I have a 93 Ford Explorer. Recently, I replaced the entire cooling system. My temperature was fluctuating from the bottom of the normal range to the top of the normal range, and then jumping around erratically from there. I started with the sender units, and worked my way up the the radiator and finally the water pump. After all is said and done, my car runs at a good temperature. Still moves between o and r in the normal range, but acceptable. Recently, when I drive though, I smell coolant, and when it is cold, sometimes the left outside of the window shows small bursts of condensation, almost as though somebody is blowing hot air on the window, and it fogs up for a second. I just want to know if anybody else has had this problem, and knows what to do, or just plain knows, and hasn't had the problem. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Phil

 

If it was inside the vechile an to the right I would its classic heater core failure, ,, But you say its outside, get the system pressure tested ,.. If its just a tad cool outside Antifreeze has a way of seeping outta hose's if the hose clamp is just a sminge loose, An them Exploder's are know for head gaskit leakage

 

All of that makes sense, but there is no coolant missing, and the temperature stays relatively normal. I could see something along the lines of a pinhole leak that was letting air into the system, but then the temperature would fluctuate more and to a greater extreme. I stay low in the temperature range, but smell coolant. I am worried that it is the intake manifold gasket, but again there is no loss of coolant, just the smell. I have tried to check the weep hole on the water pump, but cannot seem to locate it, and the fact that it smells this way everytime the car turns off and sits for a while makes me think that it is not anything that simple.

I guess that that is something that needs to be added into the equation. When I park the car in my garage, I can come back out to it a little later, and it smells of coolant. What might this indicate if anything different from above?

 

It only takes a very small amount of coolant to give a odor once its hot, Its sometime refered to as ( weeping ) , weeping is when you get just a slight discoloration around the area its coming from , At first it might just apper damp - with the engine cold an then burns off as the engine heats up, Then after a while it will start collecting dirt an dust around the area . it could weeks before you noted any coolant loss, due to the fact its such a minute amout I had a old Crown Vic that the heater core did this for allmost 2 months before it let loose on me.. --If your really having trouble finding the leak , You can go to a Shop / or buy the stuff your self an do it,, Its a dye thats put in the Cooling system, An then you need a Black lite ( the industral ones are VERY COSTLY ), Or very carefully so it dont break on you , just get a old blacklite like back in the 60's ( dont know how old you are ),, Anyway you run the Engine till its up to operating temp. for like 15 minutes. shut it off an start looking The ones I have used glow with a slight yellow tint to them. This is best done somewhere outta direct sun lit, ie your garage if you have on , if nothing else grab a old bed spread an drape it over you an where your looking. you might be better off adding the dye running the car , let it sit over nite then start looking the next morning so its had a chance to cool off, Like a Saturday so you dont have to hustle to get to work ??, Let us know what you find ... GoodLuck[sm=pimp.gif]

 

Anybody against added a little stop leak? if it the heater core the black little thing isn't going to help [&o]

 

Was wondering, what finally stopped the temp from fluctuating? I'm experiencing the same issue. Driving me crazy, my wifes T-Bird did the same thing and couldn't get it to stop. Finally gave it away.