Okay so I know if there's coolant lose it could be a blown headgasket. But What else could it be ?

 

External leak including,
Blue (or orange) EGR cooler hose.
Large Oring between intake manifold and front cover.
Heater control valve (if equipped).
Heater core.
Water pump.
Degas bottle cracked.
Radiator or hoses.

EGR cooler can leak into intake manifold. Usually steams out tailpipe. Often confused with headgasket issue.

Overheating causing "boil over".

 

it leaks a little bit but not much and it doesnt overheat though? idk if it could be my egr cooler or heads

 

What are your symptoms? ?? Smoking white, blowing out degas bottle, leaking externally, water in oil????? Many questions need to be answered before you can diagnose the problem.

 

Are you going to work on it yourself or just trying to get an idea of the possible issues? Also forgot to ask what year model is the truck? Earlier (2003-2004 1/2) trucks have a much stronger EGR cooler.

I would climb all over(and under) the engine with a good flash light and look for any signs of coolant leakage. It doesn't have to leave a puddle in the driveway. Going a little further, you can pull the EGR valve and look for "wetness" on the bottom of the valve and in the intake manifold that would indicate the EGR cooler is leaking but unfortunately, doesn't mean the head gaskets aren't leaking also. If there are no external leaks and the EGR valve is covered in dry soot that would make head gaskets the prime suspect.

Another test that is of some value is to put an inexpensive pressure gauge in the small line going to the degas bottle. High pressures (say 13-16psi) would point to EGR cooler/heads/head gasket issues and failure to hold pressure would at least verify an external leak. Some say you can differentiate between EGR cooler/head gasket issues by watching the behavior of the gauge but I'm not convinced.

There are test kits that use paper tabs (like swimming pool PH test strips) to verify the presence of combustion gasses in the coolant but a leaking cooler or head gasket will both give a positive result, but again, that would confirm cooler/head gasket issues.

It's probably obvious but as far as expense and headache you want to find an external leak. A leaking EGR cooler is next, head gaskets are third, and cracked heads are worst case.

 

Man I just keep diggin up older threads. Trying to find answers using search but need a little help.

Different friend this time with a 6.0 blowin white smoke and using coolant. Also spewing out of bottle if he tries to tow or put a load on the truck. Already told him about parking nose downhill and looking under EGR for wet. Would also like to test coolant for presence of exhaust gasses and hopefully rule out blown head gaskets. What test kits or strips do you guys use and is it something that can be had at a local auto parts store?

TIA,


Never mind. Guess I should have read more carefully. After posting I see that both a leaking EGR and head gaskets will test positive. Any other way to rule out head gaskets other than just change the EGR and test drive?

 

Over pressurized cooling system with no coolant in the intake manifold under EGR valve is reasonably certain head gaskets or heads. Unfortunately, disassembly and inspection is the only way to be absolutely certain.

The behavior is a clue also, early in headgasket failure it will only over pressurize when hot, pulling hills and or towing. As the problem gets worse it happens in less and less extreme conditions and can progress to a point it does it all the time.

You can T in a line to the degas bottles small hose and put the other end of the line in a bottle of water and see the bubbles as air is pumped out of the cooling system. It's really the same as watching a pressure gauge except you can see the air continuously escaping. A little more convincing for owners in denial.

 

Thanks Rusty,
If we find it wet under the EGR valve then EGR replacement, Coolant system flush with VC-9? and refill(proper procedures obviously). Drive it and see what it does? Anything else? Will a coolant flush take care of the oil cooler too?

Thanks,

 

A clogging oil cooler is commonly the cause for a leaking EGR cooler. Flushing the cooling system has helped some trucks for a short time but ultimately, replacing the oil cooler at the same time is the way to go. If you are replacing both coolers I'd flush with chemicals before the work is done. If you decide to just do the EGR cooler I'd just flush with lots of water and go back with the same coolant type that was in it, as long as it wasn't green or orange.

Another point is a clogging oil cooler can be easily and accurately diagnosed by watching the temp difference between the coolant and oil. More than 15° full warmed up cruising at 65mph for a few miles would point to the oil cooler being clogged and support the cracked EGR cooler diag.

 

Thanks for the help. I've got AE so we'll take it for a drive and check those temps. He's eventually going to do studs and gaskets but he's a young guy and money is tight. Will let ya know what we find.

 

Good luck!