Coolant Leak From Near Lower Radiator Hose Attachment

[Ancient Pistol]

Hi folks

I'm leaking coolant from near where the lower radiator hose attaches to the block. It's not leaking from the hose or from around where the hose attaches. It looks like it is leaking from a bolt on the bottom of the thermostat housing. The bolt has what looks like a thin strip of metal under the head of the bolt that runs toward the hose.

Is this a coolant drain plug?

 

[ewillis]

Hi folks

I'm leaking coolant from near where the lower radiator hose attaches to the block. It's not leaking from the hose or from around where the hose attaches. It looks like it is leaking from a bolt on the bottom of the thermostat housing. The bolt has what looks like a thin strip of metal under the head of the bolt that runs toward the hose.

Is this a coolant drain plug?

The thermostat housing has 3 bolts in a triangular pattern. If it's leaking from the bottom bolt, pull it and replace the T-stat and rubber gasket. There's no metal strip or drain plug in there.

 

[Ancient Pistol]

The thermostat housing has 3 bolts in a triangular pattern. If it's leaking from the bottom bolt, pull it and replace the T-stat and rubber gasket. There's no metal strip or drain plug in there.

That's what I originally thought, but this bolt is 90 degrees off from the t-stat housing bolts. The t-stat housing bolts are (roughly) parallel to the ground. This bolt runs up and down.

 

[Tedward]

What choo talking bout Willis?
There is the pipe that supplies (returns?) the heater core.
It has a flange with two bolts "90 degrees form the t-stat housing"
Also, there is naturally a gasket and it has a "thin strip of metal" peeking out.
Dear Mr Ancient Pistol,
Either go get a pic of your situation or find one and let's go from there.

edit: added two HUGE (yuuge) pics. Anything look familiar?

 

[ewillis]

What choo talking bout Willis?
There is the pipe that supplies (returns?) the heater core.
It has a flange with two bolts "90 degrees form the t-stat housing"
Also, there is naturally a gasket and it has a "thin strip of metal" peeking out.
Dear Mr Ancient Pistol,
Either go get a pic of your situation or find one and let's go from there.

Without a pic...Willis be talkin bout T-Stat housing! "It looks like it is leaking from a bolt on the bottom of the thermostat housing" I couldn't get a visual in my mind on the area you're referring to, but may be the culprit.

 

[Ancient Pistol]

This bolt is on the bottom. I will get a picture at lunch. Thanks!

 

[Ancient Pistol]

Here's a picture. It's the silver bolt near the hose clamp. That's where it's leaking.

 

[mechanist]

View attachment 1429710 What choo talking bout Willis?
There is the pipe that supplies (returns?) the heater core.
It has a flange with two bolts "90 degrees form the t-stat housing"
Also, there is naturally a gasket and it has a "thin strip of metal" peeking out.
Dear Mr Ancient Pistol,
Either go get a pic of your situation or find one and let's go from there.

edit: added two HUGE (yuuge) pics. Anything look familiar?

View attachment 1429709

Those are incredible pictures. Brilliant. The best anyone has ever even heard of. I love those pictures. Everyone does. They're the biggest and the best. Legendary. The absolute best ever seen by anyone, and I know this because I've got a team of parts photos examiners who swear these are the best they've ever seen. Yuge. It's not even a competition.

 

[Tedward]

Well, Mr. Ancient Pistol, I can't tell exactly what I'm looking at in your pic. What year truck you got there?
Before you answer....clean that mess up!
Just kidding, please share the year.
Then clean that mess up!
It's hard to say where it's coming from until you have it clean and dry.
It will help immensely. Many, Many fine people have said so.
Maybe some sort of grease cutter and diy car wash, or spary cans/rags and arthritis.
Problem for me is just cant tell where that is. I have 95lc

 

[Ancient Pistol]

Ha!! It is cleaned up. You should have seen it before.

It' s 1992. Sorry about that.

 

[mechanist]

Ha!! It is cleaned up. You should have seen it before.

It' s 1992. Sorry about that.

So it's a 3fe. Search for @jonheld's website. He knows the 3fe.

 

[Ancient Pistol]

So it's a 3fe. Search for @jonheld's website. He knows the 3fe.

Thanks. I will do that.

I may have mis-spoken. I'm looking a parts diagrams and it looks like the thermostat is at the top of the engine. This is at the bottom, where the lower radiator hose joins the engine.

 

[Tedward]

Well that's out of my limited wheelhouse then.
Good luck!

 

[jonheld]

Thanks. I will do that.

I may have mis-spoken. I'm looking a parts diagrams and it looks like the thermostat is at the top of the engine. This is at the bottom, where the lower radiator hose joins the engine.

How can you possibly tell where anything is leaking from in that mess?
You're going to need to clean things up and pressurize the system by either running it up to temperature or use a pressure test kit to pressurize the system. The cap is rated at 16 or 18 PSI (I forget) so hoses and clamps and other bits need to hold at least that much.
Coolant leaks will reveal themselves pretty quickly.

 

[Ancient Pistol]

It has revealed itself leaking from around that bolt. I'm just trying to determine what the bolt is.

 

[Tedward]

I'm trying to help....I come in Peace.

You really must clean that whole area shiny and new.

Then you'll know what that bolt is doing for work these days. Plus, you'll find the source of your leak.
It is the only way, with your face right in there, maybe a small mirror and dry rags while its leaking.

 

[Ancient Pistol]

It kills me to admit when someone else is right, but I do it. Turns out that the coolant was not leaking from the bolt. That was just its point of final departure, for lack of a better term. Turns out that it is a blown head gasket. Ouch!

 

[tominboise]

Good to know where it's leaking. Bummer as to the source.