1995 Ford Taurus Coolant Leak - Where is it coming from?

KASSYS_TAURUS

MEMBER
1995 FORD TAURUS
6 CYL
2WD
AUTOMATIC
90,000 MILES

The coolant has been leaking out for a while, but lately it's been getting worse and worse. My dad has taken a look at it but cannot figure out where it's coming from, and has refused to do anything about it. Every time I leave my car in the driveway for more than a day or two, all the coolant leaks out from somewhere next to the front right tire, and I have to pour more in before I can drive anywhere. Also, when I open the hood after I've been driving for a while, steam (or smoke?) comes up from next to the coolant tank, on the left side. However, it is not coming directly from the coolant tank itself.

Any ideas on how I could fix this? I'm a college student, so money's tight and I can't keep buying a gallon of coolant every other week. I'd like to be able to handle this myself. Even just knowing where it's coming from would help. And how much would it cost to get this problem professionally repaired before it gets any worse? Any information on this is greatly appreciated!!

1 Reply

JACOBANDNICKOLAS

MECHANIC
109,758 POSTS

Hi:
The car looks like it is in really nice shape. As far as the leak, based on where you said it is coming from, it sounds like the water pump is bad. At the bottom of the pump is what is called a weep hole. It is a small hole that coolant will leak from if there is a bad bearing or seal in the pump. The hole is about 3/8" in diameter. Check that to see if there is any evidence of a leak.

If you are not sure, you need to pressure test the system when it is cold. You will need a pressure pump which is nothing more than a hand pump that screws on to the radiator where the rad cap is located. Pump the system up to about 15psi and then start looking for where the coolant is coming from.

Let me know what you find or if you have other questions. If I was there, I would help, but chances are I'm about a thousand miles away.

Let me know.

Joe