around the thermostat housing, including where the bolts fit through.

That's a nice ride you have there. I'll bet the neighbors are a little terrified!

Let us know what you find, please.

Chris

 

[EDGE Motorsport]

cheers for the advice dude,

ill check the hole in the pump you mentioned, do i have to pull the pulley to check it ?

and yes, the car teriffies my neigbourhood... my buddy's got a grey 88 Iroc-z and theyre quite often both up on wheel stands on the driveway, and when we need a spare part we take my 75' lifted F250 to the local autostore.....

i think i really need to move over there, im fed up with $8 gas...

EDGE

 

[nyuk98gt]

EDGE:

Yes, the water pump pulley needs to come off to check the weep hole UNLESS... you have a little mirror that will fit behind the pulley. For the effort and better view, I would take the pulley off.

Sounds to me like you guys have some sort of American Muscle Car cult starting over there. While the price of gas is high, the quality of beer is much better there!

HTH,

Chris

 

[EDGE Motorsport]

EDGE:

Yes, the water pump pulley needs to come off to check the weep hole UNLESS... you have a little mirror that will fit behind the pulley. For the effort and better view, I would take the pulley off.

Sounds to me like you guys have some sort of American Muscle Car cult starting over there. While the price of gas is high, the quality of beer is much better there!

HTH,

Chris

looks like ill be pulling the pulley today then looks like a PITA....

we do have a bit of an American car craze over here, a few of us love them and everyone else hates them..... its a major PITA..

a few of my budies drive a 72 chevelle (12's) and a 68 camaro (10's)...always great fun tearing up the neighbourhood in a pack of cars way too big for our roads....I'm the London co-ordinator for our car club over here.. monthly meets and what not... heres a little (way off topic now) pic of our meet last month..

anyway..

back to this leak.. if its not the water pump, could it be coming from near the crank pulley anywhere else, the pulley doesnt seem to be spinning perfectly central, looks like it has a bit of a wobble

anyways, ill have a look at the pump first..

thanks

EDGE

 

[nyuk98gt]

EDGE:

Neat-o! Muscle cars marauding around merry England. Keep up the good work.

If it is not the pump, then the fickle finger points to the intake manifold as the leak source.

The pulley is only four bolts -- leave the belt on as it will help prevent the pulley from slipping. If it still slips, place a long screwdriver across the pulley so that it contacts two of the bolt heads. This will hold the pulley in place while loosening the bolts. Once they are a bit loose, take the belt off and then remove the bolts.

If the leak is from the thermostat housing, it may just be the o-ring but I fear it more likely a crack in the intake (because the o-ring is not a failure-prone item). Use a strong flashlight (torch, in proper English) to check the area around the t-stat very carefully. You will see a very thin, green line of coolant in the 90-degree joints, if there is a leak there.

If the intake is cracked, the you will have to replace it. It cannot be fixed with glue. That job is not too bad but you should plan on about 3 to 4 hours from start to finish. And I would suggest new intake gaskets (about $40/pair), too, because the old ones (reusable) may rip a little in places when the old intake comes off.

HTH,

Chris

 

[EDGE Motorsport]

well,

i spent a few hours today hunting after this leak.... what a sumbitch !

the hole on the water pump is dry as a whistle, no problems there at all... the t-stat housing is dry and clean.. nothing coming out of there... all the hoses are just fine, no cracks or anything..

yet the damn thing is still leaking...

the water looks like its collecting on the front ledge of the oil pan down at the front of the motor, it looks like its sitting there but once the engine is hot, it evaporates the standing water..

theres nothing that can leak under the timing chain covers are there ? this is driving me nutso over here !!!

EDGE

 

[fiveofanatic]

Can you get the car on a lift & check it from underneath? My first thought was "water pump" when I read it was coming off of the swaybar, because that's the same path my coolant leak took, & it was the water pump. Was very simple to spot while standing under the car.

 

[EDGE Motorsport]

doesnt look like the water pump now......

the water apperars to collect on the oil pan ledge just near the oil filter....

now im really confused

EDGE

 

[fiveofanatic]

There are coolant drain fittings on the side of the block, small threaded plugs that screw in & out. Could be that, or possibly a freeze plug, or?

How about the intake manifold coolant crossover, is that plastic still?

 

[EDGE Motorsport]

right.....

after a day of diagnosis here's where I am...

the water is travelling down the inside of some of that protective plastic wire covering stuff. The piece in question runs from the o2 sensor on the driver side at the back of the engine, then along the oil pan ledge then splits in 2, 1 piece goes up to the battery and the other piece goes across the pan then disappears in to the mass of crap back there on the passengers side..

It would appear that water is getting in to this pipe stuff somewhere near the oil filter area, near where the bottom hose goes in to the motor..... but nothing is visably spitting fluid....

maybe its this drain plug, I'll have another check tomorow,

and yes, the manifold is the standard non-pi plastic one

EDGE

 

[fiveofanatic]

Well, the majority of the intake is still plastic on the update one, only the coolant crossover is cast aluminum instead of plastic. If that coolant crossover is plastic, get under it with a mirror. That's the main source of coolant leaks on the 4.6 2v.

 

[EDGE Motorsport]

everything felt dry at the top end of the engine dude, under the inlet too, plus theres not an obvious route the water could take down from the inlet to where its leaking from... not without me seeing it anyways !

EDGE

 

[bdcardinal]

could be the oil filter adapter. i know that the bottom coolany hose goes in there and it is a commonly leaking item.

look at the adapter where it bolts to the block, it could be warped or the gasket couldve blown.

 

[blackstalion666]

you may have treid this but have you pressurized the cooling sytem and look from there.

 

[EDGE Motorsport]

its real difficult to see the oil filter adapter from underneath, you can only see parts of it, i cant figure out how Ford managed to use up ALL the space in these cars... you can barely get a hand on anything in there..

We've tried looking for the source with the engine hot and cold and sitting and idleing and under load.... we'll find it....oh....we'll find the f****r !!!!!

thanks for all the help so far guys...

keep'em coming

EDGE

 

[EDGE Motorsport]

well I just checked the card board under the motor today, nothin, not a drop....

it cant just magically stop leaking caan it... it must be storing it all up somewhere.... now this is getting confusing..

EDGE

 

[EDGE Motorsport]

ok.....

bit of an update...

it seems to leak only when its been run then left to cool down totally.

I ran it a few days back then put it in the garage over a cardboard sheet..... no drips for 2 days then about a cup of fluid fell out !!!

So I ran it again on Sunday, again nothing up until now (Tuesday night) but i can guaran-damn-tee it that it will leak tomorow.

I stripped all the insulation trunking off the wiring harnes under the engine and rewraped it all my self, i cant see where this water is coming from and I really need to get this sorted before may 14th as thats our next series race meet...

any ideas guys...

this is getting desperate now ....

EDGE

 

[StangPro]

Pressurizing the system is the best bet.

I'd look at:

Crossover
Oil filter adapter
Intake itself
Water lines from the block to the heater core