1993 explorer coolant leak?

[Azazel]

I just bought a 1993 explorer and it has a v6 not sure on motor type and stuff yet, Been Nissan person for long time so ford new to me, But any way this explorer runs great quit, smooth running, All at once im almost home and it starts to lose power just felt weaker, I get home and coolant is coming out from under it, I couldn't see where it was from but after it got done blowing coolant out, it was only wet on passenger side right around battery, small wet spot on the hood and only the front part of passenger side underneath was wet, I try to start it back and it wouldn't stay running stalling out, rough ideal, pedal to the floor and its spluttering, So hour later i go back fill radiator up. Start it and its running fine again and no leak any where. Any ideal what happn? Another weired thing is my odometro rolled back about 10k miles, no joke i had a 134k on it and its at a 124k now never heard of anything like this. Hope some one can fill me in.

Thanks for any advice.

 

[Roadrunner777]

Advice? that damn thing is haunted, I wouldn't go near it!

Ok, well, fill it back up with water and pressure test it. Follow the water back to the leak. Could really be coming from anywhere. It lost power because it was running on part air part coolant steam. Coolant is not particularly flammable, so....

When you resolve this, you will want to replace your air filter, and probably clean your mass airflow sensor.

Welcome to the explorer club.

The odometer thing is flat impossible. It is mechanically driven. Unless you drove home in reverse, I have to say you are mistaken on that part.

Or, the damn thing is haunted.

Wait. The odometer on the 93 only has 5 black digits, denoting miles, and 1 white, denoting tenths of miles. So, I'm going to guess that you are adding the 100k yourself and it was the leftmost digit that flipped back. I have a possible cause, but it's not pretty. Any time you have an odometer doing odd things, AND you just bought the car, you have to suspect tampering. I'm not saying definitely because maybe you got it from your dad or something, and I don't want to accuse anyone. Just saying, odometer weirdness is often tampering.

 

[Azazel]

Well i put a thermostat in it today and its been running better, But soon as I came up the mountain I live on it started to over heat then boiling out once I parked it. So whats causing it to overheat from climbing the mountain bad radiator? Or should i take it out and try do a good flush on it?

Also this off topic but my gas gage wont work one min some times hours of driving then all at once it will work shut suv off and then it wont work again. any thoughts on whats happen on fuel gage

Thanks

 

[Prizmblue]

This will happen when the fan clutch goes bad. Also One needs to make sure the over flow hose going to the reservoir is in good cond. when the water heats up it expands and flows into the reservoir and when it cools it should pull the fluid back into the radiator unless it can suck air in at the overflow hose connection at the radiator cap area! (It finds it easier to suck in air than pull heavy liquid up grade out of the reservoir!). after a couple of heating/cooling cycles it will keep putting more and more air into the engine! And man what a cheap and easy fix!

 

[ricco750]

Well i put a thermostat in it today and its been running better, But soon as I came up the mountain I live on it started to over heat then boiling out once I parked it. So whats causing it to overheat from climbing the mountain bad radiator? Or should i take it out and try do a good flush on it?

Also this off topic but my gas gage wont work one min some times hours of driving then all at once it will work shut suv off and then it wont work again. any thoughts on whats happen on fuel gage

Thanks

Gas gauge not working is a sign of imminent fuel pump failure, as the sending unit is probably bad.

 

[arco777]

Gas gauge not working is a sign of imminent fuel pump failure, as the sending unit is probably bad.

Not true... the fuel pump and the sending unit are two separate things. They live close to each other but are two different components. The fuel pump hangar bracket assembly can be ordered with the new fuel sender, and the old fuel pump can be re-used.

 

[ricco750]

Not true... the fuel pump and the sending unit are two separate things. They live close to each other but are two different components. The fuel pump hangar bracket assembly can be ordered with the new fuel sender, and the old fuel pump can be re-used.

IS true. If they are the same age, they will fail concurrently.

 

[arco777]

IS true. If they are the same age, they will fail concurrently.

Let's agree to disagree. I have never had a pump and a sender fail at the same time. Neither one's function affects the other. In fact I have had many fuel pumps fail but so far never a sender.

Think about it. Not only are they on different circuits, but they are completely different types of devices. One is a glorified electric motor, the other is a glorified rheostat.

 

[ricco750]

Let's agree to disagree. I have never had a pump and a sender fail at the same time. Neither one's function affects the other. In fact I have had many fuel pumps fail but so far never a sender.

Think about it. Not only are they on different circuits, but they are completely different types of devices. One is a glorified electric motor, the other is a glorified rheostat.

I'm not talking about at the same second, they both fail. In my EX, the gas gauge was not working, and the pump was singing a bad song. I replaced the whole thing, and what a difference. That's all I'm saying. Have a good evening!

 

[awood]

You're both right. They do both work independently. But if you have the $$$$, and you go to all that work to change one, you might as well change the other.

Meanwhile, did the overheat condition ever get corrected? Could be one of several things. Plugged radiator, bad fan clutch, pinhole in hose causing leak then overheat, head gasket. Prizmblue's advice is good. Also, I've had experience with plugged radiators. Not plugged so much on the inside, but dirt and bugs and such on the outside. It's really easy to remove once the fan is removed and to clean it through with a garden hose. With it being as old a 93, it's likely got a lot of crud in the fins (unless it was replaced at some point prior). Passenger side leak up front by the battery could only be a couple of things in that area. A hose leaking or spraying over there, or a water pump leaking or spraying over there. I suppose a freeze plug could do the same once you got hot and built up pressure.

 

[mr cribb]

This will happen when the fan clutch goes bad.

I can second this. Just address it before you end up like me and get hit with a major catastrophe. I didn't pay attention to this warning sign, and kept thinking mine was thermostat failing (3 in 3 months time period).

Turned out fan clutch went out, drove on it too long, toasted water pump, got hot just enough to kill my heads and head gaskets.

But it is all good. It is all new and everything works well.

My temp gauge was reading up to the "A" in normal. I have since put on an electrical temp gauge and I'm reading 200 degrees on average.

 

[PhoenixDanu]

I also have 93 Explorer with a coolant leak. I have to add fluid each time I drive, which isn't much. It leaks pretty steadily only after I turn the engine off. Thank you for the above comments. At least now I have an idea of what to look for as well. I need another 5 years out of this vehicle! To the original poster, what did you end up having to fix on yours?

 

[OneofMany]

vehicle this old will have its leaks. Plastic parts are a ticking time bomb (my 79 never leaked )
Leak test it and look for leaks. trouble spots are: Intake gasket will often leak down the rear of the block, water pump, temperature control valve on the heater hoses, radiator.
If you are in a rust prone area add freeze plugs.

 

[FR-425]

Mr Cribb. God bless you Sir!

Finally somebody admitted fault for the cracked heads!

And not yelling, Damn weak poorly designed Ford crap!

Over heat any engine bad enough or often enough and that will be

the result!

 

[OneofMany]

Mr Cribb. God bless you Sir!

Finally somebody admitted fault for the cracked heads!

And not yelling, Damn weak poorly designed Ford crap!

Over heat any engine bad enough or often enough and that will be

the result!

I wasnt aware of a weakness in the heads that's not universal across engines...these are cast iron...what are you talking about?

 

[mr cribb]

I wasnt aware of a weakness in the heads that's not universal across engines...these are cast iron...what are you talking about?

The factory heads are a poor casting design. From 91-01 (the only ones I've paid any attention to) there are weak points in all the head designs. 91-94 has two head designs. They are 90TM, and 93TM. The 90TM covers the 91-92 models and 93TM covers the 93-94 models. The 93TM are said to be better design than the earlier models. Almost all of them crack between the valves or at the water ports.

The best way is to (when the unfortunate cracked head(s) happen) is buy new castings from a reputable manufacturer and there are a few to choose from.

 

[R&T Babich]

... Meanwhile, did the overheat condition ever get corrected? Could be one of several things. Plugged radiator, bad fan clutch, pinhole in hose causing leak then overheat, head gasket. ....

I had a van that was losing coolant mysteriously and the symptoms were similar to the original post. On a hot day after driving a couple of miles a few minutes after shutting off the engine a small stream of steam could be seen coming from the lower radiator hose. It didn't leave a puddle of water on the ground. If it was a short trip, cool day or evening no steam. I marked the hose and when it was removed there was no obvious hole. The coolant loss stopped after replacing the hose.