Sorry again for all the questions, but I get the best answers here!

My ranger keeps "using" coolant... I haven't measured how much I've had to add to see if it has added up to/exceeded the 3.25 quart capacity.

For the first few hours, the level in the surge tank never changed, then all of a sudden one day it was 3/4 gone. So I added some coolant, drove it some more, and it was a little low again. The oil looks clean, level hasn't changed at all, and I don't smell anything odd in the exhaust (although I smell coolant while driving, but when I stop and investigate, the only place it smells is around the radiator). Parked it on clean concrete for a few days and its not leaking.

I assumed maybe there was an air bubble in the system and it finally worked its way out, but with it being low again the next few times I drove it, it's made me wonder... how long can it take to get all the air worked out of the system, and at what point do I start worrying? Really hoping I don't have to replace any gaskets..

Thanks again OPT.

 

Clean the area around the bottom of the water pump housing and keep a check on it. If the area stays wet you may have a water pump seal leaking coolant out the weep hole.It does take a while to remove air pockets from Rangers with their six foot or longer hoses,but depending on model there is a bleed screw on thermostat housings and water pump covers that can aid in purging trapped air. The manuals even say to jack up the Rangers from the right side to help air pass back up through the radiator. Leave the cap off and let the fan cycle on and off several times. Top off coolant,replace cap and top off recovery bottle if needed.

 

No leaks, and nothing coming out the weep hole. When I originally filled it with coolant, I loosened the bleeder screw on the thermostat and let some air out, but haven't done anything since then other than topped it off when it was a little low.

Guess I'll just keep an eye on it for a while as well as an eye on the oil.

 

Could be that trapped air is still forcing it's way out and dropping coolant level. Check the oil also for any coolant contamination which would usually mean a head gasket seeping coolant into the cylinders. Some were obvious on this as you could see the coolant through the exhaust and smell a sweet smell as coolant burnt. Others not that noticeable but head gaskets would still leak.