Hi guys My ranger 3.0 is loosing coolant. Checked the spark plugs. Looked nice and light brown. no external leaks. Leaning toward intake gaskets. is there any way to check them without pulling the manifold? Thanks

 

Welcome to the forum

A couple of ways to find coolant leaks

Rent a cooling system pressure tester
It basically a solid radiator cap with a hand pump and pressure gauge
You install it on a cold engine and pump pressure up to 20-25psi
Then watch if pressure drops, if so then there is a leak in the rad/engine system
Then wait, you WILL see coolant coming out if engine is COLD, if leak is in a warm area then it evaporates before leaking to the ground, so can't be found on a warmed up engine

Get some UV Dye and a UV flash light
Add dye to coolant
Drive vehicle for a few days
Then at night use flash light to find the UV Dye trail to the leak
UV dye only shows up under UV light so doesn't "stain" anything


I was loosing coolant one time and took me awhile to find it
It was the overflow hose that runs across the top of the radiator to overflow tank
So system held pressure, NO LEAK, WTF???
Only leaked when warmed up and heat from rad evaporated coolant so was never seen
Take off hose at radiator cap and blow into it, you will notice if it has a leak

Also pin holes in hoses
These only leak after engine is warmed up, has 16psi pressure in system, and they spray an almost invisible stream of coolant, and if its landing on warm part of engine then it evaporates as fast as it lands, so no signs of a leak

Specific to 3.0l Vulcan engine
Front engine cover is a known leak point, on the water pump passages, smaller leak there could evaporate before dripping to the ground