My 93 tarus 49900 miles runs perfect plugs are all clean. I noticed a small puddle under it and crawled under an a small drip at a slow rate comming out of the rear of the engine.Cannot see where but appears next to the fly wheel. I ruled out any hose leaks and the rear frost plugs. I had a check engine light on and added a bottle of barts stop leak to radiator and the drip still there but no check engine light. Bad head gasget? Have not changed one in 20 years last time on a 70 mustang v8 is there much difference to change one on a 93?
In all probability its not a blown head gasket. I’d come nearer thinking it’s your water pump. They can leak intermittantly. The coolant can move a long way on the engine making you think it’s leaking at the opposite end. Do you see any trace of liquid sprayed around the hood or firewall by the belts? Check all those hoses again too. It might be wise to have a shop do a pressure check on the cooling system by pumping up the cooling system to about 15 PSI. They can check for leaking freeze plugs too. Have you kept fresh antifreeze in it? That would keep it from rusting internally.
Is this a 3.0 or a 3.8L Taurus? The 3.8s tended to have more head gasket problems, but their leaks were usually internal causing steam out the exhaust, not external leaks. I don’t think that’s your issue.
look around the water pump. a water pump has a “weep hole” in it. the weep hole only weeps antifreeze when the bearings are going. it is an indication you need a water pump soon.
eliminate the water pump as a problem first. then look for other issues.
Gosh i hope its not the head gasget. No sprayed coolant an no leak across the block but will get back under it an check around the water pump. It is a 3.8 an when parked the little puddle is right under the drip on the drivers side no wetness on the other side or the belts . Can see the rear frost plugs they are dry as a bone.
Howdy update. I removed thermostate and the leak stopped. No leak found by the water pump. My hunch - does the oxygen senser triger the check engine light if exposed to antifreeze? Since adding a bottle of barts stop leak to radiator no check engine light. I am still wondering if the head gasget is the problem. I removed the thermostate becasue the temp gauge arrow would go two to hot when driving in town. An no the thermostate housing was not leaking prior to removing the thermostate.
How can i test to find out if it is the head gasget? It is the 3.8 engine. It is nice to see the dry driveway after parking it overnight instead of the little puddle. But i worry that this is a temp repair. Any ideas?
Might be wise to have a pressure test done.