Antifreeze Check

I own a 1992 Explorer 4x4 XL. I have noticed a slight dripping of antifreeze under the truck after I have driven it. My mechanic has not been able to locate the leak. He said to keep an eye one my fluid level and once it got a little worse that he should be able to find and fix the leak.

My question:

How do I know if I have plenty of antifreeze? (I have never fooled with the antifreeze before) Can I just make sure there is antifreeze in the tank located beside my washer fluid tank? How do I add antifreeze (mix water and antifreeze or straight antifreeze)?

Thanks for any help.

you want to mix put antifreeze in if its bellow the cold/full line.

even then you want the mixture to be 70% antifreeze and 30% water. Just pour in each and approximate it.
you can't really overfill it.


anyways try this. start your X let it run for a min, then pop the hood and look at the sides of your radiator on the top....if you see some green fluid seaping out then the problem is your radiator. and you must keep a close eye on your coolant level.

You can use a stop leak additive. Use a good brand name. It is a tempory fix, but it will help keep the antifreeze in the radiator.

Sometimes, you can't tell the level of coolant just by looking at the overflow reservoir. You may have to actually open the radiator cap and see if the coolant level is down in the tank. NOTE: Only do this when the engine is cool--like in the morning before you start it up.

If I don't stay on top of mine, it will leak so much that the coolant will be down in the tank. It's also a good idea to burp the air out as you add coolant (grab the upper radiator hose and squeeze).

How do I look in the radiator and tell if its full? Is there a line in there or should it be all the way to the top? Thanks for all the help guys!

The radiator should be full to the top and the overflow tank up to the cold full mark, if its cold. The mix is 50% Distilled water and 50% antifreeze. You can buy it premixed if you dont want to fool with mixing.
After you find the leak it would probably be a good idea to drain the old antifreeze and put in some new. Its only good for three yrs.

Hey wasup bro,


I have a 97 x and I had a notice a leak from my x to. I popped the hood and started my X. Me and my uncle found that the leak was coming from my heater control valve it's located on the passenger side right by the ac condenser you will see four heater hoses going to it and one vacuum line. I think it's common on the x for the fact is one day my bro calls me up and he has a 96 x and was like my x is leak coolant it looks like it coming from the head I think I have cracked head. Right off the back I knew what it was I told him to start his x turn the heater on and look on than passenger side for a black plastic valve (heater control valve) and see if you see it leaking. He calls me back up and yeah I see it leaking so I just told him to go to the ford dealer and tell them you need a heater control valve for your x there cheap like $15.00 bucks. He got it changed it out and that was it there very simple to change.


That would be really cool if that was your problem. Take a look and see if that is. It's located on you passenger side right by the ac condenser there should be a Black plastic valve with four hoses going to it and one vacuum line. Turn your x on let it warm up then turn the heater on and see if you see that bad boy leaking. It leak where the little metal shaft goes in the valve.


Delfino Gabriel Mendez

Sweet I hope thats the problem. Ill check tomorrow when I get home from school. I have not tools to do anything about it here. Thanks.

probably is, when i talked to my local ford wrecker, he said those parts break all the time due to the fact they are plastic and in a high heat situation... he said the best thing to do was get a new one, as a used one from him may fail at anytime.....