Epoweredrc

hello everyone, I just found the site while doing a google searching for a issue I have with my 97 V6 mustang 3.8L auto.

it seems I am loosing coolant, i started to smell it couple days ago but everything seemed fine the temp gauge never goes past half way up. the fan comes on seems when it needs to, its been warmer the last few days here in GA then it has been the car is newer to me only had maybe a month now. 115,000 miles on it. the guy got it from told me he had a water pump put on it a while back maybe couple years. I have keep a check on the reservoir and the radiator itself since I got the car. the reservoir is now loosing lots of coolant it seems pretty quick i noticed a wet place in my driveway where i park at. i looked under the car and it seems to be dripping down to the crossbar and then dripping on the ground so its hard to see where its coming from for sure, it looks wet right in front of the exhaust header on the driver side right at a bolt but that is only spot i can see.

suppose to hook up with my buddy tomorrow maybe he has a pressure tester to see if find where its coming from but wondered what normally could it be??

Thanks

petrock

It could be coming from alot of places. If your buddy doesn't have a radiator pressure tester, you can rent one from your local autoparts store (you get your money back when you return it). Wait for the motor to cool off, jack the front of the car up, remove the radiator cap, fill the radiator & reservoir up with coolant, connect the pressure tester to the radiator and pump it up to the same PSI listed on your radiator cap. The climb underneath and look around and listen. You will either hear it hissing or see the coolant stream coming out. Post up what you find... Good luck...

NeoTokyo

+1 To Petrock.

Sounds like the water pump, chain cover.

You can also put a dye in your coolant to be able to see exactly where it is coming from with a blacklight.

Welcome to MF.

Daehawk

Simple answer but check the hoses. Make sure they aren't soft or dry rotted and that they have a good seal at the clamps.

Epoweredrc

Thanks and he does have a tester we tested my blazer like 6 yrs ago found out it had a busted intake gasket.

this car has a thing on top with a round thing says do not fill radiator w/o removing it or something like that what is that thing? and how should you fill it up? i have only been putting antifreeze in the reservoir

Thanks

Epoweredrc

well we seen a spot at the intake manifold gasket where it was leaking, i tore down that and replaced the gasket, it was nasty and busted in a few spots but was not getting into the oil. i thought it was fixed but just realized last night i still have a leak I think its a head gasket. its still getting wet down by the bolt in front of the header on driver side, anyone have good manual pics or something of that side of the car? I could point out just where its coming from

rescuemedic

It seems like you have a good grasp of working on your car. The one suggestion I would make to anyone when you get a new to you car and are planning on doing your own work is invest in a repair manual. Haynes has good photos but the write ups aren't the best and chiltons has great write ups and decent pics. Both are about the same price right around $30-$35. Check out the autoparts store and open the wrap to see which one you prefer. I personally use chiltons manuals any time I can, but that's what I grew up using and I will be 35 this year. Good luck to you.

Epoweredrc

Well it seems I never replayed not sure why. Not gotten on here in forever, almost forgot I had a account here, I am still driving the car it now has like 128,000 miles, still has the tiny leak right where the bolt is, I have a manual but not spent much time, I am 99% sure its a head gasket but its so small. This car has bars stop leak in it before and I have thought about using it again but it just makes a mess, I know I will have to do all the top gaskets when I do the head gasket but im trying to wait long as i can, I just started back working after being out of work for a yr and some months, hope I can wait a lil longer,
I know I can get all gaskets at advanced auto but not sure where to buy the head bolts from

Daehawk

Reading this thread as I got to the bottom I saw my post and couldn't figure out why I didn't mention radiator cap. guess that wasn't it though huh.

Epoweredrc

No, I should probably change it sometime since its got the brown gunk from the bars still on it, i cleaned it as well as i could. hope I can replace the head gasket sometime but not sure If i am up for that task, I guess I need to get my blazer drivable first so don;t have to be in a rush to do it. im sure it cost about $200 to do the gasket again have to find the head bolts , and sure hope I won't have issue with the exhaust header bolts or anything else