External Coolant Leak

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Sep 27, 2006 | 09:55 PM

vinnyf350

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Joined: Sep 2006

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External Coolant Leak

Just picked up an 86 F350 with a 460. Its losing coolant from the passanger side of the block. Has anyone ever heard of the freeze out plugs rotting through causing the leak? Will a blown head gasket leak down the block? I think that there are one or two allen head screws in the block. Do they go into the water jacket? And would they rot through? There is no coolant in the oil or in the exhaust. Please dont tell me its a cracked block. Any help??? Vinny
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Last edited by vinnyf350; Sep 27, 2006 at 10:07 PM. Reason: sp

Sep 28, 2006 | 01:09 AM

monsterbaby

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Joined: Dec 2003

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From: iowa

Vinny, all of the above are possiblilities, yes freeze plugs can and do rust through and on a 20yr old engine that is definatly a possibility, actually that would be my first probability guess. Yes you could have a head gasket leaking, but not nearly as likely as the core plug. Yes those plugs go into the water jacket but it's pretty rare for them to rust through as they are pretty thick, and of coarse a cracked block is always a possiblity but not nearly as likely unless the engine was allowed to freeze with no antifreeze in it.. Basically your just going to have to look and see where it's coming from. If you can get a radiator preasure tester put the system under preasure and go looking, you probably can get one from your local autoparts store as a lot of them loan or rent tools like that.