Coolant leak next to the firewall?

[Josh0224]

So, I have a 1997 Explorer XLT "e" motor. I've been trying to find a coolant leak for nearly a week now. I never got any puddles or anything, just the smell of burning coolant.

I finally got on my back and looked up under the motor and noticed the coolant dripping from my tansmission onto my cat. Then I traced it up, and lost it right under the right (drivers side) exhaust manifold. There's some part of a block right there (not quite sure what it is.), but it's right next to the cyl closest to the firewall under the last exhaust port.

Any ideas? and please tell me it's not a head/head gasket...

Thanks,
Josh

 

[FordGT55]

Sounds like a head gasket. Get a pressure tester and pressurize the cooling system then crawl under and take a look and see if you can trace it then. Hopefully there will be a big enough leak to have a drip while pressurized. Check the thermostat housing as they are common SOHC engine leaks. Also if the pressure test doesn't work you can buy coolant dye add it, run the truck / drive it around for a while let it cool then use a black light.

 

[Cranmaro99]

heater core location?

 

[Josh0224]

Heater core lines run on the other side of the engine. I'll take a few pics tomorrow, just for clarification.

just as a curious question, how hard of a job is it to do your head gasket? (if it is that)

 

[Josh0224]

So, after my feeble attempt to find exactly where it's leaking from, I took the truck to ford, and they tell me it's the thermostat housing. Apperently, these are bad for deteriorating and cause leaks? The mechanic said that the coolant was going back toward and around the intake, and that's how it got on my transmission and cat.

Anyone know where I can find one of these housings other than a junk yard and ford? Ford wants $600 for one... that's ew...

 

[Josh0224]

I just ordered the part from O'Reilly's for $90. It'll be here Tuesday morning. I'm assuming this is a pretty straight forward and easy job to do. Anyone have any recommendations/tips to this job? Other than replace the stock clamps with the screw kind?

 

[RomeovilleIL]

"Josh... use the power of the SEARCH my son... use the SEARCH"

Even without new fangled 3-D it will still yield awesome results for you.

 

[swshawaii]

IMPORTANT FYI- There may be slight differences with the lower t-stat housing and sensors.
(If you are using Ford or Motorcraft replacement parts)

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=239493

 

[Josh0224]

Just as an update, I got the thermostat housing in and everything is good. I still smell antifreeze every once in a while, but the coolant isn't going down.

On a side note/rant; I will never shop at oreillys again. Online, the partwas $90, and I even called to confirm it before I ordered. 3 days later when I go to pick it up, its $150...

 

[swshawaii]

You would have spent considerably less if you followed the link above.
Replacement housing with upgraded sensors would have been Motorcraft,
and not aftermarket Dorman parts. GL

 

[briwayjones]

It may not be the head gasket. My parents Ranger had a coolant leak right on the back of the engine somewhere next to the firewall. It would leak down on the exhaust, evaporate and not leave puddles. I forget where exactly they said it was coming from. It wasn't the head gasket though.

 

[bodavis355]

It may not be the head gasket. My parents Ranger had a coolant leak right on the back of the engine somewhere next to the firewall. It would leak down on the exhaust, evaporate and not leave puddles. I forget where exactly they said it was coming from. It wasn't the head gasket though.

what was it

 

[bodavis355]

what was it

Im haviing an issue where my coolant is dripping down from a spout near the firewall is i think a hose goes somewhere there and its dripping onto my headers and evaporating and causing my windshield to fog up

 

[C420sailor]

A pic would help a whole lot

 

[Mbrooks420]

Im haviing an issue where my coolant is dripping down from a spout near the firewall is i think a hose goes somewhere there and its dripping onto my headers and evaporating and causing my windshield to fog up

If your windshield is fogging up you are probably also leaking into the heater box. It’s possible your heater core is leaking.