Puzzling [coolant leak]

[B. Wilson]

My 2001 Taurus 3.0 OVC has an antifreeze leak somewhere!! But only sometimes!! It's not inside the car, there is no wet carpet or anything like that, it's definitely under the hood. But I can't find the leak!

When I look for the leak after getting the engine hot, I can't find one. The reservoir will be almost empty, but the antifreeze isn't squirting from anywhere. I know it's not burning the antifreeze, there is no white smoke. After the car sits for a few days, there will be a large-pizza-sized puddle under the water pump side of the engine. There are days when there is no evidence of a leak at all. But then I'll check the reservoir, and it will be empty.

I've seen in previous posts where the reservoir bottle is known to crack/leak easily. But I still can't get the thing to leak for me when I look for them. Any ideas???

[shorod]

You could try a pressure tester on the system. This way you can pressurize the system even when the engine/coolant is cold and see where the coolant leaks from. If the pressure drops you have a leak and you should be able to spot coolant trickling out.

-Rod

[Doug Tatham]

I have the same vehicle and ran into the same problem. There is a tee to the right of the water pump off one of the main coolant hoses. Two large and one small connection. The small connection cracked and it only leaks when the system is under pressure and circulating. It's very hard to catch the leak, even with it idling. I chased it for a couple weeks before I wrapped a paper towel around it and some duct tape. After a week I removed the "bandaid" and the green stains on the paper towel told the tale. The hose assembly runs almost two hundred dollars. I got a stainless steel double hose barb, drilled a hole in the middle, tapped it, threaded in a 1/4 brass hosebarb and repaired the connection.

[B. Wilson]

Thanks, Doug, for the info. Is this tee fitting part of the lower radiator hose?? How hard is it to get to this connection?? Is there an easy way? Anything I should look out for, replacing/repairing this piece??

[Colt Hero]

Doug Tatham,

Are you talking about THIS hose?

http://www1.autozone.com/autozone/parts/2001-Ford-Taurus/Hose-Lower/_/N-jfagnZ8gdeb[/url]

Maybe my '97 is leaking the same way. Hadn't suspected this hose at all up to now. I've got the empty plastic coolant tank syndrome, too. I was thinking it's going through the engine and out the exhaust. I THINK I see remnants of white smoke, but I'm not certain of that. No sign of leaks in the engine compartment, no leaks on the ground. But every time I get out of the car I can smell a whiff of coolant (but it MIGHT be the hose you're talking about)