Coolant Leak
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5th Wheeling
Joined: Aug 2021
Posts: 35
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Coolant Leak
Just bought an '81 f150 a few days ago. Been driving everywhere but today I pulled into my drive with the smell of coolant and it immediately started smoking when I turned off the truck. Coolant leaked everywhere but with the rain I couldn't really see where it was coming from. Next day, I fired it up to see where it would smoke from and got a few videos. Can anyone smarter than me tell where this may be coming from? While I can following tutorials to fix things and whatnot I have no experience diagnosing problems.
FTE Legend
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 30,860
Likes: 4,106
From: Angier, NC
What motor is in this truck as it will help us help you.
Coolant smoke is hard to tell where it is coming from and running the motor with no coolant is a sure way to hurt the motor.
With the motor cold fill the coolant system with water.
Its cheap and easy to come by for testing.
When filled you may see where the leak is?
If not parts stores have "lone a tool" the there is a pressure pump, like a bike tire pump.
You fill the coolant system with water and then put the pump to it and start looking for where the leak is coming from.
Hope it is a bad hose and easy to replace.
Dave ----
Coolant smoke is hard to tell where it is coming from and running the motor with no coolant is a sure way to hurt the motor.
With the motor cold fill the coolant system with water.
Its cheap and easy to come by for testing.
When filled you may see where the leak is?
If not parts stores have "lone a tool" the there is a pressure pump, like a bike tire pump.
You fill the coolant system with water and then put the pump to it and start looking for where the leak is coming from.
Hope it is a bad hose and easy to replace.
Dave ----
FTE Legend
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 30,860
Likes: 4,106
From: Angier, NC
IIRC and with out going out to look at mine, there is a heater hose that fits behind the ALT / Air Pump bracket.
Just remember once you have the issue fixed to refill with the right 50 / 50 mix to keep it from freezing now that winter is coming.
Dave ----
Just remember once you have the issue fixed to refill with the right 50 / 50 mix to keep it from freezing now that winter is coming.
Dave ----
Cargo Master
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 2,119
Likes: 390
From: Evansville, Indiana
I'd be sure to use good hose clamps too. My new Dayco hose has much thinner walls than the OEM hose. Clean the connections well. Fought a minor leak at the water pump end for weeks.
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Joined: Sep 2006
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Likes: 390
From: Evansville, Indiana
My OEM hose for my 1986 5.0 had a WIRE COIL (not be be confused with a coil wire) inserted inside, supposedly to prevent hose collapse. New hose didn't have wire so I just put the OEM wire inside the new hose.
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