Coolant leak after engine turns off?

[239]

Thanks for reading this, my Ohv X is leaking coolant pretty bad right now. I've had this problem for about 8 months now but never this bad. Whenever I turn the truck off it dumps coolant, it doesn't overheat though, the temperature gauge stays halfway. I always thought I just had to get air out of the system and it worked for a while but now the leak is back and worse than ever. It's leaking from what looks like the hose that goes into the radiator on the passenger side, right at the clamp. I know it's time for a coolant flush and new thermostat and possibly housing as the vehicle's never had these done since we bough it in '05. I'm taking it into the local shop Monday as the leak is pretty bad at the moment. Just wondering if anyone's had a leak where mines coming from now, it looks like pressure forces the coolant out as it splashes onto the front axle after it hits the ground. I'm wondering if it needs a new pump also since the truck has 172k on it, thanks for any advice. Sorry for the long post.

 

[koda2000]

you don't say how many miles you have on the truck. i'm assuming these are the original parts (radiator and hoses). the plastic tank radiators in these vehicles typically don't live much longer than around 150k before they start leaking where the tanks attach to the aluminum core. also, at around the same miles, it's not uncommon to need to replace a radiator hose. another common area that causes problems (especially if the cooling system isn't serviced periodically) is that the small hose that goes to the overflow tank can become clogged. try removing it from the radiator neck and see if you can blow through it.

the time to flush the cooling system is before you're having problems. flushing now can only make a leak worse. if it's leaking coolant on the front axle, it sounds more like it's leaking from the overtank area, heater hose or even a head gasket.

 

[239]

The truck has 172,000 miles on it, everything in the cooling system is stock except for the radiator which has no ford or motor craft markings on it. I can't see it being a head gasket as I had my engine taken apart and all of the gaskets from the intakes to the fuel injector o rings replaced a year ago, I was told the head gasket looked fine.

 

[swshawaii]

Leaks occur because the coolant system pressure increases after you shut off.
A fail safe method of finding them is using a coolant pressure test kit. Larger auto
parts stores loan tools with a 100% refundable deposit. Call around for availability.

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/accessories/Tools-Garage-and-Equipment/Loan-a-Tools/_/N-26vd

 

[239]

Leaks occur because the coolant system pressure increases after you shut off.
A fail safe method of finding them is using a coolant pressure test kit. Larger auto
parts stores loan tools with a 100% refundable deposit. Call around for availability.

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/accessories/Tools-Garage-and-Equipment/Loan-a-Tools/_/N-26vd

I'll ask them to do a pressure test on Monday but at this age and mileage it doesn't surprise me that this is happening.

 

[239]

For future reference, the issue was resolved. Apparently my radiator was cracked where the upper right hose connects to it. The hose had basically fused to the radiator over the 13 years since the factory installed it, it was stock. When the shop went to replace the hose, it took a big chunk out of the also stock radiator. I decided to do a flush and have a new thermostat put in, unless the original five year owner of the Explorer replaced it at some point which I doubt, then it too was stock, it was really corroded and had begun to stick. I got a new thermostat, radiator, coolant flush, hose, and coolant for around $400 so I'm glad. Thanks for any help, I'm just glad to have the issue resolved before the Florida summer heat arrives.