Coolant low by > 1 gallon

[Will Williams]

Okay I will do so

 

[Al Steel]

Has anyone ever used

Permanent Coolant Leak Repair with K-Seal​

for a coolant leak?

Oh good lord NO! Never, ever put any of those radiator leak seal products in any car with a modern cooling system (post 1980s). They usually contain either a silicate or poly additive that will clog your radiator passages no matter what the marketing hype says. Modern radiators have very small coolant passages and will clog with that stuff. Plus if you have a significant leak, that won't do squat anyway. Better off fixing the actual problem than adding something that could lead to a more costly repair.

I would MAYBE use it if I was 100 miles away from civilization, had no extra water or coolant to add, and HAD to for an emergency... with the full knowledge that I would later have to fix the original problem, flush the entire system about half a dozen times to get all that gunk out, and refill with fresh coolant and then keep a sharp eye on my temp guage for any residual issues that may crop up over the next 10K miles.

Put it this way. If you took your truck to a mechanic for the leak and he gave it back to you 15 mins later and said "All done, I poured some of this magical fairy juice in your radiator and it's all better now. Have a great day!", would you trust him that the repair was done properly?

 

[ManUpOrShutUp]

If the leak is in the cabin it will be harder to spot, but if your footwells are damp or your HVAC is blowing damp/steamy air then that's a clue that your cabin radiator or lines are shot and leaking.

A clogged AC drain will drench the passenger footwell, so that problem alone doesn't necessarily signal a leak at that location.

Has anyone ever used

Permanent Coolant Leak Repair with K-Seal​

for a coolant leak?

That's likely to cause as many or more problems than it solves. According to my AC/radiator guy (now retired after 35+ years), the only stop leak he recommends for cooling systems are the curcumin/ginger tablets and he only recommends them for minor weeping/seeping leaks. He previously advised me I could add 2 (and only 2 - he emphasized this) for some minor seepage. According to him, he had never experienced any problems arising from the addition of just 2 tablets. For serious leaks, he advised that a proper repair was the only solution. Not advising you to do this - just sharing what he told me. FWIW, I added the 2 tablets and 50k later no issue.

https://www.whatsinproducts.com/types/type_detail/1/14744/standard/Bars%20Leaks%20Radiator%20Stop%20Leak%20Tablets/02-006-020

 

[Hamfisted]

Either buy your own, or take it to a radiator shop. But pressure test the coolant system and find the leak the right way. Sounds like it's just something in the heater hose plumbing, but you need to pressure test the system to be sure. But don't put that crap in your coolant system. That's what used car lots do.



Coolant System Pressure Test Kit on Amazon









.

 

[Vernon Burns]

Agree with Motorcity muscle. Had the same issue with my 07 EL-Limited. Ford updated the heater hoses at some point. They're fairly cheap and pretty easy to change.

 

[Flight-ER-Doc]

My 2015 Expedtion Limited 4x4 began losing coolant but I could see no leaks on the ground.

My Ford dealerllship pressure tested the system and said there were no leaks - and filled up the reservoir jug.

The coolant level continued to drop and I returned to the dealer and insisted they determine where the leak was.

The technician put the vehicle on a lift and saw that the water pump was leaking. He speculated it only leaked when pressurized while driving. The pump was replaced. That was at about 75,*** miles.

I also had a coolant leak prior to that (reservoir jug level dropping) - at about 55,*** miles, and the dealership determined the coolant reservoir jug was leaking (where the hose attached to the jug nipple - as it was cracked), and one heater hose was leaking. Both replaced.

Your 2016 has the same engine as mine - I’d check the water pump area for the leak, and examine all hose connections closely. My water pump did not leak with the engine off and the cooling system pressurized.

I had pretty much the same experience - a very slow leak, only noticed when I took the truck in for an alignment and the tech noted it to me. Around 80k miles.

Around 60k miles, there was a leak in a small hose that dripped slowly onto the serpentine belt and tensioner which required replacement. Not a warranty problem for Ford since they don't honor warranty claims from failed hoses...

With the cooling challenges the ecoboost has, I am very cautious about leaks.

 

[Will Williams]

On Ground Hog's Day, I took "Big Red" to the shop for the annual inspection sticker and ask him to see if he could find where my coolant leak was coming from. I told him where I thought it was coming from (near the rear passenger door above the muffler), but with my floor jacks I could not get the vehicle high enough to really see it. After a pressure test, he showed me where it was coming out. It was closer to the rear passenger tire. It was from the metal hose that carries the coolant to and from the front of the vehicle to the rear aux heater core. It was a small pin hole, which after he did the test, is leaking faster now. Unforntenly he could not find a part for it from his suppliers and told me I may need to go to the dealer for the parts. It was between the two hose so we could not determine if it was the supply or the return side. Part numbers are AL1Z-18663-C supply side & AL1Z-18696-C return side. Both are over $180+tax each. I'm going to see if I can find them at an auto store first. I was wondering if a less expensive rubber hose could be install instead of the metal hose. coolant is about $15 to $24 per gallon.

 

[Will Williams]

Forgot Big Red is a 2007 with 180000+ miles

 

[Hamfisted]

Can you post a picture of the pipe you're working on ? You can most likely use a piece of 5/8" heater hose and hose clamps to make a splice.

 

[Vdubnick]

similar issue a few years ago (around 150k) ... ended up being a hairline crack in one of the coolant T's for the rear HVAC. I could smell coolant, but at idle, no leak present, wasnt until a week or so later, that the residue was noticable on the right side of the engine, directly below the T. The leak would start ******* when RPM was above 3k.

fix was easy, 6 dollar part (sharkbite coper T) at lowes.