Dear Tom and Ray:

I seem to have a problem with my '90 Ford Tempo. I have a leak in the cooling system and I'm stumped. After driving the car, I often hear the sizzle of coolant hitting the exhaust. I can sometimes see coolant dripping slowly out of the engine compartment. It seems to be coming off the firewall in front of the passenger seat area. Do you think I have a damaged heater core? How can I check it? -- Mike

Ray: I seriously doubt it's a damaged heater core, Mike, because the heater core is mostly inside the car. So if your heater core were leaking, the coolant would be dripping on your feet (or near them), not on the driveway.

Tom: It could be something very simple, like a hose that's starting to leak or a loose hose clamp.

Ray: Have your mechanic "pressure test" the cooling system. Once the system is under pressure, it should be pretty easy to see where the coolant is leaking.

Tom: And if you've led a good, clean life, Mike, all you'll need is a clamp tightened.

Ray: And if not, it'll be a cracked engine block. Good luck.

Changing your oil regularly is the cheapest insurance you can buy for your car, but how often should you change it? Find out by ordering Tom and Ray's pamphlet "Ten Ways You May Be Ruining Your Car Without Even Knowing It!" To order, send (check or money order) to Ruin, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. You can also order online.

© 1998 by Tom and Ray Magliozzi and Doug Berman Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

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