Coolant leak

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russschell@gmail.com - 12 Feb 2007 20:20 GMT

'87 F-150 with 302.

I have the smallest little leak at the front of the motor. In this
cold, crappy, snowy, icy weather I can't tell if it coming from a
lower radiator hose or from a "weephole" on the water pump.

In any case, my question is this;

Have you ever heard of putting a tablesppon or two of ground black
pepper in the radiator to stop a pinhole leak? Is it an "old wives
tale" or does it work? Alternately, is the a good "stop leak" product
or do I just need to bite the bullet and get all the hoses/water pump
replaced.

Thanks.

Reply to this Message

Mike H - 12 Feb 2007 20:37 GMT

On Feb 12, 2:20 pm, russsch...@gmail.com wrote:

> '87 F-150 with 302.
>
> I have the smallest little leak at the front of the motor. In this
> cold, crappy, snowy, icy weather I can't tell if it coming from a
> lower radiator hose or from a "weephole" on the water pump.

If it's leaking from the weephole, nothing you add to the coolant can
stop that from eventually dumping all of your coolant out in short
order. The impeller seal is failing when that happens and it's not
something you can plug. I changed the waterpump out on my 1976
thunderbird on the day after christmas quite a few years back. -10
degree temps and leave it be said, I wasn't pleased. The car dumped
it's coolant outside Grandma's house on Christmas Day.

A radiator leak, I've had temporary success with bars leak.

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Steve Barker - 12 Feb 2007 22:01 GMT

Yeah, it has been known to work on a RADIATOR. Not on a water pump or lower
hose. Just crawl under there with your flashlight and look up. They'll be
a stain around the weep hole if that's where it's leaking. Could be you
just need to tighten the lower hose clamp(s). Or all the clamps for that
matter.

Signature

Steve Barker

> '87 F-150 with 302.
>
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
>
> Thanks.

Reply to this Message

russschell@gmail.com - 12 Feb 2007 22:07 GMT

On Feb 12, 5:01 pm, "Steve Barker" <ichasetra...@some.yahoo.com>
wrote:

> Yeah, it has been known to work on a RADIATOR. Not on a water pump or lower
> hose. Just crawl under there with your flashlight and look up. They'll be
[quoted text clipped - 24 lines]
>
> > Thanks.

Great info guys. I'll crawl around under there tomorrow when there's
some more daylight... then I'll start saving my "benjamins" for the
inevitable repair job. (Sheesh!)

Reply to this Message

samstone@aol.com - 12 Feb 2007 22:23 GMT

>'87 F-150 with 302.
>
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
>
>Thanks.

I'm one who believes that you only cause later problems when you add
any kind of stop leak to the cooling system , even if it's a small reduction
in the cooling of the radiator , or the heat transfer of the heater core.
If i recall correctly there is a small elbow hose ( about heater hose sized )
and approx. 5 inches long that is prone to leaking just above the waterpump
that you should inspect along with the other places the others suggested.
And should be replaced whenever the waterpump is changed.
As far as the pepper , i think it actually did stop a few leaks according to the
older crew at the hunting camp. ( i'm no spring chicken by the way )

Reply to this Message

Whitelightning - 13 Feb 2007 02:03 GMT

> I'm one who believes that you only cause later problems when you add
> any kind of stop leak to the cooling system , even if it's a small reduction
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> As far as the pepper , i think it actually did stop a few leaks according to the
> older crew at the hunting camp. ( i'm no spring chicken by the way )

I don't like stop leaks ether, but when your in the boondocks and need to
get home,
yes ground black pepper will plug a pin hole in a radiator or a freeze plug,
but be
prepared for a terrible stink. For larger holes in the radiator or a freeze
plug, the tobacco
from two or three cigarettes will get you home, and now I have really dated
myself.

That said, there are certain cars on the market that require a stop leak in
the cooling system,
some Cadillac's required it, as well as few Buick's. Detroit recommended it
for a couple engines.
On the foreign front, French Chryslers with aluminum blocks, Renaults, and a
few English
and German fords did as well (the German 2.8 V-6 used in Mustangs and capris
for one,
not the 2.8 used in Rangers)

Whitelightning

Reply to this Message

Doug - 15 Feb 2007 18:26 GMT

I believe the same thing... I did the pepper thing on my radiator once, it
worked for a little while, but eventually gave. It is a good temporary
thing when in a pinch. Stop leak products, avoid like the plague, it gunks
things up, you anti-freeze will never look the same, it only works about 1/2
the time, and the radiator shop will charge more when they go to rebuild or
recore.

Have any of you guys ever watched "MythBusters"??? They did a special on
this very thing! What really worked, even on a larger leak was cracking an
egg in the radiator. They took a carpenters awe, jabbed a hole in the
thing, sizeable I might add, and added the egg, sealed it up slicker than
snot.

This info, as it might be interesting, I do not think it applies to you
anyway. I would do as the other suggested and check your hoses and clamps
firstly. If it is a weep-hole, you can keep adding until you can afford to
fix it, or have the time.

I'm sure you have the problem solved by now, but I wanted to give my .02
cents anyway, with some interesting info none the less....

Doug

> I'm one who believes that you only cause later problems when you add
> any kind of stop leak to the cooling system , even if it's a small
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
> to the
> older crew at the hunting camp. ( i'm no spring chicken by the way )

Reply to this Message

Ford Tech - 13 Feb 2007 00:47 GMT

> '87 F-150 with 302.
>
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
>
> Thanks.

I wouldnt use anything stop leak wise in your cooling system. You can plug
your intake air heater, which is the 5/16" hose running from your intake to
the water pump, or the 5/16" metal line running along the top of your
radiator, as well as various other places.

IF you have to replace your water pump for a failing seal, you want to do a
couple of other things for your engine as well.

1. TOTAL SYSTEM FLUSH. This thing is an 87 and I bet it has never had it
done.
Take all hoses loose and run water through every component while the system
is drained. Flush with clean water from a hose until the water coming out of
the system doesnt have anything in it (clear, and no sediment). You can use
a clean white bucket and just keep sampling the water coming out of the
system. Flush the engine block with the water pump removed so no sediment
remains in the new pump. Flush the supply and return for your intake air
heater, as well as your heater core. Dont forget to flush out the radiator
as well... LOL

2. REPLACE THE THERMOSTAT.... Now is the best time to do it with the system
down for repairs anyway, its the perfect time to put a $5 thermostat in, and
save yourself from having to crack the system open later. If the thermostat
is anything like the one I put in a 91 Bronco with a 351, you will want to
do it without the water pump in the way...

Just my $0.02....

Ford Tech

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bba - 13 Feb 2007 02:24 GMT

I have a '94 F-150 302 and had a similar leak. It turned
out to be the timing chain cover gasket, a little more
involved to fix. A friend of mine with a '95 F-150 had
the same problem.

Just a suggestion for something else to look for...

Good luck.

> '87 F-150 with 302.
>
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
>
> Thanks.

Reply to this Message

oklaman - 14 Feb 2007 16:18 GMT

I recently replaced the original water pump on my 82 302 F100. Also
replaced thermostat and hoses.

Should have done the flush as previously mentioned.

The lower bolt on the thermostat housing was a little difficult to get to,
even with water pump removed.

The thermostat I put in (from Oreillys) was the type that if it failed, it
would remain in the open position. Cost a few $ more, but it may be worth
it.
I have a '94 F-150 302 and had a similar leak. It turned
out to be the timing chain cover gasket, a little more
involved to fix. A friend of mine with a '95 F-150 had
the same problem.

Just a suggestion for something else to look for...

Good luck.

russschell@gmail.com wrote:

> '87 F-150 with 302.
>
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
>
> Thanks.

Reply to this Message