Coolant problem update w/pics

3802 Views 51 Replies 14 Participants Last post by slikirish, Dec 11, 2009

slikirish

Discussion Starter · Dec 5, 2009

2

Ok so went out and looked at the car this morning and didn't find any coolant on the ground. Popped the hood and this is what I found.

Oil doesn't seem milky but the coolant overflow is empty again. So it would seem to be losing the coolant before it gets to the engine. I'm not going to run the engine anymore until I get this figured out.

You guys have any idea where this is coming from? There is orange "powder" all the way down one side of the heads, other side is clean. Any ideas?

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slikirish

Discussion Starter · #2 · Dec 5, 2009

I should also mention when I was driving home from autozone yesterday, i noticed a high pitched weezing or whine at idle. I assume now that was it spraying coolant everywhere.

MustangSR330

· #3 · Dec 5, 2009

Looks like a possible intake gasket leak or a crack in the coolant runner.

slikirish

Discussion Starter · #4 · Dec 5, 2009

What is that metal piece that the hose connects to? That seems to be where it is leaking

MustangSR330

· #5 · Dec 5, 2009

Thermostat housing, which is connected to the coolant runner

slikirish

Discussion Starter · #6 · Dec 5, 2009

Ok so I probably need a new thermostat housing and coolant runner just to be sure that I'm covered? I would assume if changed both of these parts with new gaskets then that would cover all bases correct?

slikirish

Discussion Starter · #7 · Dec 5, 2009

I also know that the older mustangs would crack the intake manifold but haven't read much about that happening on the newer PI head. Is that correct? I'm assuming I don't need to really worry about the intake manifold.

slikirish

Discussion Starter · #8 · Dec 5, 2009

Got a new thermostat and oring. Figured I'd try the easiest things first. Does the oring need any kind of additional sealant?

ajm

· #9 · Dec 5, 2009 (Edited)

Looks like the intake manifold gasket. Reason I say that is you have the intake mainfold with aluminum crossover -- known to have a less chance of cracking etc, if it was the thermostat gasket it would be leaking from farther up top/around where the thermostat housing and intake manifold come together. You can pick up a set of gaskets for $35 bucks or so and swap them out in less than an hour if you have a general idea of what youre doing....This is based off of your second picture. I couldnt see a whole lot from the first other than where the coolant has leaked.

limited

· #10 · Dec 5, 2009

+1 on intake gasket,plus you might want to flush your cooling system...yuk...

wraitherx

· #11 · Dec 5, 2009

while your in there might as well go ahead and change out that cracking belt:2cents

slikirish

Discussion Starter · #12 · Dec 5, 2009

ok I wanna make sure I'm looking at the right thing. In the second picture the hose clips onto the thermo housing. Then their is a gasket connecting the thermo housing to whatever that is going into the intake manifold. When i went out and looked at this morning, it was actually wet at the gasket pictured in the second pic. That is the thermo gasket correct? Or is the thermo gasket actually up on top of that cylinder and that's a different gasket underneath.

What i got from autozone was the 180 degree thermo (may as well replace it while I'm there) and the O-ring that they said I needed to go with the thermo. Is that not the gasket pictured in the second pic between the cylinder and the elbow piece?

slikirish

Discussion Starter · #13 · Dec 5, 2009

wraitherx said:
while your in there might as well go ahead and change out that cracking belt:2cents

That's on the list as well.

wraitherx

· #14 · Dec 5, 2009

just wanted to make sure

ajm

· #15 · Dec 5, 2009

Blue arrow points to your intake manifold gasket. Red arrow points to where your thermostat gasket is going to be. If you remove the thermostat housing (cap looking thing your upper rad hose goes to) the thermostat gasket will be sitting ontop of the thermostat in the intake manifold.

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slikirish

Discussion Starter · #16 · Dec 5, 2009

Also do I need any kind of silicone sealant for either of these gaskets?

slikirish

Discussion Starter · #17 · Dec 5, 2009

AJM, thank you very much for clearing up which is which for me, rep for u

ajm

· #18 · Dec 5, 2009

No, nothing else needed. For the thermostat gasket you just remove the 2 bolts, the housing pulls off, the gasket (looks like a big oring) pulls out, you drop your new one in, put the housing back on and install the bolts torquing to spec.

For your intake manifold gaskets its the same "general" process such as no other sealants etc needed.

slikirish

Discussion Starter · #19 · Dec 5, 2009 (Edited)

ok fantastic. Just had advance order me the gasket for $33. They asked whether it was the upper plenum gasket or lower. I told him the lower. Is that correct? Is there a write up anywhere on how to change the intake manifold gasket? I found one for the thermo but no such luck on the intake manifold

ajm

· #20 · Dec 5, 2009 (Edited)

For the most part this is what you need to do.

Drain coolant
remove upper radiator hose
remove belt and "remove" alternator...reason I say "remove" is because you can just unbolt it and shove it off to the side rather than disconnecting the wire and plug and pulling it all the way out
remove coils
remove fuel rails & injectors
remove intake,plenum,tb & related vacuum lines
remove coolant hose towards rear
remove the bolts holding the intake manifold down (14 if I remember right, been about 6mo since ive done one)
lift the intake manifold off
pop your old gaskets off (they have alignment pins)
blow out the ports on your heads with compressed air or similar since coolant can/will drain down into them
clean the heads up with some gasket remover (bout 5 bucks a can at parts store)
set your new gaskets in place
drop the intake manifold back on and torque all the bolts to spec/sequence
reinstall tb,plenum,injectors,coils,vacuum lines, etc etc.

Its sounds like a lot but its a very simple process.

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