Coolant Leak, possibly from engine?

[MistahYebba]

When I parked today on an upward incline, shut off the engine and got out to look under my Ex, coolant was coming out in a stream which eventually dwindled down to a drip...

I thought I've been leaking oil, but it appears it's coolant which is good and bad to me.

Coolant appears to be coming out of the engine or engine area?

Hoses and coolant lines are in good shape from what I can tell. Have replaced a few of those.

Could it be the water pump? Easy to tell?

Is it possible for it to come straight out of the engine? If so, from where?

Thanks for your time & insight!

 

[larrydd999]

Yes, yes, and yes to your questions. You need to look closely and beg, borrow, or buy (I bought) a coolant pressure tester so you can search without having to run the engine to get the coolant hot and under pressure. Some use dye and UV flashlights but I've not had good luck with them. The radiator will eventually leak, generally at the sides where the plastic is pressed into the metal. The water pump seal will fail and start leaking (from underneath in my experience) and its gasket can also fail. The timing cover will also leak, I had to pull mine on our '92 XLT a year or so ago to replace the gasket. There are other places that are even more difficult to locate and to fix unless you're into pulling engines.

 

[RangerX]

If it's the water pump, that should be easy to tell, it will leak out under the pulley.
Your leak sounds like when my lower intake gasket failed. There was a stream like it was peeing, but would slow and then stop when the coolant level reached the leak point.

 

[MistahYebba]

If it's the water pump, that should be easy to tell, it will leak out under the pulley.
Your leak sounds like when my lower intake gasket failed. There was a stream like it was peeing, but would slow and then stop when the coolant level reached the leak point.

Could a leaking lower intake gasket also lead to an oil leak as well? I definitely do have an oil leak, but it was coolant streaming out.

The oil almost seems to be coming out of whatever pulley thing comes out of the front of the engine itself. What pulley is that?

Very slow leak though. Oil is very dark. Why? It's fresh oil.

Also, the coolant that comes out is rusty brown in color. Just did a coolant flush the other day which I let run through for a week and ran water through till clear... completely drained it, and then refilled with 50/50...

It should be clean coolant, why is it rusty color?

 

[RangerX]

There are several pulls on the front of the engine, you'll have to figure out what is what. Post a pic, if you can.
If the coolant passages in the engine are rusting, it will turn the coolant rust colored, even fresh coolant. I don't know if that's the case with yours, just stating a possibility.
I had to remove a few things to positively identify where my leak was coming from, as it was hidden from direct view. I suggest get your face right in there with a flashlight when it's leaking and see as best you can where it's leaking.

 

[larrydd999]

The pulley thing is probably the vibration dampener, which is in front of the timing chain cover. I had a coolant leak on our '92 from the driver's side of the timing chain cover a couple of years ago, and a minor oil leak from the cover seal. I chose to repair the two problems without lifting the engine to drop the oil pan, and changed the water pump at the same time. I did change the oil immediately afterward to remove the small amount of coolant that got into the oil pan during the process.

 

[MistahYebba]

So, let's just pretend that it's leaking from the engine. I haven't gotten a moment to check during the week to see exactly where it's coming from....

Been having symptoms this week though since the leak has worsened, which ironically only happened when I degreased my engine and everything thoroughly and then did a thorough coolant flush.... (those were preventative maintenance jobs I did, not for any specific reason)

symptoms are:
-High temps (on or past the L of Normal of temp gauge which NEVER happens on my Ex)
--Bubbling coolant reservoir after drives (and smoke)
---Strong coolant smell outside of truck after drives
----Higher than normal RPMs (Usually idles at 500rpm but has been idling at 800-1000 now. I feel like it is related)
-----last but not least, obviously leaking coolant or water, whatever I fill up the radiator with, VERY quickly.

I am going to do a test tomorrow morning, I am pretty sure if I fill up the coolant system (through radiator cap) with water and then go for a short drive to let the thermostat open, I am pretty sure all of that water will leak out in just a little while being parked.

Assuming all of these symptoms are related... do you think it sounds like I have some sort of engine head-related issue? If so, what other symptoms would I be having?

Thanks

 

[nathan mayden]

Sounds like you blew a head . I had an f150 do that and my idle slowly creeped up because I was losing compression. Eventually found oil in the radiator. All because the needle fell out of a thermostat from advanced auto parts.

 

[MistahYebba]

Sounds like you blew a head . I had an f150 do that and my idle slowly creeped up because I was losing compression. Eventually found oil in the radiator. All because the needle fell out of a thermostat from advanced auto parts.

How does a head get blown? Random? Over time?

I mean... I know the truck is very much aging but it seems weird for all this stuff to start happening right after I do a degreasing and coolant flush.

 

[RangerX]

You can speculate all you want, but what good does it do? I suggest you park it until you locate the leak. Driving it while it's overheating will lead to head damage.

 

[Rhett]

I mean... I know the truck is very much aging but it seems weird for all this stuff to start happening right after I do a degreasing and coolant flush.

That may not be a coincidence. But suffice to say...if a flush dissolved deposits that were the only thing sealing your head gasket...then that gasket probably would have failed sooner rather than later, anyway.

I second what RangerX said...if it were me I would park it until I could figure out where the leak is coming from, or risk warped or cracked head which is worse (read: costly) than a gasket.

 

[FR-425]

It's coming from the rear axle!

 

[MistahYebba]

So about an hour ago I started up the Ex to drive my significant other to work.

The engine was running "clanky"... sounds like leaves are blowing around inside the engine the more you rev, if you know what I mean. Temperature gauge was steadily rising.

Keep in mind it ran well all day yesterday.

Needless to say it was lower than it needs to be on oil and water. (I fill up radiator with distilled water since it all comes pouring out 30 minutes later anyway).

It was smoking at a red light and start to clank even though I wasn't revving anymore (at idle).

Poor thing was hurtin'.

I crawled right up the road to her work and luckily there is a Walmart nearby.

Topped off the oil and filled the radiator with more water.

Now she is "purring" again, but this can't keep happening.

1. What we're all the clanks? What parts are moving in an engine that rely on oil to not clank?

2. Can ONE thing cause TWO things to leak; Oil and coolant/water?

3. After I got back home shut off the truck, it was streaming water out of it. What kind of freakish leak could empty out my whole radiator of water once I shut off the engine?

First it was streaming out but this video just shows right after when it slowed down to a drip.

This is some sort of pulley on the front of the engine.

Also note that my cooling system (radiator, etc.) is BUBBLING. Hot, or full of gases???

ALSO note, there is a constant "tap" sound. What is that sound?!

Here's a video: