Mystery of disappearing coolant

[briwayjones]

My parents have a 2003 SOHC Range with a manual transmission. My Dad have been having to add about 3.5 quarts of coolant a week to it. There are no visible leaks, no dripping underneath, no leaking can be seen in the engine compartment. We even just tested it under RPM load. The coolant doesn't seem to be going in the engine. The engine oil looks normal, and has stayed at a normal level. No excess or funky dripping out of the exhaust pipe. We can't figure out where it's going. So where is it going?

 

[N1265]

do a pressure test on the radiator and cap, it kinda sounds like it is evaporating out.


also check the rubber hose that goes to the overflow tank...

 

[Xplorer82]

mine was doing almost the same thing. i could not find the leak noway nohow. ended up being the water pump. it was leaking from the weep hole and only leaked while driving (pressurized leak) i would look there first.

 

[Lazzman]

I have this problem also, so I dyed the coolant and coolant showed up all around the water pump area.

No leaks on the ground when parked either.

 

[briwayjones]

I did notice that it looked like it had build up like it was leaking around the thermostat housing and down onto the top of the engine. I showed my Dad but he was trying not to buy that somehow that much coolant was leaking out and not showing up on the ground or having any real visible leaks. He was trying to argue that it was be leaking all of the time to loose that much. I mentioned maybe it's only leaking when it gets really hot or something and evaporating. He didn't want to buy it.

 

[safn1949]

The coolant itself doesn't evaporate very well,the water in it will leaving the slimy green gunk you see.I would be hard pressed to believe that he's loosing almost a gallon of coolant a week and none is hitting the ground and it's just a leak.I suspect it is going out the pipe being used up by the converter.

The converter can run 2000 F so it will burn off a fair amount,time for a pressure test and some dye to track it down.I suspect intake or heads.

 

[briwayjones]

No evidence whatsoever it is getting in the oil though. If that much was getting in the oil you would see it.

 

[Texan01]

Not necessarily, I've had blown head gaskets and have it lose coolant with no trace, not even showing up in the oil.

It could also be the heater core, Ford designed a drain for it and its near the A/C evaporator drain, so if you are running the A/C it'll look like the water dripping off the case.

 

[safn1949]

Not necessarily, I've had blown head gaskets and have it lose coolant with no trace, not even showing up in the oil.

It could also be the heater core, Ford designed a drain for it and its near the A/C evaporator drain, so if you are running the A/C it'll look like the water dripping off the case.

Good idea,I didn't think of that.Turn on the heat and you will know in a hurry from the sweet smell in the truck.

 

[bikeboy]

disappearing coolant

My 99 Exploder 4.0 SOHC had visible coolant around the upper t/stat housing cover , as I have posted just recently. Although , I had an odor. It pooled on top of the lower intake manifold and around the injector ports.

My problem was a $150.00 FORD part (warped) t/stat cover. It rocked when placed on the glass coffee table in the family room. The part uses an o-ring for sealing. Some guys have posted that they just use high-temp silicone for repair. DON'T DO THIS!!! It is not the correct fix. Check your cover out... My dealer advised that they only sell the top cover evry year or so. Typically it's the WHOLE upper and lower thermostat housing, including two temp sensors...to the tune of about $325.00 from FORD. The lower housing can crack. In my case , I was lucky and just the top cover was warped. It's an easy checkout before you spend any $$$$!!

Cheers, Bikeboy

 

[jimwww]

I have the same issue - smell coolant, was down some when I got it. No leaking underneath. Odd. Not sure.