Hello,

I just bought a Repo! 2002 Ford F250 with 98k miles. It has the V10 engine. I found a few minor issues that have been fixed (door actuator, keyless entry). I had noticed the smell of anti freeze when I get out of the truck and it is running. But, I could never find a leak. It seams to be using/burning a slight amount of coolant. I seem to have "white" smoke (steam I assume) coming from the tail pipe. It seams to get a little better when the engine is warm. Over this past weekend I noticed a small spot of "green" in the snow below the truck. It would be beneath the rear most part of the drives side head. I can see "green" residue on the bottom of the exhaust manifold, and some on the Y-pipe. The spot on the ground was right below this. I have not been able to replicate this "leak". I have tried long drives and short drives.

My immediate concern was a possible head gasket issue, with the other possibility seeming to be and intake manifold gasket. There are no bubbles when I removed the coolant cap. I went and got a combustion leak tester, and that seemed to pass with flying colors. The engine does not overheat, according to the gauge anyway. It gets to the middle of the hot/cold and settles in there. I don't know enough about these engines yet, could this be an intake manifold/manifold gasket issue?

I have replaced the coolant cap after seeing some bad stories about them. Heater in the vehicle works fine. I do not see any signs of wetness in the valley under the intake manifolds.

I plan to take of the intake manifold to see what I can discover. While I am there I plan to do the plugs and the COPs. The plugs colors should tell me a lot. Could you guys please provide me with any insight you may have!!!

Thanks.

 

Its still pointing towards a head gasket IMO. Burning coolant, steam out the exhaust, prime examples. The only other symptom that would point to it 100% would be oil in your coolant. Have you checked that?

 

I have not drained the coolant to check for oil, no. I assume this is what you meant? My oil level doesn't appear to have fluctuated since the oil change. I seen not milky color, or bubbles on the dipstick. So it doesnt appear that the coolant is getting into the oil.

If oil is getting into the coolant, air would be as well wouldn't it? Meaning that the Combustion Leak test should have caught it.

 

I think I told you backwards lol. I said oil in your coolant (i.e. oil in your overflow tank, or whatever its called) but I meant coolant in your oil. If you keep an eye on your oil like you should, youd notice it slowly getting more full (moving up the dipstick).

Of course the #1 tell-tale sign would be if you changed your oil and water comes out. I wouldn't change it "just because" but Id keep an eye on it.

At the same time, if it passed the pressure test, its unlikely.

BUT it could also have possibly blown the gasket out the side. Im actually not sure if that's even possible beings I don't believe theres any water jackets near the edge.

And all my info could be wrong! Lol

 

Not sure this applies here but isn't there a tube or pipe running under the intake from the water pump?

IIRC those have been known to leak. Raw coolant on the ground/snow suggests its being pushed out of somewhere---assuming its not mixed with oil.

Definitely check your oil for coolant---soooooooo hoping its something simple and not head gaskets!

 

I'd have to suggest work on finding the leak before tearing into it.

Just because it drips from the back doesn't necessarily mean it starts there, fan could be blowing it back or something similar.

If it makes its way to the ground, its coming out somewhere, thats the first thing I'd recommend before possibly creating yet more troubles tearing it down.

 

Remember that to date I have only seen it actually make it's way to the ground ONCE. I may buy or borrower a pressurizer and see if I can't find out where the leak is/was. The concern here is that if it is not leaking under running pressure, why would it leak if I pressure it to 16lbs myself?

I regards to the line that runs under the intake... I see zero signs of moisture under there. I know that doesn't mean it couldn't be leaking out of the bend at the back, but that is the wrong side of the engine from where I noticed the coolant on the ground.

I got a second opinion on the exhaust smell, and this experienced person did not think it smelled sweet. For now I am going to monitor the coolant levels. I plan to do the plugs in about a week anyway. I can get a better idea when I look at those. (plugs in cops seem like good insurance for a vehicle I have no history on).

 

It's definitely going to be your intake manifold gasket bubba. And mine's been doing that since I bought it. Originally it had a bad PCV valve cut the cat off and changed that along with the EGR and DPF sensor. But it's been starting a little sputtery and it causes burning coolant without leaking or mixing from the channel that runs through by the thermostat. took me forever to figure it out but it also causes a small vacuum leak so it's going to cause a bunch of weird little problems but no check engine light and as soon as it warms up in the morning the seal expands and it is fine. That is also why short trips burn more than long. 😇🤘

 

You could always throw some of that UV dye into your coolant. Run around a while, then check and see where it's coming from. Much easier with the light to find leaks.

 

The dye idea is excellent.

The water jacket in the heads does, of course, approach the edge of the block, and it could be pushing coolant out there. However, for it to do that, either there'd have to be a defect in the head or block, because if the gasket was perfect, it would take a lot of loss of torque on the head bolts for that to happen, and if that were the case, you'd have combustion gasses in the cooling system, and it would puke coolant out the overflow. On the other hand, corrosion of the head surface has been known to happen.

Dye will help you find this elusive problem, that's for sure.

 

A leaking heater core will drip out the ac drain. You may not notice it because it will drain while driving and flow out with ac condensation.

Pressure testing may not pick up leak if the heat is not on or lack of vacuum is closing that valve.

When it gets cold....if it does where you are look for a film on windshield with defrost on. This will be the tell tail sign of a heater core leak.