Hello there! I'm new to the forums, and I've got a question for you all. I have a 1997, 4.6L, V8, F-150 that is leaking coolant real bad. I'm still working on pinpointing the leak's origin, but so far the only visual I have made is a rather heavy stream leaking down the passenger side of the bell housing at the rear of the engine block. I have checked the hoses near the firewall and it's nothing obvious there. I am also hesitant to point to the heater core (might be because I don't want to tear the dash out!), there is no coolant smell inside the cab.

Just a side note, I'm from Duluth, Minnesota. This last week or so we've gotten 30"+ of snow, and the last 5 days have been balmy cold with highs bearly above 0*... could have something to do with it.

I have been limited to weekends to work on it, and i'm currently ride-sharing with a Chevy Driver... I can't take the jabs any longer... Please help! Any thoughts are more than welcome (as I'm at a loss), I will update as soon & often as I can.

Thank you all in advance!!!!

Flash44

 

I'm guessing a freeze plug.

 

Is there any way to check the rear freeze plugs without pulling the tranny?

 

Sounds like the HC hardline to me. That's exactly where the coolant leaches out when the O-rings go out. Also, you must not have the correct amount in anti-freeze for that to happen.

Big job to fix it, but you can do it with help from this site.

First, shine a flash light into the block cavity behind the alternator. See how much coolant the block cavity has in it.

 

You are just totally guessing....sounds right though, but I am just guessing. I thought the heater core was right behind the glove box and a 20 minute job. Food for thought.

 

Right, I *AM* guessing. It's one legitimate possibility.

Brew is not talking about the heater core itself, he's talking about the hardline that goes from the back of the water pump UNDER the intake back to the hose that runs inside the cab to the heater core.

 

I've got this problem as well as another one. This one aside I had a problem with my Heater not working for a while. Last I fired up my truck to the smell of antifreeze. Today I noticed a steady stream from the vents on the floor while the heater is running. The truck doesn't dispose of antifreeze at a fast rate but it does also do the same thing this guy mentioned. The second I turn off the truck it begins to pour antifreeze/water(in my case) down the back of the firewall. I've found no bad hoses or standing antifreeze on top of the block under the intake. :/

So I suspect that the heater coil is bad but I don't think that would have any thing to do with the antifreeze draning when the truck is shut off. While running the reserve stays full and it doesn't seem to drop after the truck is shut off.

 

If he is taking jabs at you just jab him in the nose. That will quite him! He drives a Chebbie so I take it hes not real tuff LOL. Couldnt resist

 

Sounds like a heater core. You'll see the lines going through the firewall. Pull the rubber off, pull the cover off the core, on mine it is behind the glove box. Pull out the old core and put in a new one. Should take about 20 mins. Temporary fix to make it driveable is to pull the lines off the core and put a nipple in between. It might be cold in the truck, so get some mittens.

 

Don't be so serious--I'm not. It is so hard to fix things on the phone.

 

Would the heater core cause the leak under the truck as well?

 

You can't change a heater core in one of these trucks, (97-03) in 20 mins, trust me, I know.

 

Yeah, I know better than to believe that. Thankfully I have today off.

I decided to do some more investigation. I'm not completely convinced that it's the heater core. It is something to do with the heating system and antifreeze. I can turn the truck on and let it run with no leaks, I can turn the heater on and let it run with no leaks, the second I turn off the heater it starts leaking outside the truck behind the right front passenger wheel. It will leak like a line is discharging then it will stop leaking.

Edit: So I'm not hijacking this thread for my own problem : https://www.f150online.com/forums/19...nd-engine.html

 

Ford used regular worm clamps at the heater core hose connections back by the firewall. They eventually leak but only under certain pressure conditions.

Still, those are usually easy to find as the connection remains loose and wet.

But Like I said before, these trucks are known to leak at the O-rings/hardline connection behind the water pump. This fills the block cavity with coolant. The coolant leaches out at the passenger side rear by the bulkhead (trans).

 

So after a few hours of crawling around in the snow and cold, I finally gave up any hope of finding the leaks origin. Took it to a local shop that said they'd look for free. Jury came back a few minutes ago with the most likely cause being the Hardline out of the back of the block, either to or from the heater core. He was 85% confident, the other 15% was the possibility of an extreamly blown headgasket.



Can anyone offer some advice on the best way to get to the back of the block in order to work on these hardlines?



Much thanks!