Another coolant leak..

[PashRoot]

Because my explorer felt like I needed another challenge, I'm now losing coolant only when the engine is running.

This leak has been pretty tough to find and with all the rain these past 3 weeks, I'm only just now figuring out where it might be coming from.

- Oil dipstick looks good, no milky oil
- No white smoke from exhaust
- No unusual engine noises
- Coolant looks normal in appearance

So hopefully I've ruled out a potential head gasket issue. What I just noticed today is that I'm getting a little bit of dripping on the passenger side, underneath the engine. It ONLY happens when the vehicle is up to temperature. It's not the a/c because I have no working air-con. The minute I shut it off the dripping pretty much stops in a few seconds. I'll occasionally also hear a brief 'sizzle' once I shut off the engine as if the coolant is dripping onto the block, but not always.

My reserve tank is pretty full still and I'm not losing too much coolant, but it's enough that I'd like to fix it asap.

I've tried feeling around all the heater core hoses as well as the main radiator hoses. Everything feels dry (or it's evaporating too quickly?)

What's the easiest way to determine where the leak may be coming from? I'm having someone help me sometime tomorrow evening to look for things while I run the engine but I'm getting sick of wasting gas trying to find this darn leak.

First the bearings, then the tranny leak, and now this.. just make it stop already!

 

[PashRoot]

Having a camera is a wonderful thing sometimes.. I found something interesting under the truck.

http://i42.tinypic.com/mj73ps.jpg

I'm assuming those are heater core hoses?

 

[bill06447]

Hoses are the, by far, most common cause of coolant leaks, so if you've ruled out a pinhole in a hose, the next thing you need to do is pick yourself up an inexpensive cooling system pressure test kit (or borrow/rent one from a friend or auto parts store). Trying to locate a cooling system leak without a tester is akin to cave exploration without a flashlight.

Bill

 

[PashRoot]

Haven't ruled it out yet (Been sick, just got better) but I decided to just get under the truck and look around for any kind of dripping or moisture.. turns out I was looking at the transmission lines, hahah. At least, I think I am.. Hell I don't know.

I ran and idled the truck for a few minutes and about 10 minutes later the dripping began again. The coolant appears to be dripping from around the oil filter (looks like a sweaty a/c accumulator) and transmission lines. I felt the heater hoses again and still couldn't find anything.

 

[PashRoot]

More pics:

http://i39.tinypic.com/vgsldx.jpg

The picture was coated in coolant/moisture before the pic was taken but take note of those lines. Are they cooler lines for the oil?

 

[obie]

Those look like the lines running to your trans cooler. If they're covered in coolant, then it's most likely not a problem with those lines, unless you're also loosing tranny fluid.

 

[PashRoot]

You're right. They're tranny lines.. followed them right back to the radiator. They're not leaking though.

Most of the drippage seems to be focused directly between the oil filter and the tranny lines though.

Not sure if it matters but when I bought the truck (used) it came equipped with a larger radiator (Towing package?). The replacement I installed was smaller but hasn't had any issues keeping the engine cool.

I'm thinking since the truck may have come equipped with the towing package, maybe there's an oil cooler too.. which could be what's leaking? Or one of its hoses rather?

Here's a full size photo of the last one:

http://i40.tinypic.com/28knclc.jpg

 

[pbnj22]

Is it dripping above there and just getting those lines wet?

 

[PashRoot]

Is it dripping above there and just getting those lines wet?

Yes. The coolant is probably scattered on the transmission and such from steering and accelerating. I *think* the dripping is coming from above the filter.. haven't taken it off yet. Don't have the tools.

 

[JusTheUsual]

ok, take off passenger tire, take or pull off that flap that's held in by the plastic pins, your mud flap that goes over shocks, pull that off, look where your head meets your block. I almost think its your headgasket leaking back there

 

[frankcal]

I had a similar leak on my sport a little bit ago too that was somewhat similar to yours. What mine ended up being was the lower thermostat housing was leaking in the back of it. It dripped down the side of my motor on the passenger side, wet the radiator hoses and oil filter and dripped right down the lower control arm bushings. Took me a while to find it but was able to find it by searching here. It was a pretty easy fix but I only bought the water outlet and now thinking back of it I should of just bought the whole kit.

 

[PashRoot]

ok, take off passenger tire, take or pull off that flap that's held in by the plastic pins, your mud flap that goes over shocks, pull that off, look where your head meets your block. I almost think its your headgasket leaking back there

Will do, but check this out first..

http://i43.tinypic.com/106k177.png

Seems like I might be leaking coolant from one of those freeze plugs. Both the 1st and 2nd one look terrible; I can almost see a hole forming on the bottom of the first and the second has some kinda red, sticky residue?

Gonna check tomorrow to see if anything's spewing out of them with the engine warmed up.

If it's a head gasket I may just throw in the towel for now, I just don't have the funds; not seeing any water in the oil and no white smoke but I know that makes no guarantee either.

 

[PashRoot]

Took it to a mechanic again. Looks like at least one of the freeze plugs are leaking.

I can hear it dripping onto some kinda metal then it drips to the ground where the oil filter is.