Blown headgasket? Coolant Leak? Man...

[Todd82TA]

Hey guys, I love my Explorer, and I really don't want to get rid of it. The car has been draining the overflow tank repeatedly over the past several months. The car is a 2002 Explorer Sport with the 4.0 SOHC w/ 140k miles.

I assumed it was the water pump, so I just bought a new one and tore everything down. I'm now looking at the engine with the water pump off, and the coolant staining starts JUST under the passenger side cyl head and goes down the side of the block. There's no staining on the water pump, and quite frankly, I don't even know if it was bad at this point.

The coolant never bubbled, and I don't see steam coming out the back of the car.

Any idea what it could be? I don't really see any leaks from the intake manifold either, and the car has never overheated, at least the gauge has always shown a consistant 1/2 temperature.

Thanks guys, any help is really appreciated. I'm really feeling down about this. I don't know if I should just junk the car at this point. I've done so much work to it.

 

[Todd82TA]

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!! I poked around a bit more with a flashlight, and sure enough... it was that stupid black plastic contraption at the top that supposedly leaks on all these cars.

Thank God!!!

 

[koda2000]

Yes, I was going to tell you to closely look at the thermostat housing. Very common place for these engines to leak coolant. BTW there is no coolant associated with the intake manifold on these engines.

 

[73vwtodd]

Yes, I was going to tell you to closely look at the thermostat housing. Very common place for these engines to leak coolant. BTW there is no coolant associated with the intake manifold on these engines.

Thanks, I appreciate it.

I'm putting the new parts on now... but I'm short a bunch of pieces of I want to put it back together properly. I just ordered a ton of stuff from Rock Auto, so now I just have to wait... :/

I should get it all in a week. But man, I feel much better.