Smoke Coming Radiator due to AC Compressor ; Serpentine Belt Break

[DSteele41]

Good Weekend Sports Trac Forum, I have 2003 Ford Explorer Sports Trac XLT.

BackGround Story:
Recently my AC Compressor Locked up on me driving home from work. I managed to coast it into a Gas Station after the Battery Finally Drained and the Truck lost power. After that I went to O'Reillys and got a Shorter Belt to By-Pass the AC Compressor
( Note: After about 10-12 Belts ; to get the right length to By-Pass AC Compressor)

Since then I've replaced the Battery Terminals (replaced oem factory they were beyond needing replaced)
I couldn't start or diagnose until I got those replaced.

So Today I finally got it started and drove it about 5 miles and the temperature gauge went above the mid-way point to almost Hot ( about in between middle and Hot)

After I go home I raised Hood and seen smoke coming from near Radiator
a Friend told me that the Belt Braking at a high speed
( I was on the Highway when the AC Compressor Locked Up and Belt evidently Broke)
that the Break of the Belt could have punctured hole in the Radiator.

Attached is a video of the smoke coming from near the radiator.
I tried to get as good a shot at location of where smoke is coming from; the video is from the front passenger side in front of radiator and then from near the Air Filter housing.



My question is how can I tell or diagnose if its a hole or puncture in the radiator or could it be a hole or puncture in the radiator housing ? (I'm not sure if the second part is valid about radiator housing)

Please Help and Thanks in advance

DSteele41

 

[Larryjb]

Sorry, I cannot view your video (I stay away from Facebook). How long did you drove without a serpentine belt driving your water pump? I'm more concerned about any potential damage done to the engine without proper cooling. Without circulating coolant, the hot coolant from the water jacket around the pistons would not have been circulating to the temperature sensor. As a result, the temperature sensor would have appeared normal or slightly high while the coolant could have been boiling at the cylinders.

Assuming there is no engine damage, fill the cooling system with water, run the engine to get rid of any air, then let it cool. Borrow a pressure tester and pressurize the system. Any external leaks should be easy to find.

 

[DSteele41]

I drove it approximately 8 Miles to get home from the Gas Station I Coasted into and then today I drove it about 4 miles once I changed battery cable terminals ;
so I doubt their is any engine damage ; it drove fine and the radiator smoke was the only issue that day and today ; today is was fairly heavy from the radiator;

could I email you the video ?

and where can I get a pressure tester and what is the exact process of that I've never done that before...How are the "Easy to Find" Leaks found ? some sort of dye or ?

Thanks a Million for the reply

@Larryjb

 

[Larryjb]

First of all, I doubt the belt would crack the radiator. It may have damaged the fins, I don't think it would be strong enough to crack the radiator. It may have damaged a fitting on the radiator or damaged an old hose. If you have nylon tanks on the sides of the radiator you may have cracked one of them I suppose.

It is surprisingly easy to find leaks with a radiator pressure tester. Make sure the cooling system is fulll and everything is dry and cool first. Then use the pressure tester to put 15 psi of pressure into the cooling system. You may hear and see a leak right away if it is a bad leak. At this point you can start looking around with a flashlight. Look at the sides of the radiator, all hose connections etc. Because the engine is not hot, you will not be confused with clouds of steam, or by the coolant evaporating right away. It is surprisingly easy this way.

You want to borrow the tester for a few days. Once you fix the first leak, you need to test it again until you find no more leaks.

 

[DSteele41]

@Larryjb

Is this feasible just to get the Truck running and diagnose the Question in regards to Radiator and finding Leak with it ?

Hello Guys... I'm looking to replace my compressor as well. Recently if locked up. My Goal is to just get the AC Compressor Replaced so that I can put the OEM length Serpentine back on. Currently I'm by passing the AC Compressor with a shorter Serpentine Belt..... Can I just replace the AC Compressor with correct amount of Oil in it... just so that the Serpentine Belt is going in its original path around all pulleys.. Is this an option
"Just disconnect the connector at the clutch to be sure it won't engage." My Goal is just get the Truck Going again and Worry about the Full -AC System in the Summer; Dryer, Orifice Tubes, etc.

Note: I did have the Freon Removed from a local Shop already

Thanks

DSteele41

 

[Mbrooks420]

If you drove 8 miles with no circulating water, your motor is going to be the bigger concern. Warped/cracked heads are going to be fairly likely.

 

[DSteele41]

If you drove 8 miles with no circulating water, your motor is going to be the bigger concern. Warped/cracked heads are going to be fairly likely.

@Mbrooks420

Before I drove it the 8 miles; I had put the shorter serpentine belt on; I put it on at the Gas Station that I was able to get to after the original serpentine belt broke.

So the water pump had to be turning ? So it wasn't completely without circulating water.

Does that sound accurate ?

 

[donalds]

How long/far did you drive that truck WITHOUT A BELT

 

[DSteele41]

How long/far did you drive that truck WITHOUT A BELT

@donalds


Again I never drove without a belt completely ( I bought a shorter serpentine belt to bypass the AC Compressor)

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Before I drove it the 8 miles; I had put the shorter serpentine belt on; I put it on at the Gas Station that I was able to get to after the original serpentine belt broke.

So the water pump had to be turning ? So it wasn't completely without circulating water.

Does that sound accurate ?

 

[Mbrooks420]

Nothing about the radiator will smoke. You have another issue, or it was steam.

 

[donalds]

@donalds


Again I never drove without a belt completely ( I bought a shorter serpentine belt to bypass the AC Compressor)

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Before I drove it the 8 miles; I had put the shorter serpentine belt on; I put it on at the Gas Station that I was able to get to after the original serpentine belt broke.

So the water pump had to be turning ? So it wasn't completely without circulating water.

Does that sound accurate ?

Ok good if the engine WAS NOT running for over 1.5 minutes without a belt it should be fine
Your next step is to pressure test your cooling system

Rent a pressure tester at your local parts store

 

[DSteele41]

Ok good if the engine WAS NOT running for over 1.5 minutes without a belt it should be fine
Your next step is to pressure test your cooling system

Rent a pressure tester at your local parts store

@donalds

Great Thank You... The pressure tester is my next step

 

[DSteele41]

@Mbrooks420
@donalds
It was Steam....crack in passenger side plastic part of radiator

New Radiator in today....then Ill do the pressure test.

@donalds

Great Thank You... The pressure tester is my next step

 

[donalds]

Great keep us. Updated

 

[ptf18]

I found a crack in the "composite" radiator in about the same location. Mine was much shorter though.

 

[Larryjb]

Yup, kinda hard to miss that one!

I hope you replaced the rad hoses and water pump at the same time. I assume the radiator was original, and I assume the hoses were as well. That crack was probably due to age, heat, and possibly acidic coolant. Nylon (the material that cracked) is normally a great material. However, heat combined with acid will chemically erode the nylon. Coolant turns acidic over time and there is no way to know unless you actually test the acidity. If you are not the original owner, the previous owner may have neglected a coolant change at one point. I was guilty of neglecting a coolant change once in my 92 Grand Marquis. The tank (the part the cracked on yours) also cracked on my Mercury. 6 months later the water pump went, through the belt and left me stranded in Blaine (I live in Vancouver Canada, so I had to be towed back across the line!) I attribute the failures on my Mercury to the acidic coolant I had. (I did measure the acidity of the coolant after and it was acidic).

 

[DSteele41]

Yup, kinda hard to miss that one!

I hope you replaced the rad hoses and water pump at the same time. I assume the radiator was original, and I assume the hoses were as well. That crack was probably due to age, heat, and possibly acidic coolant. Nylon (the material that cracked) is normally a great material. However, heat combined with acid will chemically erode the nylon. Coolant turns acidic over time and there is no way to know unless you actually test the acidity. If you are not the original owner, the previous owner may have neglected a coolant change at one point. I was guilty of neglecting a coolant change once in my 92 Grand Marquis. The tank (the part the cracked on yours) also cracked on my Mercury. 6 months later the water pump went, through the belt and left me stranded in Blaine (I live in Vancouver Canada, so I had to be towed back across the line!) I attribute the failures on my Mercury to the acidic coolant I had. (I did measure the acidity of the coolant after and it was acidic).

@Larryjb @donalds

Thank You for replying ; I did not replace the Hoses ( Are you referring to both the Upper and Lower Radiator Hoses? There are not any more than that; Correct ?)

I did do a thorough Flush 2x with a Radiator Flush Bottle....I do not remember the Brand.... is that suffice or should I go back and replace the upper and lower radiator hoses ?

Also if you'll could weigh in on this: Everything went smooth with the Radiator replacement and the AC Compressor ( I still have to replace the Dryer and Orifice Tube and do a thorough flush of AC System before Recharging

The only thing I'm Noticing is "Wining" from the what I believe is the Power Steering Pump.... I was told by a buddy that air could have gotten in the to the lower Right that needs to be disconnected to get to AC Compressor..... He suggested I take a Turkey Baster or something to pull the Power Steering / Transmission Fluid out of the Resevoir and then jacking the truck up and turning the wheel upwards of 20 times left and right to get the air out and then refill with fresh Transmission Fluid ;

But He also told me of a "Trick" he has used on his Fords in the past and that is filling Powering Steering Pump with 5w/20 Full synthetic motor oil

Now I'm not going to do that unless You guys can back that

Thanks Again

DSteele41

 

[donalds]

Don't mess with your ps pump at all just drive it all the air will work out never put motor oil in there ...I think he is messing with you

It's just good practice to change radiator hoses
When you replace the radiator
Yes there are more hoses
You have radiator and heater hoses and a bypass hose

 

[Mbrooks420]

I’d definitely flush it. The baster works well. Use ONLY Mercon V, OR quality full synthetic power steering fluid.

No need to jack it up. Just drive very slowly and turn lock to lock several times. No need for twenty.

 

[DSteele41]

@donalds
@Mbrooks420

Thanks Guys for the additional advice.... I will look to go back to pull the old PowerSteering Fulid out ( as it was dark and old) with Baster and add full synthetic power-steering fluid
and Change Hoses

Thanks I'll let you'll know