My '97 F150 4X4; 4.6l is dripping antifreeze and I'm pretty sure it's the expansion tank.

I was hoping the radiator was a "real" one without the plastic expansion tanks, but a Ford dealer mechanic I spoke to at the local pub says they aren't.

So, it appears it can't be fixed and I'll have to buy a new one.

Any idea how much a new one is (ballpark) and where I can find one for reasonable cost?

Also, can I change it myself without having to disconnect the AC unit in front of the radiator?

Thanks in advance.

 

it takes but a few minutes to pull the radiator. you will have to disconnect the trans cooler that runs through the radiator though. not the a/c. you might want to bring it to a radiator shop and have them pressure test it. mine looked like it was leaking from the gasket on the plastic end but it turned out to be a tube very close and was repairable. only a few bucks and i was ready to go. it is really hard to tell where the leak is unless you pressure some air and submerge it in water. let us know what happens.

 

Still in the process of checking this deal out; rad. only seems to leak intermittantly. This winter I drove over a signpost and perhaps that did some damage underneath I didn't see.

Anyway, gonna pull the panel off the grille/radiator this weekend and see if I can spot where it's leaking.

Found a new radiator locally for $197, so that's not a big deal. And from what you say, it shouldn't be a big deal to pull rad and change it. Gotta change oil anyway this weekend, so hopefully I can get the sucker to leak while I'm lying underneath it.

Will keep you posted.

 

I'm sure you can find an aftermarket 4 core radiator that fits. That should give you better cooling capacity should you need it in the future.

 

Don't worry, it's simple. Remove plastic radiator cover, 2 bolts on the shroud and slip it back over the fan, remove 2 AT cooler lines (expect about 1/2 cup AT fluid), drain radiator and remove the 2 hoses, then remove the 2 radiator hold downs. The radiator then just sits in 2 big rubber grommets and pulls right out. Reverse order and you're set. I like to tape cardboard on the rear fins of the radiator to protect from the fan blades and tools.

 

I've had tank gaskets replaced at a rad shop, cost 15-20 dollars.

 

Well after nursing this leaky POS for a while, I finally bit the bullet and bought a new radiator; paid about $230 for it, which I didn't think was too bad.

Ain't much to these radiators: all aluminum with plastic expansion tanks.

Wasn't too difficult to change; took about an hour and a half.

Glad I didn't pay someone else to do it anyway.

No runs, no drips; no errors!