<< DURN... tiny amount of coolant dripping from front "lip" of transmission...?

[fixizin]

For a while I've been having to add an inch of coolant to the reservoir every ~500 miles, but that was due to a gunked up nipple on the water-pump, and an aftermarket heater hose... finally fixed that, but still losing a little bit (much less) of coolant. Was under there today (to check if shift rail plugs accessible from underneath), and noticed a drop of coolant hanging front the very front of the trans, just behind that notch/separator plate. Heater hoses to firewall connections are bone dry, so what other coolant "joints" are at the REAR of the engine...

... FREEZE PLUGS?

 

[Uncle Gump]

It could be an intake gasket.

Inspection mirror and a flashlight.

 

[sgtsandman]

Or the head gasket.

Freeze plugs are normally on the sides of the engine block. So, there shouldn't be any back there.

 

[fixizin]

It could be an intake gasket.

That's a GREAT insight, but... I bypassed that side-loop from the heater hoses over to the intake manifold 4 years ago, and flushed out that small cavity with denatured alcohol.

 

[fixizin]

Or the head gasket.

Freeze plugs are normally on the sides of the engine block. So, there shouldn't be any back there.

Yeah, that unpleasant thought had occurred to me, and while I haven't seen evidence of it leaking into any cylinders, it's certainly possible I guess for it to leak from water jacket to outside world while the portion surrounding the cylinder is still intact... but does that ever happen? I mean cooling jacket is 15psi and 250degF while combustion chamber is 1,000+PSI and 1,500+degF!

Plus I think I did see a freeze plug on rear of the cylinder head?... even in the bright Florida sun, I need to run a cord and get a real trouble-light out there.

OTOH, the engine is SLANTED towards the rear, could it follow a casting ridge on the side to the rear?... I REALLY need to get after this with better lighting and my mechanic's mirror...


>>> GREAT ideas, keep 'em coming! Thanks much.

 

[SenorNoob]

4.0 has a plug on the back of the head. 3.0 probably does too.

 

[sgtsandman]

4.0 has a plug on the back of the head. 3.0 probably does too.

If so, that would be better than a head gasket. It's a 3.0. So it could probably take an overheating and be fine with it. Say what you will about them being slow gas guzzlers, they are a near bullet proof engine.

 

[fixizin]

I don't find the 3.slow to be a gas-guzzler... unless I'm running E85... and really exercising the WOT! I mean 24MPG highway with the flush decklid and a light load... for a 4WD truck that weighs over 3,800lbs... not bad.

 

[fixizin]

Back on-topic: if it IS one of those firewall-facing freeze plugs, is there enough room to get the old one out and the new one in?????

 

[sgtsandman]

Back on-topic: if it IS one of those firewall-facing freeze plugs, is there enough room to get the old one out and the new one in?????

I don't know. Probably not. My experience is all with the 2.5 Lima, 4.0 SOHC, and 2.3 Ecoboost.

 

[SenorNoob]

Look at the space you have. You should be able to gain some by loosening the transmission mount raising the back of the transmission. (Might have to pull driveshaft too.)

I'm gonna say maybe with a right angle drill attachment to get a screw in it to pull with. I'm not sure how you'd get the new one in. I'd probably try a deep well socket that barely fits into plug and lower the transmission till it hits the firewall and hopefully pushes back in... Might wanna use a screw jack for that. Hydraulic is hard to release slowly.

 

[Uncle Gump]

Still thinking about mirror and a flashlight are gonna be needed.

For casting plugs in the rear of the cylinder head... they're a B. Letting the rear of engine swing down and using the proper driver... some have been done.

 

[Uncle Gump]

They do make expandable plugs too. If you can get the room at a metal one... do it. If not...

 

[fixizin]

SOLID info, even some Tech Library contenders, but I still need to find/verify source of da leak...

... but keep 'em coming!

 

[fixizin]

Still thinking about mirror and a flashlight are gonna be needed.

For casting plugs in the rear of the cylinder head... they're a B. Letting the rear of engine swing down and using the proper driver... some have been done.

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Are those loaners? WHERE from and WHAT are they called????