Blown head gaskets? or bad oil cooler

**JD_MILLS** · #1 (**permalink**) 01-19-2013, 08:18 PM

Checked the coolant in my truck a few days ago and it was a little low so i added some to it. went out that night and played around some and started to smell antifreeze. got home and it was all down the driver side of my truck. i haven't added any back to it since then so its about an inch or so below the full mark but hasn't puked since then. so im lost... next question is could it be the oil cooler? i've read some things that it will flash boil the coolant. whats the best way to check to see if its the head gasket? i've read about compression test and checking to see if combustion gasses are in the coolant can someone explain what and how those are done? thanks for the help.

macgyvr · #2 (**permalink**) 01-19-2013, 10:14 PM

I would crawl under the hood and under the truck and look and see where its coming from if you can tell. My lower radiator hoses just started leaking this week. I had been under it making sure everything looked good and saw the hose was hanging a little low. Where the clips hook it into the front cross member they were pulled out. I pushed them back in and I guess just moving it that little amount caused it to start leaking. My truck has 126k on it so I'm sure that the hoses are probably due to be replaced anyways.

In other words, see if you can figure out where its coming from before you assume the worst.

mac 'at least what you can get to' gyvr

blackcloud2k · #3 (**permalink**) 01-20-2013, 03:09 AM

Im guessing you just flash boiled it while playing around. But I could be wrong. Like was said, see if you can find where it came from. Also my truck always rides about a 1/2 inch to an inch below the full mark. I can add to it, and in a week or two it will be right back to where it was and stay there. I stopped adding coolant, and just let it ride where it likes, as long as it doesnt use any more Im ok with it.

**JD_MILLS** · #4 (**permalink**) 01-20-2013, 07:06 AM

I hope its something simple. I've had it at wot a few times since and it hasn't done it but that one time. So maybe its nothing major.

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***Big Angry Hillbilly*** · #5 (**permalink**) 01-20-2013, 07:33 AM

I'd start by pressure testing the cooling system, to see where your leak is.

But since you asked - to check for a head gasket using a pressure gauge - Tee a pressure gauge into the cooling system somewhere. I like using the capped port on the degas bottle, it's quite convenient. Get the truck to operating temperature and then lay right into the thing, high boost, high load, and keep an eye on that gauge. I would be concerned with anything over about 10-12psi.

The only issue with this is it doesn't tell you specifically if you've got an EGR cooler failure or a head gasket leaking. You also need to monitor your ECT/EOT. If your EOT is super hot - there is also a chance that coolant is boiling in the oil cooler.

There's also "Block Check" a system that checks for hydrocarbons in the cooling system. In my opinion, all this is good for is visually showing a customer that there's a problem, and it's not 100% accurate in my opinion.

Hopefully some of this helps.

Biggsw784 · #6 (**permalink**) 01-20-2013, 07:40 AM

When you added coolant, you could have added a bit too much and in turn was pushing the extra water out when you were out playing with it...

**JD_MILLS** · #7 (**permalink**) 01-20-2013, 07:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big Angry Hillbilly

I'd start by pressure testing the cooling system, to see where your leak is.

But since you asked - to check for a head gasket using a pressure gauge - Tee a pressure gauge into the cooling system somewhere. I like using the capped port on the degas bottle, it's quite convenient. Get the truck to operating temperature and then lay right into the thing, high boost, high load, and keep an eye on that gauge. I would be concerned with anything over about 10-12psi.

The only issue with this is it doesn't tell you specifically if you've got an EGR cooler failure or a head gasket leaking. You also need to monitor your ECT/EOT. If your EOT is super hot - there is also a chance that coolant is boiling in the oil cooler.

There's also "Block Check" a system that checks for hydrocarbons in the cooling system. In my opinion, all this is good for is visually showing a customer that there's a problem, and it's not 100% accurate in my opinion.

Hopefully some of this helps.

Here's the crazy part my ect and eot are within a few degrees of each other. I think.. My eot was showing like 82 degrees. If what I read about the livewire showing the eot in celsius
Instead of Fahrenheit is true

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***Big Angry Hillbilly*** · #8 (**permalink**) 01-20-2013, 07:49 AM

I wouldnt' worry about the EOT/ECT - just worry about it if you're building huge cooling system pressure.

I need some more pics of your truck, from the front and from the back if you don't mind, especially if you have harley lights. My ***** is red and I want to change up to the harley lights but don't know how it looks on a red truck, and I wouldn't mind giving my bumpers a lick of paint, either, since the chrome SUCKS on mine.