hi guys, i just registered to this site. i just completed a complete rebuild on my 76 f100 360 engine. cant figure out my coolant leak. it doesnt leak when truck is running or hot. but when i shut it off and it cools off, usually the next day.... it starts dripping leaking coolant. looks like from front lip of intake near distributor area. its a stock 2bbl cast iron intake. i didnt think coolant could leak there. there doesnt appear to be any coolant in oil. dip stick looks like just oil ? please help any advice is appreciated. thanks, ctcardude

 

There's the t-stat housing, radiator and heater hose connections, as well as temp sender that are all in that general area. Any one of these could be the source of the coolant drip.

 

Pull your dipstick and see if the oil has any water contamination. Would be grayish. The intake coolant runners are best to have a skim of silicone grey put on them along with gaskets. I usually do all the ports with good success!

 

tstat housing dry underneath, bypass hose dry, new water pump, leak is coming from under frt lip of intake. to outside of eng. not inside. oil is clean. could anything have happened to the factory pipe thats pressed into frt of intake that goes to bypass hose when i had it hottanked at eng shop to clean up intake?

 

yes. it seems the pipe thats pressed into intake for bypass hose is leaking. anyone know how it comes out? is it pressed in ? or welded, or threaded in ?

 

Not sure on the 360, but the one I did on my 76 F250 with a 460 last summer was pressed in.

 

thanks so much, i think ur rite. its pressed in. maybe with some sealant. im pretty sure when shop hot tanked the intake, it melted the sealer, or the tube has some holes in it.. it didnt leak before the engine rebuild. now the big question ....how do i goop it up without removing the intake? and where do you get a new pipe for it? man i sometimes hate old cars !!

 

JB weld might help seal things up.

 

thanks so much, im gona try to seal it up this weekend. i really dont feel like taking off intake and replacing that tube. it looks like changing the bypass hose is gonna be enough trouble by itself.