uh-oh, dumping antifreeze
03-13-2010, 11:49 AM
#1
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uh-oh, dumping antifreeze
Just noticed this a couple days ago. Truck is dumping coolant while running.
2001 F150 Supercrew, 5.4, auto, 4x4, 88k miles. Only mods are Air Raid and Magnaflow exhaust. 3.55 gears and 285 tires. Have noticed lately that the truck is low on power and fuel mileage is bad. No issues with codes or drivability. So far has not overheated.
Hard to tell with all the crap Ford puts on top of these motors, but leak is running down toward the back of the engine (truck is parked on an incline driveway) and down by the tranny. It's definitely coolant.
Trying to narrow it down, I can see fluid on the passenger side up around the fuel rail. Leak stops when motor is not running. No fluid or wetness inside the cab. AC/heat on or off not relevant. No sign of coolant in the engine oil (based on odor and dipstick).
Thoughts?
2001 F150 Supercrew, 5.4, auto, 4x4, 88k miles. Only mods are Air Raid and Magnaflow exhaust. 3.55 gears and 285 tires. Have noticed lately that the truck is low on power and fuel mileage is bad. No issues with codes or drivability. So far has not overheated.
Hard to tell with all the crap Ford puts on top of these motors, but leak is running down toward the back of the engine (truck is parked on an incline driveway) and down by the tranny. It's definitely coolant.
Trying to narrow it down, I can see fluid on the passenger side up around the fuel rail. Leak stops when motor is not running. No fluid or wetness inside the cab. AC/heat on or off not relevant. No sign of coolant in the engine oil (based on odor and dipstick).
Thoughts?
03-13-2010, 01:16 PM
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Check the overfill resevior lines, a while ago my aftermarket air filter rubbed one of the return lines raw and it started leaking in the same area you are describing. It probably wont overheat cuz the fans ford uses are amazing, just make sure you add coolant as it leaks till you find the problem!
03-13-2010, 04:07 PM
#3
Head gasket. Thats where mine blew on the intake side passenger head. I think Ford has a TSB out aout the passenger heads on certain years of 5.4 with headgasket issues. Call the dealership and see if your truck falls into that TSB. Or you could go to autozone or borrow a coolant system pressure tester from a friend and crank it up to 15 to 20 pounds you will find the leak,thats how I found mine. When i put my coolant system under pressure it shot out of the head like a fountain onto the lower intake and down the bell housing of the tranny.
03-13-2010, 10:22 PM
#4
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There's also a metal pipe that runs under the intake manifold that controls coolant flow to the heater core and it has a nasty tendency to rust out. But if it was the culprit you would have no heater and the leak it provides is barely noticable.
03-13-2010, 11:46 PM
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Thanks all. My first thought was head gasket. Dug in a bit more with a floodlight before I went to work. The leak is substantial, but it appears to be concentrated in one area.
I'm attaching a photo. For reference, you're looking at the passenger side of the motor from the front toward the rear of the engine bay. You'll see a piece of the alternator on the right side.
The leak seams to be coming from beneath the silver tube just below the yellow item on the fuel rail. Not sure what this area is, but it has the hose coming off the top. Looks almost like the thermostat housing, but it's not.
Anyway, the coolant is coming out of the rear of this housing and running down the block valley. No sign of leaking anywhere along the head itself. What is that area? Is there a gasket underneath? Hope the photo helps.
I'm attaching a photo. For reference, you're looking at the passenger side of the motor from the front toward the rear of the engine bay. You'll see a piece of the alternator on the right side.
The leak seams to be coming from beneath the silver tube just below the yellow item on the fuel rail. Not sure what this area is, but it has the hose coming off the top. Looks almost like the thermostat housing, but it's not.
Anyway, the coolant is coming out of the rear of this housing and running down the block valley. No sign of leaking anywhere along the head itself. What is that area? Is there a gasket underneath? Hope the photo helps.
07-02-2011, 10:37 AM
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Did you figure this out? I have the same problem
The leak seams to be coming from beneath the silver tube just below the yellow item on the fuel rail. Not sure what this area is, but it has the hose coming off the top. Looks almost like the thermostat housing, but it's not.
Anyway, the coolant is coming out of the rear of this housing and running down the block valley. No sign of leaking anywhere along the head itself. What is that area? Is there a gasket underneath? Hope the photo helps.[/QUOTE]
I am having the same problem. Its blowing air out too. HOw do you get that part off? iT wraps aaround the manifold on the font and holds the alternator in place.
I need some help here brothers. Please..... A lot of coolant is coming out
Anyway, the coolant is coming out of the rear of this housing and running down the block valley. No sign of leaking anywhere along the head itself. What is that area? Is there a gasket underneath? Hope the photo helps.[/QUOTE]
I am having the same problem. Its blowing air out too. HOw do you get that part off? iT wraps aaround the manifold on the font and holds the alternator in place.
I need some help here brothers. Please..... A lot of coolant is coming out