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#1 |
I'd rather be basketweaving
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Indianapolis
Posts: 2,551
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![]() i've just noticed a small amount of coolant on my garage floor so i have a leak somewhere, i dont think its a big leak but i wanna find it anyway cause i can't stand seeing my car bleed any color
![]() ![]() ------------------ 88 Notchback 5.0, 3.73's, pulleys, BBK headers, off-road H-pipe, flowmasters, subframe connectors, 65mm TB, shift kit, March ram air kit, motorsport wires, MSD coil, upper and lower control arms, 155lph fuel pump, cheap 2800 stall, Crane Adj.FPR, best time- 13.99@99.75, not yet tested times after 1.7RR install ![]() |
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#2 |
Moderator
Join Date: Sep 1998
Location: Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA
Posts: 1,001
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![]() Well, you have a leak somewhere, all right. Finding exactly where is going to be the tricky part, since you say it's wet under the radiator AND on the water pump. Usually a wet radiator means either a leaky radiator or a bad hose. You're right about water pumps telling you when they're going out. There's a weep hole somewhere around the impeller shaft, and it's supposed to leak when the seals in the pump go bad. This doesn't always happen. When I was changing my oil a couple days ago, I noticed a little trickle running down the timing cover, eminating from the water pump mounting flange. My water pump gasket is going, and I'm losing about a half quart of coolant a week.
![]() Back to your problem, I'd seriously check out the pump and be sure it's not the culprit. Is your system holding pressure? When's the last time you replaced the radiator cap? Take it to a parts store and have it tested to be sure it's working properly. Assuming the pump is not at fault, and that the fan is just spraying coolant onto the top of the pump (it'll happen), AND that your hoses are in good shape, your radiator needs replacing. For the price and ease of installation of a new radiator, DON'T use some cheap radiator sealant you dump in. They have a bad habit of clogging heater cores and other nasty things. A new water pump can be had for about $20-30, and a new radiator for $70-85. Most places will give you a lifetime warranty on each. The other alternative is to solder the radiator yourself or find a friend or shop that can do it for you. It's easy to do and works great, but if you have ONE hole in the radiator now, you'll have a LOT later. Trust me on that. ![]() ------------------ Capri306, Moderator, The Mustang Works Online 1979 Mercury Capri, 5.0L -- C4 -- 2.73 1987 Mustang LX Notch ![]() |
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#3 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Mar 1999
Location: Ocean City , Maryland
Posts: 344
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![]() ** Unless it's pooling up under the water pump > I'd put a big pice of card board under the front of the Mustang ,and examine just were the fluid is Droping off from ..bad hose bad clamp to tight hope this helps one thing is you have got to let the Mustang sit for a while to see were it is coming from
------------------ 1991 5.0 NotchBack,Black |
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#4 |
I'd rather be basketweaving
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Indianapolis
Posts: 2,551
|
![]() so i can just go to autozone and they will test th epressure in my system for me? i've never checked it, like i said i've not had any experience with cooling systems and could use some help, as far as i could tell there didnt seem to be any coolant on the actual pump, but there was some that looks like it has been trickling down the radiator hose from where it attaches to the pump so im narrowing it down to the pump and that hose, with my luck it'll be the pump
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#5 |
Conservative Individualist
Join Date: May 1997
Location: Wherever I need to be
Posts: 7,487
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![]() In my experience, when you see coolant running off the length of the lower radiator hose, it's a leaking water pump.
Water pumps are a replacement item and no big deal. Replace the hoses, too, including the heater hoses and do the job right. A weak radiator cap will fail to hold pressure in the system and cause some problems. A new one is about $5.00. I recommend replacing the coolant every two years, the hoses every four and the cap about every three. A new radiator can run to over $200. for a brass 3-row from Ford and aluminum is even more, but you get what you pay for. If you replace the radiator (do not mess with repairs) get a qualty one and go for a three-row brass, at the minimum. I suggest you locate the leak and have it repaired quickly before you end up standing on the side of the road, watching the steam boil out of your engine and possibly risk a cracked head gasket, or worse, for the price of a water pump, hose or cap. Good luck. |
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