Help! Coolant leaking between cyl 1 & cyl 2 under cyl HEAD!!!
 

HELP!!! I went out to start the truck for the trip to work, and noticed a puddle from the night before... started the truck and noticed no leaking, let it run for 5 min before leaving and nothing....

got to work and noticed the instant puddle on the ground, from the 15 seconds of idling (letting the turbo cool down to 275 deg EGT) it was steadily dripping about 2 drops a second... I popped the hood, and noticed the coolant leaking from between the block and the head (atleast i think, unless the coolant passage goes into the oil filter mount-deal) between cyl #1 and #2...

If i remove the pressure from the system, the leaking stops.... HELP! any reason that this would have just HAPPENED?! i have never seen anything more than 38 psi on the boost gauge, so i wouldn't think it's a blown head gasket...

Is there a special technique to installing the headgasket (just out of curiousity...RTV, etc...)

thanks guys!


JAY

Head gasket. 38PSI of boost is pushing the stock HG pretty hard I'd say.

No , the stock gasket is usually pretty safe up to around 45-50 PSI , depending on timing , and the amount of fuel your running. But it definetly sounds like your HG is blown , it happens on stock trucks , sometimes that stuff just happens.

Based on your sig your cylinder pressures are pretty high. Most guys equate boost as the cause for HG failures but it is really cylinder pressures that do it in..... I would pull the head an install o-rings and studs then you should be good to go. If you don't want to go this route at least deck the head and install the .020 marine gasket (cummins part 3283339) and back the timing back to say 15*.

Doug

Doug, you feel they( cyl press) are pretty high? it just seems strange, as i only went WOT in 4th to 2300, and then for about 4 seconds in 5th, and backed off...i've never super beat on the truck, and don't even have inj or anything special yet... I was planning on O-ringing, and studding, as i'm planning on going with twins this spring.


Guys, I did put some coolant system stops-leak tabs in, and it's stopped (well, duh) leaking...impressive actually. Issue at this point is TIME, i'm in the process of remodeling our entire house ( floors, walls, plumbing, electrical, plaster, windows, etc) still working 40 hrs/week, taking insurance exams, and securities exams to be a financial advisor;....so life doesn't need a blown HG right now...lol Springtime would be fine, as i will be done with courses, exams, be in my new job, and the completed house..

any ideas on what is costs approx for a new HG, o-ringing, and studs? ballpark? any other special things i should do while the truck is apart (i'll be doing a bit of port work to the head, and installing HD valve springs at the time...)

thanks guys!!

J

38 psi is only seen for a second or two at the most...by the time it hits that i have to shift anyway [duhhh] i don't have a GSK in the truck...so it's pretty limited at the moment..

[dummy] [dummy]

Around $950 for everything above. I would recommend doing a valve job, checking the head for cracks, new valve guides if needed and new seals.

if you're not towing, I'd take the cap of the radiator and limp it till you can fix it :)

I know a guy in your neck of the woods who does excellent o-ringing, PM if you want to .

Jim

Jim,

thanks for the offer...i'll put that in the 'database' for the springtime... can't wait to get it ready for twins, but now is not the time....[verymad] [verymad]

studs- $400, correct?
HG- $100??
o-ring- $450-ish? (whew...that's pricey...but it's gotta be done. )


I'd never have figured that it'd pop a gasket with the minor mods done...i guess it's just coincidental, perhaps?


thanks guys....

J

What are the thread pitch, length and diameter of the studs? We have some high dollar studs at work. I wonder if they could be used.

What Forrest said

Some hold,

some dont, mine has been too good to me honestly holding a couple of 60 psi short bursts, and has seen 45-55 a few times as well. Most of the time tho i drive my truck pretty sane tho, which kinda makes up for it, in a weird sorta way:rolleyes: I have only done one retorque of my head and i run about 16.5 degrees myself with the mods that u have comin up in ur sig too, well not edm'd injectors tho...

Rick

Rick,

i don't have a GOV kit or injectors YET...i'm still running the stock turbo, stock inj, stock gov springs, etc...

i drive my truck VERY sane 99% of the time...with the occasional blast in 4th, and 5th....but it runs out of steam quick (RPM limited...lol) My H/G hasn't been good, unlike yours... [duhhh] [duhhh] [duhhh] [duhhh]


what do you have done to your truck? n/m...i read your profile... what's your twin setup?



J

Keep in mind, 38psi on the stock HX35 will blow the HG much quicker than a bigger single or twins. Drive pressures on a stock 35 at 38psi are probably well over 40psi. Like Jetpilot said, boost isn't the only thing that kills the HG.

Might as well build it better this time (o-ringing and studs) [guitar]