coolant loss

[fordfan2006]

My brothers 03 explorer 4.0 with 107,000 miles leaks coolant from the front of the motor and after shut off it seems the motor is very hot. you can feel heat coming from the radiator if you put your hand on the grille my F150 does not do this and i'm wondering if this is normal. but i've ordered a top radiator hose and i'm wondering what you guys think.

 

[Number4]

The thermostat assemblies are prone to leak, it's the black plastic piece the upper hose attaches to at the engine. Look it over for evidence of coolant residue. At the sensor and the seams.

 

[DeSOB]

2nd the recommendation on the thermostat assembly. I had one replaced and the replacement only lasted a year.

 

[fordfan2006]

I am in the middle of replacing it now.. The bottom hose is kicking my butt big time and I am wishing I could drop kick the guy in the teeth who thought plastic was gonna be a good idea.. Any tricks to get the hose on? The little rubber one with the stupid spring clips?

 

[fordfan2006]

2nd the recommendation on the thermostat assembly. I had one replaced and the replacement only lasted a year.

Good lord.. If I get it fixed and it breaks again I swear I'm going to make him get rid of it. He's had the blend door acuator problem the shifter pot metal crap break so the shifter broke off in his hand now this? I'm ready to take a baseball bat to it. Oh and it still needs Hubs and upper control arms too! No offense to you if you love your explorer but this one is a one problem after another rolling pos.. My F150 has almost 3 times the miles with 50 times less problems.... And this is coming from a guy that bleeds ford blue. My family has a 2013 escape titanium a 2013 explorer limited a 2003 f150 King ranch with 254,000 miles on it and another 2003 f150 XLT With almost 250,000 miles on it.

 

[eeprete]

f series' are built to a different standard it seems. I've had a number of major issues through the years with my explorer, and it's now to the point where I'm considering getting rid of it. Funny as I've been looking at 04-06 F150s.

But back to your issue, what hose is giving you issue?

 

[fordfan2006]

f series' are built to a different standard it seems. I've had a number of major issues through the years with my explorer, and it's now to the point where I'm considering getting rid of it. Funny as I've been looking at 04-06 F150s.

But back to your issue, what hose is giving you issue?

The one that is at the bottom of the thermostat housing at the front right behind the idler pulley. and the 04-08 F150's are prone to issues find a good 1997-2003 or 04 heritage trust me.. only real issue is rust and blowing spark plugs but if they are torqued right you won't have a issue. the 04-08's break plugs ( 5.4 3v )and have cam issues and eventually lock up and tick and have hub issues. 2003 is probably the best one you can get imo with the least issues.

the hose is directly below the upper radiator hose

 

[Number4]

I am in the middle of replacing it now.. The bottom hose is kicking my butt big time and I am wishing I could drop kick the guy in the teeth who thought plastic was gonna be a good idea.. Any tricks to get the hose on? The little rubber one with the stupid spring clips?

This hose was a bear. Ditch the spring clamps and go with worm drive. Still will be difficult to hold the clamp in place while you tighten it.

I used an aftermarket cut-to-fit hose here and wish I'd gone OE. Maybe it'd have made it easier, don't know.

It was the most irritating hose in the bunch. Do the top most hose going to the back last. IIRC it was a little difficult too.

When done, make sure you keep filling the housing with coolant. Took forever it seems to actually top it off, as it drains down.

 

[fordfan2006]

This hose was a bear. Ditch the spring clamps and go with worm drive. Still will be difficult to hold the clamp in place while you tighten it.

I used an aftermarket cut-to-fit hose here and wish I'd gone OE. Maybe it'd have made it easier, don't know.

It was the most irritating hose in the bunch. Do the top most hose going to the back last. IIRC it was a little difficult too.

When done, make sure you keep filling the housing with coolant. Took forever it seems to actually top it off, as it drains down.

Did you get a big clamp and tighen it all the way and cut it? i got the 2nd biggest one i could find and with it loosened all the way it barley fits on the hose like i have have to squeeze it together to get the clamp on. or did you put the housing on first and bolt it down and then put the hose on? it's so where the threads won't line up and the back of the housing won't go into the hose. oh and its the water pump by-pass hose

 

[Number4]

I got a clamp from NAPA, I don't recall if it was opened all the way or not. When cutting hoses, I always snug up a hose clamp and use it as a cutting guide.

I put the hose on the tstat housing, then put the housing in place (I believe tightening it down) then wrestled with the lower hose. It was not fun. Then the rear upper hose wasn't fun either.

 

[fordfan2006]

I got a clamp from NAPA, I don't recall if it was opened all the way or not. When cutting hoses, I always snug up a hose clamp and use it as a cutting guide.

I put the hose on the tstat housing, then put the housing in place (I believe tightening it down) then wrestled with the lower hose. It was not fun. Then the rear upper hose wasn't fun either.

I'm using the original hose at the bottom because i need to get it fixed NOW ( mom doesn't have her car and her boss probably won't like that too much ) anyway so what you did was get the housing on the hose first and then bolt it down? and i'm most likely going to use a worm clamp on the heater hose if it's a pain also. I'm also going to try to reuse the thermostat and gasket because the gasket is melted to the thermostat.. and a thermostat is like $20 ( which is stupid one for my F150 was $7 from tasca parts. ) oh and to give you an idea about the leak i've probably gotten $300 or more in coolant for it and it has leaked since maybe 70,000-80,000 miles so 2 or 3 years

 

[funfool]

You want to use a spring clamp on the plastic T-stat housing, or on plastic radiator tanks.

I am told the plastic will expand and contract, and with a worm drive clamp will break easier then with a spring clamp.

Just trying to spit out, the spring clamp will allow it to expand and contract.
But no guarantees it will prevent it from breaking in the future.

 

[fordfan2006]

You want to use a spring clamp on the plastic T-stat housing, or on plastic radiator tanks.

I am told the plastic will expand and contract, and with a worm drive clamp will break easier then with a spring clamp.

Just trying to spit out, the spring clamp will allow it to expand and contract.
But no guarantees it will prevent it from breaking in the future.

i'll rather put new worm drives on every time they break haha.. the spring one drove me nuts last night and i smashed the old housing to bits because that clamp was being such a pain.

 

[funfool]

Have to agree with you on them being a pita.
I helped my kid replace the radiator in his mustang a couple weeks ago, I just happened to read about the clamps and plastic at that time.
And I just dug up enough worm drive clamps for him, and we already tossed the springs

 

[fordfan2006]

I'm going to need you guys a little later.. I'm in school right now but right after it's back to work and I will need more help and stuff

 

[fordfan2006]

Well it's fixed and the coolant sensor is leaking coolant
bad. What should I do now?. I put the little clip back in..

 

[swshawaii]

The old ECT sensor will usually leak in a new housing. Either replace with an OEM sensor or "try" a #8 o-ring.

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=324170

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showpost.php?p=3281939&postcount=12

 

[fordfan2006]

Replaced the o ring did the trick no more leaks!! Thank you all.