Coolant leak from right rear of motor!

[IMINYOURCHAIR]

Simple problem. leaking coolant from right rear of motor, thought I smelled oil burning on the exhaust but investigating revealed it's coolant...

there are no hoses leaking and the system isn't even allowed to build the normal pressure due to a radiator leak making me leave the res cap loose.

8/10 I think it's the head gasket

1/10 I think something froze wed night/thurs morning when we had 8f with -5 windchill not likely due to having and refilling with proper 50/50 antifreeze/water

1/10 I don't know what else

 

[IMINYOURCHAIR]

it is also wicking onto the transmission but the intake valley is dry as well...

 

[stamp11127]

There should be a freeze plug in the back of the cylinder head. Might be a moot point unless you have access to a lift. Without one the head is coming off anyway.

 

[IMINYOURCHAIR]

hmm. what's the best way to inspect it visually w/o removing the head?

I hope it's not the head gasket because if so there are so many things I need to do around that area while I am in there. if I can limp it till tax income check comes in I can get it all.

 

[stamp11127]

About all you can get back there is a mechanics mirror. Lowe's Kobalt set isn't bad, plus it comes with a telescoping magnet tool.

 

[IMINYOURCHAIR]

alright, I will have to do that tomorrow, I just hope it's not major since I have to be in Atlanta tomorrow by 3p eastern

 

[Bedrck47]

carry extra coolant with you for the trip

 

[IMINYOURCHAIR]

I have 3 gallons that I pre mixed that I keep at home already packed in the rear. if something major happens that'll be enough to limp me to a service station.

knowing my luck it's a rusted out plug. I found one on a belt tensioner from the 2000 lesabre I had. it had coolant ran through that to the connectors for the heater hose. the freaking freeze plug corroded from the inside and began to weep coolant.

 

[IMINYOURCHAIR]

it made the trip and the week of commute from stockbridge to atlanta ga. she is parked at the truck terminal for the next 2 to 8 weeks until I return from training in utah. I disconnected the battery but my dumb a$$ dropped one of the wingnuts and it landed in the frame or someplace. didn't hear it hit ground.

 

[IMINYOURCHAIR]

I forgot to update this thread when I was supposed to 5 months ago

the expy has made maybe 12 trips to Atlanta and various other runs, the coolant leak is intermittent from a freeze plug on the right cyl head from the rear freeze plug. I believe it to be caused by a lack of normal (15psi) system pressure due to a leak at the radiator tank. I have left the cap on the reservoir tank loose so as to preserve the radiator tank and reduce risk of catastrophic failure of the part so I could drive until I had money and time to replace the part.

I have gotten a local job so I can now begin to take time to tear into some of the problems I have not had time for. Today I decided to risk the radiator tank to get pressure on the system for the first time in 10 months. it built to maybe 75% before the radiator began to leak down some. I had already found an old leak trail from the freeze plug but no fresh coolant came from it at all today and looks to have been dry for some time. this leak trail followed down to where I have seen coolant before and to the point where it would have dripped to the exhaust. so I suspect that heat cycling and no pressure holding it in place was causing a leak.

TLDR: leak from freeze plug right cyl head freeze plug on rear of engine.
cause: no pressure due to other leak in system.

another question, I have a towing package from factory on the truck. I do not tow and I don't plan to tow. truck is equipt with two row radiator. I don't drive hard ( often ). is it safe to go back with a one row radiator to save $30 or $40

 

[stamp11127]

My 4.6 came with the single row rad so you will be safe to run it, but if it is just $30-$40 difference between the two - don't be cheap here. Put a 2 row back in.

 

[IMINYOURCHAIR]

As far as cheap goes, that $30-$40 was going to go to a new clutch for the fan. having a problem with ac kicking off on high head pressure when idle in extreme heat and noticing the fan not really being locked on. that and why go two row when I won't use it to it's full cooling capacity. If I do go with two row the best one I see is rock auto and the spectra branded two row ( most expensive option at $127)

 

[AbbadonTD]

I had good luck with 2 and 3 row all aluminum radiators in Cherokees (Famous for HOT!) I would pull the AC (when you have no doors, the AC is not that useful...) and put in a 2 or 3 row. More coolant means cooler engine. Size is the only problem with bigger radiators. I have bent more than one radiator support in the last decade.