244,xxx miles. head gasket was done at about 241k. spent some time flushing out the cooling system, and just when I did my actual fill of coolant last week, it started puking oil into the cooling system. I have no coolant in the oil at all (cold truck, drained about 1/2c from the Fumoto valve, and there's no coolant in the crank case).

It's using some oil (obviously) but it's not absolutely blowing it into the cooling system. it has about 1/2qt in the overflow, and whatever is in the radiator. It's probably 3qt missing, overall.

Head bolts followed service manual torque procedure (95, then 115, then a quarter turn? something like that) and were reused. I have no bubbles coming out of the radiator when running.

I haven't pulled the oil cooler to test it yet but that's what I'm expecting. Any other thoughts on the matter? I really don't want to pull the head again so soon, or spend the money on studs right now which I certainly would do.

 

I doubt its the head gasket unless the head was over heated a lot, or your running 50+ psi of boost. I ran 60 psi for years, and never lost the head gasket.

I d be hoping for something else...like the oil cooler.

 

the most it ever pushes is 33psi. I'm timed to a sneeze over 16˚. I'll add that to my sig.

 

You mentioned the head gasket was done 3k miles ago, but don't state that the head was decked. Was it?

The oil cooler can test just fine per Dodge's test pessure, but still leak when in the engine!

 

new head along with the new HG (see sig), block was not decked, I don't know if it was checked. it looked good by eye. I'll have to check with the previous owner.

 

Reseal the oilcooler

 

you think it could just be the cooler gaskets? that'd be nice.



Now to chase down parts. None of my local Cummins dealers can pull up ANYTHING with my engine serial number. Their system pulls it up as a good number and says they have no parts for it

For the last couple things I needed I was able to go through Geno's. I haven't called Cummins Northeast direct yet, I may need to. Or I could just pull it and RTV it :-\

 

I ended up getting stuff from these guys....

www.enterpriseengine.com/

One thing that surprised me.....well two. I asked questions that depending on their answer would make them more money, selling me stuff, they stil said you dont need that....that impressed me. And they shipped it quick and got right, and talked well with me on the phone to make sure I got what I wanted.

 

Thats where I would start with the cooler gaskets there is only 2

 

$41 for both gaskets from my Cummins dealer. My old gaskets looked tired but not blown. The cooler itself was fine to 80psi shop air. It's all reassembled (after also getting to replace my NV4500), and I'll start really cleaning out the cooling system tonight. I'm hoping the seals took care of it.

 

doesn't look like the seals did it. I finally had time to do a little flushing last night, and when I started I think the overflow was about a quart high and my oil about a quart low after 500-600 miles driven.

I have a hard time thinking that this could be the head gasket since I have NO other symptoms. That only leaves a block issue though, right? and I can't imagine a crack in the block giving only one way fluid transfer (oil into coolant)

 

mr. mindless, so what did you find out? I'm having the same issue in my '01....

 

One thing I found when testing oil coolers out of the large diesel engines that I work on, if it doesn't leak when put into cold water, try hot. I have found several that wouldn't leak at 100 PSI in cold water that leaked like a sieve in hot water.

 

I might have to try that mechmagcn.

I'm still looking for the root of this problem. I can't do much to it in the winter since I have to keep antifreeze in it. I'll be able to start playing with soapy water again in a couple weeks I hope.

I lost a serpentine belt (AC froze up) and overheated the truck pretty badly on a long trip 2 weeks ago. I had one startup on a wet rainy night a week later with a lot of steam out of the exhaust a couple, really had me worried about a head gasket. No symptoms of that since..... but I haven't looked for bubbles at the radiator while idling after it's warmed up yet.


I did get a couple tips from another Cummins guy - one was that Cascade works very well for the cooling system cleanout (I've been using Dawn and it's worked only okay), and the other is that the 1/8" NPT port on top of the oil filter is a nice place to put 60psi of shop air pressure and at least verify, if not find a leak.

 

The diesel mechanic I spoke to last week said the cummins heads are prone to cracking (Powerstroke much worse), but it is not the end of the world. He said most of the time these engine's dont show problems with head cracks, and run fine. But if you pull a cracked head (that was not leaking) and then replace it without the proper repair, it is very common for them to leak. The good news is they can usually be fixed. Just what I was told, could be your problem. Good luck