egr cooler???

[dmbrichie]

Ok guys, I have an 05 CCSB 6.0 with 84xxx miles... AFE Intake, RBP exhaust, SCT Tuner with Innovative tunes. 10" fabtech lift with 40" tires.

I had the head gaskets replaced under factory warranty about a year and a half ago. (pulling my work trailer down the highway and smoke and antifreeze was pouring out the driver side of truck) Since then it has been pretty good.

Over the past few months, when towing my work trailer again (6k lbs maybe) a few times when I get to the job I have antifreeze all over my running boards and all over the overflow tank under the hood. I can't tell EXACTLY where this is coming from but it has happened twice now in a week

I DO have gauges, but when I installed my train horns a few months ago I screwed up some of the wires for the pyro and egt and haven't fixed it yet...

I am NO mechanic by any means so I really don't know what is causing this??? Thoughts please??? thanks alot for the help guys...

[NYC F-350]

What do your EOT and ECT's look like?
Engine Oil Temp/Engine Coolant Temp

[Evil Eye]

A pressurized cooling system is either 1) a product of compression due to blown head gaskets or 2) exhaust due to a ruptured EGR cooler. You might get lucky and have it turn out that the degas bottle cap isn't holding 16psi any longer, but I wouldn't hold my breath. Do you have any way to monitor your engine coolant temperature?

[dmbrichie]

No way to check the coolant temp right now Before the dealership did my head gaskets a few years ago they replaced the cap as they said it was broken...(who really knows) There are NO codes and NO smoke of any kind...

[NYC F-350]

Click here and read post number 2 for a description of the real gauges you need, why and what they should read. It also gives a good run down of the things to do to ensure the longevity of your engine.
If you are puking coolant again, and have an EGR cooler installed in your truck (not a delete) then, at a minimum, your EGR cooler and your oil cooler are toast. Fixing it ASAP will be your cheapest way out (hopefully the heads have not cracked).
If you have a friend or three that are mechanically inclined and have a pretty good selection of ASE and metric tools, you can do the repairs yourself. In my signature line there is a link titled "step by step egr and oil cooler replacement." There are three pdf files that show how to remove the turbo, intake manifold, swap out the oil cooler and put it all back together...they even have the torque specs.
If you have to get this repaired at a shop, plan on about 2 grand or so.
Studding the truck is not the "end all, be all" to these engines if you do not monitor the ECT and EOT (if the egr is in place). Reason is that the failure that made you stud the truck in the first place can happen again. EXCEPT that this time, since the stock head bolts are not in place to stretch, the heads will crack instead. That excessive pressure has to go somewhere and the head studs do their job at holding the head in place.

[dmbrichie]

Just to clarify...The dealership put in new factory head studs when they did the gaskets. I asked my tech/friend and he said "the new torque specs for the factory gaskets and studs are much better than before and you shouldn't spend the money on aftermarket studs" I am kicking myself in the *** now Should I do an EGR delete?? I live in Minnesota and we do not have any emissions tests or anything like that..

[NYC F-350]

The factory installed Torque To Yield head BOLTS and not studs. A world of difference.
You should find better friends if one told you to use the stock bolts... or better yet, kick him instead of yourself

Like Evil Eye said, If you are lucky, it is just the degas bottle cap. Don't count on that being the case, it sounds more severe than that.
Go buy a scangauge2. It runs 165 bucks at your local auto parts store. It can monitor your Engine Oil Temp and your Engine Coolant Temp easily and without too much of a bite to the wallet. It is actually an excellent tool given the low cost considering all it can monitor, but that is a different discussion for another time. Get it on there, now. Have that friend of yours take you for the ride. Leave the truck where it is and only drive it if you absolutely must, to minimize the chances for more damage.

Then drive the truck (easy now) up to full operating temp (ECT should be about 190°F give or take a few degrees). Go out on the highway and set the cruise control for 60MPH. When you have been driving on flat ground for a good 10-15 minutes, check the temperature differential. Should you see oil temps more than 15°, drive home, take the degas cap off (CAREFULLY and when cooled off) and start ordering parts for the oil cooler swap/egr delete. Reason to remove the degas bottle cap? The cooling system will be under pressure and, if you left it on, that pressure could force coolant out of the failed egr cooler and into the passenger side exhaust manifold.
If you get enough coolant down in there, and into whatever cylinder has an exhaust valve open, you could hydrolock the engine. Hydrolocking it isn't a given, but it does happen and you can easily avoid it by simply doing it.

Excessive puking could very well mean that your head gaskets are gone again. So if you do all of this work yourself, and find that it still pukes, your looking at doing the head gaskets all over again.

If you want to delete your EGR, delete it with a kit.
Like I said before, check out that link and read up on what is suggested for parts and what are mandatory for parts.
Doing this job as a newbie under the hood can take you a full 10-12 hour day, maybe longer. It just depends on your skill set.

[NYC F-350]

There are tests that can be done to determine if the head gaskets are popped. That would require tools and expertise the typical "back yard parts swapper" isn't going to have

[PowerstrokeTech82787]

Originally Posted by NYC F-350

There are tests that can be done to determine if the head gaskets are popped. That would require tools and expertise the typical "back yard parts swapper" isn't going to have

To make a head gasket gauge? Really theres nothing to it. Brass 3/8ths T 4 male nipples 3 or 4 hose clamps a PSI gauge 4 feet of 3/8ths ID rubber hose a drill and an old valve stem from a big rig or 450-550 19.5 (if you want to be fancy and not braze it in, tap the hole and thread the valve stem and put liquid teflon on the threads of the valve stem)

Difference between failed EGR cooler and Headgaskets before you have to go buy a gauge or run to the dealership and pay hr diag

Are you ready?


Its very easy....


Pull your cap off the degas bottle, start the truck. Let it idle, if you cant hold your hand over the top of the bottle-EGR COOLER

If you power brake it and have the cap on and have someone watch it and coolant comes pissing out-HEAD GASKETS (thats if you didnt build your own gauge)

[NYC F-350]

Thanks! I will keep that in mind. Thanks for the "back yard" approach to diagnostics of a head gasket failure. I will be sure to use that.
Your not too bad.....for a chevy guy lol