Ok, truck is a mint 2004 with 69k on it.

It is loosing coolant and steaming out the tailpipe.

I went to pull it in the shop this morning and cold started it (ambient temp +-70) It didn't steam at all, let it run about 25 sec, shut it off, restarted it and it steamed like crazy. I can see some water staining on the EGR side up-pipe, and the truck does not overheat, but looses approx. a gallon of coolant every 30 miles (based on what the customer told me) It also runs just fine with good power. When I open the Degas bottle while it is running there is a little visible vapor coming out, does that mean anything? I let it idle for about a minute and it built 3psi of pressure in the cooling system (motor sat for 8 hrs. before start-up)


If someone can advise me based on these symptoms that would be much appreciated!

 

Pull the EGR valve and see if it and the inside of the intake are wet. If so the EGR cooler is shot.

If you've got something that will do it, warm the truck up to operating temperature then drive it around a bit and monitor the ECT/EOT temperature differential...if the EOT is more than 15 degrees over ECT the oil cooler's coolant side is plugging up, which likely caused the EGR cooler to fail.

 

*** a "tech" with paying customers you should already know about tsb 09-08-03

 

I have already checked the ECT EOT difference, and yes the oil cooler is plugged. I will be changing it and flushing the coolant system. I did a lot of reading on this subject and based on the TSBs and other peoples problems it definately seems like the cooler, it just can be hard to tell for sure.

 

Also, The intake is not "wet" but it does look water stained. I have AE so I did check it over when he brought it, but I don't want to run it more than I have to. When the coolant was 193-196, oil was 223 and climbing, but did not want to cool back down when you backed out of the throttle, it just kept climbing.

 

my bet is on the egr cooler just by the symptoms. its more likely to smoke out the tailpipe from egr cooler than the head gaskets. head gaskets your ects climb quick

 

It was the EGR cooler. I replaced the oil cooler and deleted the EGR and it runs like a champ! Thanks for helping answer my questions!