Intermitten Coolant Leak
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Freshman User
Joined: Dec 2010
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From: Southern Maryland
Intermitten Coolant Leak
Hello,
05 F250 6.0L Bone Stock. 130K. Every few days or so it leaks coolant on the driveway under the truck. Then it stops for a few days, then it leaks, then it stops. I do see coolant puddled on the intake. It is running down various paths to the ground. Any idea where it is coming from. I suspect the oil or EGR cooler, but the intermitten part may point to something else. I have plans to pull this motor down to the shortblock and clean the heads, lap the valves, install the ford 190Kpsi head bolts, do an EGR block off and all the other stuff at once. I would just like to know where the leak is coming from before I pull it down so I can fix it as I go. Any help is great. Thanks
05 F250 6.0L Bone Stock. 130K. Every few days or so it leaks coolant on the driveway under the truck. Then it stops for a few days, then it leaks, then it stops. I do see coolant puddled on the intake. It is running down various paths to the ground. Any idea where it is coming from. I suspect the oil or EGR cooler, but the intermitten part may point to something else. I have plans to pull this motor down to the shortblock and clean the heads, lap the valves, install the ford 190Kpsi head bolts, do an EGR block off and all the other stuff at once. I would just like to know where the leak is coming from before I pull it down so I can fix it as I go. Any help is great. Thanks
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Freshman User
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From: Southern Maryland
dye?
I know of that with HVAC but hadnt heard of it with coolant. Is that something I can buy at local parts store. Do you use a blacklight or UV light with it or is it just easy to see?
I know of that with HVAC but hadnt heard of it with coolant. Is that something I can buy at local parts store. Do you use a blacklight or UV light with it or is it just easy to see?
Hotshot
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 15,368
Likes: 121
From: Stuttgart, Ar
If you're actually seeing coolant puddled ON the intake then I would suspect the small hose that runs from the degas bottle to the passenger side of the intake. Normally it's the small hose that connects the EGR cooler to the oil cooler that leaks but it usually ends up on the passenger side of the truck at the back of the motor, not on top of the intake.
FWIW--if you're going to pull the heads I would NOT waste my time going back with stock bolts. Make the investment in ARP studs and be done with it.
FWIW--if you're going to pull the heads I would NOT waste my time going back with stock bolts. Make the investment in ARP studs and be done with it.
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Freshman User
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From: Southern Maryland
thanks i will look at those hoses. Can I see them without dismantling stuff, maybe with a mirror and light?
Concerning the bolts, I have heard ford made a set of 190kpsi upgrade bolts to combat the original ones that stretch too easily. The ARP studs are like 245kpsi. I was thinking that if I do hydrolock a cylinder I would rather the gasket blow than break a crank or rod. Thoughts on that theory? I am looking for something to push me one way or the other.
On another note, some say that blocking the EGR cooler exhaust flow with a freeze plug and leaving it in place is better than replacing the uppipe with a non-Y pipe and removing the EGR cooler. I have heard that the factory piping is way heavier duty and wont rot out like the replacement pipe. Plus everything looks stock. Any thoughts on that theory.
Thanks
Concerning the bolts, I have heard ford made a set of 190kpsi upgrade bolts to combat the original ones that stretch too easily. The ARP studs are like 245kpsi. I was thinking that if I do hydrolock a cylinder I would rather the gasket blow than break a crank or rod. Thoughts on that theory? I am looking for something to push me one way or the other.
On another note, some say that blocking the EGR cooler exhaust flow with a freeze plug and leaving it in place is better than replacing the uppipe with a non-Y pipe and removing the EGR cooler. I have heard that the factory piping is way heavier duty and wont rot out like the replacement pipe. Plus everything looks stock. Any thoughts on that theory.
Thanks
Post Fiend
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If you hydrolock, doesn't matter what is holding the heads on, chances are you will break the block.
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If you hydrolock, doesn't matter what is holding the heads on, chances are you will break the block.
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Oct 2007
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From: Henderson, NV
Also check all your hoses that lead to the heater core including the heater core control valve. (to the left of the turbo).
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Fleet Owner
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Where did you hear this? Go back to the source and get a part number, because I do not think that Ford ever upgraded the head bolts!
Hotshot
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 15,368
Likes: 121
From: Stuttgart, Ar
thanks i will look at those hoses. Can I see them without dismantling stuff, maybe with a mirror and light?
Concerning the bolts, I have heard ford made a set of 190kpsi upgrade bolts to combat the original ones that stretch too easily. The ARP studs are like 245kpsi. I was thinking that if I do hydrolock a cylinder I would rather the gasket blow than break a crank or rod. Thoughts on that theory? I am looking for something to push me one way or the other.
On another note, some say that blocking the EGR cooler exhaust flow with a freeze plug and leaving it in place is better than replacing the uppipe with a non-Y pipe and removing the EGR cooler. I have heard that the factory piping is way heavier duty and wont rot out like the replacement pipe. Plus everything looks stock. Any thoughts on that theory.
Thanks
Concerning the bolts, I have heard ford made a set of 190kpsi upgrade bolts to combat the original ones that stretch too easily. The ARP studs are like 245kpsi. I was thinking that if I do hydrolock a cylinder I would rather the gasket blow than break a crank or rod. Thoughts on that theory? I am looking for something to push me one way or the other.
On another note, some say that blocking the EGR cooler exhaust flow with a freeze plug and leaving it in place is better than replacing the uppipe with a non-Y pipe and removing the EGR cooler. I have heard that the factory piping is way heavier duty and wont rot out like the replacement pipe. Plus everything looks stock. Any thoughts on that theory.
Thanks
As far as the factory y-pipe goes, the failure is from the very thin stainless steel bellows section cracking. If you have a replacement pipe that rots/rusts and doesn't last as long or longer than the factory part then you bought junk to start with.
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Freshman User
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From: Southern Maryland
Here is the ebay link that is where they are. They are from a kit. I am trying to do the research to learn as much as possible, but time is hard to come by.
This guy seems very knowledgeable on all Ford Diesels. I chatted with him on the phone. Says he was the lemon repair guy for 3 states or something like that. He has a lot of parts for sale. I want to do all the upgrades possible at one time when the engine is torn down, including exhaust. I thought I would go with all his stuff in a kit that he will pack for me, unless someone can show me a better path. Maybe others can benefit too. Your thoughts?
2003-07 FORD 6.0 DIESEL UPDATED HEAD GASKET BOLT SET 20 - eBay (item 190495835064 end time Mar-28-11 21:20:16 PDT)
This guy seems very knowledgeable on all Ford Diesels. I chatted with him on the phone. Says he was the lemon repair guy for 3 states or something like that. He has a lot of parts for sale. I want to do all the upgrades possible at one time when the engine is torn down, including exhaust. I thought I would go with all his stuff in a kit that he will pack for me, unless someone can show me a better path. Maybe others can benefit too. Your thoughts?
2003-07 FORD 6.0 DIESEL UPDATED HEAD GASKET BOLT SET 20 - eBay (item 190495835064 end time Mar-28-11 21:20:16 PDT)
Hotshot
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 15,368
Likes: 121
From: Stuttgart, Ar
You can probably walk into just about any Ford diesel repair shop in the country and get all those you want for free. If you get a set of headgaskets from Ford those bolts come in the kit. Nothing special about those bolts. They won't keep you from hydrolock damage and they aren't upgraded. It's a sales pitch. I've bought stuff from that guy myself. His prices aren't even that good and neither was his service. He actually sent me the wrong headgaskets and I didn't even bother to return them. I didn't have time to wait another two weeks. Give partsguyed.com a call. His prices are just about as good as anyone in the country and his service is EXCELLENT.
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