radiator leak?

My 73k mile 87 Ranger has some cooling problems. The problem I have is that after changing the thermostat, flushing, and changing the coolant my truck after about a week the coolant level in the radiator droped. After adding coolant twice over a two week period it continued to drop so I purchased radiator stop leak. The tempurature level was fine for about a week then the same problem continued. Does it require mechanical repair or is there something I am overlooking that can stop this problem. Please point me in the right direction on what I need to do.

Thank You,
Matt Caton

My 73k mile 87 Ranger has some cooling problems. The problem I have is that after changing the thermostat, flushing, and changing the coolant my truck after about a week the coolant level in the radiator droped. After adding coolant twice over a two week period it continued to drop so I purchased radiator stop leak. The tempurature level was fine for about a week then the same problem continued. Does it require mechanical repair or is there something I am overlooking that can stop this problem. Please point me in the right direction on what I need to do.

Thank You,
Matt Caton


Check the oil for water, you may have a cracked a head.

Do you smell antifreeze? Is there a visible leak? Do you see white unusual smoke from the tail pipe? You need to give better info to receive a better resolution. Check these things, because it could be a number of problems...

yes i do smell antifreeze while driving especially when the heater is on. and also for the first 10-15 mins of driving smoke comes from the tail pipe

yes i do smell antifreeze while driving especially when the heater is on. and also for the first 10-15 mins of driving smoke comes from the tail pipe
You need to check your heater core. If you live in a cold climate you will see white smoke for a while. Big clouds of smoke are bad. That could indicate a defective head gasket. If the smoke diminishes in a short time, there is usually nothing to worry about. Seems to be a heater core.

thnak you very much for the advice. how much on average would a heater core cost and is it to hard to change or would it require bringing it to a shop.

thnak you very much for the advice. how much on average would a heater core cost and is it to hard to change or would it require bringing it to a shop.
The heater core should be no more than $50.00. You can definitely do the job yourself. The hardest part is gettting under the dash on the passenger side. This is a very easy job.