Coolant Leaking... help?

[vita]

Hey guys,
Saw yesterday that my coolant had dripped a few drops on my garage floor... crawled under today to look at it and I see where its coming from. took some pics with my phone. Any idea on how to fix?

and pulled back a bit so you can see where its coming from

its right up next to the belt there...



whats wrong with it now? I swear, I love this car.. but between the stub axel last week and now this... I cant afford this.

 

[Mystic-SVT]

You check the area around the oil cooler? A lot of the times either the o-rings go bad, oil cooler develops pin hole leaks, or it just becomes loose and needs to be retightened.

You can also check the water pump by removing the serpentine belt and check if the pulley/shaft has play in it, or remove the pulley from it and check for leaks around shaft and around the waterpump/block mating areas.

-Esteban

 

[Bmeagher]

+1, check the waterpump.

 

[vita]

Awesome. Ill try to take a look at it over this weekend. Thanks for the help!

 

[006]

Front center by the oil pan is your water pump that has taken a shit.

If it's right below the oil filter, then it's your oil cooler.

Water pump replacement can be a 15 min job (very simple). Heck it took me longer to remember which way to route the belt again. I just did mine 3 weeks ago, and if you need directions, lemme know.

 

[SonicBlueOval]

whats wrong with it now? I swear, I love this car.. but between the stub axel last week and now this... I cant afford this.

Both of those are pretty cheap fixes too, so you can keep loving your car :rockon:

 

[GoatSlayer]

Water pump took a shit. Its any easy fix which took me like 30 minutes to do!

 

[vita]

what am I needing to get it pulled off? Only thing I have with my at college is a basic hand tools... nothing more then wrenches and sockets.

 

[006]

what am I needing to get it pulled off? Only thing I have with my at college is a basic hand tools... nothing more then wrenches and sockets.

do you have a 3/8" inch socket?

If so, you need it to release the tension on the tensioner in order to get the belt off.

There is a square hole on the tensioner arm. Stick the 3/8" socket in there and push clockwise to relieve tension, and then slip the belt off frm the alternator pulley.

Before you do this, take a photo of the belt routing..or use this:

1999

2001

Take the 4 bolts off the waterpump pulley. 12 or 13 mm I think.. remove pulley.

Take the 4 bolts holding the pump to the motor 15mm I think. Pull the waterpump out. It's held securely in by a large O ring.

Clean out the area, install new one.

 

[Parts-is-Parts]

So just because there is coolant in the middle of the oil pan means without a doubt its the water pump huh?

Did anyone ask the OP if he recently changed his oil and it happened soon after? (oil cooler)

You guys may be 100% correct with the water pump theory but dont suggest a course of action right off the bat!
Diagnose the damn thing, find the leak before throwing parts at it.

 

[Mystic-SVT]

Hence my post (#2)

 

[006]

So just because there is coolant in the middle of the oil pan means without a doubt its the water pump huh?

Did anyone ask the OP if he recently changed his oil and it happened soon after? (oil cooler)

You guys may be 100% correct with the water pump theory but dont suggest a course of action right off the bat!
Diagnose the damn thing, find the leak before throwing parts at it.

lol :lol:

 

[vita]

Oil was recently replaced, about 100 miles ago. I dont remember seeing the drips before, but I know it happened around that time. Could have been before as well, and me not realize it.


Can someone give me a rough location of the Oil cooler? (sorry guys, but Im about as good as a monkey with cars... At least for now!)


As for tools, I have a full socket set, just anything requiring a breaker bar or air tools might get difficult.

Im in the army. I need pictures and diagrams.

 

[Mystic-SVT]

Oil cooler is located in the same spot as the oil filter. You will see the lower radiator hose connected to it.

 

[006]

Oil was recently replaced, about 100 miles ago. I dont remember seeing the drips before, but I know it happened around that time. Could have been before as well, and me not realize it.


Can someone give me a rough location of the Oil cooler? (sorry guys, but Im about as good as a monkey with cars... At least for now!)


As for tools, I have a full socket set, just anything requiring a breaker bar or air tools might get difficult.

Im in the army. I need pictures and diagrams.

The tools you have are sufficient.

Here is a view with the pump removed. It took about 8-10 min to get to this point.

And for kicks, here is what a leaking oil cooler would look like....

 

[vita]

Side note ; Oil cooler was actually replaced about 8k miles ago with a new one from Ford. I didnt even realize that was the part in question until now.


To please my Dad, Im letting the car run with a bowl under it to see how much comes out. To update, one drop had dripped for it sitting without running for about an hour. after 20 minutes of running, no more has dripped.

He thinks its the head gasket, and after it cools and the gasket "shrinks", it will allow for it to leak more. Im doing this quick test for him, and when its cool again, Ill climb under and check again seals around the oil cooler. I Doubt it is that though, that part seems too far right of the leaking area. (were talking where the filter screws onto, correct?)

 

[vita]

006, no homo, but I could kiss you. Ill post back later with findings.

 

[006]

I'm blushing

 

[006]

Also, right beneath the alternator pulley, shine a flashlight on the water pump behind the water pump pulley & you'll see a small weep hole. That weep hole will show coolant residue.

If your oil cooler had been leaking before, then your coolant level would have dropped enough to expose the water pump to air in the system. This is not good because it'll cause the fin assembly in the waterpump to rust. This then causes coolant to be able to make it past the seal at the fins & then makes it out to the weep hole. If that weep hole ever spews coolant, then the conditions I just described have already taken place. Now, you will need to measure your stock water pump from the end of the pulley to the block to determine if you need a long or short pump. See my website for details.

Your local ford dealer should be able to get one for ya within a few hours or 24 hrs.

 

[SonicBlueOval]

I picked one up at autozone for $40. Poplular part that they keep in stock usually.