Water/coolant leaking from engine

DBERKOSKI

MEMBER
1996 LINCOLN TOWN CAR
4.6L
V8
2WD
AUTOMATIC
137,000 MILES

My car started overheating the other day and now when I add water into the reserve it pours out the bottom of the engine. I will add a photo it looks like it's a gasket it drips right where a gasket should be anyway. The photo is from behind looking towards the front of the car.

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7 Replies

JACOBANDNICKOLAS

MECHANIC
109,867 POSTS

Welcome to 2CarPros.

First, confirm that the heater hoses that run from the engine to the firewall are not leaking. Also, check the intake gasket (rear top) to see if there is evidence of a leak. The pics show the oil pan, so the leak is coming from above that because it doesn't have coolant in it. See if it is something simple like one of the hoses in back. Take a good light and follow the hoses from the engine to the firewall.

Let me know if you need help or have other questions.

Joe

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Tuesday, July 30th, 2019 AT 10:18 AM

DBERKOSKI

MEMBER
5 POSTS

Thank you. I will check. It's hard to explain the location but It is actually behind the oil pan completely. I found another picture from online you might be able to tell more from this one. It looks like a gasket right next to the black round plug you can see the bolts screwed in around it and then there's another pan behind it. It's leaking from it looks like that gasket or whatever that is. Thanks

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Tuesday, July 30th, 2019 AT 10:30 AM

JACOBANDNICKOLAS

MECHANIC
109,867 POSTS

Welcome back:

Okay, that round plug is an inspection sight for the flywheel and or torque converter. That is the bottom part of what is called the bell housing and is part of and how the transmission bolts to the engine. Behind the plug is the transmission oil pan.

If coolant is leaking from near the top of the engine, chances are it is making its way to that point. There could be an expansion plug (aka a freeze plug) on the back of the engine block between the engine and transmission that is leaking into the bell housing, but it's unlikely.

What I suggest is to clean everything off and then start filling it slowly while you watch where it comes from.

Let me know what you find, if you have questions, or just need help.

Take care,
Joe

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Tuesday, July 30th, 2019 AT 6:02 PM

DBERKOSKI

MEMBER
5 POSTS

I went under the car and checked again and now it looks like at least I think it's leaking from a point higher up than the bottom gasket area of the bell-housing. Hopefully this is a good sign but I don't know. I added water and It looks like the water is dropping off the oil pan onto the that bell-housing and to the ground. Unfortunately I can't see up there it's too tight. I don't see any water coming from the top hoses at least what I can see it seems like it is near the firewall somewhere maybe I guess I'll have to get someone to look at it.

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Wednesday, July 31st, 2019 AT 8:09 AM

DBERKOSKI

MEMBER
5 POSTS

I checked the oil and transmission fluid and as far as I can tell it doesn't look like water got in there, but I'm not a mechanic it looks normal to me though.