Well, I'm not 100% sure what my issue is here.
I have a spartan tuner.

I was driving down the highway, when half the coolant puked out of the degas bottle. Took it to the garage, refilled it , pressure tested it, everything seemed good.

Now I can't get it to do it again ? WTF ?!?!? I tried several WOT runs in 4x4, and it's solid... not a drip of coolant gone, not a drip on the hood, totally perfect.

Why in the heck would coolant puke out the degas bottle on flat highway? I know it does it from leaking head gaskets, but how could they leak on flat ground, then hold later today under racing conditions?

I'm totally stumped.

Is it maybe the engine or camshaft positions are not being detected properly, and the ecm timing was way off?

How is it that earlier with 10 lbs of boost, head gaskets leaked, and now they don't? And if it was a software or sensor error, that temporarily ran way too much timing, should I worry about the head gaskets now?

I'm telling you guys' I just ran this truck harder than ever, and it won't puke at all.

 

Just tried again, it's working fine now still

It could'nt be the EGR coolers, because they are disabled, and if there was a crack, I doubt it would have opened up with only 10 lbs of boost and then not opened again...

I am really stumped here, when she let go down the highway, I had the music up, but all I could see behind me was white haze. Multiple gallons burped out of the degas bottle. WTF is going on here?

 

Isn't there an updated coolant reservoir and cap too?

Not sure that either one or both of those could cause you a problem, regardless of the fact that your tuned/EGR deleted...

Hmmm

 

i have the new cap, new style no-coolant egr valve, new o-rings from coolant system pressure testing and finding leaks.

275 tune disables EGR, so I can't see how the coolers could have flash boiled....

I could understand how practically doubling the engine power could blow a HG, just never assumed it would be on flat highway with under 10 lbs of boost. Like I said, I've been beating on it a bit afterwards, and so far she's holding. Hot and colder. I just don't get it.

 

I have a 2008 buick. Every once in a while it will puke for no reason.

Drive the truck.

 

Over 2 gallons of antifreeze blew out
i can't really just drive it, thats enough to leave you stranded!

Is there any way there was an issue with the crankshaft or camshaft positions sensors, so that maybe it tried to run some crazy timing and burped out the head gaskets?

 

someone mentioned maybe hyperextended thermostats?

 

Thermostats are a know issue with the 6.4's. Have yours even been changed?

 

that i do not know,

I also am reading and getting conflicting information wether that could cause puking. It would certainly make more sense, as I was just cruising down the highway. Not exactly what I would call pushing the engine to the limit lol.

 

Oh ya, head gaskets are toast.
just murdered an old rad cap to a pressure guage.
It had no relief on it, so i had to stop, but it hit 25 lbs just giving the throttle a little punch without any boost at all.

So now what do I do? I can't just replace the HG's because I don't know what caused them to pop?!
I know they didn't get damaged before the other day on the highway, I'm always under the hood, and there has never been residue anywhere.

I'm really trying to think what type of issue could raise cylinder pressures so high under normal highway driving conditions..

 

Is it possible something gotten on to the grill and covered the radiator for a while ?

 

Not likely, I have the ECT and EOT alarm set only a few degrees above normal operating temperature on the dash daq, and I've never had any alarms.

That also tells you guys just how hard i push this unit... not very.

 

as i stand here in my garage, a work aquantaince just told me that his 6.4 job 2 truck also lost head gaskets, bone stock, at 70,000 miles or so, and a friend of his had the same problem with a 2009 6.4.

I just thought these trucks had stonger head gaskets?!

How come some guys are running huge tunes with massive tires and driving the bag out of their trucks without any issues?

Is there maybe a small issue that we don't know about that causes this?

 

That stinks...(no pun intended)

I'm definitely NOT smart enough to know whether or not a hyperextended thermostat could cause blown head gaskets...?

What about the water pump/cavitation issue...?

It's obviously something your local Ford diesel mechanic could handle, whether they're mod friendly or not, but there's a couple of very reputable performance oriented 6.4 shops that could help you out (obviously depending on where you're located). Their shop/hourly rate is typically MUCH lower than what the dealer will charge also.

Could be an issue that will only be detectable once the cab is off. That doesn't really help but I'm sure it's nothing someone competent couldn't handle. You didn't window the block and it sounds like the bottom end is fine.

The Spartan 275HP tune has a very well deserved reputation for being safe on otherwise bone-stock trucks, headgaskets included. There are people with 10s of thousands of miles on that tune that beat the living snot out of their truck on a daily basis and drag racing and sled pulling on the weekends!

Keep us posted...wish I could be of more help...

 

2 gallons is very serious. I don't know if hyperextended thermostats would cause the issue either.

I do think that there are aftermarket studs out there just like the 6.0. You really don't hear alot about this issue on the 6.4. Not anywhere near the numbers like the 6.0.