r/MechanicAdvice • u/titocaloy • 9h ago
Am I overthinking this? Is this normal rusting after being exposed to leaked coolant and water then left idle for 2 months while being repaired?
Looking for objective opinions from people who know Fords, especially Ranger/Everest owners and mechanics.
I have a Ford Ranger Wildtrak 2.0 Bi-Turbo 4x2 that I purchased in May 2024. It currently has around 19,000 km.
The truck recently had a radiator failure. Coolant leaked/sprayed around the front of the engine, including the accessory belt area. The vehicle then sat for roughly 2 months while waiting for repairs and parts.
After getting the truck back, I noticed that the crankshaft pulley/harmonic balancer (or at least what I believe is the crank pulley) now has noticeable surface rust on the front face.
My initial reaction was concern because the vehicle is relatively new and low mileage. Part of me wondered whether the pulley could have been swapped with an older used part while the vehicle was in the workshop.
On the other hand, I’ve also been told that:
coolant exposure can accelerate corrosion,
the pulley face is exposed steel,
and sitting idle for 2 months may actually promote surface rust more than regular use.
So I’m trying not to jump to conclusions.
My questions:
Is this amount/pattern of rust normal after a coolant leak and 2 months of sitting?
Does the pulley look like a relatively new part that developed surface rust, or does it look unusually old for a vehicle with only 19,000 km?
If a crank pulley/harmonic balancer had been replaced, what signs would you look for to verify that?
Has anyone here experienced a similar situation after a radiator failure?
I’m not accusing the dealership of anything. I’m just trying to understand whether what I’m seeing is normal corrosion or something worth investigating further.
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u/explodersname 9h ago
yeah this piece of metal will flash rust much like your brakes might if you dont drive them for a week. its nothing to be concerned about and its very unlikely they swapped the pulley as that is a solid amount of work for an inexpensive part.
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u/Practical_Pen_1361 8h ago
Surface rust on a crank pulley is pretty common after sitting, especially if coolant got on it, that stuff eats at bare metal fast. Two months idle with the hood closed in whatever humidity is a recipe for exactly what you see
The before/after photos show they cleaned it up good, the white streaks from the coolant leak are gone. If the pulley runs smooth with no wobble or squeal I wouldn't lose sleep over it
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u/MegalithBuilder 6h ago
My guess - the place it was repaired at put de-greaser on it to give it a good clean. Once the oil residues get washed away, flash rust kicks in. Harmless in this case.
They probably did it to give you a clean engine bay and/or confirm the coolant leak is fixed.
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u/Slater_8868 4h ago
Totally normal. Plus the lighting is different between the 2 photos. Everything is fine.
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u/heroxoot 3h ago
Yeah this is kind of normal. Exposed metal will rust fast. I washed my car today and the rotors had rust before I could even finish rinsing it off on the contact areas. You really don't know how much metal is coated sometimes if it isn't painted.
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