coolant leak
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Joined: Oct 2005
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coolant leak
i found a coolant leak in my 302 v8 but could not pinpoint where it was coming from,so i got some bar's brand stop leak and put it in.it worked for a few days but the leak is back.the coolant ends up getting on the fan and spraying it all over the engine,making it very hard to find it.could it be the intake gasket?
Does the stop leak have to be flushed out of the system if it does'nt seal the leak?Any help would be great.
Does the stop leak have to be flushed out of the system if it does'nt seal the leak?Any help would be great.
Postmaster
Joined: Jul 2005
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Yup, flush out the system before the stuffs gets all over your cooling system.
Never did like Stop Leak, it set in the heater core and doesn't allow proper flow of the Antifreeze and reduces the heat flow when the heaters is on. It will also set in the lower part of the engine block and thus not allowing the engine to cool the way it should, and also will set in any other low lying spot like the radiator.
Start the engine, and run for about 5 to 10 minutes. With a flash light look for leaks around the thermostat housing, heater hose, radiator hoses and around the water pump. Especially the hole under neath the water pump behind the pulley.
Never did like Stop Leak, it set in the heater core and doesn't allow proper flow of the Antifreeze and reduces the heat flow when the heaters is on. It will also set in the lower part of the engine block and thus not allowing the engine to cool the way it should, and also will set in any other low lying spot like the radiator.
Start the engine, and run for about 5 to 10 minutes. With a flash light look for leaks around the thermostat housing, heater hose, radiator hoses and around the water pump. Especially the hole under neath the water pump behind the pulley.
Senior User
Joined: May 2005
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I have found that checking with a flashlight AT NIGHT is very effective in tracking down leak trails. But you need to clean up all of the coolant you can under the hood first so you can track leaks back to the source. Look at all the hose connections first, then check sensors and senders in the system, also look along the ends of the radiator where the rows meet the tanks, these crack or separate creating small leaks that travel down into the shroud and can get thrown by the fan. Another good tactic is to get the engine up to temperature then shut it down. Now go over every hose with your hands (use gloves if needed) and carefully squeeze/twist them paying close attention to joints and the area within a few inches of clamps, etc. looking for hidden leaks. Many times the hoses will crack and start to weep under certain conditions but they are not obvious when you pop the hood. They also tend to pool coolant on the engine tricking you into thinking you have a leaking gasket or worse...
Sam
Sam
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donhclark
Explorer, Sport Trac, Mountaineer & Aviator
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May 23, 2003 01:11 PM
