I have 6.0 2004 noticed engine coolant low seams to be a spot in driveway the truck is running fine taking it to dealership what should I know when I talk to service manager. 44,000 miles

 

Does it overheat or run hotter than usual? Any white smoke out the tailpipe? Coolant loss from the Degauss bottle?

My advice, for what it's worth: Tell them it's overheating and losing coolant. Tell them you saw white smoke coming out the exhaust. Ask if they will check the EGR cooler and Oil cooler and EGR valve.
Make sure they check the turbo as well, especially if they find the head gaskets blown!

Get it fixed properly while under warranty!

Then order and install a Dieselsite coolant filter and live happily ever after..... at least until you get an SCT XCal III properly tuned......

 

Whats this about? Loss of coolant has been the only trouble from mine. When I first noticed it I also noticed there was oil on the insides of the degas bottle. No smoke or anything. I took it to the dealer they said that the truck had{before I bought it}oil cooler problem and was replaced and the tech must not have cleaned the system out good enough. So they where going to do it. Which they never got the oil off the sides in the degas bottle. When I went to leave with my truck after they where through I could'nt see behind me for white smoke. I went straight back inside and told them about it. The first said all he did was flush the cooling system and that had nothing to do with the white smoke. Right at that second I went to the shop's manger and told him what happened. He pulled up the work order on his computer and said he doesnt see what they could done to make it smoke. Just as nice I could I told him they can buy my truck if they dont want to fix it. I asked him to come out to my truck and I fired it up. Smoke boiled from the tailpipe in a thick cloud. I asked him if he would accept his truck under that condiction. He went to the writer and asked if my truck smoked when it came in. Luckly the writer told the truth and said no. He put it back in the shop, the tech found 2 injectors needed replaced and the dealership did it at no deductable to me.

 

I noticed a large spot when I had my truck plugged up this past January.
It was dripping coolant from the driver side head. This was at 54,000 miles.
The head and gaskets were replaced. Not a problem since. I would say yours gaskets are failing. This is probably due to your head bolts stretching which will cause your heads to warp. Good luck

 

What about the EGR Hose?

Were is the spot in relation to the motor ? I.E. drivers side rear , pass side rear, ect.

 

I got the mysterious coolant loss, I haven't seen any coolant leaking out onto the ground. It is winter so it should be easy enough to see. No white smoke, no oil in the de-gas bottle, no coolant in the oil. Just put in a gallon of coolant yesterday will check tomorrow to see how much loss after one day.

 

Well my truck has been at the dealership three days now. They put dye in, ran it, checked it...checked it again...checked it again! They can't find a leak. My degas bottle was emty twice in the past three weeks which I found because my heat stopped working both times, I could visually see coolant on the starter housing bolts and on the drivers side head/gasket near the back of the engine. They've pressurized the system three times with no failure?? I'm almost up on warranty and if they can't duplicate the leak they're gonna whack me for the hours spent looking for the leak they can't find. Any suggestions on what I should do?

 

What was the ambient temperature outside when the coolant loss occurred? It was mentioned that the seal on the EGR tube may be compromised during cooler weather conditions. Is it possible that that is the source of the leak in the driveway and not in the warm shop?

Check in the battleship area under the turbo in the valley of the top of the engine and see if there is coolant accumulation in that area? Perhaps it blows out or trickles over while driving and that is why you see the coolant in the starter area?

 

It definately was cooler when I noticed the loss. They have it in their shop, it's warmer in there. They told me they pulled the EGR and inspected inside and everything is OK. The checked the oil, it's fine there. They pressure tested hot/cold and it held for 30 minutes. I told them the exact same thing I told them last week, when I dropped the truck off, and the first time I called them to check on it. Today they called me and I told them the same and they said that's not what I told them in the begining? After that he said there was something else he was going to check and he hasn't called back yet. I'm not mad at him or the technician but I know the truck was leaking, I saw it myself. The degas went bone dry twice in two weeks. I just want it fixed while it's still under warranty. I told them I would drive it a week with the dye in it and bring it back but he's not ready to surrender it back to me yet. I hope to know more tomorrow. I'll ask about the valley and will get back to you guys. Thanks for the info/support.

B

 

Sounds like we might have the same thing going on. I've found out mine was low cause of heat not working but mostthe time I check mine atleast once a week. Not just this truck but anything I drive I check everything even tire airpreasure once a week more if I'm having problems. This is still going on for me. There might be something to the cold thing I dont remember any coolant lost durning the summer I think the only time was when it got cold around here. I wonder if it might be in the heater system. However I did check my heater core or atleast called myself checking it. Anyway I dont have a wet floorboard or any coolant dripping from the firewall or surrounding area. However on the 5.4L the heater supply hose is coming out from under the intake manifold in the V where the lifters and cam use to be. I dont see where this could apply to the diesel but just maybe?????????

 

EUREKA!! They found it!

I called the dealer today and low and behold it's the EGR cooler line. I should of thought of this and told them, but I'm sure they won't forget it. The service guy said he thought about it leaking only during the cold. So, he pressurized it at the end of shift and went home. This morning they walked in and sure enough after the truck had cooled down over the cold night there was a nice puddle underneath the truck. They weren't giving the truck enough time to cool for the leak to show itself I guess. Anyways, parts on order. Gotta pull the turbo out to fix, yada yada yada...Said I might have it back by Sat if all the parts arrive for the cooler. Thanks alot guys .

Looking at the other threads I'm gonna ask about the extended warranty when I pick it up.

 

Shoot.
They beat me to the punch.
I had this problem in june. Coolant disappearing about every week had to fill it up. I think I heard a slight gurgling sound in the exhaust under hard acceleration, as if coolant was going there.
It was the EGR cooler too.
Seems like a very common problem with these motors.

 

I got leaky head gaskets so I was told today......I sure hope that they don't want to put up a fight about it. Sounds like they will have the truck ready tomorrow....now that service.