Coolant leak...plz help!

[jturner140]

Hi all, I just replaced the thermostat in my '98 XLT (4.0L SOHC) and now I have a leak. I have monitored the thermostat housing with the truck running and it doesn't seem to be from the housing. As the vehicle warms up it begins to smoke towards the rear on the engine and if I look underneath the vehicle I can see a stream running from the rear of the engine. The coolant is dripping/streaming to the ground and I initially thought it was leaking from the thermostat housing and running to the back of the engine while I was driving but it drips from the rear of the engine while sitting still. Any help would be greatly appreciated!! BTW i do plan to have a pressure test performed but I can't get it done til Saturday so I'm looking for some preliminary ideas. Thanks!

 

[RomeovilleIL]

Rear driver or passenger side?

Open the hood and look for any broken hoses or joints. If you have a stream it should be pretty evident.

Given the extreme cold of the past week here in the midwest, I wouldn't be shocked if you blew a frost plug.

 

[jturner140]

Rear driver or passenger side?

Open the hood and look for any broken hoses or joints. If you have a stream it should be pretty evident.

Given the extreme cold of the past week here in the midwest, I wouldn't be shocked if you blew a frost plug.

I was starting to suspect the freeze plug but I wasn't sure. It's slightly off center towards the driver's side.

 

[jturner140]

Fixed! I took the thermostat housing back out and the rubber seal was gone! I bought a new seal and coated it with silicon gasket sealer as well as the lip in the housing and it's good to go!