I replaced the water pump today which was bad at 69,000, got back together and discovered a small dripping of cooliant coming from somewhere above the waterpump to the rt as you are sitting in the driver seat, dripping onto the engine block. the mustang was not overheating no warning lights. I was reading on here about maybe the thermostat housing leaking around 60K+ miles with the V6 4.0 SOHC engine. Getting it pressure tested tommorrow for a possible Head gasket, but no milky oil or white smoke from tailpipe. where is the housing on the engine? any advice?

 

The t-stat housing is a 2-piece glued plastic design which is a chronic leak problem with the V6. Use the search feature. Besides another plastic replacement, I vaguely recall someone stating that you can find a cast replacement.

You can find info on the cooling system here: http://iihs.net/fsm/?dir=1

 

+1 on t-stat housing. Your water pump was probably not bad either.

 

yep, seen the housing fail as low as 40k, but the water pumps have been lasting alot longer. i`m at 100k on my water pump, i replaced my t stat housing as preventative around 60k.

 

the water pump was shoot, I went through 3 gallons of mixturer within a week and the other day when I stopped driving it it was bad enough to get on the belt and spray everywhere and steam. we took the water pump off and the bearing was shoot which is what has been squealing.

the dripping now is on the alternator side dripping only when the engine is running. guess I ll find out after the pressure test, but like I said no white smoke, not miss firing, not overheating, and oil is good.

thanks for the advice

 

t-stat housing. just replace it. but do what you want.

 

Did you ever solve the problem. I believe I have the same issue with my mustang. Coolant leaking down the same area.

 

Agreed on the T-Stat housing. Mine went bad at 75k and the Water Pump followed shortly thereafter at 78k. It's probably a good thing you're replacing both now anyways.

 

Thanks. I found out today it was the thermostat housing. With the engine running and bringing it up to abt 3or4k it was just spraying out of it