1997 ford escort1.6 lx. water leak

[johnboy12]

hi, my ford escort is leaking a lot of water and overheating, i always knew it was there,but its just got worse, everyday before i go out i have to fill it up, i can see the water thats leaked on the,side of engine when i open the car bonnet. i knew there was already a leak,and i so if anybody has any ideas as to what this could be and what i can do to fix this.i have been told a hose maybe just needs replaced,or radiator needs replaced. a few weeks before this when i turned the fan on,it took about 15 minutes before it went hot. then it happened again 2 days later,its fine know,but was just wondering if this could have anything to do with this other problem,THANK YOU

 

[jonnyfishing]

It could be a hose , a gasket or the water pump. If you can't tell which, ask your local garage to look before you do damage to the engine.

 

[Peter.N.]

.. or a core plug. Fill it with water and the start it from cold, the leak should show up as the engine temperature is increasing.

 

[Nitronick]

As already said difficult to pinpoint unless you can post a picture maybe?

There is a compound called Kseal that works wonders. Cost's about a tenner and all you do is pour it into the header tank and refill with water. Might be worth a try as its a lot better then other rad seal on the market. Have used it before and seen and heard it seal minor leaks on head gaskets.