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indy4192
User
Nov 10, 2009, 11:29 AM
Post #1 of 22
(1496 views)
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Source of leak
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My ford taurus (1998 6cylinder) has issues and I am basically just going to drive it till it dies. The engine is damaged and is forcing air into the radiator causing a small loss of fluid via the resevior. I have kept a close eye on it and replaced the loss fluid. This past Saturday I went to check the fluid and forgot to replace the radiator cap and drove the car for about 35-40 miles around town before remembering and putting the cap on. I had to put about a gallon of anti freeze back in to fill it up Saturday night. I did not drive the car on sunday, but last night I stoped for gas on my way home from work and saw some fluid coming from underneath the radiator and it looked like rusty colored antifreeze. It was coming from the lower driver side from what I could tell. Not a ton but maybe a half a cup amount. Nothing came out while the car was running but after I shut it off. I stopped again later to get some more anti freeze and when I got home and nothing from the radiator those times. This morning I drove to work and nothing. What did I do to the radiator driving with the cap off? Why no discharge except at that one stop?
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indy4192
User
Nov 11, 2009, 8:06 AM
Post #3 of 22
(1477 views)
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Re: Source of leak
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The leakage just happened for the first time this past saturday. What I can't figure out is where it is coming from or why? It is not leaking all the time. Yesterday I drove it and no leaks. This morning I added some water to the resivor and when I got to work I had some leaking. It is coming from the front of the car, on the right side under the radiator. I don't know if the leak is due to me overfilling the resivor or what since I didn't add any yesterday or because I used water this morning (about a pint of water) to fill up the resivor. I see the marks on the outside of resivor for where it should be "full" cold and may have gone past that. Could overfilling cause the leak?
As for fixing the car, right now I don't have the monies and without the car I can not get to work.
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indy4192
User
Nov 12, 2009, 8:05 AM
Post #5 of 22
(1458 views)
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Re: Source of leak
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Until this past saturday the amount of the leakage was so small I just wiped it off the overflow container where it sat. Nothing ever got onto the ground. Now yes there was a fair amount that got ont the ground this past weekend. And a fair amount again in my employers parking lot on Wed. I believe the spill on wednesday was due to overfilling the overflow container.
As for the "environmental police" getting us, it will never happen, the environemental police don't have the man power to deal with real toxic violators, let alone going after car owners over a little spilled antifreeze.
As for having it repaired/looked at by a mechanic. I don't have the monies, I have basically enough to pay my living bills and buy food this month, maybe next month I will have some extra cash, but it is the christmas season and I do need to purchase gifts for my family.
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Loren Champlain Sr
Veteran
/ Moderator
Nov 13, 2009, 5:08 PM
Post #6 of 22
(1447 views)
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Re: Source of leak
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Indy; I have to agree with Dan. I can understand, and sympathize, with your financial situation, but....If you are working, and need a car to get back and forth, you need to look at priorities. Without the car, no work, no money, no presents. It's kind of like the preverbial 'stuck between a rock and a hard place'. I don't know if it is freezing where you are this time of year, but if not, I don't think I'd waste any more anti-freeze on this. From the symptoms that I read in your post, it sounds like you may have a leaking head gasket. Have you tried stop-leak? If it is a very small leak, the stop-leak may slow it down. Probably not, but might be worth a try? (Bar's Leak is a very good product) You can't knowingly allow anti-freeze to leak out of your car. Don't know if you are an animal lover, but a thimble full of anti-freeze can kill a dog or a cat. It is 'sweet' to the taste. And, they love it. So, if it MUST leak, better to leak plain water than anti-freeze.
If it is the head gasket(s) that are leaking, that would explain the eratic level in the reservoir. When a head gasket leaks, it allows hot exhaust gasses into the cooling system, superheating the coolant and overcoming the radiator cap pressure rating, overfilling the reservoir. When the engine cools, the reservoir level will drop as the water/coolant is drawn back into the radiator. I'm a grandpa. Kids will appreciate a lot of 'little' toys more than a couple of 'really cool ones'. It's all about opening presents. (20) $1 gifts are a whole bunch more fun than one $1000.00 gift. Believe me. Not quality, with kids. Quantity! Gotta take priorities. That's what I tell my kids.
Loren
SW Washington
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indy4192
User
Nov 15, 2009, 2:46 PM
Post #7 of 22
(1441 views)
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Re: Source of leak
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If I get spill out I use the hose and rinse it off and do what I can. I have to get to work and back, I fix the car when I can, but right now it's just keeping it going.
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Nov 15, 2009, 3:56 PM
Post #8 of 22
(1440 views)
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Re: Source of leak
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Your not getting the point.........
If you can't fix it, you need to park it.
Not having enough money to fix it is no excuse to endanger the animals, the environment and other people.
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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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indy4192
User
Nov 16, 2009, 7:54 AM
Post #9 of 22
(1429 views)
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Re: Source of leak
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I would if I could. But I can't. Sure in a perfect world I would just park the car and go out and buy another one, one that is perfect and has no issues. Then I would be able to drive to my $100,000 a year job. But this is the real world. Sorry but sometimes "mother earth" has to take a hit for us "humans" can survive.
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Nov 16, 2009, 8:35 AM
Post #10 of 22
(1426 views)
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Re: Source of leak
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If all humans thought that way, you wouldn't have any Mother Earth.
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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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chickenhouse
Enthusiast
Nov 16, 2009, 10:26 AM
Post #11 of 22
(1416 views)
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Re: Source of leak
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Give it up, this guy is not going to listen.
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indy4192
User
Nov 16, 2009, 2:26 PM
Post #14 of 22
(1399 views)
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Re: Source of leak
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Okay, so what should I do? If I stop driving the car I have no job, I have no job, I can't pay my bills, I can't pay my bills I have no where to live, I have no where to live I then live on the streets and probably turn to a life of crime to get money.
Again in a perfect world I would have the monies to drive a perfectly safe car. But last time I checked our economy is in the tank and the gov't cares more about giving monies to large banks and passing a health care bill instead of improving the economy so better jobs with better pay are available.
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Loren Champlain Sr
Veteran
/ Moderator
Nov 16, 2009, 5:44 PM
Post #15 of 22
(1394 views)
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Re: Source of leak
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Indy; I completely understand what you are saying. Just don't put any more anti-freeze in it until you can get it fixed. Fill it with plain water. With it leaking as badly as it is, you should have enough air space in the engine so you don't have to worry about it freezing. If you can park it inside the garage or put a drop light under the hood at night, should help with that worry. Yes, our environment is more important that just one person. You cannot deny that. It is up to all of us. Just like an army. No one person makes that army. It is a great combination of people that make it work. When you wash the anti-freeze 'down the drain', it goes into the storm drain and into, eventually, the ocean. It kills fish, if they are lucky enough to die. If they don't die, they get contaminated. We eat fish. You are better off pouring pollutants in the toilet...at least that way they go to the waste treatment plant. There is a couple of non-toxic anti-freezes on the market. If you are adamant about putting anti-freeze in the car, please use one of that type.
Loren
SW Washington
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Nov 16, 2009, 5:58 PM
Post #16 of 22
(1392 views)
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Re: Source of leak
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Not all toilets end up in the waste treatment plant, many go right in to septic tanks and then the ground water and then the drinking water.
Now replacing that coolant with water will create a nice big rusty mess that will never go away from the cooling system or the ground it leaks on to.
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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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Loren Champlain Sr
Veteran
/ Moderator
Nov 16, 2009, 6:28 PM
Post #17 of 22
(1386 views)
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Re: Source of leak
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Good catch! Didn't think about that! Still a lot of septic tanks in this area. Had an EPA inspection, just recently. He asked me where we dumped the mop bucket water? I, sheepishly, said "In the toilet". He replied "Good boy!" I thought it was going to be in a world of hurt. Whew.
Loren
SW Washington
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indy4192
User
Nov 19, 2009, 3:37 PM
Post #18 of 22
(1373 views)
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Re: Source of leak
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Took the car into the mechanic today and he is installing a new radiator. The cost breakdown for replacement of the radiator on a 1998 Ford Taurus SE 6 clyinder/3.0 engine car is:
Radiator: $110
Labor: $200
Fluid: $16
Is it tough to replace a radiator in this type of vehicle? Is this a fair cost? With having 129,000 miles (in a northern state) and 11 years old, is this typical for a radiator to need to be replaced? What if any damage can be attributed to the issue of the engine having a misfire and the leak down test showing air coming up through the radiator overflow jug?
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Nov 19, 2009, 4:15 PM
Post #19 of 22
(1371 views)
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Re: Source of leak
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Why does everything with you develop into 1000 questions? Have you ever heard of the boy that cried "wolf"?
You had a leaking radiator. Replace it. If you still have a problem that your mechanic can't answer, then ask. Enough is enough! Your abusing the system.
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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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indy4192
User
Nov 19, 2009, 4:30 PM
Post #20 of 22
(1368 views)
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Re: Source of leak
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I am replacing it, I just asked some simple questions concerning it, I am sorry but didn't know it wrong to ask questions. While my mechanic is very good, it is near impossible to understand him when he tries to explain it, so I go to sources that provide good sound information. What is wrong with trying to find information out?
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Nov 19, 2009, 4:49 PM
Post #21 of 22
(1365 views)
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Re: Source of leak
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You have 67 responses since Sept 14 of this year. We do this voluntarily to help people in trouble. We don't get paid and our services and advice is charged are over $80 per hour in our own jobs. You are asking too many unnecessary questions and abusing our time when we could be helping someone else.
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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
(This post was edited by Hammer Time on Nov 19, 2009, 5:12 PM)
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Loren Champlain Sr
Veteran
/ Moderator
Nov 19, 2009, 7:21 PM
Post #22 of 22
(1355 views)
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Re: Source of leak
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indy; The prices you listed sound more than fair. As HT said, I think you are over analyzing this.
Loren
SW Washington
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