Still plagued by coolant issues!

[MrQ]

My truck still leaks! I am getting tired of replacing coolant in this thing. I have replaced the water pump, the wp to heater hose, and replaced all the old Ford hose clamps with real ones. And it still leaks. I have checked all the hoses. I was thinking it might be the radiator, but I dunno. Fortunately, it is a small to moderate leak and only really leaks when I am idling, otherwise its as tight as a drum. Any ideas?

 

[Currency]

It could be like mine, it use to leak on the passenger side top plastic end piece and it still leaks where the metal transmission line runs into the drivers side end cap. The leak is behind the nut that is attached to the end cap. I think there is a seal behind it but I have tightened it up and it still leaks a little.

If I leave the radiator about 3/4 of the way full it doesn't leak as bad. Maybe a pressure problem is my guess. Oh. BTW its a stock radiator with 186,x.. miles on it.

I've ask around and was told to make sure I get the deeper core radiator when I go to purchase an all aluminum one

 

[Hitchhikingmike]

 

[Anime]

You can usually tell what the problem is by where the coolant ends up. If you get a drip on the bottom of a hose, it's probably that hose leaking from either end. If the coolant winds up on the frame crossmember below the radiator, it's either a busted draincock/seal, a pinhole leak in the radiator, or one of the end caps is loose or has a seal blown.

You can try to pin it down more and even pull the radiator to tighten up the end caps, or even go so far as to take the unit to a shop and have them take it apart and put it together with new seals, but for the $80-100 a new radiator costs, you can just get it and throw it in and have the benefits of a clean and shiny new radiator, and the longevity of a new one.

Pressure testing is an option. I'm not sure if autozone loans out a kit, or if you'd have to take it to a shop to have them do it, but it could show you for sure where exactly the leak is. Of course, if the shop wants 50 bucks just to pressure test it, I'd suggest just putting that towards a new radiator instead...

 

[92exp4x4]

I would start at the radiator. But, they are not always at fault. Check the cap too. Fill the system and pressure test. If it does not leak chances are the cap is to blame.

First thing i did to my 92 sport, was replace the rad. It had a single row and i put a dual row in it. The way these things warp heads i do anything to help keep them cool.


You could always throw some Bars leak in it. That stuff does work great. It has held my Bronco's cooling system together now for about three years. The rad leaks, the heater core leaks, the water pump leaks, its do for a major renovation.

 

[Anime]

You found a drop-in dual row replacement with the same hose routing as the single row, or you just threw in the dual row radiator for an auto tranny with the needed hoses in place of the stock single row that comes with the manual transmission?