Leaking Coolant

[jim x 3]

List:

After some years of (nearly) trouble-free performance, which is in itself remarkable for an aged vehicle @ 245K miles, my '88 F-350 began leaking coolant yesterday. I'm getting about 5 good drips per second, some from the joint between the vibration damper and the oil pan but mostly off the bottom of the oil pan behind the cross member. A quick look from above didn't reveal any wetness, but it was dark and I didn't have good light. I put about three quarts of straight water in the radiator to refill and return home.

So some further investigation is in order today. We can't be dripping any fluids in customers' driveways and this leak cannot be ignored in any case.

Regards,

 

[hesutton]

With it dripping down onto the damper and pan, it's likely coming from your water pump. There is a weep hole on the bottom of the bearing housing on the pump. When it starts leaking........ it's time for a new pump. I'd make sure you know where it's coming form 1st.


Heath

 

[TronDD]

I have the same kind of leak. It only drips to the ground once in a while though, so for now I'm pretending I didn't see anything. Ostridges never get eaten, right?

Tim.

 

[PackRat239]

I just went thru this myself. My truck started leaking from the pump, enough that I could not drive it. I changed the water pump yesterday. Really easy job.

 

[icanfixall]

Try the simple things like tightening up all the hose clamps first. Then try shakeing the fan. If it moves you need to replace the pump. I'm thinking your needeing a pump as do others here. A flashlite and inspection mirror will show the leak from the weep hole..

 

[Hydro-idi]

Or even add some of that coolant dye. That will make it much easier to find from what I have heard about the product.

 

[jim x 3]

With it dripping down onto the damper and pan, it's likely coming from your water pump. There is a weep hole on the bottom of the bearing housing on the pump. When it starts leaking........ it's time for a new pump. I'd make sure you know where it's coming form 1st.
Heath

Try the simple things like tightening up all the hose clamps first. Then try shakeing the fan. If it moves you need to replace the pump. I'm thinking your needeing a pump as do others here. A flashlite and inspection mirror will show the leak from the weep hole..

A more careful inspection shows the thermostat area, all hoses and clamps dry. And green liquid emanating from just below the water pump. I can't see the weep hole - either its up inside the water pump pulley or its occluded with crud. The entire front of the timing cover below the pump is gunked up - I guess its been weeping for some time.

Looks like its time for a new water pump. The changeout looks straightforward. Any gotchas or other advice? Who provides a quality replacement water pump?

Thanks in advance,

 

[icanfixall]

Well there is some special length bolts that absolutely need to be reinstalled in there original locations. Those are the top two bolts. If longer bolts are installed there they will contact the injection pump gear. Things break then and your really in a pickle. Also those top two and bottom two must have thread sealant applied to them so the oil in the timing gear area would leak out past the threads. This does happen. The fan nut wrenches are needed to remove and install the fan clutch too.

 

[jim x 3]

OK. New water pump (the old one was, in fact, leaking from the weep hole). New radiator hoses and 5/8" heater hoses, together with a ball valve summer shutoff (a Sharkbite 3/4" ball valve is perfect for this). I used O'Reillys fan clutch rental tool(s) to remove the fan from the old pump. Everything's going smoothly...

UNTIL I decide to remove the radiator (only 4 bolts, everything else is already disconnected) to give myself just a little more room to work. It comes out just fine, then I notice deposits under the back of the top tank - formerly hidden by the fan shroud. My radiator has been leaking as well - not enough to drip but enough to crud up the area where the top of the fins/tubes are soldered into the top tank. So it looks like some further work is now necessary.

Does anyone even repair these radiators any more? Maybe its time for a brand new radiator.

Regards,

 

[riotwarrior]

I'm happy with my Champion 3 core from ebay 239 bucks shipped! Locally was near 500 mark for lesser quality of a rad!

I did a thread on my WP replacement if you check the TECH article section you will see it it may offer up some help to ya.

Good luck, may as well grab a heater core while at it. IMHO if one parts going they all do shortly!

Al

 

[icanfixall]

The Champion aluminum radiater is a nice unit and made here in cali. Or at least sold from a shop in murriata cali near lake elsenoir cali. Check them out on ebay. Yes. these copper radiaters are rebuilt or rodded out but its sometimes worth it to replace them instead. The tube and fin count are very important to proper ability to cool. What you want is at least 15 fins per inch. 16 is even better. 12 or 13 just will not cool these engines. What came as stock was a 4 row and 15 fins per inch. What was a replacement was a sad little 3 row called a dimple core. Every tube had dimples pressed into the tubes in hopes it would slow down the fall of coolant thru them.. Well it did not work that way. I have the aluminum Rodenty Red radiater. It has 15 fins per inch and two rows but.. Each rtube is either 1 or 1 1/4 inch wide. That sucker will have moisture on the tank in the morning cold start. Its cooling just sitting there overnite.

 

[jim x 3]

I'm happy with my Champion 3 core from ebay 239 bucks shipped! Locally was near 500 mark for lesser quality of a rad!

I did a thread on my WP replacement if you check the TECH article section you will see it it may offer up some help to ya.

Good luck, may as well grab a heater core while at it. IMHO if one parts going they all do shortly!

Al

Al,

Thanks for the reference. With a leaky radiator I may have been running at atmospheric pressure for some time (truck never gets hot, tho). Now, with new components and pressurization, I'm sure to blow the next weakest link!

Regards,

 

[Mulochico]

Hey Jim,

Sorry to hear about the water pump/radiator problem. Did mine about 3 years ago. Replaced the radiator with a stock style replacement. Major no no. The new one leaked around the seams of both tanks within 6-9 months. Tried resealing them, etc. still leaked after a while. Heard later that the seams are prone to leaks. Bought a 3 row champion off of ebay, very nice. No leaks so far (only 6 months, so we will see ), cools well, too. Much easier working with the aluminum one than the stock, much lighter. Just be careful with the aluminum if you get one, it bends easy.

Not a bad job, just some time lost.

Alan

 

[jim x 3]

List:

In addition to new Gates radiator hoses, heater hose and a new water pump (Mel will be glad to hear it did have machined mating and bolt-hole surfaces) I needed a radiator. The 3-row Champion looked good, price was right, and it was promply delivered via Fedex w/o damage - so it is now installed as well. My thanks to you guys for the reference there.

I am having some confusion, and difficulty, in finding antifreeze to refill the system. I was looking for an SCA (aka DCA?) precharged concentrate to minimize mixing complexity and expense. Fleetcharge @ Tractor Supply seems to fill the bill, but its a 2-hour drive away. None of the guys at the local auto parts stores (Napa, O'reilly, Autozone have ever heard of DCA. They were confident that I could use any general purpose antifreeze in my truck. Many of the brands touted here require DCA be added (Shellzone, Zerex, Prestone). Also the Havoline brand (at Winco and elsewhere) doesn't contain DCA as best I can tell.

I guess I'll need to hit the Ford dealer for a 16 oz. bottle of VC-8 (parts department likely closed tomorrow). I think my last purchase of such bottle was $15-20. Then I'll need to figure out how much to use.

Regards,

 

[NTOLERANCE]

List:

In addition to new Gates radiator hoses, heater hose and a new water pump (Mel will be glad to hear it did have machined mating and bolt-hole surfaces) I needed a radiator. The 3-row Champion looked good, price was right, and it was promply delivered via Fedex w/o damage - so it is now installed as well. My thanks to you guys for the reference there.

I am having some confusion, and difficulty, in finding antifreeze to refill the system. I was looking for an SCA (aka DCA?) precharged concentrate to minimize mixing complexity and expense. Fleetcharge @ Tractor Supply seems to fill the bill, but its a 2-hour drive away. None of the guys at the local auto parts stores (Napa, O'reilly, Autozone have ever heard of DCA. They were confident that I could use any general purpose antifreeze in my truck. Many of the brands touted here require DCA be added (Shellzone, Zerex, Prestone). Also the Havoline brand (at Winco and elsewhere) doesn't contain DCA as best I can tell.

I guess I'll need to hit the Ford dealer for a 16 oz. bottle of VC-8 (parts department likely closed tomorrow). I think my last purchase of such bottle was $15-20. Then I'll need to figure out how much to use.

Regards,

Search sca on napas web site. There should be only one result. Thats the coolant i use. I think its called fleet charge as well