coolant leak!
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New User
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 6
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From: Manitoba Canada
coolant leak!
I definatly have a coolant leak but I cant find where it is leaking. It does not drip or leave a puddle. but I am consantly adding coolant but sometimes it will go for a week or so without needing coolant and then the next day it takes 3-4 liters of coolant. Any ideas?? Could it be leaking into the cylinder and burning off??
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 21,285
Likes: 16
From: Nutter Fort, WV
BigG'sBlueMonster,
Welcome to FTE and the IDI forum.
Not sure, do they have the hoses installed on the 2009 model trucks yet?
Leak may slow down after the hoses are on, but then you will need to go up to the Power Stroke forum.
We deal with 1994 and older diesels here.
If you have one of them, we can help you out.
Do need to know the year and engine though, several different motors were used in the IDI trucks between 1983 and 1994.
Welcome to FTE and the IDI forum.
Not sure, do they have the hoses installed on the 2009 model trucks yet?
Leak may slow down after the hoses are on, but then you will need to go up to the Power Stroke forum.
We deal with 1994 and older diesels here.
If you have one of them, we can help you out.
Do need to know the year and engine though, several different motors were used in the IDI trucks between 1983 and 1994.
Elder User
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 597
Likes: 0
How's your oil? Is it at all milky or just really black?
If you take off the radiator cap and then run the engine, do you see any bubbles in the coolant?
I'd look real closely around the radiator cap, the overflow tank (they can crack), and in between.
If you take off the radiator cap and then run the engine, do you see any bubbles in the coolant?
I'd look real closely around the radiator cap, the overflow tank (they can crack), and in between.
Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 6,900
Likes: 3
From: Campbell River, B.C.
A leak at a hot location like the top of the rad could simply be evaporating before it has a chance to drip off the truck. When things get hot, they tend to expand, and cooldown could be closing off the leak enough that you can't track it down.
Look for green residue around potential leak zones like the top of the rad, hose connectios, etc. Otherwize you could have a leaking head gasket, in the early stages, you will not always have oil contamination, just coolant dissapearing, or filling up the recovery tank.
Worst case scenario, is cylinder cavatation, fixing that (if even possible) would require an engine overhaul, getting a 6.9 would be the real fix in that case.
Is your coolant remaining stable in the recovery tank? (stable, if the level rises in the tank, does it go back down on its own, without ever overflowing?)
Do you see any steam rising from the engine when you pop the hood after a hot shutdown? (checking this at night with a flashlight could help make the steam more visible)
Look for green residue around potential leak zones like the top of the rad, hose connectios, etc. Otherwize you could have a leaking head gasket, in the early stages, you will not always have oil contamination, just coolant dissapearing, or filling up the recovery tank.
Worst case scenario, is cylinder cavatation, fixing that (if even possible) would require an engine overhaul, getting a 6.9 would be the real fix in that case.
Is your coolant remaining stable in the recovery tank? (stable, if the level rises in the tank, does it go back down on its own, without ever overflowing?)
Do you see any steam rising from the engine when you pop the hood after a hot shutdown? (checking this at night with a flashlight could help make the steam more visible)
Junior User
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 61
Likes: 0
I'll second Tbone91, I was stressing out about a coolant leak, and it turns out it was the over flow tank on my 88 7.3. Easy to fix, but the new tank was pricey.
Wayne
Wayne
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Elder User
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 549
Likes: 1
From: Mississippi
gotta agree with the leaking being at the radiator. thought my cap was bad letting pressure push coolant out. found out it was the overflow line not tight enough on outflow stem and coolant coming out there. simple fix and stopped leak.
speedrdr
speedrdr
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Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 6,900
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From: Campbell River, B.C.
Originally Posted by BigG'sBlueMonster
by the way is the 6.9 a better engine? and will it fit in my 88 f-250 and will accesories swap over from my 7.3?
*6.9 has thicker cylinder (over 1/4") walls and is less vulnerable to cavatation and can be safely rebored during a rebuild if needed. just be sure to get one from late 85 to 87, as older ones can develope cracks at the block heater. If reboring is needed with a 7.3, you need to have the engine sleeved, and there have been some horror stories with sleeved engines.
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