Coolant low by > 1 gallon

[adamsdaddy]

Good afternoon,

A couple weeks ago I posted about the loud fan running near 100% of the time and the interior fan not working. I suspected the thermostat but (over the phone) my mechanic said to check the coolant level and if it was low then it becomes a matter of finding the leak. Got back from an extended vacation and finally got around to checking the level and I couldn’t see any coolant at the bottom marker so I bought some orange Peak 50/50 stuff for $20. I kept pouring and pouring, stopping to make sure it wasn’t just clear and about to spill but nope. It consumed the entire gallon and barely reached the cold minimum marker.
I am less than excited at the prospect of a leak. It does have 80?something thousand miles so maybe a water pump though my mechanic said he hardly ever has to replace the water pumps. I would have noticed coolant on my driveway so I’m not sure where to start. I have (prior to adding coolant) been smelling hot coolant.

Anyone have a suggestion on where to look (known leak areas) ?

 

[Motorcity muscle]

Check back of intake heater hoses, leaks here usually cause misfires from coolant getting into spark plug wells. Have the system pressure tested or can do yourself if you purchase the tool. If you smell coolant it could be dripping on exhaust and burning off. If your getting smell by tail pipe that's a head gasket. Do not keep driving the truck you can hurt the engine. See you posted in third gen, what year is your truck?

 

[ManUpOrShutUp]

I had 2 heater hose failures around the 100k mark and opted to replace all 3 at the time. My water pump went around 165k or so I think. Advance Auto / Auto Zone have a pressure tester loaner tool. The one at Advance does not have a cap that fit my '11 out of the box, but after Dremel'ing just a hair off the tab on the one that was supposed to fit, it fit perfectly.

 

[99WhiteC5Coupe]

Good afternoon,

A couple weeks ago I posted about the loud fan running near 100% of the time and the interior fan not working. I suspected the thermostat but (over the phone) my mechanic said to check the coolant level and if it was low then it becomes a matter of finding the leak. Got back from an extended vacation and finally got around to checking the level and I couldn’t see any coolant at the bottom marker so I bought some orange Peak 50/50 stuff for $20. I kept pouring and pouring, stopping to make sure it wasn’t just clear and about to spill but nope. It consumed the entire gallon and barely reached the cold minimum marker.
I am less than excited at the prospect of a leak. It does have 80?something thousand miles so maybe a water pump though my mechanic said he hardly ever has to replace the water pumps. I would have noticed coolant on my driveway so I’m not sure where to start. I have (prior to adding coolant) been smelling hot coolant.

Anyone have a suggestion on where to look (known leak areas) ?

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.

 

[adamsdaddy]

Thank you very much!

 

[John D]

I had a water pump replaced on my 2016, coolant was low and I noticed a gurgling sound behind the dash.

 

[Al Steel]

+1 on the pressurized leak. Coolant loss is either from the coolant being burnt or bled. If it's being bled and the leak isn't obvious (pouring out of some hose or cracked component) then you gotta go leak hunting... and bring a friend.

For Leaking, make sure the coolant reservoir is full to the cold mark, start and warm-up the engine to operating temp. Open ALL heater vents and crank up the heat so coolant is flowing through all the passages. Grab a flashlight and your friend. Have him/her rev the engine to between 2-3K while you start looking for leaks in the engine bay. Common spots are the water pump, filler neck, radiator hose connections, T-Stat housing, and firewall hoses/connections where the heater hoses enter the cabin. Some water pumps have a "weep hole" drilled into them. This small hole will begin to leak coolant when the water pump starts to go bad. Also look for "witness marks". If your engine bay is relatively clean your might see evidence of dried or damp coolant residue near the spot where the leak is occurring. 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.

Burning coolant points to a larger issue like a blown headgasket, cracked head or engine block. This allows coolant to either mix with the oil (and vice versa) or get directly into the combustion chamber. Look for a white milky froth on the oil fill cap. A little is usually ok because of moisture during a cold start. A LOT of yellowish milky froth points to coolant in the oil.. that's bad. Also check your coolant reservoir for a black film around the fill line and black globs of oil in the coolant. Also bad. Lastly, if your exhaust looks like a steam locomotive and has a "sweet" smell to it, even on a hot day in the afternoon (cold days that is likely just condensation and water vapor) then that is coolant getting into the combustion chamber... again.. you get the idea. You can confirm bad headgasket, cracked block/head with leakdown and pressurization tests but that's a whole other level of technical.

Good hunting!

PS: The water pump, like any constantly rotating part (pulleys, alternator, A/C compressor), does go bad.. they don't last forever and RARELY last more than 150-200K miles. Kind of why most vehicle warranties typically expire just before that.

 

[Will Williams]

I notice that the heat was not coming out when the vehicle was idling. So I checked the coolant level. It was low. I filled it but at the time did not see any leak. To make a long story short , Today when I came out I saw a small puddle, passenger side near the passenger side door. And the level was aging low. I could not find any other places where any leaks. I have not jacked the vehicle up yet trying to get more info as to what to look for and options for repair. Mine is a 2007 whit 177,000 miles.

 

[Will Williams]

Has anyone ever used

Permanent Coolant Leak Repair with K-Seal​

for a coolant leak?

 

[Al Steel]

Where the puddle is may or may not tell you where the actual leak above is since coolant will sometimes "ride the rails", running along the frame and cross-members, and pool at the lowest point. But that could point to a heating system hose. I'd fill, run up to op temp, turn on the heat and check the hose connections near or at the firewall.

 

[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.