Drove 200 miles round trip today after replacing my Radiator with a Bulletproof Diesel All Aluminum Radiator. Also replaced the degas Cap with OEM from Ford. The "click type" cap.

On my way to work, it drove like a champ. ECT 190 EOT 197 average the entire way. +/- 3 degrees (Never more than 10 degree spread) The highest ECT went was 192, the lowest was 188. The highest EOT went was 200, the lowest was 197. I drive mostly highway at about 1850 rpms. I got to work and parked and smelled Coolant, so I popped the hood to see what was going on and there was coolant leaking from the underside of the upper radiator hose attached to the radiator and I could see white residue on the bottom where the thermostat housing is located. I also saw white residue under the "tee" that connects to the Sinister Coolant Filtration System and coolant sprayed on the underside of the hood in the same spot that the brass tee fitting is located. Coolant also on the fan shroud that wasn't there before/during the radiator R&R.

To summarize

1. ECT & EOT Normal
2. Pulled EGR Valve - Dry
3. Put a gauge on it, and it got me up to 21 psi when I was around 3500-4000 rpms in 3rd gear, but dropped back down to 5 psi immediately. I traveled up towards Asheville, NC with some hills. Normal driving on the way was about 5psi at 1500rpms and 10psi at about 2500 rpms. I dropped the truck into 3rd gear on the long hills to put a load on it and I got as high as 17-20psi when I was between 3500 and 4000 rpms. I have never had the truck this high in the rpm range before. Anyway, I got the ECT up to 205 when I kept it at 3000rpms for 2 miles. I then turned it around and the ECT dropped to 190 in less than a few minutes. I kept a steady speed around 1500 rpms and the psi dropped to 5 psi.
4. Not puking coolant out of the degas bottle/cap
5. Leaking at the upper radiator hose and the degas to tee brass fitting on for the sinister coolant filtration. Tightened the hoses tight (within reason). Still leaking, although much less.
6. Truck said 22 mpg on the dash on the round trip.

I want to get a gauge and connect it again, but the one I have is now broken, and the store (Tractor Supply) is sold out where I purchased mine. Any help is much appreciated!

 

Found this video from cheezit's post quite a long time ago. Mine doesn't do like this. Mine had to be heated up in order to get to 19-20 psi, maybe 21, and I was absolutely romping on it in 3rd gear, going uphill but the gauge I used was 0-60, so the increments weren't as easy to read...

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...9-08-03-a.html



Thoughts about this gauge?

or this gauge ----

 

Sounds like it's head gasket time for you! Sorry about your luck, very expensive job!

 

Yes HeadGaskets or and EGR Cooler will Also Pressurize things


You want to see 8-12psi on cooling system

I do remember cheezit saying they Pressurized difrently maybe that's your link IDK

yA THATS THE lINK I REMEMBER

 

Didn't you pull the EGR Valve Recently???

Wasn't it Dry??

I just thought you did it and don't remember anything Poping up about it


Didn't say anything about White Smoke??

Guess you can see where this is Going

 

As above:

2. Pulled EGR Valve - Dry

No white smoke. Absolutely no smoke out of the tailpipe. Black or White.

 

I don't mind sucking it up and having it done, but how in the heck can I just guess on this? Isn't there some test I can do that tells me for sure?

1. No White Smoke
2. Not puking coolant from Degas
3. No Overheating
4. EOT ECT within 10 degrees

I mean, what part of this leads to Head Gasket?

 

Looks like a Head Gasket or Cooling system Issue

With Head Gasket Leading the Fight at the Moment



You can Compression test Heads threw the Glow Plug Hole this is the Best Test

Or maybe a Cylinder Leakdown Test


Alsoget a CombstionGas Test Strip fo the Colant

 

The system pressure being so high, but with it not relieving from the degas cap it makes me question the pressure gauge.

 

21 psi that you saw on your gauge, and it want's to blow water out of every fitting and connection. Sounds like compression in the cooling system to me. I'm not a 6.0 expert but have had 6.2 gm's do the same thing and they would have blown HG's or cracked heads. I would leave the cap loose for now so you don't ruin your new rad.

 

I thinking this Guy Just Nailed it LOL

 

Don't they have text strips to test the coolant for exhaust gases?

 

Why am I not hearing a hissing noise coming from the degas cap when I stop the truck?

Also:
According to TSB 09-8-3

Issue:
Coolant venting from the degas bottle cap
Internal engine coolant leak
White smoke from the tail pipe
Coolant loss
Lacks Power due to overheating
No Cabin Heat

The only thing I am experiencing is the Coolant loss (leak)

Looking through the entire TSB, it appears if I accept that 20 psi is higher than the holding pressure in earlier steps (assuming 16 psi), the next step is to see if Turbo Boost Pressure is irregular causing Excessive Cylinder Pressures. Is there an easy way to test VGT Vane operation without taking it to the dealer?

 

shure what boost psi do you see highest

under 28 psi boost is ok

 

What about all the pressure out the fittings ect.....