Antifreeze leak?

Tiny
JAMES HANDBERRY
  • MEMBER
  • 2008 FORD F-250
  • 6.4L
  • V8
  • 4WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 80,000 MILES
There is an oily type substance dripping off driver side bottom corner of radiator, but it feels more like an oil than antifreeze.
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Saturday, February 4th, 2017 AT 11:16 AM

21 Replies

Tiny
STEVE W.
  • MECHANIC
  • 12,883 POSTS
Could be the radiator has let go but to be sure here is a guide to help

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/car-is-leaking-coolant

Please run down this guide and report back.
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Saturday, February 4th, 2017 AT 11:31 AM
Tiny
DAVIDATRIBBLE
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
  • 2005 FORD F-250
  • V8
  • 4WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 153,258 MILES
I just bought a 2005 ford f250 6.0 diesal and its leaking a little antifreeze. It also overflows on the reservouir tank cap when I give it alot of gas. The leak I beleive is middle ways to the right of the engine.
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Monday, July 6th, 2020 AT 1:46 PM (Merged)
Tiny
FIXITMR
  • MECHANIC
  • 9,990 POSTS
Is there a separate radiator cap or is the reservoir the cap? Is the engine leak from a seam? Might be a bad head gasket! So you didn't notice these things when you bought it?
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Monday, July 6th, 2020 AT 1:46 PM (Merged)
Tiny
BOATBUDDY
  • MEMBER
  • 29 POSTS
6.0 are known for bad head gaskets, bad egr coolers, and bad oil coolers. Check the compression to see if its bad on that head. Also do a pressure test on the cooling system. Do you notice a lack of power when accelerating or crusing?
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Monday, July 6th, 2020 AT 1:46 PM (Merged)
Tiny
DAVIDATRIBBLE
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
There's only a reservoir cap that I know of. Im not real sure where its leaking from on the engine. It looks like its leaking on the driver side towards the back/ middle ways. Im thinkin its leaking on the egr but im not sure exactly where the egr is. It don't seem to have lost power that I can tell but it has been get a few miles less per gallon.
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Monday, July 6th, 2020 AT 1:46 PM (Merged)
Tiny
MHPAUTOS
  • MECHANIC
  • 31,938 POSTS
First thing to do is get a cooling system pressure test done, this will help locate the external coolant leak, repair this leak first and report back any change with the over all problems.

Mark (mhpautos)
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Monday, July 6th, 2020 AT 1:46 PM (Merged)
Tiny
BOATBUDDY
  • MEMBER
  • 29 POSTS
Egr cooler will be located on the passenger side of the engine, on top of the head. It looks like a 'square' tube.
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Monday, July 6th, 2020 AT 1:46 PM (Merged)
Tiny
FIXITMR
  • MECHANIC
  • 9,990 POSTS
Could have leaky pressure cap on bottle? Is the bottle coolant level correct to allow for coolant expansion short of overflowing? Can you see air bubbling in bottle? This would indicate possible head gasket compression air leak into coolant system.
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Monday, July 6th, 2020 AT 1:46 PM (Merged)
Tiny
BOATBUDDY
  • MEMBER
  • 29 POSTS
What happens is the oil cooler will stop functioning correctly and will cause the egr cooler to over heat, thus making the engine get extremely hot and causing you to buy a new oil cooler, egr cooler and head gaskets
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Monday, July 6th, 2020 AT 1:46 PM (Merged)
Tiny
TSCHUT84
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
  • 2003 FORD F-250
  • V8
  • 4WD
  • MANUAL
  • 165,000 MILES
I am slowly losing power steering fluid and anti freeze out of my truck it started squeaking a little then started dripping I was thinking water pump when I saw the water under it then started seeing power steering fluid would like to get this fixed asap
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Monday, July 6th, 2020 AT 1:47 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 108,014 POSTS
The two leaks are most likely not related. However, we need to determine where the leaks are coming from. If you place a large piece of cardboard under the car at night, can you tell aprox where the leaks are coming from? Also, is the power steering pump making excessive noise? Any noise from the water pump?

Let me know.

Joe
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Monday, July 6th, 2020 AT 1:47 PM (Merged)
Tiny
TSCHUT84
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  • 2 POSTS
It's coming from the general vicinity of the water pump and there is a slight squeak so that's identified my only issue is the power steering and how the leaks started at the exact same time is what's confusing the only noise the power steering pump is making is when the fluid hit's a little low and I turn it hard it will make the usual humming noise.
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Monday, July 6th, 2020 AT 1:47 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 108,014 POSTS
Honestly, I can't think of anything that would cause both to go at the same time other than a coincidence. What you can do to help identify the PS leak is purchase a dye to put in it. Clean old oil and dirt from the pump, hoses, and steering gear. After that, put the dye in it and run the truck. After that, using a black light, you will be able to see where the leak is coming from. You should be able to get the dye at most parts stores.

Let me know what you find.
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Monday, July 6th, 2020 AT 1:47 PM (Merged)
Tiny
DAGGETT727
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 2001 FORD F-250
  • 6.8L
  • V10
  • 4WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 100,560 MILES
Coolant level dropping, oil pressure running higher. No visible leak of coolant. Noticed oil pressure running a little higher, looked under hood noticed coolant level was down just a little. Cannot smell coolant at exhaust pipe. This happened on a -6f morning. Truck was warmed up for about ten min before driving
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Monday, July 6th, 2020 AT 1:47 PM (Merged)
Tiny
HMAC300
  • MECHANIC
  • 48,601 POSTS
Have the coolant system pressure checked for leaks like a head gasket or intake. Have oil checked for signs of coolant or fuel if driven in short trips like less than 10 miles everyday it may be fuel causing this as it can't get it all out of the system.
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Monday, July 6th, 2020 AT 1:47 PM (Merged)
Tiny
LITTLESTEVE
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
  • 1995 FORD F-250
  • V8
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 215,000 MILES
I found some coolant in my oil pan when I went to change oil. I was told that the front cover gasket or intake gasket was the most likely cause. I replaced these gaskets as well as the heads for other reasons and I am still seeing the same pressure loss when engine is cold that I did before replacing the gaskets.
No leak down when engine is warm. Any ideas?
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Monday, July 6th, 2020 AT 1:47 PM (Merged)
Tiny
2CARPRO JACK
  • MECHANIC
  • 11,533 POSTS
May have a pin hole in the timing cover. I have seen many Ford covers rot out and cause the leak, versus the gasket actually being bad. Is it still going into the oil pan?
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Monday, July 6th, 2020 AT 1:47 PM (Merged)
Tiny
LITTLESTEVE
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
I have replaced the timing cover when I replaced the front cover gasket because it was coroded and warped. I also loosened the oil drain plug to see if coolant was still going into the oil and saw none drain out. I have verified the tester on another vehicle and it holds pressure rock solid. On the f250 I have a hard time even getting it to pressurize at all.
Its like trying to pump up a bicycle tire that has a pin hole leak and as soon as you stop pumping it starts to leak down. But like I said before it is rock solid when the truck is at temp.
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Monday, July 6th, 2020 AT 1:47 PM (Merged)
Tiny
2CARPRO JACK
  • MECHANIC
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Where is the coolant level in the morning when you are testing it? If the system is pushing a little out when you shut it down hot, then you may be trying to compress air, which the tester wont do. Does it use any coolant?
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Monday, July 6th, 2020 AT 1:47 PM (Merged)
Tiny
LITTLESTEVE
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
I have not driven it enough since getting it running again to notice any coolant loss. However your idea about compressing air was something I considered. I have refilled the system after doing all of that work and I was wondering if air could be trapped in the system. The guage on the pressure tester will drop to about 4 or 5 pounds then stop. If it is air I'm not quite certain how to bleed it out. I will check the coolant level in the morning. I did drive it some today. It runs like a scalded dog and idles smooth as glass after all the work including a tune-up. If you know how to get all the air out of the system let me know. Thanks for your help.
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Monday, July 6th, 2020 AT 1:47 PM (Merged)

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