maybe a head gasket???

[blueoval89lxcpe]

I have a 1989 lx coupe 5.0 and it keeps losing water in the radiator and, I have checked the oil no water. checked for any leaks, no leaks. there is no smoke coming from the tailpipes so, I am baffled. Anyone care to take a stab before I chuck like a hundred bones and four or five hours to the 5.0 head gods???

 

[Dbeck002]

I have a 1989 lx coupe 5.0 and it keeps losing water in the radiator and, I have checked the oil no water. checked for any leaks, no leaks. there is no smoke coming from the tailpipes so, I am baffled. Anyone care to take a stab before I chuck like a hundred bones and four or five hours to the 5.0 head gods???

I had this problem at one point.

If you look under the water pump there is a small hole that leaks coolant purposely when its ready to be replaced. Mine did this, wasnt blowing smoke but i was loosing coolant. I replaced the pump and its gone.

 

[jrichker]

A $35 compression tester will spot blown head gaskets.

Water leaks into the cylinders can be checked by putting compressed air in the suspect cylinders. Make sure the cylinder to be tested is at TDC on the compression stroke. Apply the air using a spark plug adapter with a air line quick connect on it. Then remove the radiator cap and fill the radiator to the top. Watch for air bubbles at the filler cap neck

 

[SamSnyder]

My overflow tank was only occasionally dry, but the coolant had to be going somewhere. I finally figured out it was a bad seal/gasket around the EGR plate under the throttle body. Coolant was being sucked into the intake, leaving no trace of where it went. Rememeber that this was only a cup or so every oil change, but it was disappearing. I got new gaskets, pulled the EGR spacer off, and lapped its surfaces on light sandpaper on a flat surface. Cleaned up the upper intake side, and reinstalled it all. Haven't lost hardly any coolant since -- about 2 years.

 

[blueoval89lxcpe]

thanks guys I will give those things a crack then!

 

[executioner]

had the same problem except coolant was being forced out overflow. turned out system needed to be burped and i was probably putting to much coolant/water in radiator. in the end let it run at temp(192 ford t-stat with bleeder)15/20 min. put cap on then added what i needed to overflow. no problem since. also you can get a block tester to check for exhaust gasses in cooling system. got mine at napa.$50.00.

90 5.0 7up vert

 

[Zero_chance]

Im losing coolant through the weep tube from th eheater box. Luckily it isnt leaking into the passenger compartment.

 

[darthcual]

One really common cause that nobody mentioned is a faulty radiator cap. Go to autoboys or pepzone and have someone pressure test your radiator cap.