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1999 E150 with a 5.4.
Bought this recently with 134000 miles. I've been cleaning it up slowly, and cleaned the engine bay up today. Degreaser, soap, scrub brush, Etc. I hosed it off with water, and as I was walking around the side I saw coolant running down the driveway!
No sign of a leak before this. Drove it for a while, and still no sign of a leak. Not one drop. Reservoir was low, but not empty. Drove several miles and it didn't overheat at all. When I opened the cap, there was a slight hiss, but no real pressure released.
Any idea what happened?! 🧐
it was definitely coolant. Bright green. Hard to say, but I'd guess at least a pint. It was running into a puddle.
The factory temperature gauge has never gotten to "halfway."
How's the heater working? When you took the cap off was it at that halfway mark and only a hiss from the cap? You could be low on coolant yet not overheating yet. No heat is the first sign of low coolant. You may wanna take off your engine cover and check your hoses at the back of the motor for leaks. They are bad for that.
Neither the heater nor the AC work. He told me that before I even went to look at it.
I don't know why not, the van was twelve hundred bucks, and suited my purpose.
Do you think the heater is at fault? What could I have done with the water hose to make that happen?
Is your driveway sloped, was the front of the van sitting higher than the rear?
Start the van letting the engine reach normal operating temperature---while that's going on remove the dog house and look at the passenger side rear of the engine. See if any coolant can be seen leaking from the metal tube running from the heater core OR if coolant is running out of the intake manifold.
Without an obvious leak in a hose those are the few places coolant might have pooled up and run out. Let us know what you find if you do this.
I found the rear heater line is metal, at every hold down point it had rusted through, leaking a small drop at a time, enough to notice on the ground, not enough to impact the reservoir in short time, I still haven't replaced it all, just scabbed on rubber hose at the mounts.
See if any coolant can be seen leaking from the metal tube running from the heater core...
.
Well, that was it!
It let loose last night. Water just poured out.
Can someone tell me what this part is called? (Trying to post a photo here) And maybe how to remove it? I do have a manual, but I'm not home and I'm not finding it right away. At the right rear of engine.
See if any coolant can be seen leaking from the metal tube running from the heater core...
.
Well, that was it!
It let loose last night. Water just poured out.
Can someone tell me what this part is called? (Trying to post a photo here) And maybe how to remove it? I do have a manual, but I'm not home and I'm not finding it right away. At the right rear of engine.
perhaps this is the heater tube to intake manifold? Looks like it clamps in one of the heater hoses and the other end slides into the intake with some O-Rings down inside that seal the tube. I am just guessing that there are O-Rings down inside the hole in the intake where the tube goes. Last year I helped my son with hit 94 regal and it had a tube that pressed into the water pump. There were 2 O-rings that had to be installed and then we had a heck of a time getting the pipe back in! Maybe yours is different, I don't know. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Dorman-Heat...-/131257962350
It is press fit and sucks. You will probably have to cut off the old one and use a screwdriver and hammer to remove the remnants in the intake. Did the one on my expedition when I had the intake off. On a van it may not be as bad but its a pain to get out. Some gasket sealant and lots of force and cussing will reseat it. Be careful not to bend/break the pipe.
I can't see what these photos are supposed to show so can't offer any suggestions what to do etc.
Trying to post 2 more pics.
I thought that tube was split, but apparently it has a crack at the bottom. It looks like someone tried to epoxy it previously. Scraped that stuff off, and I see this crack.
I'm not sure how that's held in there. Maybe a press-fit?
Is your intake manifold cast aluminum or the more typical standard plastic version?
It appears to be aluminum, if that's the case the cracked tube would have been pressed into place at the factory. Using an E-Z Out or similar the portion still in the manifold could be removed and a replacement tube inserted. The best bet would be a replacement part from Ford or if Annaleighs linked part is spec'd for your year, make, model and engine type it would be quicker to find I'm sure.
IF your manifold is plastic this might necessitate replacing it completely---never seen this sort of arrangement so can't say for certain. Given the age (if plastic) and this is a keeper truck you might consider that option.
No idea why that heater core hose is disconnected but its likely or reasonable the core or one of the connected hoses is leaking at their connection points on the core itself.
