Coolant Leak
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Senior User
Joined: Jun 2003
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From: Cumming, GA
Coolant Leak
Hey guys,
My truck is running great, even though it gets 11mpg. However, it is starting to leak coolant. Basically every time i pop the hood I need to refill the resevoir. I really want to just sell this truck in a few months so I don't want to put much money into this thing. Any idea of a gasket that usually fails i should replace or is there some sort of sealing additive I can use?
My truck is running great, even though it gets 11mpg. However, it is starting to leak coolant. Basically every time i pop the hood I need to refill the resevoir. I really want to just sell this truck in a few months so I don't want to put much money into this thing. Any idea of a gasket that usually fails i should replace or is there some sort of sealing additive I can use?
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Senior User
Joined: Jun 2003
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From: Cumming, GA
I will check for puddles. All I have seen is some green blobs mixed with the oil in the oil catcher I put under my truck. It also has a very minor oil leak but that's all under control.
It's a 93 F-150 with a 351. Pretty much every other time i drive it I look under the hood and the collant resevoir (must be 2 pints) is empty so I fill it a little above the line.
It's a 93 F-150 with a 351. Pretty much every other time i drive it I look under the hood and the collant resevoir (must be 2 pints) is empty so I fill it a little above the line.
Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 19,402
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From: Bonita Springs FL
It sounds like you may have a pressure leak. Possibly a pinhole in the radiator. When the system cools down and isn't under pressure, the leak stops. A radiator shop will be able to do a pressure test and let you know where the leak is.
The most common place for a coolant leak is the weep hole on the waterpump. Worth checking out.
The most common place for a coolant leak is the weep hole on the waterpump. Worth checking out.
Cargo Master
Joined: Sep 2004
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It could be a number of things. Waterpump, hoses, coroded freeze plug, radiator tank or core, head gasket, etc. My guess would likely be the waterpump. Look at the weephole on the underside of the water pump. I had a leak from there and never saw much from there until I flushed the rust from the system. Then all hell broke loose and I needed a new water pump. There's nothing usual about leaks to the point that someone here will point you directly to it. You'll just have to get down under there and find the leak. I've had leaks from all of the things I listed and I just had to find them. I listed them in order of which I think is most likely to be the culprit. Just my opinion though.
Last edited by qman; Apr 4, 2005 at 01:41 PM.
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Senior User
Joined: Jun 2003
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From: Cumming, GA
yeah I will check out the water pump. I replaced the pump not even 10k miles ago when I changed the timing chain. However, it's quite possible that the gasket got put on wrong or something.
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Cargo Master
Joined: Sep 2004
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Someone was complaining about a similar thing not long ago. Something got replaced and the leak was between water pump and timing chain cover or something like that. You'll need to get in there and get a good look at it.
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From: Langhorne, PA
qman, you are correct, I remember a little about that, I think one of the timing chain cover bolts goes into the coolant passage in the block and it needed RTV. Or was it a missing bolt from the TC cover?
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From: Cumming, GA
I drove the truck today about 10 miles and then looked under the hood. Sure enough, it appears to be leaking from the bottom on the water pump or that vicinity. The axle directly under it is caked with coolant crud. I suppose when I go back home i'll change the gasket.
Cargo Master
Joined: Sep 2004
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First get up under the truck and get a look at the underside of the water pump itself. There's a little weep hole right under where the fan blade shaft comes out. That hole is there so that coolant can escape from there when the bearing seal wears out and alarm you that it's time for a water pump. The hold is about 1/8th inch in diameter. If it's the water pump you'll see signs of leakage.
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Joined: Nov 2002
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From: Close to Mr. Anderson
yup mine is doing that right now. well... its kinda tempermental to the weather. now that its warm the leaking has subsided, but when its cold it wee wees all over the place. i'll change it when the i put the new cam in.
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