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Hello all ford owners, my issue was with 1999 ford factory dedicated CNG. I was pulling off of the freeway and I pushed the throttle up to %75 once off the freeway dropped back to idle at the first light. Noticed at the light that there was coolant spitting out from under the drivers side front corner of the hood (coolant tank is on the passenger side) and when I started off from the light a bit of coolant fog on the inside of the window. Temp was in the middle as normal but stopped at a gas station a block up to check it. Under the hood everything is soaked with coolant, (and I mean everything) added a bunch of water to the tank but no obvious leaks. Started again and kept adding water, finally the gush stated from the coolant tee between the back of the intake and the heater core where the branch is for the coolant loop that goes to the rear for the CNG.
The problem: instead of crimping in a $.50 steel tee into the hose assembly they opted for the $.05 crappy plastic one. After years of heat and coolant the tee material was so deteriorated that it crumbled in my hand. After I had a few tools delivered to me (lucky was only a few blocks from home) I was able to cut the aluminum crimp off I was able to get it back on enough and get a hose clamp on it to limp it home to with only a minor coolant leakage. you will need to remove the alu crimp carefully, I used some side cuttrers and opened it up like a can openner.
The tee was the consistency of a fortune cookie.
The upper one was the one the failed, the upper and lower hoses are different sizes on the heater side 3/4 and 5/8, 3/8 on the CNG side.
instead of buying an over priced assemble form ford that would be back ordered for weeks if even available and have the same plastic tee's, I opted for new metal tee's
I could have put something together with 5 or 6 fittings but it would have been ugly so here’s what went in.
Upper
1- 5/8 pre soldered tee (3/4 OD), the pre soldered ones have the ridge that holds the hose and clamp on
1- 3/8 hose x 3/8 male NPT
Shortened the threaded end by about 1/8" and turned a little off of the diameter so it would clear the inside of the 5/8 tee, and bottomed out on the hex. Did this on the lathe so if you don’t have one, or a friend with one, you could do it with a grinder. Also shortened the tee back to the ridge. soldered together and a little paint, good for the life of the car.
I will be replacing the lower one too but the fittings are a little differn't I will post the the info for it also.
I suspect that all the factory CNG fords may have a similar set up so carefully check them, and if they look like plastic go buy some fittings and be ready to do some soldering before you poke around too much.
Gary
The problem: instead of crimping in a $.50 steel tee into the hose assembly they opted for the $.05 crappy plastic one. After years of heat and coolant the tee material was so deteriorated that it crumbled in my hand. After I had a few tools delivered to me (lucky was only a few blocks from home) I was able to cut the aluminum crimp off I was able to get it back on enough and get a hose clamp on it to limp it home to with only a minor coolant leakage. you will need to remove the alu crimp carefully, I used some side cuttrers and opened it up like a can openner.
The tee was the consistency of a fortune cookie.
The upper one was the one the failed, the upper and lower hoses are different sizes on the heater side 3/4 and 5/8, 3/8 on the CNG side.
instead of buying an over priced assemble form ford that would be back ordered for weeks if even available and have the same plastic tee's, I opted for new metal tee's
I could have put something together with 5 or 6 fittings but it would have been ugly so here’s what went in.
Upper
1- 5/8 pre soldered tee (3/4 OD), the pre soldered ones have the ridge that holds the hose and clamp on
1- 3/8 hose x 3/8 male NPT
Shortened the threaded end by about 1/8" and turned a little off of the diameter so it would clear the inside of the 5/8 tee, and bottomed out on the hex. Did this on the lathe so if you don’t have one, or a friend with one, you could do it with a grinder. Also shortened the tee back to the ridge. soldered together and a little paint, good for the life of the car.
I will be replacing the lower one too but the fittings are a little differn't I will post the the info for it also.
I suspect that all the factory CNG fords may have a similar set up so carefully check them, and if they look like plastic go buy some fittings and be ready to do some soldering before you poke around too much.
Gary
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