Loosing coolant?
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 200
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From: Leavenworth Washington
Loosing coolant?
Masters of the Power Stroke
Truck has been sitting for a month or two now. Bought wife new car.
Needed to use truck to pick up new dishwasher and well batteries were dead, easy fix, charged them all morning and truck fired right up.
Ok before we talk about coolant, my cab kinda smells like WD40?? There is NO WD40 can I my cab or never been one? Any ideas as to smell?
Ok after driving truck all day, running around town getting errands done we headed home, pulled into driveway let pyro gauge temp go down and shut off engine. Got out of truck and it smelled like hot metal? Truck gauges never got hot. I opened up the hood and checked oil. Was right in the middle on dip stick. Looked at coolant and it was four inches below the minimum line,
I let it sit out ther for a couple hours and coolant level never went up or down. I added coolant till it was up to the middle between add and max.
Any ideas any one?
Truck has been sitting for a month or two now. Bought wife new car.
Needed to use truck to pick up new dishwasher and well batteries were dead, easy fix, charged them all morning and truck fired right up.
Ok before we talk about coolant, my cab kinda smells like WD40?? There is NO WD40 can I my cab or never been one? Any ideas as to smell?
Ok after driving truck all day, running around town getting errands done we headed home, pulled into driveway let pyro gauge temp go down and shut off engine. Got out of truck and it smelled like hot metal? Truck gauges never got hot. I opened up the hood and checked oil. Was right in the middle on dip stick. Looked at coolant and it was four inches below the minimum line,
I let it sit out ther for a couple hours and coolant level never went up or down. I added coolant till it was up to the middle between add and max.
Any ideas any one?
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 200
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From: Leavenworth Washington
No drips on the ground. Parked it on nice fresh white snow.
Under side of truck is dirty though. I'll sneak into car wash late tonight and wash under side of truck with simple green.
Under side of truck is dirty though. I'll sneak into car wash late tonight and wash under side of truck with simple green.
Postmaster
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 2,555
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From: Longview, TX
Hot metal maybe brakes? Slide pin locked up possibly 
Fluid, just keep an eye on it. If it continues to drop, check around the thermostat housing, might be leaking there. Could also be a crack in the degas bottle.
Wd40, not a clue.
Fluid, just keep an eye on it. If it continues to drop, check around the thermostat housing, might be leaking there. Could also be a crack in the degas bottle.
Wd40, not a clue.
i ain't rite
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 65,448
Likes: 5,518
From: Marlboro Mental Hospital.
my 02 looses a gallon per year. no visible leaks, no coolant smell in the exhaust, just uses it. been doing this for 5 years now. i just add a gallon each fall and keep an eye on the level.
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Postmaster
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From: Longview, TX
Have you replaced the cap?
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Trying to Gain Knowledge
Joined: Jun 2003
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From: Ezzell, TX
In your case I would definitely have an oil analysis performed on next oil change. If oil shows coolant, change oil cooler o-rings as soon as possible.
Postmaster
Joined: Jun 2010
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From: Longview, TX
I don't know Ted, the oil pressure is higher than coolant pressure.
Posting Guru
Joined: Jun 2008
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From: Albuquerque
My take on this. I think (meaning no clue) that if you have a funny smell w the heater on your heater core may be leaking. I believe that I read here that there’s an overboard drain so you may not have wet carpet if it starts to leak. I’ve never had my glove box apart to look at the heater core so I’m not sure about this. My memory isn’t that good I guess. Not sure about the WD-40 smell though, I would think that a leaker would have a sweet smell. I’m sure someone will let ya know if I’m on track with this diagnosis. Good luck
i ain't rite
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 65,448
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From: Marlboro Mental Hospital.
the last oil analysis showed nothing unusual after a 7500 mile cycle. i am going to go 10,000 miles this time on their recommendation.
i actually think the top of the radiator has a mini leak somewhere, because every once in a while i get a slight coolant smell from the engine after a long run.
Trying to Gain Knowledge
Joined: Jun 2003
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From: Ezzell, TX
Well Jeff, mine had an infiltration of coolant in the oil, and the oil cooler o-ring seemed to fix the issue. I only posting based upon my experience and you may use it as you desire. If it was me and depending upon mileage of the vehicle, the oil cooler rebuild makes sense.
Postmaster
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 2,555
Likes: 8
From: Longview, TX
Well Jeff, mine had an infiltration of coolant in the oil, and the oil cooler o-ring seemed to fix the issue. I only posting based upon my experience and you may use it as you desire. If it was me and depending upon mileage of the vehicle, the oil cooler rebuild makes sense.
