2011 Ranger 4.0 coolant leak (t-stat housing)

[JJMaine]

Checking my oil today I noticed my coolant reservoir was empty and the radiator ended up being almost half a gallon low. It appears my thermostat housing is leaking from somewhere as I can see remnants of coolant around the base of it. Would I be wise to upgrade it to a metal unit and just get it over with?

Also, what else will I need to get the job done? I'll probably buy a new one thermostat and rad cap just for cheap insurance.

Has anyone tried the SKP metal thermostat housing that Rock Auto sells?

 

[JJMaine]

So I replaced the thermostat housing today with all OEM stuff and it leaked worse than before. I tried to rent a radiator pressure tester but none of the auto stores close by had one so I bought one at Harbor Freight. Turns out my leak was from the upper radiator hose. I'm not sure if that just happened today after replacing the housing or if it was the hose all along. I moved the clamp and got the hose sealed but I'll keep an eye on it and replace it if needed. It looked fine but was definitely leaking when I pressurized the system. And now I have a pressure tester for next time before loading the parts cannon lol.

What do you guys suggest I do with the spilled coolant behind the thermostat housing? I got most of it cleaned up while I had the housing off but then the hose leaked a bunch more and I cant get to it. Should I just spray back in there with a garden hose or let the engine burn it off?

Thanks!

 

[SenorNoob]

If you have a shop vac, you might get it that way. Or compressed air / leaf blower to blow it off. If it's not saturating anything electronic I would just let it burn off.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

There’s a lot of critters around here that I’d rather not inadvertently poison so I always spray it off with a hose or dump a couple gallons of water on any spilled antifreeze

 

[JJMaine]

It's not on the ground it's on my engine under the intake manifold. But I agree I always bottle up my old oil, coolant and anything else.

A quick question about refilling the rad... While I was losing coolant I obviously kept adding more to the radiator and the level in the "overflow" reservoir keeps rising and doesn't seem to be getting pulled back into the radiator. Should I just drive it awhile with the reservoir way past the cold level and leave the radiator a little low so it levels out? I don't want to keep filling the radiator until coolant starts blowing out of the reservoir.

Also my radiator wouldn't drain yesterday so I had to pull the lower hose so maybe the system is a bit gunked up?

 

[JJMaine]

If you have a shop vac, you might get it that way. Or compressed air / leaf blower to blow it off. If it's not saturating anything electronic I would just let it burn off.

There's a sensor or something that is under the intake manifold (in behind the t stat housing) that the coolant got on but pouring water in there would only make it wetter. Maybe I'll just let her burn!

 

[SenorNoob]

Sounds like the hose from reservoir to radiator isn't sealing. It should build pressure in the radiator and push air out when it heats up and draw a vacuum to pull coolant back in as it cools.

 

[JJMaine]

Should there be a clamp on that hose at the radiator? Mine doesn't have anything, the hose is just pushed on there.

Also checked under the hood after work and it's still leaking so I might have some more work to do. I may just drain the coolant again and replace EVERYTHING I can think of so I don't have to mess with it for awhile. I'm already 5 jugs of coolant in and I still have a leak. And that stuff ain't cheap!

Definitely the upper radiator hose and the heater hose that goes to the housing. Should I replace the lower radiator hose too?

What is the lifespan on these OEM plastic radiators? My truck has 107,000 miles on it. Is there any reason to replace that while I'm at it or do they last a lot longer than 100k typically? I'd like to do it once and forget about it. Well it's too late for that but you know what I mean.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Should there be a clamp on that hose at the radiator? Mine doesn't have anything, the hose is just pushed on there.

Also checked under the hood after work and it's still leaking so I might have some more work to do. I may just drain the coolant again and replace EVERYTHING I can think of so I don't have to mess with it for awhile. I'm already 5 jugs of coolant in and I still have a leak. And that stuff ain't cheap!

Definitely the upper radiator hose and the heater hose that goes to the housing. Should I replace the lower radiator hose too?

What is the lifespan on these OEM plastic radiators? My truck has 107,000 miles on it. Is there any reason to replace that while I'm at it or do they last a lot longer than 100k typically? I'd like to do it once and forget about it. Well it's too late for that but you know what I mean.

There isn’t a clamp from the factory, but I’ve had the hose actually pop off before. So they usually get a clamp with me.

If a hose is super soft or worn or leaking, I replace both.

I’ve had radiators spring a leak in the first year and I’ve had them last half of forever. If they aren’t plugged up or leaking, I just run them.

 

[JJMaine]

Ok thanks, I'll keep the radiator for now and that'll save me some money and also throw a clamp on the hose.

How much coolant drains out of I just pull the lower hose and let it drain completely? I know the spec for how much the system holds but I'm sure it all won't drain. Would 3 gallons be enough to refill? Thanks!

 

[JJMaine]

When you buy OEM Ford radiator hoses, do they come with the clamps?

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

When you buy OEM Ford radiator hoses, do they come with the clamps?

Usually not. Never bought a hose that came with clamps. I’ve usually tried to buy Breeze branded stainless clamps or try to find an all stainless clamp. Often cheap clamps have a cheap steel screw that rusts away. Hardware stores often have a better clamp than parts stores, look in the plumbing section.

My F-150 I’ve had a problem with it blowing the lower radiator hose off every now and then. I even had two clamps on it for awhile. Finally went and bought a stainless bolt clamp, far better quality of clamp that will last me half of forever

 

[JJMaine]

Awesome thanks! What do you think about these constant tension hose clamps? I think my problem isn't the hoses but maybe the cheap hose clamps that the previous owner has on the truck (or the shop that changed the thermostat housing last time). I would just go back to the OEM spring clamps if I could find them but cannot and even the manual shows part numbers for everything except those.

Maybe I should just buy good quality hose clamps from Bel-Metric at a couple bucks a piece...

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

View attachment 122936Awesome thanks! What do you think about these constant tension hose clamps? I think my problem isn't the hoses but maybe the cheap hose clamps that the previous owner has on the truck (or the shop that changed the thermostat housing last time). I would just go back to the OEM spring clamps if I could find them but cannot and even the manual shows part numbers for everything except those.

Maybe I should just buy good quality hose clamps from Bel-Metric at a couple bucks a piece...

Never used those particular ones but they should work. My clamp came from McMaster Carr. I’ll find a screen shot or something here and drop it below. I’m personally not a fan of the OEM style clamps. I was buying the Breeze branded clamps by the box from a local supply house but they closed up last year I think it was. Those clamps were the worm drive bands like yours always see but all stainless and made in America.

 

[JJMaine]

Awesome thank you! I ended up ordering some Norma stainless clamps to try they are supposed to be good quality. I'll see how those work.

I keep checking under the hood and it seems like the leak has stopped so it must just be happening sometimes with the temp changes being winter. Regardless I've got new hoses on the way so I may as well put them on...