1988 F-250 460 coolant leak

Asked by Intrigue_1713 Jan 18, 2017 at 09:13 AM about the 1988 Ford F-250 XLT Lariat Standard Cab 4WD LB

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

fill the reservoir...run the truck...reservoir goes empty...I believe the level of coolant in the radiator is going down slowly.

Are there any common issues with the coolant system on this truck that I should look at first?

7 Answers

224,155

Look for a leak around hoses and water pump, check the oil to make sure it is not going into the oil, that would be a head gasket, also any white sweet smoke coming out the exhaust?

4 people found this helpful.
224,155

Heater core and radiator. You smell anti-freeze in the cab if it were a heater core, windows fog up.

4 people found this helpful.

I think I can rule out the heater core...windows do not fog. I plan on letting the truck run with cardboard underneath to see if I can gain any intel on where to look i'll check the exhaust smoke for the 'sweet' smell...if this is true...would it have to be a head gasket?

i checked the oil last time i ran the truck and it did not appear to have any water present. would that rule out a head gasket?

224,155

Not yet, the coolant is going somewhere. Do you get heat out of the heater core into the cab?

1 people found this helpful.
224,155

Have you looked anymore for leaks, cardboard under truck, exhaust smell? How often do you add coolant? How fast does it go down?

Your Answer:

F-250

Looking for a Used F-250 in your area?

CarGurus has 4 nationwide F-250 listings and the tools to find you a great deal.

Postal Code:

CarGurus Experts

  • #1
    Gene Arnett
    Reputation
    2,070
  • #2
    MikeSt
    Reputation
    1,000
  • #3
    MrRatchet42
    Reputation
    810
View All

Find great deals from top-rated dealers

Search

Related Models For Sale

Used Ford F-150
309 Great Deals out of 13,933 listings starting at $1,712
Used GMC Sierra 1500
128 Great Deals out of 6,516 listings starting at $3,975
Used Ford Mustang
58 Great Deals out of 1,366 listings starting at $4,995

Content submitted by Users is not endorsed by CarGurus, does not express the opinions of CarGurus, and should not be considered reviewed, screened, or approved by CarGurus. Please refer to CarGurus Terms of Use. Content will be removed if CarGurus becomes aware that it violates our policies.