Driving with a coolant leak from the timing cover

[C420sailor]

It could be coming from above. I can’t see.

How can it be blowing back? It’s right behind the radiator cooling fan.

 

[98FordLove]

It could be coming from above. I can’t see.

How can it be blowing back? It’s right behind the radiator cooling fan.

The last mech I saw who did my brake flush said that the oil blows back when I drive. What makes no sense is when viewing from the engine bay, the timing cover is bone dry. I know the first hack mechanic forgot to put the bottom bolt back in on the water pump but I had another one (lucky of the same bolt and thread) put in by the mech who did my shocks and ball joints 2 weeks back. He happened to have one laying around.

 

[98FordLove]

Have some good news. After 2.5 weeks putting the Liquid Moly Oil Saver in and giving it the 600- 800km of driving like the bottle said, it completely stopped the leak! Did a bunch of checks and after 600km it still leaked and was losing hope on this product but from there it got less and less. And now not a drop on the floor after it sits overnight. I'm amazed. I thought I was seeing things. I do have to add a new bottle with each oil change though, no big deal as they are only $20 a bottle. Worth it for now.

So it looks like the Liquid Moly was able to seal up the seals.

 

[98FordLove]

Coolant leak is back. The K seal worked perfect for about 15 months. Put another bottle of K seal in but so far it's not working a real bummer. May have to give it more time.

I was about to have the front main seal, AC belt changed and the oil pan crack JB welded this week but then I discovered the coolant leak. A mechanic is checking it out tomorrow to see if it's coming from the timing cover again. If so, gonna get him to JB weld the timing cover too where the coolant is coming from.

 

[Fix4Dirt]

if kseal dont work, crack may too large to be filled, usually that stuff works well! if yoire goin thru all that trouble, why not have the mech install a new cover? dormans got one on amzn, forgot how much i paid for it.

 

[CDW6212R]

I put off R&Ring the timing cover on my 98 302 for about 6-8 months, I used K'Seal and Copper Seal. They got me through the Winter and the leak got bad enough the additive didn't work well anymore. I had a build up of the material in the bottom of the radiator, and it stopped the flow through the radiator hose, sucked it shut one day. I was able to flush it out(petcock) enough to drive it another few days until I took time off to fix the leak.

So get to fixing the leak, it's time to remove the timing cover and carefully seal it back up. Go slow taking the bolts loose, and clean everything really well. Be sure the gasket surfaces are very flat, and use some Ultra Black RTV at the corners of the timing cover and oil pan. Put anti-seize on the entire length of every bolt going into the timing cover and water pump, coat the shanks also.

 

[98FordLove]

if kseal dont work, crack may too large to be filled, usually that stuff works well! if yoire goin thru all that trouble, why not have the mech install a new cover? dormans got one on amzn, forgot how much i paid for it.

I put off R&Ring the timing cover on my 98 302 for about 6-8 months, I used K'Seal and Copper Seal. They got me through the Winter and the leak got bad enough the additive didn't work well anymore. I had a build up of the material in the bottom of the radiator, and it stopped the flow through the radiator hose, sucked it shut one day. I was able to flush it out(petcock) enough to drive it another few days until I took time off to fix the leak.

So get to fixing the leak, it's time to remove the timing cover and carefully seal it back up. Go slow taking the bolts loose, and clean everything really well. Be sure the gasket surfaces are very flat, and use some Ultra Black RTV at the corners of the timing cover and oil pan. Put anti-seize on the entire length of every bolt going into the timing cover and water pump, coat the shanks also.

I would do this but it's just too costly to have the timing cover come off again. It came off last year and had all new gaskets and seals. Costed me a lot of money. If it's the timing cover that's leaking, will see if the mechanic can just JB weld the spot where coolant is coming from. Can't see why this wouldn't work as you can JB weld an oil pan.

I'm also wondering if gear oil could be leaking too. Gear oil is different from ATF right? I think it's an oil that only comes on older cars. Can't think of another car that has gear oil.

 

[Fix4Dirt]

yeah JB should work fine. gear oil =/ ATF, atf is cherry red (yum yum), but gear oil is an off-clear-brown, and has a strong smell... any vehicle with a differantial should have gear oil... now new vehicles with a transaxle dont to my knowledge have gear oil... but im not versed in new stuff

 

[98FordLove]

yeah JB should work fine. gear oil =/ ATF, atf is cherry red (yum yum), but gear oil is an off-clear-brown, and has a strong smell... any vehicle with a differantial should have gear oil... now new vehicles with a transaxle dont to my knowledge have gear oil... but im not versed in new stuff

Thanks. How hot do you think these oil pans get on these trucks? I read somewhere online that JB weld can handle continous temps up to 500F and that there is an extreme heat version of JB weld that may be better long term for being able to handle oil pan temps?

Gear oil is transmission fluid? Should gear oil on these trucks be changed?

 

[Turdle]

JB weld should be good if it seals. Fyi if any fluid pan reaches over 250 degrees you'd have serious issues to worry about other than the JB weld holding

 

[Fix4Dirt]

Thanks. How hot do you think these oil pans get on these trucks? I read somewhere online that JB weld can handle continous temps up to 500F and that there is an extreme heat version of JB weld that may be better long term for being able to handle oil pan temps?

Gear oil is transmission fluid? Should gear oil on these trucks be changed?

i dont think they hit 500, if it does... erm... theres a huge issue!!! i thnk its normally like a hair over 200, high 100s. and no, guess i miswrote it. gear oil does NOT equal trans fluid!!! (in 95% of cases, i thnk toyotas and maybe the sn95 mustang take gear oil in the tranny, but not too sure) ( i meant != which is does not equal in python.. but i messed that one up, argh! chances are i was thikning about the equals sign with the slash thru it... in algebra ) trans fluid is the red stuff, egar oil is much more viscous, and has a sulfur smell. trans fluod should be changed every 30k imo (even tho ford said its lifetime, i don tbelieve in that!!!), drop the pan and change the filer, and when youre in there, add a drain plug, makes life so much easier!!! and i change my f/r gear fluid every 30-40k, but thats excessive, only cause i go thru the water and i tow/offroad. for normal use maybe 50-60 should be fine. just suck the fluid out through the fill plug, and add. if youve got an LS rear end make sure to add the ls additive. they make covers with drain plugs, but never tried one yet

 

[98FordLove]

JB weld should be good if it seals. Fyi if any fluid pan reaches over 250 degrees you'd have serious issues to worry about other than the JB weld holding

Ya the mechanic said he will get it so the JB weld seals it. He's sanding down the oil pan crack to get the surface a bit rough so the JB weld has something to bite into. So you think oil when fully hot reaches temps much less than 250 degrees C?

 

[Fix4Dirt]

Ya the mechanic said he will get it so the JB weld seals it. He's sanding down the oil pan crack to get the surface a bit rough so the JB weld has something to bite into. So you think oil when fully hot reaches temps much less than 250 degrees C?

more like 210 F! thats at least what i see, usually high 100s, low 200s, never seen over 220 before! (all in fahrenheit_)

 

[98FordLove]

i dont think they hit 500, if it does... erm... theres a huge issue!!! i thnk its normally like a hair over 200, high 100s. and no, guess i miswrote it. gear oil does NOT equal trans fluid!!! (in 95% of cases, i thnk toyotas and maybe the sn95 mustang take gear oil in the tranny, but not too sure) ( i meant != which is does not equal in python.. but i messed that one up, argh! chances are i was thikning about the equals sign with the slash thru it... in algebra ) trans fluid is the red stuff, egar oil is much more viscous, and has a sulfur smell. trans fluod should be changed every 30k imo (even tho ford said its lifetime, i don tbelieve in that!!!), drop the pan and change the filer, and when youre in there, add a drain plug, makes life so much easier!!! and i change my f/r gear fluid every 30-40k, but thats excessive, only cause i go thru the water and i tow/offroad. for normal use maybe 50-60 should be fine. just suck the fluid out through the fill plug, and add. if youve got an LS rear end make sure to add the ls additive. they make covers with drain plugs, but never tried one yet

Oil pan should get no hotter than 200F? If so then the regular JB weld should be able to handle the heat of the oil pan. I don't even think I've ever had the gear oil changed on my truck. Does gear oil affect the transmission at all? I had my ATF changed last year with a new oil pan gasket and filter too. I think you have to change the oil pan gasket each time when changing the ATF on these trucks.

 

[Fix4Dirt]

Oil pan should get no hotter than 200F? If so then the regular JB weld should be able to handle the heat of the oil pan. I don't even think I've ever had the gear oil changed on my truck. Does gear oil affect the transmission at all? I had my ATF changed last year with a new oil pan gasket and filter too. I think you have to change the oil pan gasket each time when changing the ATF on these trucks.

ive never seen higher than 220 F, so if it hits 500F... big issue!!! i assume regular JB should do it, but if youre buying it and theyre the same price, can thurt to use high temp, but i dont see an issue with regular JB if it is indeed rated up to 500F. gear oil does not affect the trans, gear oil is in the differntial, ATF is in the transmission. they have no bearing on each other. if you had the atf changed, thats good! yeah, do change the gasket each time you drop the pan, they compress over time and shouldnt be reused. however, i had a drain plug put in mine, so then its like changing oil, and then every few times i change the filter too!

 

[C420sailor]

I repaired a puncture on my oil pan with ultra black rtv. Clean the crack really well, push some through the crack so it forms a plug, and smear over a large area. A couple years and 10,000mi later, dry as a bone

 

[98FordLove]

I repaired a puncture on my oil pan with ultra black rtv. Clean the crack really well, push some through the crack so it forms a plug, and smear over a large area. A couple years and 10,000mi later, dry as a bone

Oh wow black rtx. I never thought of that. Is that better than JB weld? How many hours or days did you let it cure? Did you get all the oil out of the crack?

 

[98FordLove]

ive never seen higher than 220 F, so if it hits 500F... big issue!!! i assume regular JB should do it, but if youre buying it and theyre the same price, can thurt to use high temp, but i dont see an issue with regular JB if it is indeed rated up to 500F. gear oil does not affect the trans, gear oil is in the differntial, ATF is in the transmission. they have no bearing on each other. if you had the atf changed, thats good! yeah, do change the gasket each time you drop the pan, they compress over time and shouldnt be reused. however, i had a drain plug put in mine, so then its like changing oil, and then every few times i change the filter too!

Thanks. I dont think most change their ATF on these trucks. My ATF gasket hada leak last year so we changed the gasket did ATF. Does it remove all or just partially when doing one ATfchange?

 

[Fix4Dirt]

Thanks. I dont think most change their ATF on these trucks. My ATF gasket hada leak last year so we changed the gasket did ATF. Does it remove all or just partially when doing one ATfchange?

one atf change removes 4.5 qts for me, and the system holds 10 qts for a v6 sohc 4x4, or 9.5 at least (9.5 is what is for the ohv 2wd) so i usually remove about half per change, which i do every 30k. 90k i do a "flush" which is 2-3 chnages of the fluid in a short timespan. dont use the flush at the shop though, sometimes they can cause other damage due to the pressure the fluid passes thru. with that regimen, my 5r55e has lasted so far 330k miles, its all original! (yep, even the VB stuff is original!! all original gaskets, servos, epc solenoid!) also have a big trans cooler- heat is the enemy of these units, and fresh fluid helps extend the life alot on these, as does 3k OCi for the SOHC due to the thin passages and hydraulic tensoers, etc. i know ford says its "lifetime" but imo it sure can be lifetime, but it shortens the life of these! i think a decent amount of people do change, but im nto entirely sure

 

[Fix4Dirt]

Oh wow black rtx. I never thought of that. Is that better than JB weld? How many hours or days did you let it cure? Did you get all the oil out of the crack?

rtv is for sealing gaskets, imo i like JB better in that its strength is higher, but rtv does better with the expansion/shrinking (heh...) of metals, cause thats what its designed to do. however, JB has a higher strength... i could see either working!