O2Thief
Member
- Joined
- September 2, 2002
- Messages
- 23
- Reaction score
- 0
- City, State
- BTR, LA
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 97 XLT V8 AWD
I have a 97 X V8 w/ that just clicked 90K miles. I've had this pesky coolant leak for a while, but just couldn't determine its origination point. While in VA it got a little worse so I tightened a couple clamps on the suspect hoses and it went away (temporarily). Now four day's ago (nearly two months later), it looked like the engine was puking coolant everywhere. I couldn't locate the leak initially d/t the belt spray soaking everything. I finally narrowed it down to three lines: The coolant "bypass" line off the top of the water pump, the longer coolant line right next to the bypass line and the coolant hose between the oil cooler and water pump. I decided to replace the lower radiator hose at the same time since I would be down there. Needless to say what started out to be an hour and a half job, turned into a nightmare. I got the top two coolant lines within 15-20 minutes. It took me forever to get the fan clutch off using the "special tool". The only thing valuable in that tool set was the thin wrench. The weird peice that fits over the bolts on the waterpump pulley was about 5mm off so it didn't even fit. I finally stabilized the waterpump pulley by bracing a 13mm wrench (attached to one bolt up against another). Then I broke the fan-clutch loose and just loosened it by hand. I had to also remove the fan shroud at the same time. Now that the fan shroud and fan were removed (with the belt removed), I had about 6-7 inches more than the "gnat hair" that I started with to work (what a relief). I figured it would be difficult to place a 3" long hose that's 2" diameter between two pipes with an opening between them of 1/2". Next, I loosened the oil filter and figure'd I would rotate the oil cooler to ease the hose installation by sliding the hose completely on the oil cooler outlet and then rotating and sliding it back to the waterpump. This required a 12mm Hex head socket (which I figured out that Sears, Home depot, Lowe's, O'Reilly autoparts don't carry, but Autozone sure does [a three pack]) to break loose. After rotating the housing and replacing the hose, everything else was a snap. Now after filling the X up w/ coolant there are no leaks of any sort. Thanks to those that responded before. Hope this helps anyone else w/ the V8 Explorer to replace these hoses. 
