Can't find leak
- Thread starter Jimmy
- Start date
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GEN 3 SHO FAN
SHO Member
1) Where it falls under the car (i.e. near driver wheel, passenger wheel, front bumper, etc.) ?
2) Do you have an impact with the car ? I have a side impact on the front fender and parts absorbing the choc transmit torsion to the side of the rad which begin to leak after that (small leak). I have to replace the rad...
Things to watch (not all but start with these, as others owners will have other ideas) :
A) If it's near passenger front wheel, check the big coolant hose (2-2.5 inch diam.) going to radiator (at his bottom, on the passenger side). There is a "T" on it, one of the branchs have a factory "pressed" metal hose clamp (very near of the T). This clamp rust rapidely and may fail (heat+salt+water you know the story).
B) If it's good (I strongly suggest to replace it anyway by cutting it putting a strong metal hose part and enter it at each end and put real hose clamps at each end 2x2), Follow the big hose going to rad, check the hose clamp this clamp. Mine on my Taurus LX fail this fall (exactly the same for SHO) and created a big leak because this hose contain a lot of coolant and it's placed at the bottom of the cooling system (2-3 liters loss per hours). This clamp is very difficult to reach, it's just behind the radiator at his far bottom. And to give some challenge, it's a clamp without screw, the one you need tongs to retreive. I replaced it by the front retreiving front bumper cover, rad supports, all 2 rads. If you're not familiar with the car, it's a job for a mechanic. Maybe a mechanic can have a trick to go there by a simplier way...
However, the check up is easy, if it's one of them, the leak will be near before the front passenger wheel. You don't have to retreive any splash guard. Just take a flashlight and look at the jonction of the 2 splash guards (wheel well and the one under the front of the car).
C) The coolant tank will fail at the bottom where you can see it.... I have this problem at around 135k with my LX too. But you will hear it loosing pressure when the motor is hot. Easy to check too, watch if parts under the tank are wet and if you hear a medium psssssss noise when turning off the motor (you will heard it without opening hood). You already check this probably (I put it anyway for futures owners having prob).
Keep us informed, good luck,
2) Do you have an impact with the car ? I have a side impact on the front fender and parts absorbing the choc transmit torsion to the side of the rad which begin to leak after that (small leak). I have to replace the rad...
Things to watch (not all but start with these, as others owners will have other ideas) :
A) If it's near passenger front wheel, check the big coolant hose (2-2.5 inch diam.) going to radiator (at his bottom, on the passenger side). There is a "T" on it, one of the branchs have a factory "pressed" metal hose clamp (very near of the T). This clamp rust rapidely and may fail (heat+salt+water you know the story).
B) If it's good (I strongly suggest to replace it anyway by cutting it putting a strong metal hose part and enter it at each end and put real hose clamps at each end 2x2), Follow the big hose going to rad, check the hose clamp this clamp. Mine on my Taurus LX fail this fall (exactly the same for SHO) and created a big leak because this hose contain a lot of coolant and it's placed at the bottom of the cooling system (2-3 liters loss per hours). This clamp is very difficult to reach, it's just behind the radiator at his far bottom. And to give some challenge, it's a clamp without screw, the one you need tongs to retreive. I replaced it by the front retreiving front bumper cover, rad supports, all 2 rads. If you're not familiar with the car, it's a job for a mechanic. Maybe a mechanic can have a trick to go there by a simplier way...
However, the check up is easy, if it's one of them, the leak will be near before the front passenger wheel. You don't have to retreive any splash guard. Just take a flashlight and look at the jonction of the 2 splash guards (wheel well and the one under the front of the car).
C) The coolant tank will fail at the bottom where you can see it.... I have this problem at around 135k with my LX too. But you will hear it loosing pressure when the motor is hot. Easy to check too, watch if parts under the tank are wet and if you hear a medium psssssss noise when turning off the motor (you will heard it without opening hood). You already check this probably (I put it anyway for futures owners having prob).
Keep us informed, good luck,
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