Leaking coolant from on top of engine - cause and shipfitter question?

[Fergie]

Hello all,

I just discovered a coolant leak that is making a puddle on top of the engine, towards the front of the engine.

I think that leak is coming from the rigid tube coming from the rear to the front of the engine.

Is this a common issue and is it indeed an o-ring failure?

Second, it looks like a good bit of stuff will come out to fix the o-ring; what else should I replace while I am in there....classic shipfitters syndrome!

Thanks for the help all.

Gavin

[my.paj]

It is common for the o-ring to be the cause but also the pipe it fits onto can be rusted.
Rick

[Pauly Faulkner]

+1 to what Rick said.
You will have to get new intake manifold gaskets and plenum gaskets as they both need to come off. A fair bit in the way uptop but just take a few pictures and notes while removeing things and take one thing off at a time, before you know it you'll be looking at a bare manifold and it gets easy from there.

If you wanna be positive about what is causing the leak then buy some uv tracer dye(around $20 for a small bottle), you flush all coolant out of the system then add dye and fresh water, run car in driveway or slow trips around the block(nothing over 50km/hr as the dye will likely blow around as it comes out). once you notice it leaking then get into it. Use a uv torch(few bucks off ebay) to trace the leak once you're in there.

p.s when you dump the water out with the dye in it before you start pulling things apart, keep this in a clean container as it can go back in and will help diagnose future leaks.
The tracer dye is perfectly fine to stay in the system 24/7, i know a few people who add it to there coolant bottle before they fill the system up.

[Fergie]

Great info guys! Thank you very much.

And just to make sure I'm providing the right info, this is a 2001 LTD with the 3.5L gasser.

Any reason to do any other gaskets or O-rings or something like the spark plugs? PCV valve....stuff like that.

Thanks again.

[Pauly Faulkner]

Valve cover and spark plug tube seals is about all i can think off.
It's wise to do the cam and crank seals together everytime you do the waterpump so if waterpump is not due for a while then i wouldn't bother with them. But if heads are coming off then just replace what you get your hands on that comes in the vrs kit. If heads are coming off then it's also a good idea to do the waterpump heater bypass pipe O-ring, they have a habbit of just starting to leak for no reason at all.

[Fergie]

Valve cover and spark plug tube seals is about all i can think off.
It's wise to do the cam and crank seals together everytime you do the waterpump so if waterpump is not due for a while then i wouldn't bother with them. But if heads are coming off then just replace what you get your hands on that comes in the vrs kit. If heads are coming off then it's also a good idea to do the waterpump heater bypass pipe O-ring, they have a habbit of just starting to leak for no reason at all.

Is it necessary to pull the heads to replace that coolant pipe and o-ring?

Waterpump and timing belt were done a few thousand miles back, but not the cam and crank seals...one of those has a slow weep I think.

Gavin

[Pauly Faulkner]

Whenever timing belt and/or waterpump is done you should do the crank/cam seals. That's why when you buy a timing kit they come with them. They don't come with a waterpump kit though as a waterpump can go at anytime and is usually only done every second timing belt change.

Heads don't have to come off for that o-ring and pipe, just the intake manifold so you would need a new intake manifold gasket. By the time you buy new valve cover seals, spark plug tube seals, cam and crank seals, intake and plenum gaskets, valve stem seals and Heater bypass pipe O-ring you may as well of payed a little extra and got a VRS kit which includes all those and comes with head gaskets and a few other gaskets.

Upto you how far you wanna go with it but if i were you i would atleast do the cam/crank seals and valve stem seals at minimum.

[Fergie]

Is there a parts diagram that I can reference for an actual PN? I'd like to call the closest dealer and actually know what I am looking for.

Also, do you have a link to the kit you mentioned?

Thank you,
G

[mmannion]

You won't need new intake gaskets if they are the original metal ones, they are fine to reuse several times.

[Fergie]

So, I ordered the parts I thought I needed, which were PN 1310A525(MD307137) and the two o-rings to go with it.

This was not the correct part, as it was too high on the engine. The one I need is deep in the valley between the two heads.

Does anyone have a parts diagram for a 2001 LTD 3.5L that I can reference?

Thanks

[Fergie]

Just an update to this, I ended up replacing every single gasket from the plenum up, as well as all the O-rings and lines I could access while I had it apart.

Once all that was done, I found out that the radiator filler neck as a hair line crack and isn't pressurizing properly, so that will get replaced next.

Thanks for the help and guidance on this one.

Gavin

[fgin]

Just an update to this, I ended up replacing every single gasket from the plenum up, as well as all the O-rings and lines I could access while I had it apart.

Once all that was done, I found out that the radiator filler neck as a hair line crack and isn't pressurizing properly, so that will get replaced next.

Thanks for the help and guidance on this one.

Gavin

Hi mate

Can I ask you where you got your parts from? Will Autobarn, Supercheap, Bursons etc be stocking these? What's it called ?

I have the same problem as yours where there is a small water leak and today I took out the piping and see that its rusted and needs a new pipe + o-rings.



For reference, I didn't have to take out the intake. Just the top part of the thermostat and then wriggled/levered out the back from the engine. Hope the pics helps someone else in future. I cleaned up the rust that was on both the ends that the rusted parts met. Hence you see it clean. Hopefully a new pipe with new O-rings are all I need.

PS: If anyone has a spare pipe in useable condition I can buy then please PM me, Im in SE Melbourne.

cheers