Coolant leak
 

Drove my 93 Fd touring (42K miles) for the first time in 6 weeks after some paint work.
I noticed a small puddle of coolant under the passenger side just inside the front wheel.

Of concern: last summer I had the water pump, all but one coolant hoses replaced by PFS, then the car checked out by RP in Manassas who replaced the lower turbo hose. Thinking my coolant system was "tight". This leak could not be duplicated after a shorter drive today. I could not find any wet spots around the engine or below. The coolant level is fine. The FD is a great car to look at, but......

Any thoughts?

Check the coolant overflow tank. It's located on the passenger side just in front of the wheel

I have this problem too. Either you need a new overflow tank, or a new hose that connects to the tank. For me, it was the hose.

I just had to replace my overflow tank. it was a $40 piece from Mazda. If the tank is even slightly cracked, there will be reduced vacuum for the coolant, so you should check that and get it fixed ASAP. Godspeed.

sucks when u dont ahve a hose.. like me that shit just pours out

When was the last time you added coolant to the overflow tank? When you shut the car down the coolant heats up and coolant is pushed out into the tank, if the tank is full or ends up filling up, it will spill out onto the ground. It should only happen once or twice and then have the correct amount. Just keep an eye on the coolant level in the tank when the engine is hot, and if the low coolant buzzer goes off be sure to shut it off and investigate.

-Charlie

Thank you. I'll check around the overflow tank.

Okay...I tried burping the system and was driving my car for about 5 minutes during the Woodward Dream Cruise (huge huge event in Detroit when everyone brings out their classics, exotics, etc.). It's a big thing that the city promotes. Anyways, my car had been running perfectly and then it over heated all of a sudden...the add coolant buzzer has messed with me quite a bit from time to time, but I've never had an over heating problem besides this one. Anyways, it would start to go on and off while it was starting to over heat. I shut the car down and topped off the filler neck - not to the overflow tank.

We started it up and drove it again and after a few miles, over heating again. I shut the car down and after I got a new battery for my car (still on the side of the road), I filled again, thinking I just had an air pocket or something. So I start the car and the car gets to operating temps and starts to overheat. I then shut her down. Then I add more coolant...over heats, shut her down. Repeating the process, in order to get that air pocket out. After a few times, I take my dad out in it and we get less than five minutes down the road, while temps were normal, then they start shooting up again. I pull the car over and find a trail of coolant leading up to just inside my passenger tire (by the overflow tank). It looked like it was leaking from the hose or where the hose connects with the overflow tank. But I am not sure, so I got it towed back to my house and it is now in my garage.

I'm just starting to diagnose this, so any help would be great. Also, I don't believe it's my overflow tank because it is about 3/4 to 4/5 full of coolant. Not sure if the crack could be above the coolant level in the overflow tank or if that would even matter or not if it was above the current level of coolant.

Anyways, any help would be appreciated and thank you VERY much in advance.

Craig

P.S. I'm not an expert on the cooling system, so please be gentle. :)

^^if it was me, id take off the cover on the bottom of the engine bay, drive it around and then pull it over to see exactly where its coming from.


maybe its just a bad hose?
around the radiator area there are 2 hoses that run off the car, one in the front (prob not your culprit) and one on the bottom near the center, near the drain plug on the radiator. so there are 2 hoses.

that run off hose runs along a beam that braces the engine bay, this hose has a connector piece on it right under the intake box, on the passenger side. that exploded on me one day and took me forever to figure out why i was loosing coolant cause it only leaked when the car got really hot and evaporated so there wasnt a culprit.

the only other hose i could think of checking is the one right under the intake elbow right off the throttle body. you cant see it, you have to feel for it. if you leak is coming from the rear section on the driver side it might be this hose.

Did you take someplace to get the oil changed also? A mechanic may have "topped off" your coolant there and being overfilled will cause some to spill out.

1. Verify proper coolant levels. You do NOT add coolant into the overflow, but at the FILLER neck.

2. Replace the radiator (AST) cap.

3. Check hose between AST and overflow tank.

4. Check overflow tank.

If you are overheating, make sure the fans are coming on, replace radiator cap, replace thermostat.
If you still cannot find the leak, pressure test the system up to 13-16 psi -- you'll find the leak then...

Thanks. I'm thinking it's the thermostat. Thank you all for your help.

Craig

umm, ok... Could be blown seals

mine wqas a blown seal. but go to autozone, they'll rent you a pretty sleak pressure tester that you can test your system and also your radiator caps with, and it's free, you just give them a deposit.

I had to replace my AST cap and just for the hell of it I also replaced the other radiator cap. That did it for me. Hope u find the problem soon.

Correct Part
 

Make sure it has the right adaptor to fit the Mazda. All of the autozone's in my area do not carry pressure testers that work for our cars. (With the loan-a-tool program)

Good luck!

-Rotary4tw

This is true - the Autozone tool will only fit onto an aftermarket AST. It won't fit the filler neck (and the plastic adapters are like $50 ea!).

Dave

well the one they gave me had a blue plastic adapter that worked for our filler neck (it also tested the cap)

i saw a lot of people posting that they replaced the AST w/ the mazdaspeed one. anyone know where to get them? thanks

Not sure where to get a mazdaspeed one, but I have a Pettit one for sale. Sells on Pettit's site for $149+ shipping, I'll sell mine for $100 shipped. Comes with a new lever vent cap.