The Scout (the old brown mule)is currently my daily driver. The freeze plug repair seems to be fine, Thankfully. The radiator probably still leaks but to a manageable degree. “Manageable degree” you ask? If I keep a close eye on the coolant level and add some regularly I should be OK while I continue on the Ford.
After attempting to clean the area around the power steering pump, steering gear and lines I noted another leak close the area I was working in. The radiator was leaking around a transmission cooler line AGAIN. The radiator was replaced a few years ago by yours truly. The replacement is of modern design which means not expected to last nearly as long as the original according to my definition. The (now) newer one has plastic tanks on both sides. The transmission cooler inside the tank on the driver’s side has a brass male fitting protruding through the plastic tank. The only means of sealing that design was a flat washer and a thin nut that is supposed to hold enough pressure to maintain a seal. Well it never has held perfectly. The previous “fix” was a neoprene washer between the plastic tank and the flat washer. I might have lasted longer except I ?may? have over tightened it a little too forcibly along the way, based on my observations when I disassembled it Sat. I thought, incorrectly, that it was transmission fluid dripping done the tank. Once it was apart and the area had been clean what I thought was fluid WAS fluid but from the power steering area blown all over and mixing with coolant leaking from the cooler fitting or at least that’s my current opinion. It has lost minor amounts of coolant for almost as long as it’s had the ?newer? radiator. I could never discover where it was coming from and it lost very small amounts over long periods of time. Well imagine a few drops of coolant running down a VERY hot plastic tank and when drops would be blown off by the engine fan they would be dispersed all over that area and evaporate almost instantly. My long held opinion is that a dirty engine is a problem unto it’s self. Leaks are very difficult to trace as built up oil, dust and dirt absorb about any liquid and until it’s bad enough to drip you won’t know you have a problem. With the Scout I can keep it fairly clean (relative term) easily. The Ford is a different issue. I don’t believe any attempt to keep the under hood area clean and cleaning it is a risky business. Coil packs, fuel injection wiring and sensors are VERY sensitive to moisture. What has now become a very long story currently stands at- I added a small amount of silicone gasket maker around the neoprene washer and replaced the washer and nut just finger tight and left it set up. This morning my intent is to tighten it slightly more and put the transmission line back on and HOPE. Then I can get back to trying to locate the power steering leak. It’s a lot cleaner now (cleaned that area Friday). I searched for a leak all while time I was looking around there without success. My fear is that it might be coming from the front seal of the pump. From there it would go into the pulley and be thrown out in a mist NOT leaving a trail to follow. The problem with that concept is it leave quite a mess under the front of the car whenever it’s parked for very long so IT HAS TO BE leaking noticeably a LOT of fluid when it sits. That a “new to me” condition. It almost has to be either the pump it’s self or the low pressure line. Let’s all hope for the line, OK. Not only is the pump a LOT more costly it’s a major pain to remove. The pulley on the front has to be taken off with special tooling BEFORE you can even get to the pump bolts – the reverse is also true when it would go back together. It’s very close quarters. Bummer!
In brighter news- it’s going to be warm today and for the week. Mid 70’s isn’t bad for “old crusty” so I hope to have a longer period to work outside than a few hours. I’ll admit that I may have over taxed my back last week and actually took off all day yesterday. Intentionally I wore good cloths to help restrain myself from going out and pursuing automotive issues to any extent. It worked.
An invite for Jambalaya this afternoon will limit my productivity today, Oh Darn (chuckle)
With it being MLK day a parade is happening here and it seems that it will end in the area of “old #5” or very close, so getting in and out might be a challenge. They really get irritated at me when I move their barricades to get around but I guess that’s a price THEY’LL have to pay. Ya better not get between me and Bill’s Jambalaya.
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