What did YOU do today?

[sgtsandman]

The Escape apparently developed a coolant leak somewhere. So, now I have to see if I can track it down. The problem is that this generation of Escape has so many known places to leak, I don't have a good place to narrow it down to. Basically, scour the entire cooling system and hope you find it quickly. Plus, this generation of engine is know for head gasket leaks. Nothing has shown itself in the exhaust. So, I'm hoping it isn't that and just one of the external locations. Hopefully, it isn't the radiator or the water pump either. Both of those jobs are their own kind of special stupid. I already have tools bookmarked if it does end up being one of them. Great timing with the government shutdown and no income. Murphy's Law at it's finest...

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

The Escape apparently developed a coolant leak somewhere.

I wouldn't worry too much about it, it will quit leaking eventually.

 

[Jazzer]

You can use that fluorescent A/C dye in the coolant to help find it.

 

[pacstud]

You can use that fluorescent A/C dye in the coolant to help find it.

+1. I'll add a pressure kit. As I found out trying to use the dye, run the engine, then look for the leak wasn't working. Putting it under pressure much easier and quicker.

 

[pacstud]

Spent the night in ER. Wife went to the bano after midnight and got dizzy/tripped (both). Took a header into a doorknob/frame area.

Seven forehead stitches, some glue, and small fractures to cheek/nose. Kind of lucky though, could have been teeth or god knows what. Home from school today to take care of her, best as I can.

 

[sgtsandman]

You can use that fluorescent A/C dye in the coolant to help find it.

+1. I'll add a pressure kit. As I found out trying to use the dye, run the engine, then look for the leak wasn't working. Putting it under pressure much easier and quicker.

While working on replacing the HID low beams, I had to pull the splash shield. Evidence is pin pointing to the side of the engine facing toward the transmission. So, it may be the tube there that is notorious for the o-ring turning into goo. I'll investigate furthe before running the engine so the system can pressurize. It looks like it may be an active leak, static.

In other news, I have changed the HID low beams. I just need to run to the parts store for replacement marker lights while I have easy access to them. Looking at how "easy" the bulbs in the bumper are to change (Fog, Park, Turn), I think I'm going to do those too. The only ones in the front that are really easy to get to and change are the high beams. Everything else pretty much requires that you tear apart the front end.

 

[Rick W]

Spent the night in ER. Wife went to the bano after midnight and got dizzy/tripped (both). Took a header into a doorknob/frame area.

Seven forehead stitches, some glue, and small fractures to cheek/nose. Kind of lucky though, could have been teeth or god knows what. Home from school today to take care of her, best as I can.

 

[sgtsandman]

THe front is the car is back to together and I'm starting to dig to where the coolant leak is. I can see coolant on the side of the transmission cooler but there is a bunch of wires, tubes and hoses in that area. I'm slowly working my way down to find the source. I'm seeing evidence that someone else has been there before. So, I'm thinking someone knew there was a problem and elected to let it be someone else's problem. Just like the valve cover oil leak. With amount of work it takes to get to all of these issues, I would hate to see what a shop or dealership would charge.

 

[sgtsandman]

I found the coolant leak.

It is located at the back of the engine, as expected.

I had to remove all of this, along with all the spaghetti moved out of the way in the above picture.

 

[pjtoledo]

I wonder how many of those hoses are put/designed there to fix an issue caused by the previous hose?

damn stuff looks like it was designed by the gumma mint.

 

[JoshT]

I found the coolant leak.

It is located at the back of the engine, as expected.

I had to remove all of this, along with all the spaghetti moved out of the way in the above picture.

I went through that on the Kia Forte earlier this year. Not sure when it started leaking, but I found out when the car tried to overheat on the way to a doctors appointment out of town. It got me there, but had go back with trailer to tow it back.

Car has a plastic thermostat assembly, the heater hoses attached to the pack of it and loop to the firewall. Looked like the hose was leaking. Couldn't see anything wrong with the hose or the nipple. enough length on the hose to trim off the end and have a fresh seating surface, so did that and replaced spring hose clamp with a worm drive clamp. Still leaked. Removed everything and sure enough the housing had a hairline crack that wasn't visible with it down in the hole. That was a PITA like getting to yours, actually fixing the problem was too.

To start with there was a mid year change in the part. The earlier part cost <$100 in the aftermarket, the later part almost $400. Unfortunately my car was in an accident and the sticker that shows build date is long gone. Took a chance and tried the cheaper replacement first. Part was about $70 from RockAuto, made by Motorad so it should be good. Looked right, installed it, put the car back together (had to run and test), and still leaked. Turned out the inlet port from the water pump was too large and coolant poured out around the o-ring with a little pressure. I checked it against one from a local parts store and they the same size on the pump inlet.

"Crap, I'm going to need the $400 part."

Before biting the bullet I did some digging and verified thet two were vastly different, more than just a different size port, completely different design. What I had was the correct replacement part, it was just made wrong. Was going to have to go back to Kia and purchase a $200 OEM replacement assembly. Fortunately I managed to dig through listings and find just the housing for about $80.

A week or so after getting it back together dad went into the hospital and I forgot all about trying to return the bad part, so what should have taken a day and $80, took three weeks waiting on parts and cost over twice as much.