More coolant problems!
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Freshman User
Joined: Jan 2005
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More coolant problems!
Seems like this is a trend around here lately.
I've got a '91 Aerostar, 3.0, and normally, I never have a problem with cooling, it runs very cool in all kinds of weather, but as I was driving about two weeks ago, I got out and saw steam from under the hood. I looked and couldn't tell exactly where it was coming from and the temp gauge was never above half-way (which is hot for this van) so I checked the radiator, topped it off with coolant and decided I'd keep an eye on it. Everything was fine for two weeks.
Today, I was driving home and it started getting hot. It went up as far as the "A" in NORMAL and when I got home, there was a lot of steam. Again, I checked the coolant and it was very low so I refilled it. There was a slow drip of rusty-brown colored water underneath, dripping off the oil pan, but obviously it wasn't coolant and it stopped within a minute or two.
I'm going to pull the thermostat and probably just replace it, but is there anything else I should take a look at? I've been watching for puddles of water under the van when I pull out of parking spots for the last two weeks and haven't seen anything. Ideas?
I've got a '91 Aerostar, 3.0, and normally, I never have a problem with cooling, it runs very cool in all kinds of weather, but as I was driving about two weeks ago, I got out and saw steam from under the hood. I looked and couldn't tell exactly where it was coming from and the temp gauge was never above half-way (which is hot for this van) so I checked the radiator, topped it off with coolant and decided I'd keep an eye on it. Everything was fine for two weeks.
Today, I was driving home and it started getting hot. It went up as far as the "A" in NORMAL and when I got home, there was a lot of steam. Again, I checked the coolant and it was very low so I refilled it. There was a slow drip of rusty-brown colored water underneath, dripping off the oil pan, but obviously it wasn't coolant and it stopped within a minute or two.
I'm going to pull the thermostat and probably just replace it, but is there anything else I should take a look at? I've been watching for puddles of water under the van when I pull out of parking spots for the last two weeks and haven't seen anything. Ideas?
Posting Guru
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 1,041
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From: Orland USA
YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Check the Freeze Plus on the sides of the Engine Block.
More than likely you have a rusted out one.
If you do Replace them at once with Brass ones or..........
You could be looking at a Engine Rebuild.
That is what happened to my wife's. She drove it to work (20miles) and it sat there and dripped water out all day. Then on the way home from work it over-heated and blew the Head-Gasket.
Jay
Ok just thought of this ....If it's Coming from the Front then it could be coming from the Weep hole on the Water Pump.
Check the Freeze Plus on the sides of the Engine Block.
More than likely you have a rusted out one.
If you do Replace them at once with Brass ones or..........
You could be looking at a Engine Rebuild.
That is what happened to my wife's. She drove it to work (20miles) and it sat there and dripped water out all day. Then on the way home from work it over-heated and blew the Head-Gasket.
Jay
Ok just thought of this ....If it's Coming from the Front then it could be coming from the Weep hole on the Water Pump.
Freshman User
Joined: Mar 2005
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I had a '90 3.0 with a similar problem. It would do fine in town but at highway speed (55 mph) it would overheat. Replacing the thermostat didn't help. It turned out the problem was the fan clutch. After I replaced that it never overheated.
Hope this helps.
Hope this helps.
Elder User
Joined: Jan 2004
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I've had 6 Aero's (cargo's) for my business over the years. Ranging in 3.0/4.0 and every single one of them I've had to replace that god foresaken water pump. Buy plenty of beer and be prepared to curse ALOT if you end up having to replace the water pump. If you can, take it to a radiator shop and have them pressure test the cooling system.
Elder User
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 558
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From: North Alabama
Originally Posted by wresleu
I've had 6 Aero's (cargo's) for my business over the years. Ranging in 3.0/4.0 and every single one of them I've had to replace that god foresaken water pump. Buy plenty of beer and be prepared to curse ALOT if you end up having to replace the water pump. If you can, take it to a radiator shop and have them pressure test the cooling system.
Posting Guru
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 1,642
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From: Northern California
Originally Posted by DaveMac2Vans
I have 2 Aerostars and each is on its third water pump. I have never seen one quite like it, either. Something like 18 bolts and 4 different lengths. Just getting them sorted out is a feat within itself. And I have never been able to change one without breaking at least one bolt. I used lots of anti-sieze after that. I'd be real tempted to replace it with an electric pump and fan if I were a better mechanic.
Dave, remember at the Ford Assembly Plant, St Louis MO. A factory worker stands there, holding a 3.0 V6 Motorcraft water pump. The "build sheet" is clipped on to his shirt. Then, in the 8th wonder of the World, the entire Ford Aerostar is built around the water pump, until a brand new Aerostar was driven off of the assembly line!
PS I'd like to speak with the Ford engineer who designed the Aerostar water pump and heater core...
Elder User
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 500
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From: laurel springs NJ
If you do change out the waterpump, be aware that a few of the bolts do go thru into the waterjacket. You need to use a sealant on those bolts. I've used both pipe dope and a silicon sealant without any problems.
While you are poking around, check all of the freeze plugs. If one is bad, more than likely all are in some state of "possible failure". Better to find them now than later......
-reever
While you are poking around, check all of the freeze plugs. If one is bad, more than likely all are in some state of "possible failure". Better to find them now than later......
-reever
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Elder User
Joined: Jan 2004
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From: North Alabama
My wife mentioned something about starting with the pump and building the van around it, but I never take much stock in her conversations regarding cars. I still remember the 76 Chevy Monza she bought before we married. . .and how much work it required.
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I know I've changed out the water pump on this thing before, just can't remember how long ago. Haven't had a chance to look at it yet but I will today, hopefully it'll be a relatively easy fix, I'm really getting tired of squeezing under the hood.
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Actually, now that I've had a chance to dig around under there, it does look like the water pump. Amazing how water can end up in weird places, it's coming out of the weep hole, but somehow, it's running down and dripping off the back of the oil pan.
Too bad the Aerostar is such a pain to work on, there really is no way of getting at it without taking the radiator, etc. off, so on Tuesday it goes to the mechanic.
Too bad the Aerostar is such a pain to work on, there really is no way of getting at it without taking the radiator, etc. off, so on Tuesday it goes to the mechanic.
