Disappearing Coolant

[dgramenz]

Ok, I'm not sure if this is anything to be worried about or not. I have to add probably close to 2 quarts of coolant to my truck between oil changes (5000 miles). I haven't found any coolant leaks and it's not in the crankcase. I've thought maybe a bad head gasket leaking it into a cylinder, but then I should see evidence of combustion in the surge tank, along with some white smoke, right? It uses probably 2 quarts of oil between changes, too, but I'm not worried about that, considering it's diesel. But that missing coolant really makes me wonder.........

[bigcountrysg]

Hey dgramenz, first off what year exactly is the truck, secondly how many miles are on the truck. Third is the truck ever running hotter then normal and do you have any mods on it. The reason for the questions is to find out some history of the truck to start with. I keep my coolant level half way between full hot level and full cold level. I have done that all the time with all my vehicles. You may be evaporating your water out of your coolant causing level to be lower. I recommend flushing your coolant and refill it with new coolant and see what that does. Unless your truck is running rough or you have signs of coolant in your oil this is what I recommend. I also recommend checking the drain on the radiator and all your hose connections. Also check your heater core it is up under the dash on the passenger side and see if it is leaking an easy way to tell is if the passenger side floor is wet. Or if you have a sweet smell in your cab of your truck. You know the smell of hot coolant. That is what I recommend. But someone else may have more info on this.

[Marty]

Actually Big Country I think you've got this one covered!

Assuming the truck in question is the one pictured in your avatar and listed in your signature. My first fear was that you were getting coolant in your oil. I'd get a UOA anyway just to be safe and flush your cooling system.

Also, I WOULD be worried about a 2 quart loss between 5000 miles. Check around all bolts/lines heading out of the HPOP and around the turbo pedistal. Is your K&N just a drop in or a full intake system? Do you have gauges w/ that tuner?

[bigcountrysg]

Thanks Maintain, I don't know what you mean by a uoa but. If he is getting coolant in his oil after driving it. The coolant and oil will be mixed up and look like chocolate milk. Also his oil level would be 2 quarts high. Along with his truck would most likely be running a little rough as well. If it is a head gasket and he is burning it then he should be smelling the coolant in the exhaust also. His truck would be running a little rough but 2 quarts in a oil change is not much depending how often he changes his oil. If he is like me and goes every 5,000 miles then 2 quarts isn't alot and he could very well have a blown headgasket but with out knowing the mileage I can't say. As well he didn't mention if the truck is running below normal or running rough. I think that this maybe a case of needing a flush. Antifreeze not only keeps water from freezing it also raises the boiling point of water. There for if the antifreeze is getting weak then the water maybe evaporating which is causing the low level.

[veronese1]

UOA = Universal Oil analysis

You send a sample of your waste oil in and fill out this quick reference card.

What brand oil...
Weight...
etc..

The report comes back with particulate content, absolute shear weight, copper content, and others I cannot remember off the top of my head.

Money well spent.

[Marty]

Hey Big, I was just saying my FIRST fear was the coolant in the oil... however I guess that wouldn't be the case if your loosing coolant AND oil! Unless of course he has an oil leak and is leaking both! Either way, a UOA will tell the tale for sure, and that is the same reason I suggested a coolant flush. I can't be sure since we don't have all the info, but it's where I'd start with the information given.

UOA - Used Oil Analysis
Blackstone Labs does a pretty good job, I'm not sure of their web url but I can find it if someone needs it.

[Marty]

Hey Veronese is it Universal Oil Analysis? Have I been saying it wrong this whole time haha...

[bigcountrysg]

Ok yall I had a brain fart when Maintain said UOA. Yes Maintain your correct that is a Universal Oil Anaylis or how ever it is spelled. As for seeing combustion in your surge tank it depends. If you were losing more then 2 quarts of coolant in 5,000 miles then yes you might. But 2 quarts in 5,000 miles considering how much coolant the truck holds is not alot. But if you did have a blown head gasket you would have a good trace of coolant in your oil and your truck would definately be running rough. The reason why your truck would run rough is if you have a blown headgasket then your losing compression and at the high compression of these engines you would definately know there is a problem with the engine. But if your truck is running like always before you noticed the coolant loss then I would say the likely hood of having a blown head gasket or a cracked head or cylinder or block is very very slim. But with out more info as Maintain and veronese1 has said as well it could be a leak or bad heater core or a bad radiator or as I have said the coolant is weak and is evaporating.

[mschn99]

before all of you jump the gun.......

Id put a twenty on it that his water pump is seeping enough to lose some fluid but hasnt failed bad enough to actually leak on the ground....

Look from the bottom drivers side very front of the truck up at the waterpump area right over the crankshaft pulley and i bet you see residue

[bigcountrysg]

Ya what marc said, I didn't even think of that dang contraption. I mentioned just about everything else in the cooling system but that dang water pump. By the way marc I washed my truck and it no longer over heats imagine that.