The Ford Barn

Pepsi Mechanic · 08-04-2011, 12:48 PM

Need some advice ... I have a slight smell of coolant when I start up the AA cold .. I can see just a wee bit of steam as well from between the intake and exhaust manifld under # 3 cylinder ... I am not going through any coolant .. the truck is just used in parades etc. ... It is the original engine and never been apart ... Should I add some stop leak to the coolant or should I just live with the sweet smell for now ?
Thanks Harry / Pepsi Mechanic

Brentwood Bob · 08-04-2011, 01:26 PM

Retorque the head. Hope its not a crack in the block. Bob

Pepsi Mechanic · 08-04-2011, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brentwood Bob

Retorque the head. Hope its not a crack in the block. Bob

I am a little nervous about doing that as the engine is original ... last thing I need to have happen is I bust a bolt ... Any safe tricks to doing this ?

Jason in TX · 08-04-2011, 01:49 PM

I also was going to say re-torque the head.

All of our engines are "original" None of this metal is getting any younger! It won't break. Besides, if your engine is untouched, you better make sure they are tight, or you may be replacing that ancient head gasket soon.

Use your torque wrench and tighten each one in order up to 45 lbs. Don't try to cheat and skip the first bolt because the distributor is there. Loosen the side nut holding the distributor and lift it up and out of the head all in one unit. Check the tightness of head bolt number one, and then slip it back down in the head and re-tighten the distributor lock nut.

Purdy Swoft · 08-04-2011, 02:35 PM

Could be the head gasket. Antifreeze will leak in places that straight water won't leak. You will need to do something because if antifreeze mixes with the oil in the crankcase it will destroy the babbit. I have used water glass (sodium silicate) with excellant results. You will first have to flush the cooling system with a good radiator cleaner and follow the label instructions to the letter or you run the risk of other problems. I got mine at Autozone. It sounds like you don't have much to lose by trying the sealer. Old head studs do break quiet easily, i've broke several off over the years and they are one of the WORSE pains to remove. It is a sickening feeling when it happens.

Brian T · 08-04-2011, 02:56 PM

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Hello Harry,
I believe I would go with Purdy on this one, although I did torque my head bolts I was a little concerned about breaking one, I had tiny bubbles leaking on the left side of my head gasket at 3-4 cylinders, got away with it twice, ours double As don't get driven enough to add any grief when there is an easy way out.
Regards Brian.

Mitch//pa · 08-04-2011, 03:07 PM

agree if your going to mess with an old original engine be prepared. you might end up with a leak worse than what you had or broken studs. if your not prepared to pull the head and fix it right dont fk with it. keep an eye on the oil for milk or better yet just crack the drain plug a hair any coolant will drip out first....

John S · 08-04-2011, 03:07 PM

If that engine truly is original and the head has never been off, I think you would most likely break some studs trying to re-torque it. The studs are probably rusted thin in the head and have streched and lost clamping force causing the seep. IMHO...If that truck were mine and saw limited use I would try some sort of sealer in the cooling system. Also, loose the anti-freeze mix. Just run plain water and pump lube. Anti-freeze, oil, and babbitt don't mix.

Pepsi Mechanic · 08-04-2011, 06:20 PM

Thanks for all the helpfull info ...I Think I will get some stop leak for the moment and keep an eye on the oil etc. All looks good so far and the truck is only scheduled for a few more car shows this season .The engine has had the coolant smell for some time now and it has not any worse The truck is sometimes parked outside in it's autohauler trailer in the winter so taking the antifreeze out will not work . Looks like a good project to replace the head over the winter ... Hopefully that goes well ... Thanks again Harry

Tom Wesenberg · 08-04-2011, 08:02 PM

Put some Kroil on the nuts, then in a couple days grab the spark plug wrench and see if all the head nuts are tight. I've been running an "as is" engine in my 28 for about 5 years and never took the plugs out until last summer, when I checked compression just for the fun of it. Then last fall I grabbed the spark plug/head nut wrench and gave all the head nuts a tug. I was surprized at how loose a few were. I never did leak antifreeze though.

Don't fear the unknown! Give them a check.

BTW, that sure is a good looking AA.

Pepsi Mechanic · 08-05-2011, 12:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian T

Hello Harry,
I believe I would go with Purdy on this one, although I did torque my head bolts I was a little concerned about breaking one, I had tiny bubbles leaking on the left side of my head gasket at 3-4 cylinders, got away with it twice, ours double As don't get driven enough to add any grief when there is an easy way out.
Regards Brian.

Well I put some stop leak in it and well it stopped leaking .. no more sweet smell ... It should work for now anyway .... will keep an eye on her

Thanks for your advice

08-04-2011, 12:48 PM	#1
Pepsi Mechanic Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: London , Ontario , Canada Posts: 229	smell of coolant on start up Need some advice ... I have a slight smell of coolant when I start up the AA cold .. I can see just a wee bit of steam as well from between the intake and exhaust manifld under # 3 cylinder ... I am not going through any coolant .. the truck is just used in parades etc. ... It is the original engine and never been apart ... Should I add some stop leak to the coolant or should I just live with the sweet smell for now ? Thanks Harry / Pepsi Mechanic

08-04-2011, 01:26 PM	#2
Brentwood Bob Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: brentwood, ca Posts: 4,245	Re: smell of coolant on start up Retorque the head. Hope its not a crack in the block. Bob

08-04-2011, 02:35 PM	#5
Purdy Swoft Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Alabama Posts: 8,099	Re: smell of coolant on start up Could be the head gasket. Antifreeze will leak in places that straight water won't leak. You will need to do something because if antifreeze mixes with the oil in the crankcase it will destroy the babbit. I have used water glass (sodium silicate) with excellant results. You will first have to flush the cooling system with a good radiator cleaner and follow the label instructions to the letter or you run the risk of other problems. I got mine at Autozone. It sounds like you don't have much to lose by trying the sealer. Old head studs do break quiet easily, i've broke several off over the years and they are one of the WORSE pains to remove. It is a sickening feeling when it happens.

08-04-2011, 02:56 PM	#6
Brian T Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: San Diego,Ca Posts: 1,377	Re: smell of coolant on start up Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) Hello Harry, I believe I would go with Purdy on this one, although I did torque my head bolts I was a little concerned about breaking one, I had tiny bubbles leaking on the left side of my head gasket at 3-4 cylinders, got away with it twice, ours double As don't get driven enough to add any grief when there is an easy way out. Regards Brian.

08-04-2011, 03:07 PM	#7
Mitch//pa BANNED Join Date: May 2010 Location: Bucks County, PA Posts: 11,454	Re: smell of coolant on start up agree if your going to mess with an old original engine be prepared. you might end up with a leak worse than what you had or broken studs. if your not prepared to pull the head and fix it right dont fk with it. keep an eye on the oil for milk or better yet just crack the drain plug a hair any coolant will drip out first....

08-04-2011, 03:07 PM	#8
John S Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Ellis County, Texas Posts: 337	Re: smell of coolant on start up If that engine truly is original and the head has never been off, I think you would most likely break some studs trying to re-torque it. The studs are probably rusted thin in the head and have streched and lost clamping force causing the seep. IMHO...If that truck were mine and saw limited use I would try some sort of sealer in the cooling system. Also, loose the anti-freeze mix. Just run plain water and pump lube. Anti-freeze, oil, and babbitt don't mix. __________________ John _________________________________ http://www.dmafc.com/

08-04-2011, 06:20 PM	#9
Pepsi Mechanic Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: London , Ontario , Canada Posts: 229	Re: smell of coolant on start up Thanks for all the helpfull info ...I Think I will get some stop leak for the moment and keep an eye on the oil etc. All looks good so far and the truck is only scheduled for a few more car shows this season .The engine has had the coolant smell for some time now and it has not any worse The truck is sometimes parked outside in it's autohauler trailer in the winter so taking the antifreeze out will not work . Looks like a good project to replace the head over the winter ... Hopefully that goes well ... Thanks again Harry

08-04-2011, 08:02 PM	#10
Tom Wesenberg Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mpls, MN Posts: 27,582	Re: smell of coolant on start up Put some Kroil on the nuts, then in a couple days grab the spark plug wrench and see if all the head nuts are tight. I've been running an "as is" engine in my 28 for about 5 years and never took the plugs out until last summer, when I checked compression just for the fun of it. Then last fall I grabbed the spark plug/head nut wrench and gave all the head nuts a tug. I was surprized at how loose a few were. I never did leak antifreeze though. Don't fear the unknown! Give them a check. BTW, that sure is a good looking AA.