my 1st FORD
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Freshman User
Joined: Jan 2008
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From: Vancouver
my 1st FORD
hello aerostar owners, I just bought my 1st Ford. Actually this is my 1st domestic vehicle ever. Its a 1992 4.0L E4x4 EB extended it has 195000kms (im in Vancoucouver Canada) or about 120000 miles on it.
It has a few issues,
from underneath i can see coolant dripping from a small hose that looks like it connects to the water pump. Its small like a heater hose.
oil dripping from valve cover area onto exhaust manifold on driverside - smoking
So far Ive changed out the ignition key cylinder and changed the hatch struts.
Next I will be looking at the coolant leak and do a flush. Then cleaning up the oil to figure where its leaking from.
can anyone send me or post a drawing of the coolant flow directions so I know where to put a hose adapter "T"
Would the hose thats leaking underneath be a good place for the "T"?
would I need to remove the T-stat to flush?
I think I could get used to this FORD.
Tom
It has a few issues,
from underneath i can see coolant dripping from a small hose that looks like it connects to the water pump. Its small like a heater hose.
oil dripping from valve cover area onto exhaust manifold on driverside - smoking
So far Ive changed out the ignition key cylinder and changed the hatch struts.
Next I will be looking at the coolant leak and do a flush. Then cleaning up the oil to figure where its leaking from.
can anyone send me or post a drawing of the coolant flow directions so I know where to put a hose adapter "T"
Would the hose thats leaking underneath be a good place for the "T"?
would I need to remove the T-stat to flush?
I think I could get used to this FORD.
Tom
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Joined: Mar 2006
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From: North Carolina
I flushed mine with Prestone cleaner once and had multiple leaks afterward - radiator & waterpump weep hole. Stop leak held it together an additional year until I could fix it all.
Now I flush with plain water. I don't take out the t-stat or add a "T" inline. I just drain it from the radiator drain tap, & refill with clear water & run it until hot. Then I drain it & repeat if needed.
On older cars I'd take the hoses loose & flush back & forth thru engine, radiator, heater core, etc. It's harder to do that on an Aerostar.
Remember to check or replace the radiator cap. I found mine weak. But the original thermostat lasted a longer time on mine.
Now I flush with plain water. I don't take out the t-stat or add a "T" inline. I just drain it from the radiator drain tap, & refill with clear water & run it until hot. Then I drain it & repeat if needed.
On older cars I'd take the hoses loose & flush back & forth thru engine, radiator, heater core, etc. It's harder to do that on an Aerostar.
Remember to check or replace the radiator cap. I found mine weak. But the original thermostat lasted a longer time on mine.
Lead Driver
Joined: Sep 2003
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From: SoCal
The correct place to install that T fitting is in one of the heater hoses. They run behind the air cleaner box to the heater connectors on the far passenger side of the firewall. I also used mine as a pressure and leak tester. The cap to the T fitting is the same as one you would get for a garden hose, so I got another one and drilled a small hole in it, and installed a Presta valve from a bicycle tire. Then I used my floor pump to pump it up. If you have no leaks in the system, the first thing that releases pressure should be the radiator cap at whatever pressure it's rated at. Most floor pumps have reasonably accurate pressure guages on them, so you can do a simple verification of the function of the cap. If you have a leak in the system, you can either follow the leak stream, or if the system is very low, listen for the escaping air.
You can also borrow a pressure tester from an auto parts store, but that tool replaces the radaitor cap, so can not test its integrity.
You can also borrow a pressure tester from an auto parts store, but that tool replaces the radaitor cap, so can not test its integrity.
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From: Vancouver
Originally Posted by VanGo
Welcome Tom. Before you go to the trouble of flushing, be sure that the water pump is good. That leak may be coming from the weep hole.
Originally Posted by copper_90680
Hi Tom,
With you being in Canada, wouldn't the Aerostar be considered an import instead ?
With you being in Canada, wouldn't the Aerostar be considered an import instead ?
Last edited by tc2468; Jan 11, 2008 at 03:28 PM.
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From: Washington state
yep,
no borders here
just AeroFriends from France, Ukraine, Canada and used to have one from Switzerland
probably forgot some but you know what goes second
i like to do the engine flush with the thermostat out and hoses off the radiator for drainage. can really shoot the water pressure back into the block thru the T stat hole for that deep cleaning action.
pull the radiator and use a long plumber's pipe brush to rod it out before hose blasting.
best done in summer heat. water mist freezes on contact this time of year
no borders here
just AeroFriends from France, Ukraine, Canada and used to have one from Switzerland
probably forgot some but you know what goes second
i like to do the engine flush with the thermostat out and hoses off the radiator for drainage. can really shoot the water pressure back into the block thru the T stat hole for that deep cleaning action.
pull the radiator and use a long plumber's pipe brush to rod it out before hose blasting.
best done in summer heat. water mist freezes on contact this time of year
Last edited by 96_4wdr; Jan 11, 2008 at 08:10 PM.
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Joined: Mar 2006
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From: North Carolina
Dude, if you have one hose swollen, I'd replace them all now. When I first got my Aero i had one of those blow. I cut it off and reattached it but another one blew.. I had Ford put all new hoses on..It was about $400 back then. I knew it took a special tool to get those off the heater core.
There maybe some people here who have tips on how to replace the special made Ford hoses with more regular ones. I'm gonna try someday this year on my 'new' '97 Aero. The 3.0 looks easier to work on the hoses.
Aeros get hot under the hood and the stock hoses don't last much past the recommended 5 year interval. Neither do the belts. Replace them all at once, your belts too, then you're good to go for 5 years+....
The underbody hoses to the rear heater can stand to go longer. It doesn't get as hot under there. I kept asking mechanics to do mine & they said, "they almost never go bad". So they've lasted 13 years & 255,000 miles (410,383 Kilometers)!
Good idea, xlt4wd90 about the clever way to pressure test the whole system. I use a pressure tester but they cost a few $$.
There maybe some people here who have tips on how to replace the special made Ford hoses with more regular ones. I'm gonna try someday this year on my 'new' '97 Aero. The 3.0 looks easier to work on the hoses.
Aeros get hot under the hood and the stock hoses don't last much past the recommended 5 year interval. Neither do the belts. Replace them all at once, your belts too, then you're good to go for 5 years+....
The underbody hoses to the rear heater can stand to go longer. It doesn't get as hot under there. I kept asking mechanics to do mine & they said, "they almost never go bad". So they've lasted 13 years & 255,000 miles (410,383 Kilometers)!
Good idea, xlt4wd90 about the clever way to pressure test the whole system. I use a pressure tester but they cost a few $$.
Last edited by TheHandyman; Jan 11, 2008 at 09:35 PM.
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From: North Alabama
The hose may be swolen, or it might like mine, where it comes out of the water pump and one end goes to the front heater and one end goes to the back heater. The end in the middle is bigger than the other two.
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tc2468-I noticed on my first one the plastic fan blades were cracked and seperating. I changed that. as I had that down I noticed the water pump (I could wiggle it foe and aft-side to side quarter of an inch). I went ahead and changed it. A good rule of thumb is that if you take over a diff. vehicle site and scene go ahead and create yourself a "NEW Base-line". That being said, the heart of your cooling system other than your radiator is your water pump. Change that abay out along with your hoses. Rules are-A/C cars new coolant every year.--G. Luck-Boz
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From: Southern California
Originally Posted by tc2468
technically I guess USA would be considered import, but what would you in the US consider all the Chevys and some Fords that are built in Canada...imported domestic vehicles??? I've always considered US vehicles as domestic.
That was a lame attempt at a joke on my part. No offense meant.
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From: Vancouver
Originally Posted by copper_90680
Tom,
That was a lame attempt at a joke on my part. No offense meant.
That was a lame attempt at a joke on my part. No offense meant.
well I finished repairing the heater hose going to the waterpump.
man things were pretty tight up in there and my arms were like black up to my elbows.
I did ended up flushing with water since most of the antifreeze drained out anyway.
I flushed with the garden hose adapter spliced to the upper heater core hose behind the aircleaner box.
I think I'm gonna power wash the underside to get as much of the underside degreased. I hate working on something simple yet coming out like you bear hugged the tranny to bolt it up to the engine.
didnt seem to leak after warming up so hopfully thats - that
My AC doesnt work - ac clutch clicks if I bypass the pressure switch so I think I need a recharge - hope the AC isnt leaky, I think I 'm gonna test for pressure at one of the AC fittings. anyone know which one to try?
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The ac test fitting is on the accumulator. Round tank looking thing with two freon lines and and pressure switch along with the test point with a cap on it.
ps I'm not an AC man, just looked at the pics in Aero book.
ps I'm not an AC man, just looked at the pics in Aero book.