Using Coolant
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Using Coolant
My 2012 F350 (123K Miles) has started using coolant. I can't see any leakage marks on the radiator or driveway. There is some kind of liquid in the engine valley but it's hard to tell if it was a sloppy oil change or what. My question would be: Is there any specific common location I should look? Thanks in advance!
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A leak in the plastic fitting on the coolant line leading to the turbocharger is fairly common. It happened on mine at around 130k miles, and the only evidence for me was a small trickle coming down the side of the bellhousing that I noticed while changing my oil one afternoon. It's a relatively quick and cheap fix at the dealership (in my case 1 day and around $275). I was able to see a liquid in the valley of the engine with a flashlight that helped convince me to take it in for repair.
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Regarding coolant use, however, I am currently "diagnosing" a curious condition not related to my turbo. I noticed my upper radiator hose going flat overnight, and replaced my radiator cap to fix it. I topped off the degas bottle and continued to check the fluid level for about a week. In that time, the coolant level decreased slightly everyday, until I had added a full gallon of premix orange, and the level stabilized at the fill mark for about 2 days. I promptly went back to my life and didn't think much of it. Maybe some air in the system. Well, I checked my coolant level again, now 2 months later, and it's right back down to the minimum. I've topped off again, and will continue to check weekly. The manual says less than 1qt a month is acceptable, but I'm curious what causes this. I have no evidence of a leak, or blown head gasket, or that the cap is releasing any steam. Sorry if this is a hijack, I figured both posts might be relevant.
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From: Frederick, MD
I check my fluids weekly and check the radiator seams as well. check the engine valley too.
If you have fluid In the valley then the turbo coolant line is suspect and you need to dig deeper.
You can always do a pressure test of the coolant system to find leaks.
If you have fluid In the valley then the turbo coolant line is suspect and you need to dig deeper.
You can always do a pressure test of the coolant system to find leaks.
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Dlittle40
1983 - 2012 Ranger & B-Series
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Feb 4, 2013 09:19 PM
