Antifreeze leak...can't find?

[JKooL]

I just got this 1997 Ford Explorer:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Ford...ameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem#ebayphotohosting

I took it for inspection & my mechanic (who is also a friend) said it was leaking antifreeze but could not find out where. In fact, my neihbor was over at his garage while he was looking for it & he looked as well with no luck.

It is running on to something hot because you can smell it.

Anybody have any knowledge of a common problem with the 5.0s?

Thanks!

 

[budwich]

most likely problem... heat control valve is leaking coolant onto your exhaust if the smell is in the engine area. If its in the passenger compartment, the heater core or connections to it.

 

[BrooklynBay]

Check the cooling system with a cooling system pressure tester such as this one: http://www.explorerforum.com/reviewpost/showproduct.php/product/231/cat/500

 

[JKooL]

I'll check into the control valve.

My mechanic did pressure test it & found nothing. It must be out of sight.

 

[ThePhoenix]

thats got low milage. clean looking truck. are you in the reading area? I went to KUTZTOWN UNIV but now live in Miami fla

 

[JKooL]

thats got low milage. clean looking truck. are you in the reading area? I went to KUTZTOWN UNIV but now live in Miami fla

I do live in Reading.

It has a slight scrape / dents
on the passenger side rear wheel area where they must have bumped something & the hood has a small dent in (hence the reason for the trim they must have added) The driver's seat must have had a seam seperation so I noticed they contact cemented some extra matching leather in the seem, but other than that & some minor fixes that needs attention......

So far I LOVE it!

 

[ThePhoenix]

congrats! nice ride! drive it over to Zinn''s and grab some shoefly pie for me!
Chaz

 

[JKooL]

congrats! nice ride! drive it over to Zinn''s and grab some shoefly pie for me!
Chaz

Zinn's is gone...sad but true, it is a new restrant in it's place. Never tried it.

I bet it is better in Miami than here in Reading.....

 

[ThePhoenix]

its hot here sometimes. being from that area , I am still not used to heat...13 years! but the scenery is amazing if ya know what I mean...i wont move back but will visit my mom in Lititz soon

damn, Zinn's is gone!?!?

 

[JKooL]

its hot here sometimes. being from that area , I am still not used to heat...13 years! but the scenery is amazing if ya know what I mean...i wont move back but will visit my mom in Lititz soon

damn, Zinn's is gone!?!?

I am sure the scenery is nice:

Yea....Zinn's is no more.

 

[JKooL]

Still can not find that leak!

My mechanic pressure tested it....nothing.

I do not see water drops on the oil dipstick.

I can smell hot antifreeze outside the vehicle so I am sure it is dripping on something hot.

 

[Turdle]

Heater core--mine leaked onto the passenger side front cat--

 

[ThePhoenix]

do you smell antifreeze INSIDE the vehicle? check your carpet to see if its wet. I had a heater core with a pin point hole...made a fine mist spraying out of defroster vents....great for the lungs

 

[chriswells78]

How much and how fast is it leaking? I have taken 2 of these motors apart and noticed mall amounts of coolant in wierd places. One motor had some on the timing cover where it had been leaking from a seem in the timing cover where the bolt holding the timing cover had pretty much rusted to powder. Look for antifreeze goo on the top edge of the timing cover. The other motor had the same thing happen but at the front drivers side bolt of the upper intake manifold. (the one that holds the coil pack chair down). That motor had a small amount of coolant in the lifter from the leak.

 

[JKooL]

do you smell antifreeze INSIDE the vehicle? check your carpet to see if its wet. I had a heater core with a pin point hole...made a fine mist spraying out of defroster vents....great for the lungs

I checked the carpet & it is not wet.

The smell is not strong inside the truck at all.....if any smell at all.

 

[JKooL]

How much and how fast is it leaking? I have taken 2 of these motors apart and noticed mall amounts of coolant in wierd places. One motor had some on the timing cover where it had been leaking from a seem in the timing cover where the bolt holding the timing cover had pretty much rusted to powder. Look for antifreeze goo on the top edge of the timing cover. The other motor had the same thing happen but at the front drivers side bolt of the upper intake manifold. (the one that holds the coil pack chair down). That motor had a small amount of coolant in the lifter from the leak.

It has been raining & wet here in PA for weeks now. If the road ever dries, I might be able to get a better idea what is rain & what is anti freeze.

 

[budwich]

buy some dye packets and borrow a "black light" from a part shop.... your leak will "blind" you.

 

[Rocketheavy]

maybe you have a leaky head gasket and its getting into the motor.... change the oil yourself and see if theres any water floating around in the drain pan.

 

[FexplorerV8]

maybe you have a leaky head gasket and its getting into the motor.... change the oil yourself and see if theres any water floating around in the drain pan.

It could also be going out of the tail pipe, remove the radiator cap with the engine cold, turn car on and check for bubbles... or see if smells like vaporized coolant out the tail pipe.

 

[FexplorerV8]

Also forgot to add, to test for a bad head gasket do the pressure test leave the pressure tester with pressure for a long time pull the spark plugs and turn the engine if you see coolant come out of one of the sparkplug holes you will then know what side you need to fix…