Community Forums

garykk · 09-24-2012, 11:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TXiceman

sometimes on a coolant replacement, you will get some air in the system and it takes a while to work out. First check for leaks, refil the coolant and check it again after some miles. If it keeps loosig coolant, you have a leak.

Ken

x-2 on that......once you have determined that the level has stabilized, it should not drop.....
and if I had an engine that used a quart of coolant a month, I would be at the Ford dealer in a heart beat...

EngineerMike · 09-24-2012, 11:29 AM

Ditto CBQ, its a leak. Common on new installs. I found maybe 4 teeny leaks on my chassis when new. No more coolant loss. Sometimes the hose connection didn't leak down when first new. Then the rig gets on the road, vibration & so forth, and bingo here come the seeps. Gotta tighten up all the hose clamps.

CBQ · 09-24-2012, 03:00 PM

We seem to be running about 50/50 for "it's normal" and "it's a leak". I'm heading on the 3500 mile trip, so going to check all the hoses first, top it up to the cold fill line, and watch. If it's a leak, it will drop again before the trip is done I'm sure.

Midniteoyl · 09-24-2012, 04:22 PM

Cant imagine any engine made after 1965 where coolant loss is 'acceptable'..

Dunner · 09-24-2012, 05:05 PM

Just checked mine. 140 miles on a new engine and it is at ~1/3 full when it should be at ~2/3 full.

CBQ · 09-25-2012, 06:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Midniteoyl

Cant imagine any engine made after 1965 where coolant loss is 'acceptable'..

I wouldn't have expected it, but the Ford guideline is 1 quart a month. It's going to a Ford Heavy Truck Center after this next trip, but will be interesting to see if the level changes. If it doesn't the "air bubble" theory may be correct. If it does change, it's a leak. I just hope that leak is a hose leak I missed, vs. a gasket or crack in a new engine.

Midniteoyl · 09-25-2012, 07:28 AM

Little bit of UV dye and blacklight seem to be in order...

Tony Lee · 09-25-2012, 08:16 AM

You've been given some pretty logical reasons for what happened so now you can either accept them and monitor the situation to see if there really is a problem - or you can spend a lot of time and money to fix a problem that may not even be a problem.
Pretty easy choice I reckon

LVJ58 · 09-25-2012, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KSCRUDE

And by the way the coolant level should never go down at all. I have a 7 year old F350 (V10) and never have added a drop and it is full and this is with over 50 K on the clock.

X2 No coolant loss in our 12 year old coach..

alilly · 09-26-2012, 10:48 PM

I changed the coolant in a '04 V-10 (16000 mi) this spring and after each heat/cool cycle (mostly to/from local storage) checked the level in the plastic tank. After about 4 times the level stayed the same.

Just completed an ~5000 mile trip and the level didn't change at all.

A side note on hose clamps: The "hog ring" spring clamps Ford uses (a real pain to work with) are much better for coolant hose use than the screw-type band clamps. The spring clamps keep a relatively constant clamping pressure whereas the screw-type becomes loose as the hose ages.

Just one less thing to put a wrench on in my opinion.

Adron

Hikerdogs · 09-27-2012, 07:58 AM

I talked to a Ford rep a few years ago when they were having problems with hose clamps leaking. His take was the main reason they leaked was the way they were manufactured and stored prior to installation.

Apparently as part of the manufacturing process once they are built there is a keeper installed to keep them open for easy installation. Once they are in place the keeper is snapped out and the clamp compresses the hose. He felt the keepers being used were too large thus opening the clamp too wide. Stressing it beyond the spring point and actually deforming the clamp. When the keeper was removed the clamp had already been deformed and couldn't squeeze the hose as tight as it should.

Fast forward a couple years and the keepers have been redesigned and there are fewer instances of clamp failures or leakage. Although there are fewer failures I still believe the heating and cooling cycles over thousands of miles have some effect on the spring tension.

When we had some problems with minor leakage the Ford dealer replaced the clamps with the screw style ones. Since then there haven't been any problems.

KSCRUDE · 09-27-2012, 08:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alilly

I changed the coolant in a '04 V-10 (16000 mi) this spring and after each heat/cool cycle (mostly to/from local storage) checked the level in the plastic tank. After about 4 times the level stayed the same.

Just completed an ~5000 mile trip and the level didn't change at all.

A side note on hose clamps: The "hog ring" spring clamps Ford uses (a real pain to work with) are much better for coolant hose use than the screw-type band clamps. The spring clamps keep a relatively constant clamping pressure whereas the screw-type becomes loose as the hose ages.

Just one less thing to put a wrench on in my opinion.

Adron

I have a 2013 Newmar and had a leak because or these ford hog ring spring clamps. They are nothing but (CHEAP) junk! Only reason ford uses them is ford is cheap and so or these clamps. When one goes to leaking there is no tighting it up. You can tighten a screw clamp. And cat uses a screw clamp with a spring on it also so it is the best of both worlds. Ford uses junk as they are a cheap junk company. I know as I have about a dozen of them.

Hikerdogs · 09-27-2012, 09:30 AM

[QUOTE=KSCRUDE;1321836]I have a 2013 Newmar and had a leak because or these ford hog ring spring clamps. They are nothing but (CHEAP) junk! Only reason ford uses them is ford is cheap and so or these clamps. When one goes to leaking there is no tighting it up. You can tighten a screw clamp. And cat uses a screw clamp with a spring on it also so it is the best of both worlds. FoIf Ford is such a "cheap junkrd uses junk as they are a cheap junk company. I know as I have about a dozen of them.[/QUOTE]

If Ford is such a "cheap jnk company" why on earth would you own a dozen of them. Something doessn't compute.

KSCRUDE · 09-27-2012, 09:19 PM

Computes for me. All you have left is a bunch of RICER crap and government motors and walt and Whap motors. But to tell you how cheap ford is. I have a 08 f150 and it has grab handles on both front sides. Same as a 97 150 I just sold. 2 front grab handles. Look at a 10 or newer f150s, the cheap sobs did away with the their drivers side grab handle. A ten dollar item, maybe. And 50 g plus trucks. We the customers are suckers and getting screwed everyday. The super duty line still has the front drivers and passenger side grab handles. I was going to buy a 55 g f 150 but couldn't do it without the drivers grab handle. Ford is getting cheaper every day. And their cheap leaking chink made hose clamps are a joke. I just had to repair a 2013 F550 chassis in a 2013 Newmar because or their cheap junk. Newmar is just as cheap as ford as their build quality is no better then the last new rig I purchased which was a 1994 Jayco fiver.