Coolant leaking from back of engine

[CHH777]

I took a short trip and parked with the engine warm. I then noticed a puddle of water/antifreeze forming underneath. There was a small stream of water spraying from the back of the engine onto the firewall (lower intake area). Before I could track it down it stopped. Any ideas?

 

[InspectoRob]

You said that it is streaming out of the engine block. It sounds to me like your freeze plug is leaking. A set of plugs is only about $6, but getting the old leaky one out and the new one in is the tricky part due to accessibility. I changed out one in my 89 Ranger a few years ago (4cyl) and 1 week later the one further back started leaking. I got the old ones out by tapping a small screwdriver into the center until it poked through (careful!) and then pried it out. NOTE: amazing how stubborn they can be to get out, yet it leaked!
new one tapped in with a socket in the center to tap on. A mechanic friend suggested I put gasket seal on it to prevent leaks. Oh yeah, also clean the hole with some steel wool before installing new one.

Like I said, getting to them is the hard part. With your v-6 you may have to move or remove parts. Someone else may have more specifics on that.

:redexp: Rob

 

[Opera House]

My 92 leaked a little

It was somewhere at the back of the engine. Didn't squirt out like yours. I thought it might be a head gasket leak. Your right, it is pretty inaccessible. I put in those silver flakes and it has stopped for five years. I didn't care if it would clog the radiator. I can get to the radiator easily enough. I just took the transmission out for a rebuild and I looked to see if I could find the origional problem. Couldn't find it. Probably because I now notice that the back of the head gasket is leaking oil. Head gasket, not the valve cover! That leads me to believe that it was the gasket leaking coolant. The freeze plugs are easy to get at with the transmission out. Bet you're glad to hear that.

 

[CHH777]

Thanks for the responses.

The leak was streaming from the back of the motor (top end) in the center so it can't be head gaskets or freeze plugs. Maybe I can use a mirror to locate the spot. Could a leaky lower intake gasket cause this? Where's the temperature sending unit?

 

[CHH777]

Upon further inspection it appears that I have a lower intake gasket leak...

 

[CHH777]

Holy mother of pearl!!!

What a freakin' mess of wires and vacuum hoses to contend with! It's enough to make a man buy a carburated engine (almost).

Thanks for the responses...