1989 Bronco II, 2.9 Ltr, 4WD, 5-Spd. I have coolant drips from under the vehicle, coming down the back of the motor and exiting at the transmission/motor joining area on the passenger side. There is no coolant in the oil. I replaced the upper and lower intake gaskets. Ive checked/felt around the freeze plugs and the head/block mating area. Can not locate the source of the drips. Any other suggestions besides the head gaskets? Thanks.
89 Bronco II coolant leaks
- Thread starter agzmdv
- Start date
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SunSpot
New member
Did you check the heater hoses where they go through the firewall? Also the heater core (if it leaks) usually leaks on the inside of the car, but not ALWAYS. if the heater core was leaking it could leak out between the evaporator case and firewall and drip down where you are describing. Both of these places are on the passenger side above where you are talking about.
Another thing too... Keep in mind that the Radiator fan can "blow" coolant towards the rear of the engine when the leak is actually more towards the front.
Just some suggestions to check out.....
Another thing too... Keep in mind that the Radiator fan can "blow" coolant towards the rear of the engine when the leak is actually more towards the front.
Just some suggestions to check out.....
Thanks for the quick reply. Tomorrow afternoon after work I'll gain access to the heater core from behind the glovebox and give it the once over. I replaced the heater core 5 or 6 years ago and if memory serves me correctly it did not leak into the passenger compartment. The heat setting was smelling like antifreeze and fogging the windows. I live in Jacksonville Florida and there hasn't been much of a need for heat this season. Thanks again, and I'll let you and this thread know what I find out.
SunSpot
New member
Sounds like the core to me! I bought a bypass valve (vacuum operated) that you splice into the heater hoses (since I live in Orlando area and dont need heater). It was for an F150 but i noticed in salvage yard that 4 cyl rangers (92-94) have them too. it also helps the A/C run cooler.
Nope, not the heater core. Dry as a bone. Climbed inside the engine compartment again trying to locate it, then reached as far up from underneath also. Still can't find it. Drips are only slight, two spots about 2 inches wide overnight. If this is all that it leaks, I'll just keep an eye on it and live with it. I didn't do the head gaskets last weekend when I changed the intake manifold gaskets. Bad experience with the exhaust manifold to head bolts. Snapped a couple of them in two a few years ago. Didn't matter because I ended up changing the engine. Any more suggestions?
Thanks.
SunSpot
New member
IMO if you are sure the leak is in the rear & your intake repairs aren't leaking then the options are getting slim here. Leaks from rear of engine are going to be:
Intake gasket or cracked manifold
Head gasket
cracked head
Freeze plug
All of these can leak without getting water in the oil. Most cracked heads are around exh valves, leak into the exhaust ports and blow the water out the tail pipe. You can usually smell antifreeze at the tail pipe as steam. A head gasket could leak into the oil, cylinder, or be an external leak. Freeze plug would be external. Dont forget there are 2 freeze plugs behind the flywheel. dunno what to tell you, not like we have to worry about blocks freezing in Florida. I feel your pain about the exhaust studs too, when i turned in my core 2.9 it had broken studs on one side, and one of the exhaust manifold still attached to the other. Good thing i bought headers!
I guess you should watch your temperature and see if the leak gets worse. Perhaps then you will know where it is coming from.
Intake gasket or cracked manifold
Head gasket
cracked head
Freeze plug
All of these can leak without getting water in the oil. Most cracked heads are around exh valves, leak into the exhaust ports and blow the water out the tail pipe. You can usually smell antifreeze at the tail pipe as steam. A head gasket could leak into the oil, cylinder, or be an external leak. Freeze plug would be external. Dont forget there are 2 freeze plugs behind the flywheel. dunno what to tell you, not like we have to worry about blocks freezing in Florida. I feel your pain about the exhaust studs too, when i turned in my core 2.9 it had broken studs on one side, and one of the exhaust manifold still attached to the other. Good thing i bought headers!
I guess you should watch your temperature and see if the leak gets worse. Perhaps then you will know where it is coming from.
