Frappuccino for coolant

[markaz]

'92 with 189,251 miles. So I'm at a red light today and smell burning/hot coolant. Got to my destination and looked under the truck only to see a brownish orange viscous liquid fast dripping from the front of the engine. Checked the coolant resevoir and it was bone dry. Limped home, took off the radiator cap and the dripping turned into a single thin stream. Two pics of the radiator cap below:

Very difficult to pinpoint the source of the leak when underneath the truck, but it looks like it's right underneath the water pump. Sadly, I thoroughly flushed the cooling system at the beginning of this summer.
So what's cracked or what gasket has failed?

 

[RangerX]

Lower intake manifold gasket is a common fail/leak. Mine happened right in front near the water pump...

 

[natenkiki2004]

x2 on that. The timing cover can fail but it's not as common as the lower intake. Try looking behind the power steering pump/AC or behind the alternator, that's where it likes to leak.

But if you're getting brownish coolant after just having flushed it earlier this year... something's gotta be rusting. I don't think oil is getting into the coolant, it doesn't work that way. The coolant is pressurized and would get into the oil but not vice-versa. Double-check your oil though, make sure it's not milky.

 

[markaz]

Thanks for the replies, gentlemen. Just from the smell I never gave oil a second thought. But I did check the stick and also pulled the oil cap and looked down the chute. Fortunately, there's no milkiness or foamy appearance. And I did look (as best I could) at/around the PSP and alternatior and don't see anything.

Just started it up after sitting 6 hours and no immediate leak. When it got to temperature it began. Judging from the condition of the resevoir and radiator cap I'm kind of surprised the thermostat functions.

I'm thinking pretty negative at this point only because my mechanic of the last 15 years has moved on. I don't know about you guys but finding a mechanic that you trust is more difficult than finding a physician or dentist you trust. Last time I was at Pep Boys (I know:thumbdwn for a tire rotation I was presented with an estimate of over $2,000 for every brake component, tires, etc. So if you know of someone in the Phoenix area that I can take the buggy to and get charged for only what needs to be done, please let me know. I'd do it myself except that I've got a right hand that barely functions.

 

[natenkiki2004]

When you flushed the system, what coolant did you put back in?

Check the frost plugs on the side of the engine block, see if they're rusty or wet. There's also one on the front & rear of each head, which you can't really see, just feel.

You gotta determine if the leak is from one of those, the timing cover or the lower intake manifold. They're all in different locations and doing all of them will be quite expensive, it's not a 'while you're in there' kinda thing.

At this point, with your information, I don't think it's a head issue. It sounds like when the coolant system is pressurized (by heat, expanding liquid) then that's when you have a leak. Mine did the same thing, it would only leak when warm and it was the lower intake gasket had a split.

If you continue to drive it this way, that's fine, just keep some coolant in the back and check the oil after every other trip to make sure the gasket that's leaking hasn't failed internally.

 

[2stroke]

You will need to pressure test the cooling system to find the source of the leak. The sludge is rust. Did you happen to use Dexcool or other long life coolant? That stuff turns to a corrosive acid when introduced to air. Its only good in a completely sealed system. No matter what, put a new thermostat and water pump in when you find the leak.

 

[markaz]

I want to apologize to natenkiki2004 and 2stroke for the late reply. It hasn't been fun. I just got a promotion and missing work was not an option. But I now have to drive 22 miles in stop and go traffic and the Explorer is my ONLY transportation...until today. I put in 1 bottle of K-Seal just to try and keep things status quo until next Wednesday for a diagnosis/repair. Within 10 minutes of adding the stuff the heavy drip has turned into a heavy stream. Drive and add a gallon of fluid, drive and add a gallon of fluid, etc...... Added fluid to a cold engine and it poured out as I was pouring it in. No pressure within the system (even though I don't think there is any pressure) is required for the leak/stream to occur. I've put so much coolant in the leak has gone from brown to green. As far as type of fluid I just add the O'Reilly auto brand. I figure as long as I'm renting the fluid I'm not going to spend any kind of money on it.
So far I have been fortunate in that there has been no real overheating until last night when after getting home from work there was boiling in the overlow tank, but the temperature gauge barely got over halfway. So right now the Explorer is in the garage in a pool of coolant and I will not drive it (missed work today and that's a black eye).
Just for grins I took some pics of the fluid running out of the vehicle. And like I said, this is a cold engine. It's actually dumping a little farther back that what I originally thought.

And while I was taking those pics I felt a drip on my arm. Could definitely see it coming off the Crankshaft, but I could barely see "green"above it at the water pump seal as well.

Heck of a deal. Because this Explorer has never had a mechanical issue other than A/C compressor seizing up, I guess I'm kinda shocked how it's gone from a few drops to a steady stream in a such a short period of time, especially immediately after after the coolant leak sealer was added.

 

[Arne13]

Dump a little more coolant in and see if it is leaking from the water pump. If so, then time for a new pump. Arne.

 

[markaz]

It does drip from the area of the fan clutch. Water pump (I believe) sits above that so I woud assume the dripping from that area is due to the water pump. But this steady stream comes from a good foot behind that.

 

[natenkiki2004]

You can see in that picture that it's running towards the rear of the vehicle. You really need to spot the leak from up top. Either wet timing cover or wetness on the side of the engine by the frost plugs or between the belt and valve cover.

 

[The_Phoenix]

I think the lower intake or possibly a freeze plug I believe there is one on the heads just behind the accessory drive but regardless I would flush it again. Prestone makes a good cheap flush and new thermostat because u have serious corrosion problem that needs to be addressed before the water galleys get eaten up from the corrosion

 

[markaz]

Thanks, everyone. I've inspected it from everyone possible vantage point from above and I can't see one drop of coolant. Soonest the shop can get to it is Wednesday. I'll report back then.

UPDATE: Got it to the shop last night for an inspection/diagnosis. How in the heck my mechanic could simply watch it leak without removing anything to see the source is beyond me. Regardless, goes back on Wednesday for a new water pump, thermostat, upper and lower hoses.

 

[markaz]

It's a done deal. My buggy was repaired yesterday and as it turns out the culprit was the water pump. Apparently the seal had failed because coolant was exiting the pump through the weep hole. Mechanic said the bore of the weep hole was actually larger through years and years of use and some nasty coolant. That was the original pump on a 188,000 mile vehicle.

The mechanic was recommended to me from some gal at O'Reilly Auto Parts. She pumped him up to be the most honest mechanic in the Phoenix area. I am now a believer. Water pump, thermostat, upper and lower hoses, two gallons of coolant and labor for $307.81!!!!

Thanks again for everybody's input/guidance! It was greatly appreciated.