Low Coolant.......AGAIN!

[CTOESHO]

I got in the SHO today and the low coolant light came on. The last time this happened was when my head gaskets blew. But since then, I've had my head gaskets replaced and 60K tune up done. Does anyone elses SHO eat coolant like this? I did have to top it off the coolant a few times after all of my maintence, but haven't touched it in a while. How do I know if I'm leaking coolant, I don't think I've seen anything drip under the car. Thanks

Mike
93MTX

 

[slosho]

Is there white smoke coming from the exhaust? If so then you have got another major problem. I hope you have a warranty for the replacement head gaskets!

 

[94ShoOff]

Sounds normal to have to top it off after the maintenance. Are you low now? It probably is your sensor in the overflow container. These are notorious for giving false readings, you just have to clean it out.

 

[fredhurderjr]

I had a leak in the radiator that didn't show until the guys doing my clutch, quaife & flywheel noticed it. I never saw a puddle, just "low coolant" all the time.

 

[thebetterman]

my low coolant light comes on only after its been siting for a cold night. After driving for a whileit warms up if turn the enging off and restart it the light goes off.

------------------
1992 Silver MTX
Completely Stock

 

[OzzmanNT]

Yeah that friggin light will not go off no matter what until you restart the engine (microsoft did you have something to do with the insturment cluster?!?!?)

It's a bastard too, and loves to give false readings

------------------
1998 Burgandy SHO (Tan/Mocha leather)
K&N panel filter
Mobil 1 5W-30 Synthetic Oil
Cool Blue headlights (much brighter than stock and look much better)
OBD-II diagnostic Module (this thing is schweet)
Installing ride control switch soon
Upcoming Mods:
-Borla Exhaust (working with a local muffler shop on this)
-Paint brake capilers (or polish them)
-Colgan Bra
-SHO lettering on the doors
-Upgrade intake system
-and probally a few more as I think of them.
OzzmanNT( mailto[email protected][email protected]</A> AIM: OzzmanSHO)

 

[RStalveyARFF]

could also be that the sensor is gunked up. Mine will go on whenever so I unplugged it. Even if the resevoir is full it will go on.

 

[batchman]

Weepy water pump gaskets are common on our cars. I have this (I think) and have had constant slow coolant use for 117k miles.

When this gasket leaks it does so on the crank position sensor. This can cause a flaky stall that will immediately restart. If it happens when you've declutched (say for an exit ramp) it can sure surprise you. FWIW this has happened on ours around 6 times. Actually it happened to my wife because I don't freewheel...

I plan to do the water pump and sensor at upcoming 2nd 60k.

HTH,
- Jeff

 

[sdpatt]

The sensor is easy to clean. Just pull the sensor from the expansion bottle and use emory paper to clean the deposits from the two metal tabs at the bottom of the stalk. The sensor detects the presence of coolant by passing a current through the gap between the tabs. If the tabs are caked with deposits - no current - LOW COOLANT light on.

------------------
Scott

1991, 252K miles, glass hood, police grill, SVO shifter, Catz fogs,
K&N, 73mm MAF, Superchip, PP Y-pipe, Borla cat-back, 190 lph pump
Eibach/Tokico/polyurethane, SHO Shop front & rear strut braces,
16x7.5" Moda R1, 225/55ZR16 Bridgestone RE730, -1 deg camber x 4,
Class II hitch, Silver award at the SHOklahoma Car Show

[This message has been edited by sdpatt (edited 10-27-2001).]

 

[CTOESHO]

The thing is, when I look down into the overflow container, the coolant level is actually low. So I don't think it's a sensor problem. So my only guess is that I'm either leaking coolant somwhere, or my SHO drinks coolant for fun.

Mike
93MTX

 

[batchman]

(sound of eating words)

Looks like I actually have a leak, couldn't see anything until tonight's cold temps made a little vapor trail....

(munch munch)
- Jeff

 

[Rob94]

LOL.....need any catsup with those letters

J/K....hope the leak isn't too serious

------------------
Rob
White 94MTX
Stock

 

[SHOfear]

About every week I have to refill the coolant in my car. It eats it like a fat kid in a candy store. I don't, however, see any puddles forming under my car, or smoke out my exhaust. My water pump was just replaced, and it still sucks coolant,so it wasn't that. I have no idea what it is, but I am spending a fortune in coolant (well, not anymore, the SHO has been stored for winter). I would hate to come back after the winter is over and see my car froze because I am leaking coolant. Anyone know what might be the problem?

Steve

 

[CTOESHO]

Originally posted by SHOfear:
About every week I have to refill the coolant in my car. It eats it like a fat kid in a candy store.

Steve

hAhAhA! I'm still laughing

Mike
93MTX

 

[munkee]

I had a problem with the spring type hose clamp sliding down on the hose that goes into ( or out of, I don't know yet) the engine right above the thermostat line. It took me forever to figure out where the coolant was going. The hose never popped off, the coolant would just leak out when it was running. A screw type hose clamp fixed that problem.

------------------
"It's not just the speed, it's how well you handle it."

 

[NotoriusCSR]

(ownz SHOfear)
hah, i gotta put more coolant in every 2 days cause the ******* MORONS at the ford dealership cant do ANYTHING right. they gunked up the sensor at first, fixed that, but somehow when they did that they put a hole in the coolant line, fixed that, and now i dont know what they did and i just leak like mad (in the time it takes to fill up at a gas station i can put a puddle 2 ft in diameter on the ground of coolant). luckily everything that gets done on my car now is free whether it was their fault or not so i cant complain too much. i just need a reason to get them to put a new transmision in....

 

[nothingtoseehere]

There is a little o-ring on the back side of the waterpump housing that attactches to the block, if you disturb the placement of the o-ring when replacing the waterpump, it will leak from there. Cars don't "eat" antifreeze, if the coolant is in fact low and the sensor is ok, there IS a leak somewhere.

-RANDY-

[This message has been edited by RCADDELL (edited 11-18-2001).]

 

[SHO94]

I thought my new water pump was leaking on me and today I removed the left front tire and wheel well cover to get a better view of the water pump. I noticed that there was coolant coming from the bottom hose and it was blowing back on the crank pully making it look like the water pump. I remove the hose only to find that this is a dealer item only. I put the "bad" hose back on the car so I could get it into the garage until I was able to get a hose. I be dammed if it stopped leaking. The hose clamp was tight when I removed it and I only have 7802 miles on the hose and water pump. I guess the clamp must have come loose and slid down the hose a small ammount. I am just glad that my water pump is ok.

------------------
SHO94

[This message has been edited by SHO94 (edited 11-18-2001).]

 

[jimbobzsho]

Originally posted by SHOfear:
About every week I have to refill the coolant in my car. It eats it like a fat kid in a candy store. I don't, however, see any puddles forming under my car, or smoke out my exhaust. My water pump was just replaced, and it still sucks coolant,so it wasn't that. I have no idea what it is, but I am spending a fortune in coolant (well, not anymore, the SHO has been stored for winter). I would hate to come back after the winter is over and see my car froze because I am leaking coolant. Anyone know what might be the problem?

Steve

Hey watch the fat joke's lol lol

------------------
LET'S GO FOR A RIDE

 

[Wizner]

I know exactly what you are experiencing. I have been losing coolant (about a quart and a half every 100 miles) since October. So far the dealer has replaced the coolant reservoir, the radiator cap and the water pump. I took it back yet again yesterday. They performed a pressure test and a dye test of the cooling system and the oil. All inconclusive. They found a small amount of antifreeze on two of the sparks plugs. All of this leads to no firm evidence and the warranty company won't allow the dealer to replace the head gasket. The official Ford position is there has never been a problem with the head gaskets in the SHO. I have another dealer researching this for me, but am appealing to my SHO brethren for advice and counsel.

Any thoughts?