Coolant leak on a 96 Aerostar.

[shadetreemechani]

aerostar running somewhat hot lately. then few days ago started to get really hot...so i flushed the radiator...didn't seem to really help. changed thermostat and didn't really help.. well...low and behold yesterday when i started it up, saw coolant sprewing from hose connector point . pulled hose back a little bit and saw the nipple inside the hose, where it connects was really corroded...looks like half of it had just eaten away.. so even with the clamp on the hose tight....coolant still sprewing out...my problem is...what part is this that the hose is connected to...it's right under the thermostat or thermostat housing...and it looks like it can be screwed off and it also has some kind of connecting wire or plug on top of it...u can see from my pics the tube that i unclamped and pulled down.. you can see the corrosion and deterioation. Any help is appreciated. until i get my big green(nick name for my van)....im walking on foot.

 

[BrooklynBay]

Welcome to this forum! Is this the 3.0L engine? The thermostat housing has a gasket that is readily available. This other part could be removed with a box wrench or an adjustable wrench.

 

[shadetreemechani]

yeah... the thermostat is fine... it's leaking where i have the red circle drawn...that nipple inside the hose erroded off...is this a part of the thermostat housing...and yeah does it screw off? also...that small hose on top of it.. is that the water temp sender assemply.. Thanks for replying.. this thing is driving me crazy.. and yes.. the 3.0 engine

 

[BrooklynBay]

The piece that's leaking unscrews, so it could be replaced along with the leaking nipple. The single wire temperature sending unit is for the temperature gauge.

 

[FORDBOYpete]

I concur with what Brooklyn said. Heater return & temp sensor housing should backout of the manifold by unthreading or unscrewing it. Get a New One to replace it, and do not use mylar or compound to reinstall the new one as it needs a good ground for temp' sensor to read correctly.

If other parts of the cooing system show similar corrosion you have excessive electrolytic occurrance in your cooling system, if you doubt that diagnostic, Google it & read about it yourself.

You can defeat electrolysis in your cooling system by running the 50% permanent coolant solution it calls for & by making sure system, including the radiator & heater core[(s) if dual/rear] is/are grounded to the battery either via a good working body ground or directly by a circuit to ground your cooling system you can create.

Remember you have several types of metals in the engine & cooling system & heaters, and you have hot liquid running through them all. That is how a battery works, and it is also how cooling system electrolysis works.
You can probe your system using a VOM & inserting a sacrificial metal, brass works well in your coolant with the + lead, and the - lead to the - post on your battery & check the electrolysis yourself. Simply keep reducing the value range on your VOM until you get a reading. Then see if the value is within acceptable specification.

No I'm not Nuts. . . .
Resolve cooling system elecytrolysis issues and you will save your intake manifold, engine gaskets & all the myriad of other engine & cooling system parts that tend to go away as a result of it. There are papers written by the American Association of Corrosion Engineers, and others on this issue if y'all are interested.

What did that guy on the Radio who passed away recently used to say. . . . Oh Yeah, "and now you know the rest of the story."

CIAO Y'All

FBp