Well snot. Found the coolant leak.

Generalee0527

Generalee0527

2nd Gear Poster
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Jan 4, 2024
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118
Location
SW GA
Vehicle Details
97 Tbird, pbr front brakes, Sport edition 4.6 w/ 361k total miles by me the one and only owner.
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Been pulling my hair out trying to pinpoint where emy coolant is going. Started w/ new heater core, more hose clamps, intake gaskets, thermostat housing o-ring. Can't even make a 5 mile round trip w/o having low coolant light come on. Been finding active leak coming out the inspection plate where you access torque converter nuts. ? Borescoow camera was not much help. Finally bought a oem tools aluminum adapter for ford to use cooling system tested and it fits all my other Fords but not the Bird. WTF? Finally say f this and tighten that thing down w/ channel locks. Yeah tore the threads up but was able to pump it up and verify it leaks down. Now it seems that NOTHING is wet except the drip at the inspection plate, and the nipple. The attached Pic shows the clamp and hose is attached, but the valley is wet. Socks balls. Is there a replacement overflow that is made of aluminum?
20250216172130984.jpg
 
Theres a 1" piece of tubing in the valley that goes bad. Non-metal crossober manifolds also break.
Either will leak coolant into the valley,and out the drain in to the bellhousing.
 
I am assuming that is the hose in the (non) lifter valley off the back of the water pump? Do you still have the NPI intake? You could replace what you have with the PI pipe and nipple combo. I believe it would work with the NPI intake. It has been so long I can't remember what the NPI stuff even looks like.
 
Grog6 said:
Theres a 1" piece of tubing in the valley that goes bad. Non-metal crossober manifolds also break.
Either will leak coolant into the valley,and out the drain in to the bellhousing.
Click to expand...
The aluminum crossover ones break too, albiet less catastrophically, where the plastic or gasket fails letting coolant seep between the seam the crossover meets. Could well be the case here since it’ll pool coolant in the valley like this as well.

If it is simply the heater return it should be as simple as replacing the coupler (hose) and clamps. The PI setup with O rings is better as @KevinVarnes mentioned and will work with the npi intake and PI universally but it’s not necessary for this fix, plus the water pump needs to come out to change the nipple
 
My intake is the warranty replacement from when the original plastic crossover one split. It has the alum crossover and I've had it off before due to the hose leaking in the past. I am using one of these and going w/ fittings I can count on. I'm tired of this changing shit all the time. I know it is 28 yrs old but I'm 57. I am a little leary that it doesn't fit non-PI blocks. I believe the diameter thru block is the same. If not im screwed until i can get a different one. Unless i get some threadlocker to welder in place.Screenshot_20250218-223646_Brave.jpg
 
Generalee0527 said:
My intake is the warranty replacement from when the original plastic crossover one split. It has the alum crossover and I've had it off before due to the hose leaking in the past. I am using one of these and going w/ fittings I can count on. I'm tired of this changing shit all the time. I know it is 28 yrs old but I'm 57. I am a little leary that it doesn't fit non-PI blocks. I believe the diameter thru block is the same. If not im screwed until i can get a different one. Unless i get some threadlocker to welder in place.View attachment 10476
Click to expand...

IMO in this case I would in fact go with the O ringed nipple/PI tube in lieu of this for the same level of effort. It’s way more reliable and way way cheaper than going with something requiring AN fittings


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99-04 Mustang OEM Genuine Ford 4.6L Engine Coolant Valley Tube Pipe XR3Z18B402AA | eBay

99 thru 04 Mustang OEM Genuine Ford Parts 4.6L Engine Coolant Valley Tube Pipe.
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The npi and pi holes are the same; I've swapped them on two cars. They do not come out easy,lol.
If you can smack it on the end square, it may pop out. That's what I was told, anyway.:)
 
Grog6 said:
The npi and pi holes are the same; I've swapped them on two cars. They do not come out easy,lol.
If you can smack it on the end square, it may pop out. That's what I was told, anyway.:)
Click to expand...
The PI ones come out pretty easy with a block of wood and a hammer. All the NPI ones I have removed I have had to basically destroy to get out because they are just stamped steel. Even still it isn't too hard to do. Just beat it up.
 
Well there turns out to be not much left. After so many miles it looks like the nipple has given up the ghost. This is gonna be fun getting out. Probably just drill the thing out.20250222171417956.jpg
 
I wouldn’t drill for the risk of over sizing the hole in the block which would make you SOL. I would instead cut it past the point of the worse corrosion and use a socket over it to hammer it out. Could also very carefully cut a notch with a hacksaw blade on the inside to loosen the press fit.

That’s some crazy corrosion though, you might need a heater core sooner or later
 
I agree. I would try to get to some more solid material and pound the thing out. It will still take a bit to get out, bit it should come out. When I removed the one from my engine to do the PI intake swap it was a crumpled mess when it finally came out, but it did come out. I would still go with the PI stuff just because you can get the parts anywhere, but your call on that.
 
I have one. Not sure a 90 deg swivel will clear front of npi intake. We'll see Saturday.
 
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