Something leak sometimes

Hello everyone.
I found what something leaked today.
What kind of fluid is this?
No smell, little smily.



it might be overflow from your radiator, which is normal. Check the thin hose from the radiator cap neck that extends down the driver side of your radiator and see if the exposed end is damp. Some U.S. states mandate that the hose go to a reservoir to hold the overflow fluid, but here in Texas where I live, it just drains out on the ground below the car.

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Mr.Knight717, thank you for letting me know!!
In this case radiator fluids will decrease?

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If it is radiator overflow it will be minimal and nothing to worry about. Regardless, you should check the radiator level when performing any other routine maintenance and add some distilled water if you notice the level had dropped.

It could also be a small leak at the power steering pump from where the stain is in the photo, but you should be able to look up from underneath and see if there is oil leaking and forming a stain or small drops on the hoses, fittings or pump.

I checked the underneath immediately after work.
That tube in this pic is wet, and the red fluid is not leaking.
I’m begginer at american car, so there are many things that I don’t know.

Thank you for your help.

Just above that location are circular freeze plugs in the side of the engine block. They are a common source for leaking coolant when they get corroded.

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Thank you for other information.
A company that I work for have vehicle lift, so I’m going to look up from below.
And I also wonder that the gauge of steering fluid indicated MAX even though today my Cougar stayed home.

Today I took the pic from below, and found the green fluid.


There is no crack in that tube, if coolant is leaking from freeze plugs, this situation happen?

Is this white tank a reservoir to hold the overflow fluid?


I checked that the hose from this tank goes to below the car.

Try tightening the clamp on that lower radiator hose. If the hose is not cracked, that might stop the leak.

Thank you for sharing your advice with me.I will do it in the near future.
I am always grateful for your help.

The white tank is for your washer fluid for frontr window.

The windshield washer fluid goes in the black-top tank. The white tank is for coolant overflow.

I think this layout is misleading without view more closer, thank you.

Thank you.
I think need to verify the joints of that tank for coolant overflow.
Do you think need the tank for catch the coolant from overflow tank? It is for avoid splashing coolant from overflow tank onto the front lower arm.

The white tank is not factory. It is something that was added by a previous owner. Most likely it was a radiator overflow tank. If that was its use is then there should be a hose running from just below the radiator cap to that tank.

On the leaking coolant. Highly doubtful that it is from a freeze out plug. When one of those leak the coolant runs down the side of the block and drips off the oil pan. Most likely your leak is coming from where the hose attaches to the engine. As Calicat has suggested check that the hose clamp holding the hose to the engine is tight.

Randy Goodling
CCOA #95

The purpose for a coolant recovery tank is to prevent loss of coolant when the radiator boils over through the hose just under the radiator cap. It is not required, and the coolant should not be corrosive to anything it contacts - unless your anti-freeze is old and needs changed. I don’t use a recovery tank because the factory didn’t, and my car doesn’t boil over. But they do have advantages, and you might want to use it since it’s already installed. The white coolant recovery tank itself should never overflow. Coolant in the recovery tank gets drawn back into the engine as it cools off.

The use of a 67/8 windshield washer tank is a very good looking thing to use as over flow in 69/70 eng bays. Their washer tank is located in frt corner & has pump inside it.

On modern cars the over flow tank is for hot water expansion, to keep it from spilling to ground and to return it back to the block on cool down. The expansion tank in these instances accepts hot water, and returns it to the block almost every time the thermostat opens to circulate water. The radiator cap allows the expanded fluid to leave the block without excessive flow, as in a boilover, and allows the water to return back through the radiator cap when fluid in the block cools and condenses. That hose should connect to the bottom of the expansion tank. If there is a hose connection at the top it is to vent excessive overflow to the ground, and is an indicator of other troubles.

On older cars, especially '60’s Fords, there was an “expansion tank” mounted to the thermostat housing. It had a baffel plate about mid depth with a round hole which was the fill level indicator. The space above the plate was for expansion of hot water as the engine heated up.

On my '67, with a 390, there is no expansion tank attached to the thermostat housing. I was having some over heat problems with my original radiator (turns out it was for a small block engine) but when I repaced it with a big block radiator I found that I had to set the coolant level in the rediator at the top of the core leaving some room above for hot water expansion. I have not had an issue with coolant level since I did that.

Regards, Rick.

I would like to report.

  1. tightened the clamp
  2. 24hours later, no leaking
  3. drived for about 1hour
  4. 24hours later, no leaking
  5. 2days later, NO LEAKING

Thanks to everyone, I was able to solve a problem.I don’t need to go to Baby Depot to buy bib for my Cougar😁

I will continue to check the lower hose.
I really appreciate everything you have done.

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