What is wrong with my car? Antifreeze leaking...details inside....?

Question

It's a 94 Explorer, 6 cyl

I can't see where it is leaking from but it is dripping...more like running...from above and behind the right front tire. It doesn't seem to leak much at all when it's running, but when I shut it off, after a few minutes, it leaks really bad. I tried Bars Leak, but that didn't help at all. Every time I get ready to drive it, I fill up the resevoir and radiator. The resevoir is usually empty after driving 30 miles or so and the radiator usually needs maybe a 1/4 of a gallon.

Answer 1

ohh boy, you have troubles and from where you describe the leak i am guessing it may be the heater core.
I have never had any type of stopleak product work except to plug the heater core.
You will probably have to have a shop check it out, they can pressurize the system and find the leak.
Hopefully it will be somethign simple like a bad hose but it can also be quite serious, only one way to find out is to locate the leak.
Not fun, good luck with it

Answer 2

Ok this is an answer from a mechanic.. First never get under a vehicle while its running with HOT coolant leaking. Second if the heater core is behind the fire wall, and behind the dash and you have leaking coolant inside the engine compartment (i don't think its the heater core). There are coolant hoses than run through the fire wall and out into the cylinder head. Since your vehicle is older they may be original. The hoses might have failed. They usually split at the clamp. Do NOT put stop leak in your engine. That will clog vital cylinder head ports or smaller hoses that feed coolant. Take your truck to a mechanic that has a pressure tester. This puts pressure on the engine when its cold! The leak will only get WORSE if you continue to drive it. If your clyinder head is leaking and you drive it- it will overheat and you have will engine damage amd a heavy bill. Drive it to the mechanic. GooD lucK

Answer 3

My guess is that it is a lower intake valve or the head gasket. That depends if you can actually see the antifreeze leak out or if it is just losing antifreeze. Grand Ams have aluminum engines and it doesn't stand up to well to the changes in temperatures that engines go through. I'm thinking that a 95 isn't worth repairing because its the cost off labor that gets you. 4 years ago lower intake valve work cost me $1100. If you do get it repaired you may need to do the same thing within a year or two.

Answer 4

its the collant return tube at the bottom of the radiator by the right front tire 2 dollar fix buy a new tube and 2 clamps and ur set the rubber tube that u probably need to replace is cheap... or maybe u just need to tighten the fixture that the tube connects to on the radiator my buddy's caddy just had that problem.

Answer 5

Check underneath when running just be sure to wear eye protection so none gets into your eyes and keep your mouth shut. Can be a hose connection or a water-pump seal going bad. Just need to look to verify which

Answer 6

Could be a freeze plug.was the antifreeze in it good and /or it get very cold out befor it happened?could also be as simple as a bad radiator cap or bad over flow tank.

Answer 7

there are a number of places it could be leaking from. Heater hose, waterpump, manifold etc... take it to a shop and have thm check it before you overheat and get stuck or ruin your engine.

Answer 8

Please also try to clean up the antifreeze when it leaks. Animals find it quite tasty and it will kill them. You should be able to sop it up with cat litter or similar.

I agree with the posters above about getting it to a shop, having it pressurized and finding the leak.

Good luck! :)

Answer 9

Animals are stupid