There is coolant leaking in the back of the motor and on the exhaust, could it be a head gasket issue?

ZITT

MEMBER
2004 FORD MUSTANG
4.6L
V8
2WD
MANUAL
129,500 MILES

I replaced the plugs, coil packs, fuel injectors and valve cover gaskets, drove 15 miles and noticed it was completely out of coolant. There does not seem to be any oil in the coolant reservoir or any water with oil, but I discovered coolant leaking in the back of the motor and on the exhaust, and it still runs badly.

The car listed above is a GT.

2 Replies

JACOBANDNICKOLAS

MECHANIC
109,755 POSTS

Hi,

It could be a gasket issue, but if you are seeing a leak from the rear of the engine, first check to see if it is a heater hose or something different leaking.

Also, when you drive the vehicle, do you notice excessive white smoke from the exhaust? Does the heater work? Take a look through this link and let me know if it helps:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/head-gasket-blown-test

Let me know.

joe

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Monday, January 8th, 2024 AT 6:40 PM

KEN L

MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
47,643 POSTS

It could be, the best way to tell is to remove the spark plugs and pressure test the cooling system and then crank the engine over. This will shoot coolant out the spark plug holes of the affected cylinders. These guides can help, stand back when cranking the engine over to avoid contact with the coolant. You can rent a pressure tester from the auto parts store for free or cheap.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/radiator-pressure-test

and

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/head-gasket-blown-test

Please upload videos of the problem so we can see what's going on.

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Monday, January 8th, 2024 AT 6:41 PM