Only an experienced guess - the water pump. The seal often leaks just a tad
at first, so it takes a while for the leak to show up. Not familiar with the
Ford, but if the water pump is accessible feel for the "weep hole" in the
pump which is normally located about an inch below the shaft. A paper towel
is a more sensitive way of checking... if there is a droplet there or white
powder, you should plan to get the water pump changed soon. Some Ford
engines are notorious for the water pump seizing and ruining the timing
belt, which in turn destroys the engine. You don't want to go that route. If
you value your sanity, don't plug the weep hole with anything, as some have
been known to do. Your next warning sign is horrible noise from the engine
and no go-power.

If the leak isn't from the water pump, it is much less urgent but should not
be ignored. Follow the drip upward and see where it takes you. You are
looking for a white deposit, which is usually fluorescent under black light,
or traces of liquid the same color as the dripped coolant.

Mike

On 12/29/05 12:44 PM, in article
04d3e6603ee8df24945cdb48ebc5bcfe@localhost.talkaboutautos.com, "barry_d"
<barrybhai@yahoo.com> wrote:

A small leak will evaporate almost immediately when the engine is hot, so
you don't see anything when you look. Since the radiator stays pressurized
for a while as the engine is cooling, it will continue to drip and once he
engine is cool enough, those drops don't evaporate immediately.

Look for the wet spot on the engine in the morning before you start it up.
The last time I had this experience on an American car, it was the gasket on
the thermostat housing.