Puddin' Man

Re: '94 Boid: Mystery coolant leak

LX V8 (4.6L), 61k mi.

Some time ago, I spot a puddle of coolant dripped from
the plastic pan/cover under the radiator. Has recurred
several times. Drips from the pan to the left of center
of motor when facing front of car. The left 2+ feet of
the inside of the pan is wet.

The ice finally melted, I get a chance to crawl around
on the conny-crete to see if I can find the source of the
leak. Coolant reservoir is about a pint lo.

The upper hose is fine. There is no evidence of coolant
under the weep hole in the water pump. It's a bitch to
get to, but I'm 90+% sure the lower hose is not leaking.
It's way over on the right anyway, and I didn't see
any coolant in the pan under the hose.

So I'm shuffling thru my silly goose Haynes manual, trying
to find what else to check. What I see under the hood, of
course, doesn't much match what I see in the manual.
Visability around the bottom of the radiator is kinda
like trying to see whilst immersed in a cauldron of india
ink.

It's gotta 4r70w tranny. Are there lines to the rad. to
cool the fluid?

Any other ideas about where to check for a leak?

TIA,
Puddin'
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Happy Traveler

Yes, there are lines to cool the transmission fluid. But they don't carry
coolant - the transmission fluid circulates through a compartment in the
radiator.
It's not that unusual to have a leak in a 12 year old radiator. A pressure
test will probably solve the mystery, one way or another. Quick and easy for
any radiator shop to do. Or rent the hand pump and do it yourself.

"Puddin' Man" <Pudding.Man@Gmail.Com> wrote in message
news:ihepp1dvpbl0g3d8uesff04l2776q5d9rk@4ax.com...
> It's gotta 4r70w tranny. Are there lines to the rad. to
> cool the fluid?
>
> Any other ideas about where to check for a leak?

Steve Stone

I can think of two potential issues.
Are you only seeing this problem since the weather has turned cold ?
Years ago there was a problem noted on explorers where the rubber seal
between the plastic tanks and the radiator core would shrink with the cold
weather causing a leakage problem.

Second thought, I hear the 4.6 has a rubber hose under the intake going to
the back of the water pump. Maybe it is getting tired.

Backyard Mechanic

"Steve Stone" <zzspfleck@citlink.netzz> wrote:

> I can think of two potential issues.
> Are you only seeing this problem since the weather has turned cold ?
> Years ago there was a problem noted on explorers where the rubber seal
> between the plastic tanks and the radiator core would shrink with the
> cold weather causing a leakage problem.

Not just explorers, either... pretty common complaint on here a year or so
ago.

That's where I would look to start with.


--
Yeh, I'm a Krusty old Geezer, putting up with my 'smartass' is the price
you pay..DEAL with it!

Puddin' Man

On Tue, 13 Dec 2005 01:50:23 GMT, Backyard Mechanic
<pettyfog@yaywho.com> wrote:

>"Steve Stone" <zzspfleck@citlink.netzz> wrote:
>
>> I can think of two potential issues.
>> Are you only seeing this problem since the weather has turned cold ?

Looks that way. Had nary a problem with cooling system until
about a month ago.

>> Years ago there was a problem noted on explorers where the rubber seal
>> between the plastic tanks and the radiator core would shrink with the
>> cold weather causing a leakage problem.
>
>Not just explorers, either... pretty common complaint on here a year or so
>ago.
>
>That's where I would look to start with.

Well, I did. All I see is hoses and clamps. The top rad.
hose is 'return', the lo 'supply'? The lower hose runs from
bottom of rad. to motor with a 'T' that branches to the
plastic tank. No coolant under the tank clamp. Tiny bit of
coolant on pan under the clamp on bottom of rad. (most is on
other end of 3' wide pan). I can just get a finger or 2 on
the bottom of the juncture of the hose/rad.: finger comes
back dry.

>>Second thought, I hear the 4.6 has a rubber hose under the intake

manifold?

>>going to
>>the back of the water pump. Maybe it is getting tired.

The back of the water pump on my 4.6 mounts flush against
the block, near as I can tell. Can see no hose under the intake
manifold.

To further confound matters, the leak appears to be
intermittent. I added maybe 12 oz water to bring it up
to level, expected it to drop. Put 30 mi. on it, couldn't
spot a leak. Just put another 20 on it, coolant is still
up to level.

"Mysteries Abound!"

Thanks,
Puddin'
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*** Puddin' Man PuddingDotMan at GmailDotCom ***
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