2.3L ('83-'97) Freeze plug?

[parker2]

Just did the head gasket on my '94 2.3. I'm putting everything back together and I get a significant coolant leak. It seems to be coming from right below the oil filter. Do you think it's a freeze plug? I cannot figure out where it's coming from.

 

[scotts90ranger]

ill try to remember to look at a loose engine i have tonight

 

[scotts90ranger]

I remembered and there's two possibilities, one there's a coolant port in the lower intake manifold into the cylinder head, I think there's a hose or at least a plug on the bottom above the motor mount that ties into the heater core, I would look for a bad hose or clamp or something or worst case the lower intake manifold gasket is fried.

 

[parker2]

Thank you Scott you're the only one who replied. I actually just replaced all the gaskets including the manifolds along with the head gasket. I do not see any kind of hoses at all on the driver's side where the intake is. It's the weirdest thing! Going to try and remove this transmission brace(not the mount don't worry lol) and see what's behind it.

 

[scotts90ranger]

You can junk that bracket on the front side, I haven't ran one for many years... if it was going to cause something to break I would have broke it by now... I'm running twice the power of a stock 2.3L on my '90. I don't think there's anything in front of it. The only coolant on the drivers side of the engine is the intake manifold gasket, the coolant temp sensor in the intake manifold and that's about it... if I get bored tomorrow I'll look at the '92 I have in the yard...

 

[parker2]

Mines the weirdo- 94 with the twin spark and the California emissions. Where is the temp sensor in the intake manifold? There's two electrical things directly under the intake here I will take a picture ....

 

[scotts90ranger]

If I remember right the coolant temp sensor should be between the #1 and #2 spark plugs or fuel injectors on the intake manifold, it'll be two pin connector. On the outside of the intake by the steering shaft might be a knock sensor that would be two wires as well. On the back side of the intake there's two sensors, both one wire, the one just above the oil filter is the coolant temp sensor for the gauge and the one just behind the intake manifold is the oil pressure sensor/switch for the gauge.

There's no freeze plugs on the drivers side of the engine so if it's leaking there it's either from the coolant gauge sender, intake manifold or head gasket (that's rare, I've never heard of it, not saying it's not possible)