On my 93 Ranger I have no idea where I'm losing my antifreeze. About once a week I have to refill the overflow container and/or the radiator itself. The motor is always dry and there is no puddle under the truck. You can smell antifreeze after the truck has been running though. Motor runs fine and never overheats. As far as I know, has never been overheated.

 

Do a compression check. It could be a head gasket. Does the exhaust make a white smoke? Pull the plugs and see what they look like. Keep us posted.

 

You could also try pressure testing the cooling system.

 

The motor runs fine and its not putting steam through the exhaust.

 

A pressure test of the cooling system will surely give you an answer. I had a similar problem with a 1988 F-250. Could smell the coolant, would stop and check under the hood and see some coolant in the engine compartment. But, the engine didn't really lose that much and never overheated. Finally traced it back to a cracking hose on the old throttle body system that ran engine coolant through the throttle body assembly. Those hoses don't last forever, tend to crack before they get really bad and makes it hard to spot. Up to a point though they are under enough pressure to spew coolant.

 

How do I do a pressure check?

 

Radiator pressure testers are kind-of expensive. JC Whitney has them for about 100.00....Not worth it if you need it just once. Your local autoparts (checker, autozone, etc) might rent one if it's available. Check around. It may be cost-effective for you to take it to a local shop and have it done. Best option is that a buddy has one you can borrow.

The tester has a cap that will fit your radiator. The cap has a hose that runs to a pump with a guage. All you do is pump until the pressure guage reads whatever pressure your radiator cap is rated for. (don't exceed this). This basically pressurizes the cooling system to your operating pressures, and a leak will show up (hopefully).

You don't have a 2.9L engine do you? They were prone to hairline cracks in the heads. My crack created a leak so slow you couldn't detect it with steam in the exhaust or engine running rough. It just took a month to empty my overflow bottle.

 

A new radiator cap cured my ordeal. The radiator was always about 1/2-full when I'd check and you could bet the overflow tank was empty.....everything else as like normal, too.


93 models only had 2.3, 3.slow, or 4.0, and none were too, too prone to head gaskets failures, that I remember. Do the cheap fix, replace that (possibly) factory-old cap and get back to us.

 

The weep-hole on the bottom of the waterpump could be starting to give as well. You won't really notice a problem until it starts to puddle under the truck. Could be one of many cracked coolant hoses. Look, especially near the hose clamps, for breaks. Give them a slight bend in either direction at the hose end and see if any show up. The rad cap, also previously mentioned could be an issue. The pressure test is best. Any local garage will likely do one for you for a few bucks. Only takes a couple of minutes.

Edit : Should also tell you to look for a possible wet spot around your heater core. If it's dripping into the cab, your heater core is shot.

 

On the 93', if I remember correctly when my heater core went in it it actually leaked outside of the truck, not inside. When it first started it was small enough that it would evaporate before seeping to the ground. You can very easily remove your glove box and check out the heater core from their and see if you see any obvious signs of a leak.

 

Good advice from all...I forgot to mention that most pressure test kits have an adapter to test the cap as well as the cooling system.

Good luck.

 

similar problem on my 86 f150 4x4, but it was the tanks leaking. Could smell the coolant, but could never find it. Had put a circulating water heater on my truck, and found the leak after, comeing from on of the tanks, as the heater presured the system up, caused the antifreeze to leak out, but because the system wasn't hot, it didn't evaporate off.

 

I'll probably just try a new cap. I figure that's the cheapest. Anybody have suggestions on what brand of windshield wipers to get?

 

For the wipers, go with the PIAA silicon wipers. Pricey [$20 per blade], but worth every penny! Mine are 14 months old, and still as quiet and effective as the day I bought them.

 

I had the same problem on my 91 Ranger, ended up bein frost plugs. Those are a pain to get to just to warn ya! lol good luck