06 puking with ARP headstuds

[edub13]

Long time viewer first time poster.

I purchased an '06 with 130,000 on the clock and purchased it with a block/head and tranny aftermarket warranty.

I have spent tons of hours on this forum and others before purchasing this rig to learn about the motor. I am loving the cab size and the power of the motor. As purchased it had an egr delete, aftermarket intake, 4" exhause and SCT tuner with exhaust gas monitoring.

After only 6 weeks I noticed that I was filling up the coolant resorvoir to the new minimum with the coolant completely disapearing to the bottom from time to time. I did not overeact to the fluctuations at first. But, then I began to notice that I was getting the white residue. So I went and bought a new coolant cap, still burping. Next up I monitored the EOT vs ECT and got a delta no larger that 8 degrees at WOT warmed up and climbing up a hill. Finally, I tested the coolant pressure using a 30psi gauge off of a t-fitting on the resorvoir. Sitting in the drive idling it would reach 15psi in 5 minutes time. When driving it went up as high as 18 psi before leveling off when letting off the throttle.

When I dropped the rig off at the ford they called me back to say that it appears that I already have head studs put in the motor. The warranty on covers the labor directed toward the block, turbo, head and associated gaskets. They're intial thoughts are that it is the head gasket but they have not performed a compression or leakdown test.

I have never seen hight exhaust gas temps over 1000 F and the turbo has never spooled higher than 25 psi with me in it. The tune that was in the truck when I got it and was driving it is labeled performance tune? Not sure who wrote it or if its and SCT canned tune. I have never seen coolant on the ground or elsewhere in the truck. I bought if from a dealer and they won't give me the previous owners name to ask questions to see who or how they did the ARP upgrade.

How difficult or costly is it to perform a compression/ leakdown test? What other reasons could there be for puking?

I have worked on gas rigs since i was in my teens replacing motors, transmission, etc. but this is my first diesel other than a small import a number of years back. First time I have had to rely on a dealer and the uncertainties of pricing and warranty coverage. I would have dug into the problem further myself but wanted to let the warranty take care of it as I have limited time to be crawling in an engine bay lately.

Thanks for the considerations.
-E

[Bluedemon6.0]

You have a blown head gasket. You have to much pressure in your coolant. I'd say if you had a egr cooler in her you might have a bad egr cooler but you deleted it. So your only option is a blown hg's. Hopefully the dealer will cover most of the cost it sound like a blown head gasket should be covered under your warranty.

[edub13]

Thanks bluedemon. I have been thinking on it for a couple days and couldn't with any any other reason to have those psi levels and puking.

Has anyone done a compression/leak down test and how difficult is it? I have done a compression test on my jeep cj7 but it only operates at 150 psi and only requires a best psi compression tester. I just want to know so when I get out of warranty so that I can do it myself if it happens again. I hope to keep the rig past 250, 000.

Thanks again

[power0273]

You have to get a diesel compression tester. You take out a glow plug and the tester comes with adapters for glow plugs instead of spark plugs.


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[edub13]

So it has now been 3 weeks having this repair in the shop. The Ford dealer who is repairing it pulled the heads and it was a leaking head gasket as I assumed and others here on the forum suggested. There were ARP studs put in the block and it looks like the heads were milled but it doesn't appear that there is any warping. I am going round and round with the insurance company who initially denied the warranty saying that it would not be covered due to incorrect repair procedures by the previous shop/owner. I have only had the vehicle for 3 months and less than 1,000 miles.

I have heard many say that they have had luck milling down below 0.008 but then I have heard other people say that you should never mill. The dealer that is working on it says that the heads are not warped but that micro buff marks will lead to failure again. Interesting thing is that they are calling for remanufactured heads which, I assume, would be machined and milled.

The third party insurance company is beginning to participate in the repair but the dealer that I bought it from thinks that if they put a new head gasket in and pull the tuner I should be OK. The oil cooler was showing a delta of 21 degrees, via the repairing dealer, although my SCT live wire never showed more than 8 degrees during climbing a hill and WOT.

The repairing Ford dealer is also saying that the actuator plates are worn in the turbo. I have heard a loud metal on metal clang when letting off the throttle even on mild accelerations. There is a aftermarket ARE dry intake and 4" exhaust. I also have a EGR delete kit with EGR valve still in place.

Biggest question is who might be right here about the headgasket issue and what should I be on the lookout for the turbo?

[edub13]

No thoughts from anyone if I should give it one more chance on the heads that are not warped and previously milled or should I save funds for heads? The insurance group is forcing me to the stage of litigation at this point.

[twoicebergs]

If the heads were not deck correctly, the shop is correct, they may cause problems again. Remans should be fine, but new ones are $600 each, so offer to pay the difference.

If the delta is 21*, replace it. Who is correct?

The ring in the turbo does wear out, especially if the turbo has been dirty for a while.

I assume all of this is covered on your warranty?

[edub13]

I was told by the representatives at the Motorist Assistance plan to take it to a liscenced dealer. I bought the only warranty that I could which is 20,000 miles/2 years. It covers block, head, turbo, transmission and associated seals and labor.

They did not have an official claim status or representative and said to take it to the ford dealer. The ford dealer did the diagnostic to confirm the head gasket and alerted the insurance company. Next they removed the cab, heads, turbo and oil cooler. They found diffused leaking of the head gasket from a couple cylinders into the water jacket.

The head has ARP stud, OEM gasket, restricted oil coller and worn vgt veins.

The dealer quoted $1500 on remanufactured heads per side, $1500 for reman turbo, $386 for oem gaskets, $430 oil cooler and additional parts/labor going to $8700.

The MAP is now willing to "participate" in the repair but only up to $3500 and is not willing to cover the $1500 that I have to pay the ford dealer it is at now for removal. The insurance company will only have the work done at the chevy dealer that I bought it used from so that they can get discounts on parts and labor. It will have to be flat bed trailered up to the other shop who does not work on fords.

I am up a creek here on whether or not I should roll the dice and have them just replace the gasket and cooler. Or, if I should fight the system and contact the attorney general and go to small claims. i have been advised by a friend in insurance mediation not to get a lawyer.

[ford719]

One thing about mediation is most are not binding. I would find out if it is binding or non binding before say yes to mediation. If you dont mind me asking what insurance company did you go with, Ive been thinking about looking into one myself. Like you ive been inside and out on gas engines but just bought my first diesel used.

[edub13]

What do you mean by mediation? So far the only mediation that I have had is through the general manager at the dealership who is working with the outside representative of the insurance company. The GM has got the representative to offer $3,000-3,500 of coverage. I paid $1,600 for my policy and in my eyes he is only taking $2,000 worth of responsibility. My bill is $8,700 but will be reduced once the selling dealer works on it at a discounted labor rate and wholesale parts. But, it still doesn't address the $1450 I owe the ford dealer who did diagnostics and removal of the cab and head, etc.

The used car dealer without examining the vehicle yet thinks that it might be due to the tuner running hotter and ruining the gasket. And not milling marks allowing exhaust gas to pass into the water jacket. But again they have not seen it in person.

The name of the company in Enterprise Financial Group and I have the Bronze level Motorist Assistance Plan.

I don't know if it's best for me to pay the $1450 and hope that they can fix the vehicle, which is now in pieces or try to fight in small claims court. I think the first step is to approach the district attorney and the BBB. I worry that if I begin to start paying that it will start a trend. The other side is that it seems best to get the vehicle back to the place where I purchased the vehicle and get them to continue backing me further. I don't want to get into litigation and lose some coverage. The company has not given any reason to why the claim is denied other than the work that was done with the previous owner was done incorrectly. There is no verbage to this in the contract.