Let me start by stating I am not a car guy and need to google quite a bit when it comes to car. I noticed a very small coolant leak coming from my wife's 2014 mustang. I did not see any leaking coming from any of the hoses or where they connect to the engine (thermostat housing). I was able to see a small drop of coolant at a hole in the very bottom of the radiator fan (see pics). My brother-in-law told me it was the radiator and it probably had a very small hole in it, based on the cars age and the radiator being made of aluminum. I ended replacing the radiator myself (with the help of youtube). I left the engine guard/panels off to better see if anything was still leaking. I let the car run for about 10 minutes and then took it out for about 8-10 miles. I got back and didn't see anything leaking. Checked again after maybe 20 minutes, no leak. I woke up this morning and saw a spot about the size of a quarter on a piece of cardboard I put under the car. However, the spot was not located directing under the fan. It was a bit further back towards the engine. I did end up spill some coolant getting the old radiator out and think it may be from that. Does anyone have any thoughts or suggestions before I end up taking it to a garage? Is the small amount of coolant from the hole in the bottom of the fan an indication of something else? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

When a job like this is done a good follow up to assure there are no leaks include a cooling system pressure test. You could rent a cooling system pressure tester , pump the system up to no more than 15 psi on the gauge and watch for any pressure drop or leaks. If no drop or leaks are visible, it is something left from the previous work.
That is all you need to do . If there is a drop or leak you should be able to see it.. Let us know how you make out with this,thanks..

The best time to do the test is when the engine is cold and everything contracts.

 

Also,, after a repair, you may want to wash everything down with fresh water on a cooled engine. If possible, blow most of the critical areas dry with compressed air. Run the engine to warm, and drive it a bit.
Left behind/puddled coolant after repairs doesn't air dry very fast, fresh water will. If a coolant colored leak persists, it has other issues.

 

Thank you for this. I will look to rent a pressure test this weekend from the auto store and do what you suggested. I'll post the findings here.

 

Good advice. Something I should've done but after struggling getting the new radiator in, I was too anxious to see if the problem was fixed. Taking a little more time and cleaning everything up would've been the smart thing to do.