Help please, My coolant problems continue
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Joined: Mar 2008
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From: Minnesota
Easy way to check for a HG or cooler leak is to run a block test. Pretty simple test, just draws some of the degas bottle gases through a special dye and you look for a color change. From what I've read and various mechanics have indicated, it's pushing 100% accuracy (if there was such a thing). Probably stop into a parts store and buy or borrow one, or go to a stealer. Better yet, avoid the stealerships and find a real diesel shop where they have mechanics not shop monkeys.
Mines been doing a minor version of what you have indicated for two years with the block tests, pressure tests, and oil analysis indicating no problems. I haven't lost the volume you've indicated as mine typically hangs at 1" or 2" below the cold mark (old style bottle).
Personnally, I just make sure theres coolant in the bottle and call it good. It's just a pressurized overflow bottle, so as long as you aren't drawing air into the actual cooling system I don't believe there's catastrophic damage on the horizon.
Mines been doing a minor version of what you have indicated for two years with the block tests, pressure tests, and oil analysis indicating no problems. I haven't lost the volume you've indicated as mine typically hangs at 1" or 2" below the cold mark (old style bottle).
Personnally, I just make sure theres coolant in the bottle and call it good. It's just a pressurized overflow bottle, so as long as you aren't drawing air into the actual cooling system I don't believe there's catastrophic damage on the horizon.
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Joined: Mar 2008
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From: Minnesota
The block tester or combustion leak tester is essentially a large test tube made up of two chambers you fill with a dye. You place the suction end into the neck of the degas bottle (but not into coolant) and squeeze the bulb to draw a gas sample into the chambers (5-10 squeezes on mine). You then watch the second chamber for the blue dye to turn green. The dye only changes colors when combustion gas is present.
I have a U-View (www.uview.com) and it seems pretty decent.
Like I said, nothing is 100%, but if you don't have combustion gas in your coolant, good oil reports (no coolant in oil), and you're not blowing it out your exhaust, I don't see how you can have a HG or cooler issue.
Good luck Stanley. If you need help and are coming through MN, let me know.
I have a U-View (www.uview.com) and it seems pretty decent.
Like I said, nothing is 100%, but if you don't have combustion gas in your coolant, good oil reports (no coolant in oil), and you're not blowing it out your exhaust, I don't see how you can have a HG or cooler issue.
Good luck Stanley. If you need help and are coming through MN, let me know.
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My 150 hp tune made more boost than the 350 tune per amount of power.
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From: Georgia
Thanks to all of you for the support and ideas. Tomorrow I have a morning appointment with a local guy to do the coolant pressure test. It's almost a waste of time but there is a slight possibility that we might find an external leak but I doubt it. I'm also gonna ask him if he can do a block test. Wednesday I have an appointment at the dealer in Rapid City.
So, here's my guess. Horizontal EGR is leaking into the number 8 cylinder but only under hard load. Bulk of missing coolant is being burned in the cylinder. That's causing compression to rise on that hole and the head to raise just enough to push some coolant back and out the degas cap. When truck is not on a hard pull (or a combination of moderate pull and high temps outside) the pressure is not high enough to cause the problem. So the truck runs fine with no or very little coolant loss. If that's right then the coolant system pressure test should hold 16 PSI. I'll know more tomorrow. Thanks again for the help. I sure hope it's something like that so I can get on the road to Georgia,
OOOPs, I meant to say the coolant system will not hold 16 PSI and there will be no external leaks.
So, here's my guess. Horizontal EGR is leaking into the number 8 cylinder but only under hard load. Bulk of missing coolant is being burned in the cylinder. That's causing compression to rise on that hole and the head to raise just enough to push some coolant back and out the degas cap. When truck is not on a hard pull (or a combination of moderate pull and high temps outside) the pressure is not high enough to cause the problem. So the truck runs fine with no or very little coolant loss. If that's right then the coolant system pressure test should hold 16 PSI. I'll know more tomorrow. Thanks again for the help. I sure hope it's something like that so I can get on the road to Georgia,
OOOPs, I meant to say the coolant system will not hold 16 PSI and there will be no external leaks.
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anyways good luck. May 6.4 gods be with you.
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From: The Great State of Texas
I'm watching it like a hawk. This is driving me crazy. Yes, when I say I am adding coolant it is always a 50/50 mix with distilled water. Coolant was filled to middle of cold fill lines yesterday. Drove maybe 100 miles, no towing. This morning it is down to bottom of cold fill lines. No puke. just down.
I filled to middle of cold fill area, added 6 ounces. Hooked up trailer and towed 100 miles or so with a couple pretty stout hills. Nothing got hot at all. All temps very much in bounds. Stopped and checked coolant and it was down to near the bottom of the tank with some puke tracks on the tank. I loosened cap and watched the coolant come back up to the cold fill area, large air (I guess) bubbles coming up from the bottom of the tank.
Retightened cap, cleaned all the puke tracks off and drove another 100 miles or so with some good hard pulls, all temps were very fine. Stopped and checked and coolant was down toward bottom of tank, no signs of puke. I loosened the cap and coolant stayed at that level. No sign of air. I added 1 quart and brought coolant to cold fill area.
Drove another 150 miles with some very hard pulls toward the end (black hills) all temps remained well within acceptable levels, when I checked the coolant level was just where I left it and there were no puke tracks.
I towed 350 miles today with a number of stout pulls (east Montana, Wyoming and the black hills of SD. The coolant acted strange as detailed above but I watched all the temps like a hawk and it was a very routine trip with only a couple elevated temps where they were expected, and then a return to normal. As the teens say WTF???????
I filled to middle of cold fill area, added 6 ounces. Hooked up trailer and towed 100 miles or so with a couple pretty stout hills. Nothing got hot at all. All temps very much in bounds. Stopped and checked coolant and it was down to near the bottom of the tank with some puke tracks on the tank. I loosened cap and watched the coolant come back up to the cold fill area, large air (I guess) bubbles coming up from the bottom of the tank.
Retightened cap, cleaned all the puke tracks off and drove another 100 miles or so with some good hard pulls, all temps were very fine. Stopped and checked and coolant was down toward bottom of tank, no signs of puke. I loosened the cap and coolant stayed at that level. No sign of air. I added 1 quart and brought coolant to cold fill area.
Drove another 150 miles with some very hard pulls toward the end (black hills) all temps remained well within acceptable levels, when I checked the coolant level was just where I left it and there were no puke tracks.
I towed 350 miles today with a number of stout pulls (east Montana, Wyoming and the black hills of SD. The coolant acted strange as detailed above but I watched all the temps like a hawk and it was a very routine trip with only a couple elevated temps where they were expected, and then a return to normal. As the teens say WTF???????
don't let your wife look at new trucks when you get back home.
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From: Georgia
It was interesting. Guy told me it held 16 PSI cold. Then I never did get a straight answer about what happened when it warmed up. He was too busy trying to find an external leak he could repair. No external leaks found and I did get him to tell me he kept pumping the pressure up to look for a leak, so I guess it wasn't holding. He did say the cap held. I'll know more in a couple hours. I hope.
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From: Georgia
Well, who would have thunk it. Took the truck to the dealer today, not just any service department but one that specializes in Ford diesels. After I provided a very detailed report on my coolant escapades both written and oral the tech does his thing. Result, and I quote here: "I got nothing". I don't know if I should laugh or cry. But, given his assurance that there is no way I'm gonna damage the truck if I keep the coolant full and don't let it get too hot, I hook up and leave for points east and south. I guess I'm around 100 miles into the trip when we pull a very steep hill on I 90. I'd already checked the coolant once and it was OK. But, I'm thinking this hill will do it. So, at the next rest stop I check and yep, it's puked a little and is down some. Not as much puke or as much coolant as those earlier, but it wasn't as much hill as those earlier. The good news is the truck is and has been running great, it pulls like a locomotive. So.... If you're following this very long thread in search of an answer to a similar problem, please let us know if you find one, because I am stumped.