Coolant leak

I have a 94 escort that I must keep running for work. I am a single woman and do not want to be taken advantage of. My coolant leaks and the leak is not minor. I also only know how to pour the coolant inot the refill container and not the primary place. I am a smart woman but I know nothing about cars. The coolant is being refilled every 2 to 3 days and I have had several different opinions. I just want to get the problem fixed before something goes wrong. Any suggestions?:banghead:

You should be able to take the car to someone (a mechanic) who can do a pressure check of the cooling system. This involves using a hand pump and an adapter for the radiator cap, to pump the system up to 16 psi, while the engine is stopped, and looking for where it leaks out. It wont be free, but learning where the coolant is leaking from is a vital first step. If the first place you go to tells you they dont have the equipment to do a pressure check, ask them where you Would be able to have it done. You shouldnt need to take it to a dealer; the Stant pressure testers are not that expensive, though the adapter to fit the filler neck of an Escort radiator costs about $60.
I will try to send you a priv. msg with more info about cooling system leaks on Escorts. It would help for us to know which engine you have; the 1.9 liter or the 1.8 liter (that was the optional engine).

Any good independent or a radiator shop should be able to check this out for you. Ask for a quote on the price before they do the job. If the engine smokes in the morning get a gas analysis at a radiator shop it could be a blown head gasket.
Probably just a leaking hose,water pump or radiator.

Smart Woman. If this was my car my advice would be to FIRST. Have someone look for the leak with it running both hot and cold. Fix anything simple like a hose/clamp.Buy and put a can of Bar's Leaks Sealer in the RAD. NOT the overflow. Or get someone to do it. Obviouslly NEVER remove the rad cap on a hot engine. NEVER EVER put the kind of sealer in that is in a cube or has aluminum in it. If the Bar's leaks does it buy and keep another can and some coolant with you.
Coolant leaks can sometimes be the end of the car. Depends on the car and the age. There can be a few spots and if they get one and another one starts or is missed. Sometimes it is impossible to tell.
Escorts are simply not known for coolant leaks..unlike many other cars. If an Escort has a coolant leak perhaps it has been overheated or has not had the antifreeze changed every few years. Or a heater core leak.
I would forget about the pressure test. If they can't see the leak with the engine running cold and hot and THEN again under a "hot soak" condition what good will it do to more than likely OVER pressurize the cooling system with he test (very common)((while looking)) and more than likely make the leak worse. If the leak is internal you don't need to spend extra money to find this out then more than likely make the problem worse.
Think before you go ahead with a head gasket job. Not usually the best of plans on a 15 y/o economy car. IF that is the ONLY problem does the job unclude a whole pile of other stuff that should be done with a head gasket job? Probablly not. Usually better to bite the bullet and get another cheap Escort.
Bars Leaks.

From my own experience, I would avoid adding any kind of "stop leak" into the coolant. It stopped the leak, but it wasn't long before the radiator was plugged up and a variety of other problems followed.
The leak should be easy to find on that engine if checked by someone that knows what to look for.
Have you noticed a puddle under the car after it sits for awhile?
Have you checked the oil dipstick? If coolant is leaking into your oil through the head gasket then you should have some funky looking goo on your dipstick.
My guess is that your problem will be at the intake manifold. I have seen a number of these manifolds get severely pitted where the coolant comes into contact with it. The car is old enough to have a good leak develop there. This area on the intake manifold right between cylinders 3 and 4... just above the starter. Probably easiest to see from under the car with a flashlight, but pretty easy to reach and feel for wetness if not afraid of getting a little dirty.

I would have to think that if she's really leaking that much coolant, then it should be obvious by now as to where the leak is. That and stop leak isn't going to sure a leak that big. It would be helpful if you could say exactly where underneath the car it seems to be dripping from. I.E.- is it very close to the front of the car? Or is it back a couple of feet and to one side?

If it were the heater core, I'm sure she would be complaining about coolant being inside the car or nasty fumes, so I think we can rule that out.

How many miles are on the car?