alright you guys. I have a 2001 F350 with the dreaded 5.4 motor. ~50K miles. Been bombproof so far, today on the way to the dump started to smell antifreeze, temps are staying normal though.
Pop the hood off and there is a small pool of it in the motor valley.
Any usual things that leak on these things that are the must check. It was dark when I got home, I flushed everything out with clean water so I can spot it in the future hopefully. Oil looks like oil and radiator fluid looks clean as well. Down maybe a 1/2 liter in 60 miles.
Sounds like you need an intake manifold as they tend to leak, not sure but I "think" there might be a recall or something like that from Ford.
Paul
I'll agree with the intake manifold suggestion. The plastic ones tend to crack. Consider yourself lucky it's leaking slowly, sometimes they just explode without warning 
Vigo
PowerDork
2/29/16 9:36 p.m.
Intake manifold, ~$300 + labor.
sergio
Reader
2/29/16 9:41 p.m.
Isn't there a heater hose that runs down the valley from the water pump? I think it's part hose part pipe.
From everything I've read it's the intake manifold. I have done research on this engine as I'm looking for a E250 van of 2006-2012 vintage with either that engine, the V10, or a diesel(Maybe).
It's either the intake or the rubber hose for the heater pipe behind the water pump.
Don't get a dorman intake or you lose 10hp. They use the npi runners on the pi flanges to fit whatever combination of coolant hose you have underneath the manifold. Iirc ford racing is the same price and you won't lose the 10hp.
sergio wrote:
Isn't there a heater hose that runs down the valley from the water pump? I think it's part hose part pipe.
It's all pipe and it likes to rust out.
Look for coolant tracks in the plug wells area... if there is coolant up there or on that flange then it is intake, if it is only in the valley then it is that tube. They fail with great regularity.
Tube requires removing the intake.
Knurled wrote:
sergio wrote:
Isn't there a heater hose that runs down the valley from the water pump? I think it's part hose part pipe.
It's all pipe and it likes to rust out.
Look for coolant tracks in the plug wells area... if there is coolant up there or on that flange then it is intake, if it is only in the valley then it is that tube. They fail with great regularity.
Tube requires removing the intake.
Only in the valley with a scope and a mirror I think I can see the problem. Actually looks like I can get it with just removing the alternator and some creative tool use.
In reply to wearymicrobe:
If it's the tube, it can't be replaced without pulling the intake. BTDT. Pulling the intake isn't really that bad, it's just coils, fuel lines, some connectors, and like ten bolts. Only sucks on the 3v engines with the IMRC linkage that Ford routed the harness between the rods and the intake.
