Hi, I'd appreciate y'all's input. I'm pretty sure it's headgaskets, but just in case there's something I'm overlooking...

2005 Excursion 6.0 with 110,000 miles now. Due to oil/coolant temp difference I flushed coolant, replaced oil cooler, installed coolant filter, and deleted egr at 90,000 miles soon after I bought it. I run Innovative Diesel tunes but rarely drive it hard. I also now have the Mishimoto 200 thermostat in it.

Until about two months ago it had only puked one time, and at that time I thought it was because I had possibly overfilled the coolant. So I cleaned everything up and made sure I had it at the bottom of the sticker of the Degas bottle. However, since then it has puked several times.

I generally don't have puking, but when I go on a long drive it pukes from the Degas cap, generally when I drive through the mountains on PA on my way to Ohio. When I go on a 45 minute drive through some steep hills in VA usually no puking, but on a couple hour and a half drives it has. Ive tested it at full temp, and some bursts up hills under heavy acceleration, no puking. But those weren't hour and a half test drives, more like 30 minutes. The Degas bottle, associated hoses, and cap are all new.

I'm thinking that due to the egr being deleted the only other cause can be headgaskets, right? Motor is not studded.

 

Unfortunately, I think you're on the right track. With the EGR delete, the only thing left to nitpick is coolant level and degas cap and you've done those.

It s common for headgaskets to fail kinda slowly, initially only leaking under the worst conditions of temp/load and failing at less and less extreme conditions the more times it pukes.

 

Thanks for the reply!

The proper coolant level is sort of baffling to me. My brand new Degas bottle has a line molded into it...and also has a sticker on it. The molded line is about halfway between the min and max cold fill range on the sticker. The molded line is def lower than the max cold fill line that was on my old degas bottle.

I've heard that the lower level of the sticker was to minimize puking from egr cooler failures. But with egr deleted that shouldn't apply. The I've read even with egr delete coolant should be at the sticker level when HOT...I've even read that the coolant level should be 1/2" below the new molded line when cold. All I know is that my truck didn't puke for almost a year with the coolant level at high cold fill level of my old Degas bottle. Then after a long trip through the mountains it did, and has on occasion since...even with a new degas bottle, cap, hoses, and slightly lower coolant level.

 

The level was revised lower (the sticker) but it's not limited to EGR heating the coolant. It comes into play with a bad water pump, clogged radiator or even just towing hard and heavy. I check my level cold and pretty much ignore it hot. It seems too inconsistent after it warms up.

I'm not of big fan of the test kits for combustion gasses in the coolant (they can be misleading) but if you've changed coolant since the EGR delete that may be worth a few bucks for confirmation.

 

Mine was just like that. Puked a little then got to a constant puke and loss of heat once ot got bad enough (three spots compromised pretty good)
I'd say I went alomst a year from the first puke til i got it fixed.

 

I run my level cold, at the bottom of the sticker.... and I do what Rusty does, never check it hot. No guessing... quick glance at the level and done, right at the bottom of the sticker.

I agree with the other guys, once EGR deleted and your puking... is temp hot, say above 220 or 225* when this happens? Remember, as temp goes up, so does pressure, so try this. Get the truck up to temp, pull over and then slowly release the pressure of the cap. Take care to not drive any harder, but drive it around a bit. You don't want the temps to go up much more than they already are.. saying that. Once your at temp and no pressure in the tank, keeping temps around the same shouldn't build more pressure. Drive it a bit and then check pressure again by releasing the cap... if it blows hard, means pressure build again and that confirms a head gasket leaking pressure into the tank. You released the pressure based on temp of 190*and your at the same temp... even temp, no pressure and head gaskets are probably fine.

 

Thanks everyone for the replies!

When it's puked the coolant temp hasn't gone higher than 206, oil temp 212. Unfortunately I don't know exact temp when it's puked because it's always been on a longer trip. About a week ago the temp suddenly rose to 210 from 200 on a slight grade that is about a half mile long, but it didn't puke...I'm guessing because the coolant level was a bit low, about 1/2" below low level of sticker. I'll try the pressure check you described today.

 

I agree with WatsonR on the drive it to temp let the pressure off then drive some more and see if pressure builds again. That's how we figured out mine were going bad.

 

Mine is doing almost exactly the same thing right now. I did the pressure relief at temp yesterday, drove back home easy on her and it had built a ton of pressure again. only puked once on me so far but im getting ready for the big blow soon.

 

That's the quickest n easiest place to start,, especially on deleted trucks. A pressure gauge can be plumbed in,, but this lil test will get you worried,, or relieve some stress. Lol. It's just science huh????

 

So, it had been sitting all night and most of the afternoon. Opened cap, almost no pressure came out. Other times after sitting all night A LOT of pressure has come out. Drove about 45 minutes, coolant temp 202. Pulled over and let out pressure. Drove about 15 minutes, temp still 202, and a good amount of pressure came out. Not as much as after the longer portion of the drive, but still way more than none. Good thing I have an appointment for May 2nd to have the headgaskets and studs put in. Fortunately it'll be under warranty!

 

What kind of warranty did you buy that a 11 year old truck and 100k plus miles is covered?

 

The warranty is through Pentagon Federal Credit Union, I financed the truck through them. Not quite, but almost bumper to bumper. It had 84,000 miles on it when I bought it, 3 year or 36k miles coverage.

 

So, I'm guessing with the pressure test I did today that confirms head gaskets, right?

 

if it vented pretty hard on the second vent... yep. Make sure you speak with the shop doing the work. You want to have them do a coolant flush (or you do it) before tearing the truck down, using the chemicals. That will clean it out good and then consider doing an oil cooler as well, since it's torn down to parade rest.