2005 LS with engine cooling problems

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It must be my lucky month.

After re-furbing the rear suspension, I was really enjoying my LS, until.....

Driving to work Monday afternoon, while at a stop light, 70 degrees outside, windows down, roof open, sunglasses on I hear the sound of the electric radiator fan going full tilt or damn near close to it and I keep hearing it, on and on and on.
I get to work and take a quick look under the hood and all seems good.

After my shift ended, I popp'd the hood and looked around with a flash light and my De-gas bottle was about 1/4" below the cold mark. I looked under the car, passenger side right around where the radiator drain plug is and saw a small stain on the asphalt. Reached my hand under there, gave her a quick feelski and nothing.
Driving home and just a little time after the engine warmed up, the radiator fan spooled up like earlier that day and did not stop its whining wooooo sound till I shut her off at home.

Tuesday, I did some searching and reading here and thought, maybe there's a little air in the system. Followed the procedure, not one bubble of air, just a steady stream and the radiator fan was on, but just slowly spinning up and slowing down, like normal...A short time after setting the climate controls back, that fan spooled up and stayed up.
Last night, searched and read for about 2 hours here and then crashed out.

This morning, went out and popp'd the hood, looked and found a tiny leak on the passenger side top of the radiator...I'm like, "Really"..."Girl, I like you a lot but this has got to stop."

One good thing is just about all of the regular cooling parts have been replaced in the last couple years, hoses, housings, seals: about $600 worth from Tasca.

So, I ordered up a new radiator, water pump, T-stat and gasket, De-gas bottle and a cap to go with it. About $500 worth.

Prolly next weekend I get her done and hopefully this car will leave my pocket book alone fer a while.
 
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Here’s what I found... From what I’ve read here, that is a pretty common place for the radiator to be leaking.
 
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Tackling the radiator today and went to change the thermostat cuzz it’s very important and not expensive and.... I replaced it and the entire plastic housing and plastic hoses a couple years ago, Fomoco parts from Tasca and this is the crap I find!!!!
Oh ya, I’m pissed at these cheap ass plastic BS parts that cost way more than they’re worth.
 
View attachment 828573801 View attachment 828573800 Tackling the radiator today and went to change the thermostat cuzz it’s very important and not expensive and.... I replaced it and the entire plastic housing and plastic hoses a couple years ago, Fomoco parts from Tasca and this is the crap I find!!!!
Oh ya, I’m pissed at these cheap ass plastic BS parts that cost way more than they’re worth.
Little by little aluminum is coming g out of the wood work ...1st Gen T-stat Housing...aluminum degas reservoir...I wish a company would just aftermarket every damn plastic part and turn them into aluminum...okay I'm coming down off my soap box ...but yes ...I agree its frustrating...I find a car that I love. Too drive and I love the handling...and of course it has to be made of plastic on the inside lol...just cant win for losing sometimes
 
Me too pard.
Well, she’s all done for the most part. Got her bled out but I’m sure after driving some, I’ll add some, bleed some, rinse and repeat.

My back hurts.
 
Finished up tonight.
De-gas bottle
Water pump
T-stat and t-stat housing
Radiator
New coolant
And cleaned up the engine bay.

Two cool things about this.
I saved a bunch by doing the labor myself.
Most of the bolts required only a 5/16 or 8mm socket and wrench to get off and put back on.
 
Finished up tonight.
De-gas bottle
Water pump
T-stat and t-stat housing
Radiator
New coolant
And cleaned up the engine bay.

Two cool things about this.
I saved a bunch by doing the labor myself.
Most of the bolts required only a 5/16 or 8mm socket and wrench to get off and put back on.
Nice coolant rebuild...which degas reservoir did you go with? ...asking because I'm undecided still...not sure if I should go with the aluminum or Motorcraft?
 
I went with “MotorRad”...$30 from Rock Auto...
I’m glad I didn’t spend the $200 on the Ford Motorcrap plastic.

My thinking is if I’m gonna buy cheap ass plastic BS, I’ll bite the bullet this time.
Next time I’ll go with the Aluminum one.
 
I went with “MotorRad”...$30 from Rock Auto...
I’m glad I didn’t spend the $200 on the Ford Motorcrap plastic.

My thinking is if I’m gonna buy cheap ass plastic BS, I’ll bite the bullet this time.
Next time I’ll go with the Aluminum one.
MotorRad builds a degas reservoir now?
 
Oops my bad,
I got the Spectra Premium De-gas bottle.

The MotorRad was the only T-stat housing in town.Pep Boys.
Nobody, including the local Ford dealer had a new T-stat housing.
The housing came with its own T-stat and of course, the Fomoco, stat I bought won’t fit in the MotorRad housing.
 
One thing I may add,
Hooking up the hose that is coming from the bottom of the De-gas bottle to the rigid aluminum tube was a PITA. Very little room there against the fire wall and the brake booster.
 
One thing I may add,
Hooking up the hose that is coming from the bottom of the De-gas bottle to the rigid aluminum tube was a PITA. Very little room there against the fire wall and the brake booster.
It gets easier every time you do it ...hopefully you used a worm clamp...It would be a nightmare using a ring clamp
 

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