Mine did the exact same thing. Eventually I saw it coming out the exhaust and got it to the shop asap. Egr cooler was fine. Cap was new. It was the heads and it was leaking into the cylinders. Shop said they have seen them like that before only with 8 bent connecting rods from the hydro lock.

 

Yeah but I've read through enough arguing in the results posts from people making pressure testers to not really believe it shows anything definitive in most cases. Mine was certainly intermittent. But pretty much exactly the same as yours. Found it leaking out the exhaust and had the studs done. They found the head gaskets were leaking quite a bit. Egr cooler was fine. They said they have seen them hydrolock if not caught in time. I wouldn't waste time with the pressure tester. Check for combustion gasses adore forward accordingly.

 

I have been watching the exhaust like a HAWK. So far nothing. So far it has done it once on a 135 mile trip. I lowered the level and put on a new cap.... Drove the same trip an additional 6 times at 75 to 80 miles an hour. Then Mondays trip it spit some out again. I have cleaned it all up so I will know if it pukes again tomorrow on my way back. It looks like the exhaust testers are about 25 bucks plus fluid. Looks like I will be buying yet ANOTHER tool!


I Think I have a gauges and enough fittings already to do the pressure test.

 

http://www.phila.gov/fleet/Warranty%...sb09-08-03.pdf

Ford's procedure (TSB above) is a good one to follow when you have coolant loss from the degas bottle.

It involves a pressure gauge.

The first use of the pressure gauge is to test to see if you have a good seal at the degas cap (sometimes it takes an emery cloth to dress up the sealing surface) and then you check for leaks in the degas bottle and hoses (after placing the degas bottle under pressure - say 12-15 psig). You can tee into one of the small hoses and add pressure with a small air compressor as long as you have installed a reasonably accurate pressure gauge to watch.

The next use of the pressure gauge is to get the vehicle up to temperature, then carefully release the pressure (yes you can safely remove the degas cap by doing it very slowly and you should have a thick towel over it). Reseal the cap and then drive the vehicle, achieving maximum boost. Watch the pressure gauge to see if you build excessive pressure.

 

Also - IMO you need to know what your actual coolant and oil temperatures are when driving, as well as watch the boost values. If you don't have an electronic gauge system for reading these values, it is very worthwhile to get it.

 

Thanks, Mark. I forgot about the fact that once you get it up to temperature and release the pressure, good HGs should not build pressure again. I'm sure it will build a little pressure again, but it can't be more than 2 psi of so. How much does it build after you relieve the pressure?

 

On the Freeway at 75 to 80 mph I run about 186 to 188 Coolant and 194 to 196 Oil. Boost runs around peaking around 24 top 26 depending on the grade. I have never seen over 26.

 

I have not tested this.

 

Those are good temps. Your oil cooler is performing well and doing its job.

As it relates to the 6.0 PSD, blown HGs are typically not resultant from an "overheat" condition, but from the headbolts stretching under the cylinder pressures encountered under normal driving and/or towing conditions. Yes, temps run higher while towing, etc, but it is the stock headbolts' inability to withstand these cylinder pressures.

The coolant is otherwise a compressed or subcooled liquid operating in a closed system and forced to remain in the liquid phase; once you have the breach, blown HGs or EGR cooler, you have a localized DROP in pressure and a phase change at the breach (to steam). Steam has a much higher specific volume (cubic meters per KG, or cubic feet per LB) than water in the liquid phase, and this is where the pressure increase comes from. On a very small scale, it's the same thing as taking the radiator cap off a vehicle at operating temperature - an instant drop in pressure will create the phase change and we all know what happens when you uncap a hot radiator, or take the lid off a pressure cooker.

The volume that the steam wants to occupy in your cooling system is going to keep forcing itself out from the degas cap. You could lower the liquid level in your degas bottle a little more, and you may not see any evidence of purge at first, but eventually you will.

 

As Bryan posted - with no combustion gasses entering the coolant system, you should only build a few psi after relieving the pressure and re-installing the cap.

Your temperatures are good as posted above. That should indicate that combustion gasses aren't interfering with the flow of coolant (as what sometimes happens with a head gasket leak). It is also a good sign that you do not see tailpipe smoke. Watch for that smoke on startup as well as driving. Also, I assume you have not been experiencing any slow cranks (as you would if you had coolant leaking into the cylinders)?

Sounds like your turbo is fine as well.

It may be a head gasket leak issue, but do the tests mentioned in the TSB before jumping to that conclusion.

 

I did notice, if I vent the cap when still warm, then in the morning, when it is totally cool, it will have suction when I open it back up.

No slow crank at all.


Thank you for all of the Advice!

 

Sounds good. Try getting it fully warm, relieving the pressure (carefully), reinstalling the cap, then driving (still hot) for a short trip - and do a few careful WOT runs to maximize boost (ie don't stomp the pedal to the floor, but get it there over a few seconds). ead the degas bottle pressure during these WOT runs.

 

Again, mine was exactly the same. My heads were only lifting under certain situations. I'm told it's pretty common with the 6.0. I replaced the cap and thought it was done. Then a few months later, puke residue around the degas. Maybe you'll get lucky but if I were you I'd start saving for a larger repair.

 

he isn't smoking from the tailpipe

 

Mine never did. Not once.