Antifreeze leak

[vbrad511]

I've got a buddy with a 98 B4000 that's seeping a bit of antifreeze when it's cold. He says loses a little if it sits overnight, and then when he first starts it, but once it gets a little warm it stops. It's in the back, passenger side. I did take a look at it, but it was after he drove it here and couldn't see anything. I'm thinking intake gasket, but are there common failures that i should be looking for?

 

[eso123]

I have a similar problem with a '98 Ranger XLT with the heater diverter valve connections. The seep only appears when it's cold and is in the same place that you have described. It is difficult to clamp the hoses tightly because the valve is plastic. This may be your friend's problem.

If it is, a possible solution to this is to disconnect the heater hoses that connect to the valve and use the liquid gasket compound on the insides of the new heater hoses that connect to the valve. I would do this when it is time to replace the hoses. Use a a new valve (~$30) as well. If you do this, use all precautions: cold engine and coolant, a pan to catch the coolant, personal protection, etc. I hope this helps.

 

[vbrad511]

That heater valve is exactly what it was. Not seeing it, I had ruled it out because we'd just put this on it last July and I didn't expect it to have failed already. Guess that's just the nature of the "Autozone bargain". It was seeping out of the shaft of the valve itself. I was so afraid we were gonna be putting intake or head gaskets in it.