Double Trouble!
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 794
Likes: 1
From: Ontario
Double Trouble!
Brand new to the 6.0, and the 6.0 forum. Coming from the v10!
Just going to get into this quick. Truck doesn't want to crank over in the cold, even when plugged in. Batteries just won't do it.
Took a reading of 12.1v when off. When cranked over it drops to 11.2v and then after running for a while the alternator only gets it to 12.8v and once the truck is turned off, it's back down to 11.8v.. Is my alternator working fine? Are my batteries just needing a charge? Or is the alternator dead?
2nd issue, is the dreaded white smoke.. tapped a 'T' into the coolant overflow i think it is, like most people, to test my headgaskets. Only pushed to a max of 4 PSI, is it even possible to stay that low? I was romping on it pretty good because i don't have a trailer to pull. And then once i drove normal, it would drop down to 0 PSI again. Is this working normally, and my head gaskets are O.K?
Of course that would mean my egr/oil cooler are both done but hey, that's alot cheaper than gaskets and studs right now and im okay with that!
Just going to get into this quick. Truck doesn't want to crank over in the cold, even when plugged in. Batteries just won't do it.
Took a reading of 12.1v when off. When cranked over it drops to 11.2v and then after running for a while the alternator only gets it to 12.8v and once the truck is turned off, it's back down to 11.8v.. Is my alternator working fine? Are my batteries just needing a charge? Or is the alternator dead?
2nd issue, is the dreaded white smoke.. tapped a 'T' into the coolant overflow i think it is, like most people, to test my headgaskets. Only pushed to a max of 4 PSI, is it even possible to stay that low? I was romping on it pretty good because i don't have a trailer to pull. And then once i drove normal, it would drop down to 0 PSI again. Is this working normally, and my head gaskets are O.K?
Of course that would mean my egr/oil cooler are both done but hey, that's alot cheaper than gaskets and studs right now and im okay with that!
Cargo Master
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 2,723
Likes: 5
From: Roseburg, OR
Have the batteries load tested and have the alternator tested as well. It sounds like the alternator is shot. Cranking on it too much will kill the FICM.
What year is the truck?
Possibility of the EGR cooler leaking. Pull the EGR valve and check for moisture in the bottom.
What year is the truck?
Possibility of the EGR cooler leaking. Pull the EGR valve and check for moisture in the bottom.
Thread Starter
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 794
Likes: 1
From: Ontario
I have only put about 300 KM on the truck since i just got it, from what i can tell it hasn't lost any coolant, it is over-full to most peoples standards though, when pressure released it is at the marked full line on the bottle, last owner ignored the sticker where the full line is almost an inch lower.
Lead Driver
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 5,420
Likes: 16
From: Ouray, CO
I have only put about 300 KM on the truck since i just got it, from what i can tell it hasn't lost any coolant, it is over-full to most peoples standards though, when pressure released it is at the marked full line on the bottle, last owner ignored the sticker where the full line is almost an inch lower.
Maybe your "t" connections had a leak.
Sent from my Sprint PC36100 using IB AutoGroup
Thread Starter
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 794
Likes: 1
From: Ontario
When i am driving, it only goes to 4 psi. It may not be 0, my gauge has a wide swing. But it reads well enough that it goes no where near even 10. It could very well have 1-2 psi left but the gauge isnt reading it with the 0-100 swing
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Posting Guru
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 2,442
Likes: 1
From: La Grande, OR
Have someone start it when you get the white smoke while you stand by the exhaust and smell it....if it smells sweet it's coolant, if it smells like fuel, it could also be an injector.
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 794
Likes: 1
From: Ontario
I had my boss smell it, who has had a failure on a 6.0 before, and told me it doesn't smell sweet, in his words, "It smells like regular diesel exhaust to me".
Wouldn't an injector cause the truck to run and/or start rough?
And to your tip about a smaller pressure gauge, even if my 0-100 isn't as sensitive, i do believe my head gaskets are fine because i could only push it as high as 4 PSI. I even tightened all my T joint clamps and re-did the test. Same result.
Wouldn't an injector cause the truck to run and/or start rough?
And to your tip about a smaller pressure gauge, even if my 0-100 isn't as sensitive, i do believe my head gaskets are fine because i could only push it as high as 4 PSI. I even tightened all my T joint clamps and re-did the test. Same result.
Posting Guru
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 2,442
Likes: 1
From: La Grande, OR
If you have an injector that's pushing too much fuel or leaking past on startup, yes it could make it run rough.
And yep, if you're at least not getting above 10, your HGs are probably ok.
And yep, if you're at least not getting above 10, your HGs are probably ok.
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 794
Likes: 1
From: Ontario
Well if my head gaskets are okay, and its dry under my EGR valve that checks out.
The truck runs smooth as even, even in a cold start (Being -15 C right now) at both idle and highway speed so i can't see an injector...
I'm at a loss
The truck runs smooth as even, even in a cold start (Being -15 C right now) at both idle and highway speed so i can't see an injector...
I'm at a loss
Lead Driver
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 8,241
Likes: 155
From: L.A. (Lower Alabama)
Brrr! -15 is pretty chilly, hell on batteries and oil. Might consider a battery heater. Are you sure the block heater is working? Could the smoke just be condensation in the exhaust? Been awhile since I've seen those kind of temps.
Lead Driver
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 8,241
Likes: 155
From: L.A. (Lower Alabama)
If it's not condensation, and the coolant level isn't dropping, seems it would have to be fuel? I'd try bubble test in tech folder. It may not catch one that's sticking intermittently but a leaker will likely show.
Cargo Master
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,283
Likes: 0
From: missouri
I would just start with the batteries first then altenator then when that checks out check the ficm volts.