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99 Vulcan Coolant Leaks Where?

4K views 12 replies 6 participants last post by  BillSF9c 
#1 ·
Doing my best to search out Taurus Cooling System Leaks before I ask. Before finding & joining, I have found MUCH, but insufficient. Checked Forum EZ Topic Locator. Read recent chenripp leak thread.

Patient is an 04/98 (99?) w a Vulcan EFI... 1FAFP52U3WD22xxxx
Stepson tested it alone "around the block and it ran ok." I suspect it totally lacked coolant. (Pregnant single mom may not have known.) With a water-refill, there's no "smoke." Drove it a gentle 5 mi to my house... seemed fine. Refilled slowly while running, once lifted 6", & got under.

Leaks at ~1 Qt a minute in total, from seemingly 2 places. ONE is an oem hole in the bottom of the starter (I think a starter,) and TWO seems to be from around a 1" dia shaft. I can barely see it, up ~6", in a 1/8" gap between what might be the engine to transmission. Both are 18-24" back from the radiator.

Silver paint seems to attest to a "new" water pump at some point. 1+" further from the water pump, onto which the pump is bolted, I spy a rusted junction - perhaps that's the timing cover? It spits out no OBD Codes.

Wrenching is frowned upon here thus I need to be as expediant as possible, so I'd like an idea(s) of the probability of the leak location(s) so as to prep. He wants to pour Blue Devil something in it and pray. It doesn't seem like THAT kind of leak. Heh heh! ;>/

TIA - BillSF9c
 
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#3 ·
Having a tough time getting a mental picture of the '1" dia shaft', can you post pics or better yet video of the leak? The thermostat housing is above the starter, it's possible you have a leak just above the top of the bell housing that's finding it's way down but unfortunately the description sounds more like a freeze plug.
 
#4 ·
Welcome to the forum. Pictures would really help as it's hard to know from your description where it's leaking from. It sounds like timing cover and possible the leaking coolant is finding it's way around to other areas making it look like you have more leaks. The car should not be driven at all if it's losing coolant that fast and hope that the engine has not already been damaged from excessive heat. If you're not familiar with this type of wrenching or don't have a place to work on it I would say this is a job for your local mechanic.
 
#5 ·
Ok - that's 2 for freeze plug and 1 1/2 for timing cover. Can't really drop an engine here. Timing cover - I maybe can sleuth it a bit. Wonder what will gain me a better view...? Hmmm... 8 more posts before I can even think of seeing if anyone local wants to buy it, LOL! *HE* should not have bought this alone. Thanks, ALL!!!! ;>) BillSF9c San 'Frisco Area.
 
#6 ·
Oh, and vote 1 for the thermostat housing, being above the starter. But this is not rolling around the outside of the starter, but coming from within it. On a "regular car," I see that as meaning from the bellhousing & starter gear. On this, I cannot concieve, it being a Pernandal tranny, as Zaa Zaa would say... PRNDL... LOL! But that's only 1/2 of the leak. How the starter survived, I dunno - but it seems fine. Starts and runs fine...!
 
#7 ·
If it's a freeze plug, how does it get into the starter, also?
Is there a decent online explosion of this engine trans?
I have found <https://www.2carpros.com/forum/automotive_pictures/266999_front_1.jpg>
within
<https://www.google.ca/search?q=ford+taurus+water+leak&lr=&sa=X&biw=1440&bih=772&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&ved=0ahUKEwiHlfXv8r7NAhVT02MKHSu1BGUQsAQIRA>
within
<https://www.google.ca/search?q=ford+taurus+water+leak&lr=&biw=1440&bih=772&source=lnms&sa=X&sqi=2&pjf=1&ved=0ahUKEwidnrPj8r7NAhUI42MKHVNuA8QQ_AUICygA&dpr=1>
and looked at all the images that blow up some areas.
SPECIAL NOTICE is to certain bolts that REQUIRE anti-leak (I LOVE Permatex #2)
OR REQUIRE a "LocTite" type assist.
The images might help someone else, but non explode the engine/trans enough to allow me to discern the mating, et al...
Such as where the starter bolts and connect NEAR w water conduit. Plugging away on ReCon...
BillSF9c
 
#9 ·
I'd go to Autozone and use their loan-a-tool program to rent a pressure tester. My 99 vulcan taurus was leaking coolant as well and I couldn't find out where until I hooked up a pressure tester to the overflow tank and after a few pumps it started flowing like a river out of the timing cover, my timing cover gasket was shot. Just a thought.
 
#10 ·
Thank you Jag, & Cloud...
I've no need to pressurize it for the leak to occur, or even to have it running.

It sounds more and more like a freeze plug. (It never freezes where I am - LOL! Irony - )

NOW, if the leak is not TOO bad (which it maybe IS - I can consider a call to Blue Devil and see if they would suggest a can - O - goop, by whatever name.

I've recharged the dead battery overnight & will move it where i can at least have it close to my house and look better - IF I can figure what to remove for a better look-see. Pics into a 1/8" gap for the elusive " 1" dia shaft" seem suilly, as a human eye cannot get a good view. But I'll double check... 1 wheel on the curb, one on 2 2x8's, so my svelte bod can squeeze under decently.

"TANKs" again, guys!

BillSF9c - 'Frisco Way
 
#11 ·
Not gonna recommend you trying to fix this with a sealer good change of the clogging up other parts with the same action.
 
#12 ·
Jag, I am familair w general car wrenching, and cannot see ANY way a water leak evidences out of what I "assume" to be a starter (way bottom of the eng/trans unit,) or why a starter would have ANY, much less such a huge "weep-hole.".. that a flattened BB (.177") could almost fit through it.

Side Note: BlueDevil says, a freeze plug may be in a block, but their Head Gasket stuff is the product - BUT the leak in question ought not exceed a Qt in 50 minutes, the general duration which they want the engibe run during sealing. This leak seems to be a Qt a minute, and evidences from 2 places, seemingly.

If half of the battle is knowing/seeing" your enemy, I am in deep stuff. I miss the days of, "No Cherry picker to do a rebuild? Just drop the tie rods and oil pan, and proceed." Not ~"Drop the engine / transmission unit and lift the unibody off..." My garage is just not available.

BillSF9c
 
#13 ·
Tom - I understand sealer-use concerns... I called them as the product descriptions are lacking. The Blog has more. The freeze plug fix they say wants Head Gasket Sealer, and for curiousities' sake, works like this... It senses a change in temperature, to seal. It seems backwards to me, as a headgasket would want to seal hot water going into a hotter combustion chamber, and in a freeze plug, you go from hot water to to cold... but that's what the fellow said. He definately wasn't the chatty type. "Why Head Sealant? A freeze plug seems like a "block" issue." "Because the formula is different." (Well, Duh!) Pulling teeth even with specific questions. But for anyone "buying goop," this company seems to have high tech goop...

Thanks all!!! BillSF9c
 
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