I changed hoses and therm a while back, now every once in a while the plastic tank is empty, I just keep putting water in it. there are no leaks and it doesn't run hot at all. 02 xtype 2.5

 

Not a good thing to do. Antifreeze has many properties in it to help the cooling system. Lubrication, rust inhibitors, etc.

 

I hope at least you're putting distilled water in...Water has no anticorrosion properties or inhibitors..the Glycol chemical is what raises the boiling point of water to something higher than normal water..Could be you are vaporizing your water and that would account for the loss..Also if you are using tap water you are increasing the total dissolved solid concentrations in the system (Scale)....My advice is to drain what you can out the bottom valve on the radiator and refill with a 50/50 mix of coolant (Prestone Dexcool pre mixed will work) and distilled H2O...and keep a jug of that mix on hand for topping off...If the problem persists, I'd have it leak checked.

Wouldn't hurt to get a new coolant reservoir cap too.

 

Something isn't right and you should find out why it is using fluid. Like others stated, there are reasons you should use a mix of coolant and distilled water. Water alone should only be short term when you have no other option. That fluid is going somewhere..........

 

It still gets to freezing in Florida!!!!!!!! I know as I was in Florida 3 weeks ago up near Jacksonville and it was freezing (below 32F). So, running near straight water in the motor is not recommended. If you need to get out of somewhere in an emergency, by all means use it. But, for day to day, DON'T!!!!!! It is fine for awhile, but it gets really ugly after a few years.

Like other mentioned, there are additives in the coolant to prevent rust from forming and also raising the boiling point of the coolant to a point that it will help cooling of the engine even under adverse conditions.

One correction I would like to make to the above posts is that you want to fill with either 50/50 mix straight out of a bottle you bought at a store or the other option is to get the concentrate and mix it 50/50 with distilled water (not spring water, distilled, yes, there is a difference, if you want to learn something, I will explain the difference).

Like the others have said, if you are having to continually refill the overflow bottle, then you have a problem and you need to solve that before going too much longer. The longer you go, the more likely you are to have a major repair.

 

Using a flashlight or your cell camera with the light on, check between the cylinders from the top. Right in the valley of the "V"6.

I have an o-ring leak there, but it is very minor. Someone even posted the part number.

A jug of the pre-mixed Dex coolant is not expensive.

 

I don't think the orange coolant is glycol based, but I don't understand it very well.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antifreeze

Maybe the slight leak of coolant is the reason I had to change my intake manifold gaskets...

Better fix that leak.

 

Someone posted about their leak which was dripping onto a hot part and evaporating, so no visible leak.

 

Please explain where and who you needed to make the correction to...

All you did was repeat my post.

 

Yes it is..
Ethylene glycol base is the green and orange antifreeze. The difference between the two colors is that orange antifreeze contains a different type of corrosion inhibitor that has a much longer service life than green type.

 

Check the small connection tube on the coolant tank that points toward the center of the car, it is often cracked from people working under the hood. Wiggle it up and down and watch for a crack to open on the top side, might as well check the other one on the tank also tho not often it is damaged.

I ran water for about a month, and it was a noticeable difference in expansion, I had to add water frequently. There is a pressure overflow deal that exits thru the bottom of the tank, check for water stains below the tank behind the battery box, it should show on the aluminum if leaking there. Once I went back to approved coolant there was no more loss other than the expected settling, think I have added coolant once since then.

 

DPK, sorry, mis-read what you posted. I thought you said 50/50 mix coolant and distilled water (implying going less than 50% coolant). After re-reading, i see where i made the mistake.

 

I have a nose for coolant, I smell nothing leaking, maybe I missed it but what color, brand coolant should I get...

thanks
lou

 

If there are no apparent coolant leaks that can be found leaving either a residue or drip, the system must be pressure tested to determine the source of coolant loss.

You have received good advice from the posters in this thread about the strength of coolant to be added.

If you have the vehicle's handbook, it states the correct type and strength of coolant for your geographic location. Generally, a 50/50 mix of DEX-Cool (Orange), meeting the correct Ford specification, is to be added. If any water is needed, it must be distilled water as there are no minerals present to create deposits in the radiator, heater core or other places in the system.

 

guess I'll flush it and start over, thanks all

 

Louvit, check oil if it thick and brownish drain the oil, you might see the water come out before the brownish muddy oil follow out, then flush the engine oil, you might need to do couple of time; This is from my experience of my 04 X-Type; I did same thing as you did, fill the water in over flow reservoir now and then, engine not run hot, but the last time it got over heat, it won't start again, I have to tow it home, and find out what happen as I've said above, some one on this site told me it might blew the head gaskets, the water lost but not leaked out but get into the engine, may be your car did not have much water in the engine yet, better check it out before it get really bad