tamugrad2013 Posted May 21, 2016 Report Share Posted May 21, 2016 Good Afternoon. I was wondering if anyone with the 2.0 L Ecoboost has had any coolant leaks. Mine is a 2012 and it always seemed to lose a little coolant and I would have to top it off maybe a half a cup every 6 months. Well it was looked at back during the summer of 2014 and a coolant hose was replaced and it still seemed a little low so I top it off. Well I was checking it again today since my last check about three months ago and the reservoir was bone dry. It has never overheated and the temperature always stays spot on halfway between hot and cold. I have an appointment scheduled for June 13th and just want some pointers before I take it in and to know if anyone else has had this problem. I definitely do not think it is mixing with the oil because it looks fine correct viscosity, smell, and look. Thanks in Advanced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWWPerfA_ZN0W Posted May 21, 2016 Report Share Posted May 21, 2016 Possible there's a small crack in the reservoir, and also that when they changed the hose, they did not burp the system adequately. Did you have any issues with the air conditioning the last 2 years? Doesn't sound like a cracked head or leaking head gasket at least. Has the engine temp always been "normal"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enigma-2 Posted May 22, 2016 Report Share Posted May 22, 2016 Could always put in a little dye and look to see where it's leaking. Made fit this purpose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tamugrad2013 Posted May 22, 2016 Author Report Share Posted May 22, 2016 Possible there's a small crack in the reservoir, and also that when they changed the hose, they did not burp the system adequately. Did you have any issues with the air conditioning the last 2 years? Doesn't sound like a cracked head or leaking head gasket at least. Has the engine temp always been "normal"? Temperature has always stayed normal and air conditioning has always been really strong in the brutal Texas summers and all other times. I mean since it is still under the premium care warranty it won't hurt to have it looked at. Just hate going to this particular dealer because they always want to up sell you on something. Last time they said I needed a wheel alignment because the tires have uneven tread wear. I told them I would look into it on a day I had more time. Next time I got my tires rotated about two weeks later I asked the Discount Tire person if the tires were wearing unevenly and they said no they are wearing fine. I really don't like being lied to. Could always put in a little dye and look to see where it's leaking. Made fit this purpose. I am not sure if I want to do this since it is still under the premium care warranty. I will look into it though. Thanks for the tip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tamugrad2013 Posted March 18, 2018 Author Report Share Posted March 18, 2018 I know rehashing an old topic, but I finally got this resolved. It was as simple as a replacement radiator reservoir cap. It is amazing how an $11.99 fix caused the problem to go away. I replaced the cap about 8 weeks ago and it hasn't dropped any since then. Normally it would have fallen by at least a half an inch. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWWPerfA_ZN0W Posted March 18, 2018 Report Share Posted March 18, 2018 Great to hear! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enigma-2 Posted March 18, 2018 Report Share Posted March 18, 2018 Guess I'm confused. Doesn't the coolant resevoir vent to the exterior? If so, the only function the cap would have is to keep the dirt out. What am I missing, can't seem to see what part the cap would play in loosing coolant? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tamugrad2013 Posted March 18, 2018 Author Report Share Posted March 18, 2018 It makes sense to me considering if it has small cracks in it (it is plastic) and it gets hot when driving coolant can theoretically evaporate and escape through these cracks. I don't know It was consistently dropping about a half inch every eight weeks or so and it wasn't getting into the engine ie. no milky oil and it couldn't see any leaking out under the car. All I know that after having it replaced it hasn't dropped since. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWWPerfA_ZN0W Posted March 19, 2018 Report Share Posted March 19, 2018 The cap is supposed to hold pressure (15 psi?). If it has weakened, it will vent early, and lead to coolant loss. We used to replace them sometimes when radiators still had caps 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enigma-2 Posted March 20, 2018 Report Share Posted March 20, 2018 Got curious and checked. You're absolutely right. They are pressurized (my cap is marked 16 psi) and the service manual talks about crud getting between the gasket and how to clean. (Replace if cracked or failed). And if leaking, can cause loss of coolant as OP described. Learn something new every day. Thanks for chiming in. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tamugrad2013 Posted March 20, 2018 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2018 I guess leak may be the wrong word, but when I initially started this thats what I thought it was. I guess we can call it an evaporation event. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CTFordfan Posted March 20, 2018 Report Share Posted March 20, 2018 Also, the motorcraft cap with the small spring is known to fail. Look under your cap and the cylinder should be an inch or more diameter. If it is smaller, you have a cap that is a poor design. The aftermarket has caught this and gates has a good replacement for less than the oem $12 cap. This is a big issue in the diesel world and i suspect all ford vehicles. The new plastic caps should be replaced as a maintenance item every 12 months in my opinion. Cheap insurance 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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