Leaking Coolant, from bottom of the car

[spt60]

Hey guys, my 99 Taurus Wagon is leaking coolant from the bottom of the car. Is this bad and how costly is it to get sealed or parts replaced?

Thanks!

*note: It's leaking in the front area of the car (right underneath the front-passenger side).

[GomJabbar]

The possible causes of external coolant leaks are:

My estimate of relative costs involved. [I do all my own work, so this is just a guess.]
* loose hose clamp(s) [generally more of a problem in cold weather] - $
* leaking radiator cap - $
* hose(s) in bad condition - $$
* leaking expansion tank - $$
* leaking freeze plug - $$
* leaking radiator - $$$
* cracked engine block - $$$$$

A leaking radiator or cracked engine block can be sealed with radiator sealer of block sealer with varying degrees of success. This is an inexpensive repair. Radiators can oftentimes be repaired at a radiator shop. Cast iron engine blocks can be welded (not sure about aluminum blocks), but the block must be stripped down (disassembled) completely (a lot of work) before welding.

Heater cores can also develop leaks. This is what heats the air in the passenger compartment in the Winter time. In my experience, when a heater core begins leaking, your windows start fogging up, you smell coolant inside the car, and the floor of the passenger compartment gets wet with coolant.

Note that coolant is quite toxic when (moderate quantities are) ingested by animals or people. I have read that the coolant (ethylene glycol) has a sweet taste. Do not leave where pets and children might have access.

[Purcy]

My husband's 1995 Geo Metro just started overheating a 2 days ago and when he checked underneath he found it leaking from the bottom of the radiator. He checked all the hoses and clamps first, then poured a bottle of radiator sealant into the rad and filled the rest of the way with water. It says to run the car for 20 minutes, which he did - he hasn't had a drop leak out since nor has the engine temp gone above the midway point. He always starts with the cheapest fixes first ; like GomJabbar notated, check your hoses and hose clamps first, then try a bottle of radiator sealant. Good luck.

EDIT: oh, I just noticed you said it was leaking underneath the passenger side, more than likely it won't be a leak in the actual rad, but perhaps one of your hoses degraded. Like GomJabbar, my DH agrees it could also be a bad heater core.

[AlphaKilo470]

I had a 1990 VW Jetta GL for a little while and when I bought it, the heater core was busted and coolant would leak out into the passenger compartment. I bought a heater hose from AutoZone and simply bypassed the heater core.

[Harryc]

I bought a heater hose from AutoZone and simply bypassed the heater core.

Nice fix in Atlanta, try getting through a northeast winter with no heat

[Purcy]

My DH says that in much older vehicles when he was young, they actually had a switch that you could throw in the summer, that would shut off the hoses to the heater core, bypassing it.

[GomJabbar]

I had a 1990 VW Jetta GL for a little while and when I bought it, the heater core was busted and coolant would leak out into the passenger compartment. I bought a heater hose from AutoZone and simply bypassed the heater core.

I did that a couple of times. One time I was on a trip from Louisiana to Colorado. The distibutor bushings were in poor shape on my car and I could not find a used distributor in Lafayette, LA. So while passing through Houston, TX on my trip, I stopped at a wrecking yard and bought a used distributor. I had tools with me and installed it on the spot. Unfortunately I splt the heater hose. No problem I thought, I'll just bypass the heater with the remaining hose. This was in December, just after 5:00 PM, and it was around 35 deg. F. outside. I had plenty of heavy clothing with me, so I figured I didn't need a heater. Wrong!

Around 4:00 AM, about 30 minutes before reaching Wichita Falls, TX, I encountered freezing rain. I had to roll down my window and scrape the windshield with an ice scraper while driving down the highway. Not a pleasant experience! When I got to Wichita Falls, I found a truck stop open and was able to buy some heater hose. I installed the heater hose promptly at the truck stop and went on my way. About mid-morning I hit some black ice on US 287 (a four-lane divided highway). The car spun around and I was headed for the ditch. Luckily the black ice ended where the pavement stopped, so as soon as I hit the dirt shoulder - the car stopped. Whew, what a day!

[k2jsv]

You forgot to add:

Blown Head Gasket $$$$

If you get "lucky" and its an external part of the gasket you'll get leaks that drip. If you are unlucky it makes a mess, if you have no luck at all it'll fill the cylinder and start bending parts if the engine is running. That generally equals a new engine.

[GomJabbar]

I have had blown head gaskets more than once. In each case in my experience, the leaks were all internal. If the oil looks milky white or gray, then you have an internal coolant leak.

All that I had to do in each case is remove the head and bring it to an automotive machine shop (such as some NAPA stores have) to get it shaved so that it has a flat surface again, then reinstall it with a new head gasket. if you do the work yourself it is not all that expensive. Labor is what really costs.

[RealBlackStuff]

One of our newer members, Bizzy, runs a forum for Ford Taurus, specifically the SHO model.
http://shoforum.com/
Have a look there, loads of technical info.

[Rob Mayercik]

The possible causes of external coolant leaks are:

My estimate of relative costs involved. [I do all my own work, so this is just a guess.]
* loose hose clamp(s) [generally more of a problem in cold weather] - $
* leaking radiator cap - $
* hose(s) in bad condition - $$
* leaking expansion tank - $$
* leaking freeze plug - $$
* leaking radiator - $$$
* cracked engine block - $$$$$

You forgot to include the water pump in your list of suspects.

Where under the car is the puddle forming?

[spt60]

Where under the car is the puddle forming?

It's leaking in the front area of the car (right underneath the front-passenger side).

Thanks everyone for your inputs. I took it to the mechanic this morning and waiting for his call of estimate. Crossing my fingers hoping it's nothing major

*BTW this forum members are way more knowledgeable about anything other than just ThinkPads. You guys 're awesome.

[GomJabbar]

You forgot to include the water pump in your list of suspects.

Very true. Oops.

[spt60]

You forgot to include the water pump in your list of suspects.

Very true. Oops.

How many $ will this take to replace?

[Purcy]

we just replaced the water pump (same 1995 Geo) , and while he had it out we had our mechanic replace the timing belt (we still had the OEM belt in place) and we paid $400 for everything. come to think of it, the symptoms were sudden over heating and low radiator level, but DH saw it leaking under the pump.

[spt60]

ok I got the call back for the estimate: my heater hoses and the heater metal parts??? at/between the firewall area are rotten and it will cost $130 to replace/fix. He told me it's a big assembly.

Sounds reasonable

[Purcy]

yep, sounds reasonable, those hoses aren't really cheap; they need to be made well. it could have been so much worse, good for you. Unless you think you can replace them yourself, then it would be a lot cheaper.

[Rob Mayercik]

yep, sounds reasonable, those hoses aren't really cheap; they need to be made well. it could have been so much worse, good for you. Unless you think you can replace them yourself, then it would be a lot cheaper.

Well, unless the o/p is experienced in burping all the air out of the system after refilling it, it may be easier (not necessarily cheaper) to let the mechanic deal with it.

The O/P might want to consider having them blackflush the entire cooling system while it's apart - if the hoses are rotting on the inside as well, all that junk is going to go off and clog the heater core.

Rob

[spt60]

I asked the mech. and he told me he did not flush the system, he just refilled the coolant after replacing the heater tube.

How bad is it to have air mixed w/ the coolant?

Thanks!

[GomJabbar]

I asked the mech. and he told me he did not flush the system, he just refilled the coolant after replacing the heater tube.

How bad is it to have air mixed w/ the coolant?

Thanks!

As long as the coolant is circulating, the air will be removed from the system. The danger is air in the water pump preventing the coolant from being circulated. Also, as the coolant begins circulating, the air is brought to the radiator. Too much air in the radiator and you will not get good cooling. With the engine cooled off (for safety sake) remove the radiator cap and verify that the coolant level is all the way to the top. Also check the coolant level in the expansion tank that it is at the proper level (there should be a fill level mark on the side of the tank).

If you are not having overheating problems, then flushing is probably not a large issue. Flushing helps remove sediment from the system, and your antifreeze will be replaced by the technician.

The thing is, coolant has a lifespan. The rust and corrosion inhibitors in the coolant get depleted over time. Additionally, if you have added water to your system over time, your freeze protection may not be sufficient (this can be checked with an inexpensive antifreeze tester). If your coolant is old, then it should be replaced. Some of the antifreezes last up to 5 years, but standard antifreeze should be replaced every couple of years or so. See following for more info.

http://www.peakantifreeze.com/tech/tech_e.html

[spt60]

Hey thanks,
My 99 Taurus se wagon has a hidden radiator. The only place I can refill is through/from the reservoir. Can anyone confirm me on this? THanks!

[GomJabbar]

I wouldn't worry about it too much. If you are driving your car and it hasn't overheated since the repair, then you should be ok. Any air that might have been left in the system will work its way out over a few days as you warm the engine up and let it cool down. The expansion and contraction will push any remaining air out the expansion tank and fill the radiator from the expansion tank. Just keep an eye on your expansion tank for several days until the coolant level stays constant (while checking at the same engine temperature).

See, the danger is when the car is first refilled with water after it has been drained. Air can get trapped in the water pump and no coolant will circulate. Once the engine reaches operating temperature, the thermostat opens and the coolant needs to circulate. If it does not, the engine will overheat quickly. All trained mechanics know this and make sure your car does not leave their shop without the coolant circulating properly.

[Bizzy]

I asked the mech. and he told me he did not flush the system, he just refilled the coolant after replacing the heater tube.

How bad is it to have air mixed w/ the coolant?

Thanks!

Not at all bad and it happens all the time when you replace lower radiator hoses, etc. You will need to keep an eye on the radiator fluid for a few days, or at least for the next 100 miles or so. Eventually the air pockets will percolate through the system which tends to leave your radiator a little low, but not a whole lot.

In the mean time, just keep an eye on your radiator fluid level, you can even take some counter measures by just filling the reservoir over the "full" level and that way the fluid is there when it's needed.

It is also possible for an air pocket to get "stuck". At times this can cause your car to get a little warmer than normal so if you notice this happening just pop the hood and give the upper radiator hose a few squeezes and that should force the fluid into the system and again, eventually the air will purge itself from the system.

Wish I had seen this sooner, I could have probably talked you through the replacement of the hoses, however the price you got was quite reasonable.

If you ever have any other problems you're always welcome to register over on my forum. There is also another website that is dedicated to the Taurus, it's called TCCA (Taurus Car Club of America). The membership there is generally younger than my forum so there is some youthful squabbling at times, but they also have some very helpful people in their membership.

Good luck!

Edit: Since your car is a 99 (Gen 4 Taurus) it will have the hidden radiator. No biggie really, just keep an eye on the level in the reservoir to make sure it's full.