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Low heat and coolant leak from front of engine.


91supercab

91supercab

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Just thought I'd get your guys opinion on this matter. I bought this truck from my uncle a few years ago and have been battling low heat issues pretty much the entire time. I replaced the temp sensor and thermostat a couple years ago and got a little heat but not much. Just from reading I'm thinking I have a few things going on. First off i can't exactly tell where the coolant is coming from but it appears to leak all the time. Even when sitting overnight. It mainly drips off the pass side beam right in the center where it bolts in. I'm thinking maybe water pump. Also could explain the fact that the trucks temp gauge never gets much above C. Also I think maybe the clutch might need to be replaced on the fan. I don't notice any loud roaring really....but it always sounds the same. Btw before some one says it...the truck acts the exact same no matter if it's low on coolant or full. Heat is now different either way. Just kind of Luke warm. Also there is no antifreeze in the oil as I keep it changed religiously at 3k mi. Haven't really noticed any oil in the antifreeze but can't say for sure as I have only been adding more.

Any more input ? Or does it seem like I'm headed in the right direction? I think I'm going to replace all the parts listed along with another new thermostat , and new cap. Hoses have all been replaced right before I bought it.
 


91supercab

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Here's a pic..in this pic...left is pass side and right is drivers. You can clearly see a few drips of antifreeze bellow the ac compressor bracket. It's weird though because everything looks dry up top. Even everywhere around the water pump. I'm actually kind of stumped now. It actually wasn't all that low either and I havenr added in quite some time.
 
JP02XLT

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Your leak is most likely from the timing chain cover, a wonderful design that has a very minimal gasket setting on a knife edge web on the cover that separates water from oil, and the outside world.

As for the heat issue, back flush the core, if your getting good flow, then look at the temperature control valve, it may have failed and blocking most flow to the core, but I think they generally fail wide open

JP02XLT
 
91supercab

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You say it seperate the water from the oil as well? What if I'm not getting any water in my oil? Could it still be this?

I did notice also...some of where my oil leak is coming from...in the pic you can see some of the oil pan gasket kind of squished out of the front. Looks like maybe it was replaced and they torqued it down too much
 
adsm08

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91supercab said:
You say it seperate the water from the oil as well? What if I'm not getting any water in my oil? Could it still be this?
Click to expand...
Why must people over-think simple statements like that?

Yes, the common failure of the gasket is an external oil leak. I have never actually seen the front cover gasket leak coolant into the oil.
 
JP02XLT

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I have seen 1 instance of leaking water into the oil pan, it was a very very small leak, adsmo8 is dead on that most leaks with this result in an external leak, its about 60/40 oil to water that I have seen leak from the timing cover.

JP02XLT
 
91supercab

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Thank you both for the help. It definitely does look like I might have some oil and water both coming from the front side of the engine. No water in the oil and only losing about a quart in 2500 mi. But leaking some none the less. Btw That timing cover gasket looks like a chore to do for sure.
 
JP02XLT

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Yes your correct it is a pain as almost everything on the motor has to come off to get it off and you will need to loosen the front couple bolts on the oil pan as well.

JP02XLT
 
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