Coolant Leak
Thread Starter
|
Elder User
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 971
Likes: 1
From: IA MN SD
Coolant Leak
(I made this post on another forum already, but I'm looking for more feedback)
After reading this thread I thought twice about the spot my truck recently left on the driveway .
When I first saw the spot, I thought it was strange but shrugged it off as condensation from the AC unit, and then pulled it into the garage and parked it for the night. However, because of what I read in the aforementioned thread, I went into the garage the next evening to inspect the truck further and found this waiting for me.
In the following picture, you can see the coolant dripping from the starter and the tranny lines.
The thread I mentioned at the beginning of this post led me to inspect the short hose between the EGR and oil cooler. In all honesty, I couldn't tell with 100% certainty if this was the source of the leak, but it was the only place I found somewhat wet after doing a quick look around the rest of the engine compartment. Not the best picture, but you can see its a bit damp under the black hose.
MORE HISTORY:
Back in September I had my truck into the dealer because
1. The radiator fan had been kicking in more and more often.
2. One instance of a miss after cold start. Only happened once and never happened again.
3. Slight puff of black smoke when pulling away from a stop.
4. (the biggie) A P0611 code I pulled with my bro-in-law's SnapOn Modus.
5. Oil/Coolant temp differential occasionally exceeding 15degrees.
At the time of that dealer visit, I thought my oil cooler was on the verge of being restricted enough to qualify for replacement, and maybe my FICM was on its way out. However, the dealer simply installed the latest flash and called it good. All of the symptoms mentioned above actually went away, except the oil/coolant temp differential still occasionally exceeds 15 degrees.
One other part of the puzzle... Since the previous dealer visit, twice I have noticed just a dime-sized spot or two of dried coolant around the degas cap, on the tank and on the hood. No serious puking, but still.... I thought the spots may have been caused by accidentally turning the key off while cruising down the highway and causing a surge in the coolant system (don't ask how, it just happened). In hindsight, I question whether or not I wiped it up well enough after the first time it happened, and whether or not my second spot siting wasn't leftovers from the first occurrence.
So... now I wonder if the resulting back pressure from my somewhat restricted oil cooler and the cooler ambient temps have caused the egr to oil cooler hose to start leaking. I'm also wondering if the restricted cooler hasn't compromised the egr cooler, and that's what has caused the spot or two of coolant around the degas tank.
I am under warranty. So if I take the truck in to the dealer and tell them of of the coolant leak, I am sure they will just replace the hose. And if I tell them of the coolant spots I found around the degas tank, the dealer will probably just replace the cap with the newer (and some believe its a higher pressure holding) cap.
I don't know how mod-friendly my dealer is. As such, the safe thing for me to do is to remove my coolant filter, fuel pressure gauge, and Insight before bringing it in. Removing the goodies limits my ability to tell them about the coolant/oil temp differential I am seeing (typically 7 - 12 degrees, occasionally exceeding 15 degrees for short durations). I have not run any tunes on this truck, and neither had the original owner.
As of now, my plan is to remove the coolant filter, insight, fuel pressure gauge, and bb shim. Then I'll take the truck in for the coolant leak and also tell them of the coolant spots I've found around the degas cap. I'm sure they'll replace the hose and the degas cap, and maybe give me the latest flash, and send me on my way again.
Its frustrating. My oil cooler is on the verge of needing to be replaced, and something still unknown caused minimal puking. But when you're under warranty, you have to play by the warranty's rules. The symptoms point toward problems that won't be solved by a new EGR\oil cooler hose and a new degas cap, but that's all I'm going to get from the dealer until something more catastrophic occurs.
Maybe I should just bite the bullet, buy and install an oil cooler and EGR/oil cooler hose and install them myself.
After reading this thread I thought twice about the spot my truck recently left on the driveway .
When I first saw the spot, I thought it was strange but shrugged it off as condensation from the AC unit, and then pulled it into the garage and parked it for the night. However, because of what I read in the aforementioned thread, I went into the garage the next evening to inspect the truck further and found this waiting for me.
In the following picture, you can see the coolant dripping from the starter and the tranny lines.
The thread I mentioned at the beginning of this post led me to inspect the short hose between the EGR and oil cooler. In all honesty, I couldn't tell with 100% certainty if this was the source of the leak, but it was the only place I found somewhat wet after doing a quick look around the rest of the engine compartment. Not the best picture, but you can see its a bit damp under the black hose.
MORE HISTORY:
Back in September I had my truck into the dealer because
1. The radiator fan had been kicking in more and more often.
2. One instance of a miss after cold start. Only happened once and never happened again.
3. Slight puff of black smoke when pulling away from a stop.
4. (the biggie) A P0611 code I pulled with my bro-in-law's SnapOn Modus.
5. Oil/Coolant temp differential occasionally exceeding 15degrees.
At the time of that dealer visit, I thought my oil cooler was on the verge of being restricted enough to qualify for replacement, and maybe my FICM was on its way out. However, the dealer simply installed the latest flash and called it good. All of the symptoms mentioned above actually went away, except the oil/coolant temp differential still occasionally exceeds 15 degrees.
One other part of the puzzle... Since the previous dealer visit, twice I have noticed just a dime-sized spot or two of dried coolant around the degas cap, on the tank and on the hood. No serious puking, but still.... I thought the spots may have been caused by accidentally turning the key off while cruising down the highway and causing a surge in the coolant system (don't ask how, it just happened). In hindsight, I question whether or not I wiped it up well enough after the first time it happened, and whether or not my second spot siting wasn't leftovers from the first occurrence.
So... now I wonder if the resulting back pressure from my somewhat restricted oil cooler and the cooler ambient temps have caused the egr to oil cooler hose to start leaking. I'm also wondering if the restricted cooler hasn't compromised the egr cooler, and that's what has caused the spot or two of coolant around the degas tank.
I am under warranty. So if I take the truck in to the dealer and tell them of of the coolant leak, I am sure they will just replace the hose. And if I tell them of the coolant spots I found around the degas tank, the dealer will probably just replace the cap with the newer (and some believe its a higher pressure holding) cap.
I don't know how mod-friendly my dealer is. As such, the safe thing for me to do is to remove my coolant filter, fuel pressure gauge, and Insight before bringing it in. Removing the goodies limits my ability to tell them about the coolant/oil temp differential I am seeing (typically 7 - 12 degrees, occasionally exceeding 15 degrees for short durations). I have not run any tunes on this truck, and neither had the original owner.
As of now, my plan is to remove the coolant filter, insight, fuel pressure gauge, and bb shim. Then I'll take the truck in for the coolant leak and also tell them of the coolant spots I've found around the degas cap. I'm sure they'll replace the hose and the degas cap, and maybe give me the latest flash, and send me on my way again.
Its frustrating. My oil cooler is on the verge of needing to be replaced, and something still unknown caused minimal puking. But when you're under warranty, you have to play by the warranty's rules. The symptoms point toward problems that won't be solved by a new EGR\oil cooler hose and a new degas cap, but that's all I'm going to get from the dealer until something more catastrophic occurs.
Maybe I should just bite the bullet, buy and install an oil cooler and EGR/oil cooler hose and install them myself.
Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 12,123
Likes: 35
From: N. Fort Worth, tx
remome the insite from the truck. the rest I would leave. you can explain the ect/eot as a friend looked at it with his scanner.
there is a new update flash wich will now kick a code for oil cooler restrictions.
we look at ect/eot splits and cooling system pressure with a pvt (pressure transducer)
there is a new update flash wich will now kick a code for oil cooler restrictions.
we look at ect/eot splits and cooling system pressure with a pvt (pressure transducer)
Tuned
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 489
Likes: 4
Hey, mine is slightly leaking as well. The color of the fluid is clear, like what is dripping in the photo above. Is the right? Should the fluid be clear? I would expect to see goldish color, but mine looks like water.
Thread Starter
|
Elder User
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 971
Likes: 1
From: IA MN SD
Jayybird: Just use your finger to put a drop on your tongue. You'll know right away whether or not its coolant.
I pulled the Insight and coolant filter out of the truck, but left the Auto Meter Phantom II fuel pressure gauge in. They said nothing about it, and even complimented me about how well I take care of my truck.
Turned out that the tee for my coolant filter was leaking. I was a bit upset when the dealer told me that they couldn't find a leak, but after I got home and looked at the coolant filter tee I noticed that it had cracked and had to have been the cause for the leak.
So I guess I'll be finding some brass or aluminum tees before throwing the coolant filter back under the hood. At least the new ball joints I had them install make the truck run straight as an arrow down the road, so the dealership visit wasn't a total waste of time.
I pulled the Insight and coolant filter out of the truck, but left the Auto Meter Phantom II fuel pressure gauge in. They said nothing about it, and even complimented me about how well I take care of my truck.
Turned out that the tee for my coolant filter was leaking. I was a bit upset when the dealer told me that they couldn't find a leak, but after I got home and looked at the coolant filter tee I noticed that it had cracked and had to have been the cause for the leak.
So I guess I'll be finding some brass or aluminum tees before throwing the coolant filter back under the hood. At least the new ball joints I had them install make the truck run straight as an arrow down the road, so the dealership visit wasn't a total waste of time.
Elder User
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 624
Likes: 0
From: north texas
i noticed a puddle under my truck this morning, it looks like the same leak that w_huisman has, i have the coolant dripping from the starter also, and i have the coolant filter system also..............guess i better check that tee before i decide to take to the dealer, i sure hope i do not have a blown headgasket or something serious like that, but if i do i still have 20k of warranty left, that would hopefully cover it, if i can hide the fact that my programmer has been in the system, i have my batteries disconnected right now trying to erase any remains of that programmer................also i am not one of these guys that hotrods my truck, i take extremely good care of it........does anyone know if after u disconnect the batts if i need to flip the light switch or something to erase the keep alive memory?
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
ron's power stroke
1999 - 2003 7.3L Power Stroke Diesel
38
Nov 24, 2010 07:07 PM
Layson
1999 - 2003 7.3L Power Stroke Diesel
22
Aug 26, 2010 09:14 PM
2003, 2006, 60, 60l, antifreeze, coolant, cooler, diesel, egr, f250, hose, leak, leaking, powerstroke, replacement
