Advise! ...1996 Ford Explorer losing antifreeze and has a sweet smelling exhaust????

[THEHKP7M13]

This girl I know has been losing anti-freeze at a pretty good clip in her 1996 Ford Explorer. No leaks at all. When she starts it and its cold the white smoke wafts ut of her tail pipe every so often.


So she is def. sucking in antifreeze into the combustion chamber, but my question is: Is this occuring through a intake manifold or the head gaskets?

I don't have the time or inclination to play with this for her and her mechanic said he can't tell untill he pressure tests the system. But, if it is a bad head gasket at that point she probably buying the job.

It is 4.0 v6 pushrod engine with 4wd and only 65,000 miles.

Any great mechanics or Ford gurus chime in

HEAD GASKET OR INTAKE MANIFOLD

and why you think so.

Tiffani thanks in you in advance for your input.

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[bikrboy128]

typically intake gaskets on these leak externally. my first guess would be H/G
how quickly does it lose antifreeze?

 

[Wolfman]

sniff your coolant.

 

[Dasfinc]

typically intake gaskets on these leak externally. my first guess would be H/G
how quickly does it lose antifreeze?

Like Bikrboy said, the intake gaskets do like to leak externally (I have a 97 OHV Explorer, and a 00 OHV Ranger, they both leaked)

HOWEVER, they SPECIFICALLY like to leak off the back of the engine I've found, which is right over the Cats/Exhaust, and it drove me bananas.

The sweet smell may not be coming straight out of the pipes, but may be coolant burning off on the exhaust.

on a side-note, the H/G's on these engines are typically not a common problem. Far more common for the 3.0's and 3.8 engine families to let go of a head gasket compared to the 4.0's

 

[machausta]

Like Bikrboy said, the intake gaskets do like to leak externally (I have a 97 OHV Explorer, and a 00 OHV Ranger, they both leaked)

HOWEVER, they SPECIFICALLY like to leak off the back of the engine I've found, which is right over the Cats/Exhaust, and it drove me bananas.

The sweet smell may not be coming straight out of the pipes, but may be coolant burning off on the exhaust.

on a side-note, the H/G's on these engines are typically not a common problem. Far more common for the 3.0's and 3.8 engine families to let go of a head gasket compared to the 4.0's

3.0s aren't very common to blow HGs either. 3.8s with the 98+ mustang (MLS) HGs don't blow very often either.

x2 on what Dan said otherwise, if you don't have antifreeze in the oil its probably leaking onto the cats.

 

[THEHKP7M13]

I'll look into it next time I play shade tree mechanic for her.

Thanks

 

[THEHKP7M13]

sniff your coolant.

What am I looking for sniffing the coolant? For it to smell oily?

Secondly the engine oil is a perfect gold/tan.

 

[bikrboy128]

having clean oil doesnt always mean the HG is good.
have you checked the spark plugs for signs of antifreeze?

 

[THEHKP7M13]

having clean oil doesnt always mean the HG is good.
have you checked the spark plugs for signs of antifreeze?

Nice....gonna have to give that a check!!!!! If their A/F soaked it means a head gasket. Because according to intake manifold theory: if its the intake it would be losing it from the back.

 

[Wolfman]

What am I looking for sniffing the coolant? For it to smell oily?

Secondly the engine oil is a perfect gold/tan.

Oil, gas, anything not coolant-like

 

[Turbocharged400sbc]

if its a headgasket the radiator hose will be soft after sitting overnight (no pressure) but after less than 3-5minutes of running (before engine reaches operating temp ie lukewarm) the hoses will be hard from combustion pressure leaking into the cooling system.

white steam/conensate out of the exhaust tips every so often at cold startup can happen to all vehicles, do the exhaust gases at this time smell sweet?

ive had the heater cores leak into/under the pass side carpet so you might check there too