How am I supposed to reach this clamp?

[Windstartled]

My 2000 Winnie has developed a massive coolant leak once again, took me two days of lying underneath the van to pinpoint the source, had to use a scuba diving mask to look up while antifreeze dripping on my face.

Finally found the cause a few hours ago. It's at the connecting point between one of the metal tubes that come out of the water pump and a rubber hose near the firewall on the passenger side. The clamp appears to have become loose and coolant is gushing out.

Unfortunately access to this clamp is extremely difficult, it is located too low and far back to even be seen from above. It can be seen from below but the area is so cluttered that I can only touch it with one finger after snaking my arm through suspension parts. Is there a way to do this minor repair without taking half the engine apart just to get at it?

[tempfixit]

Originally Posted by Windstartled

My 2000 Winnie has developed a massive coolant leak once again, took me two days of lying underneath the van to pinpoint the source, had to use a scuba diving mask to look up while antifreeze dripping on my face.

Finally found the cause a few hours ago. It's at the connecting point between one of the metal tubes that come out of the water pump and a rubber hose near the firewall on the passenger side. The clamp appears to have become loose and coolant is gushing out.

Unfortunately access to this clamp is extremely difficult, it is located too low and far back to even be seen from above. It can be seen from below but the area is so cluttered that I can only touch it with one finger after snaking my arm through suspension parts. Is there a way to do this minor repair without taking half the engine apart just to get at it?

Just suggestions. Would removing cowl help to reach from top or remove wheel and access fron side???

[12Ounce]

Definitely remove the wipers and cowling. If it is a spring clamp, I suggest you obtain proper removal/installation tool .... a "pair of pliers, cable, remote tool" thingey....I got mine from Sears.

[Windstartled]

Originally Posted by 12Ounce

Definitely remove the wipers and cowling. If it is a spring clamp, I suggest you obtain proper removal/installation tool .... a "pair of pliers, cable, remote tool" thingey....I got mine from Sears.

Thank you both for your suggestions. I should have specified that I had removed the cowl and the passenger side wheel. Removing the cowl might have helped if the clamp wasn't that low and far back but as it is the only sort of access is from underneath.

It is indeed a spring clamp and i had been wondering if there wasn't some sort of tool that would make this easier, will definitely check at Sears for it. In the meantime I have sprayed some Permatex on the bottom and sides of the tubes but can't reach the top so there is still some water dripping but at least it's not gushing anymore. I filled the system with water 'cause I can't afford $100 worth of antifreeze every week, and the fumes are far less obnoxious. Once the leak is fixed I'll flush the system thoroughly and refill with antifreeze. Metal tubes are already rusty anyway, and I intend to replace them along with the water pump this summer, so using water is not really a concern. But I want this fixed asap.

[12Ounce]

At least dump in several spoonfuls of baking soda to minimize the acid (rust) formation.

[Windstartled]

Originally Posted by 12Ounce

At least dump in several spoonfuls of baking soda to minimize the acid (rust) formation.

Done, thanks for the tip. It even stopped leaking completely after I dumped the cow dust into it, and it holds pressure

[Windstartled]

Finally found how to access the tube from above. All I have to do is remove the cowl, remove the steering wheel and remove the instrument panel, which will allow me to remove the windshield defrost duct. That duct is what is preventing easy access to the work area. Can't say I'm excited over the prospect of spending a whole day taking all of this stuff apart just so I can replace a silly clip but I don't seem to have much of a choice. The shop manual is not clear as to why one must remove the instrument panel in order to remove this duct, doesn't make a whole lotta sense to me.

[12Ounce]

Point One: In 2007 I replaced all (ALL) the coolant hoses on my '99 ... just cause. I do remember some tight locations .... and, Oh, the engine was removed! Maybe that made a difference. But even with the engine in place, I believe I could manage it ... with some difficulty.

Point Two: All these hoses that go thru the firewall are there for cabin heating and window demisting. If you can live a while without this just jumber the whole business out. Plugging the whole system off will give you some time without having to worry about the leak.

[wiswind]

A good coolant to use would be either Motorcraft GOLD or Zerex G-05 (same thing).
It can be a little hard to find outside of the dealership......but it is out there.
If it does not say that it IS G-05 on the label (non-Motorcraft Gold), then it is NOT G-05.

[Windstartled]

Originally Posted by 12Ounce

Point One: In 2007 I replaced all (ALL) the coolant hoses on my '99 ... just cause. I do remember some tight locations .... and, Oh, the engine was removed! Maybe that made a difference.

Duh!

Actually I am seriously considering hoisting the engine out later this Spring but obviously not with the sole purpose of plugging a leak. For starters I need to replace both exhaust manifolds and while some say this can be done with the engine in place, I noticed the conspicuous absence of the word "easily"

If I do this I will also replace the water pump and install the third bolt on the new tensioner, a feat that seems impossible to accomplish with the engine in the vehicle. I will also install new engine/tranny mounts and bushings. While I'm at it I may as well replace all rubber hoses. For this I will go to a DIY shop for access to engine hoist, lift and special tools.

But even with the engine in place, I believe I could manage it ... with some difficulty.

What I could manage this evening... with some difficulty, was to coat the area where the leak is with a liberal amount of hi-temp waterproof silicone, the red stuff. While it is very hard to see the clamp from above because it's hidden behind and below the large power steering hose, I found it relatively easy to inspect it by touch. It turns out the clamp is not loose at all, but there appears to be a tiny hole on the metal tube where it meets the rubber hose. My first intention was to release the clamp and slide the rubber hose further up the metal tube so that it covers the hole but this can't be done with just one hand and no visual. And even without the clamp the hoses are fitted way too tightly to be moved by hand. The metal tube itself is part of the water pump, I mean it cannot be separated from the pump.

Point Two: All these hoses that go thru the firewall are there for cabin heating and window demisting. If you can live a while without this just jumber the whole business out. Plugging the whole system off will give you some time without having to worry about the leak.

It leaked even with heat off, is there a way to prevent coolant from flowing through that particular tube?

Finally I have a suggestion for Ford and other manufacturers of vehicles whose engine bay is too small for the size of the engine: pleased think about installing a hatch through the firewall to give access to all the parts located on the right side of the engine.

[12Ounce]

Originally Posted by Windstartled

.......
It leaked even with heat off, is there a way to prevent coolant from flowing through that particular tube?..........

Years ago, cabin heat was controlled by varying the coolant flow ... Ford hasn't done it this way for a long while. Nowadays, the coolant flows thru the heater coils "all the time" the engine runs. So hot water is always in the heater coil as you drive about. The temp in the cabin is modified by controlling how much of the cabin air flows through, or is diverted around, the heater coil. Just think, as you park your car on a hot summer day, that (those) heater coils are sitting there ... making the car cabin even hotter for your return!!

The coolant that is used in the cabin is a single exterior hose-loop as far as the engine is concerned. The loop begins at the water pump ... and returns to the lower intake manifold at the tranny-end of the engine. As I mentioned, you could jumper this whole business ... adding a new hose that mimics the cabin loop. Or, you could just cut and plug the hose near the water pump ... and cut and plug the hose that returns to the other end of the engine. Either way, the cooling system of the engine will continue to work just fine ... whether the loop is maintained or eliminated!

[Windstartled]

I fixed it, should be good until I get the engine out in a couple months. To get to the hose I had to disconnect the power steering hose and two water hoses, remove the cowl and remove two air intakes. The metal tube was corroded through near the fitting and since there was a bit of slack left in the heater hose I cut two inches off the metal tube (the corroded part) and clamped the hose on the stump. I thought it would still leak a little but it doesn't and it holds pressure. This weekend I'm flushing the system and replacing tap water with distilled water for the time being.