I'm writing this about my buddy's (non-forum type) '05 with 13,000. He uses his 3500 mostly to tow heavy loads. While driving with his unloaded trailer he noticed the water temp quickly on the climb - pulled over & noticed the steam from the motor area.

The dealer said he blew a head gasket and the freeze plug(s) leaked too. They have replaced the head gasket freeze plugs. The dealer has preformed the 3,000 RPM freeze plug check test to verify their work. I'm thinking - what are the odds of both being bad at the same time? Any thought are comments about this?

 

Do an oil analysis as soon as possible. In fact after drawing the oil for the analysis, change the oil and filter. If the head gasket let go next to a oil return from the head there maybe more than just a little damage. I know, I have a chevrolet that got antifreeze in the oil and now needs a complete rebuild.

 

Did he blow a headgasket or freeze plugs or both??? Just curious.Seems unusal for both and reading the post I'm a little confused.If it blew a head gasket it had to get mighty HOT.I would be worried about what else got cooked and distorted.

 

It may not be so bad. It might have blown the headgasket in a way that allowed combustion pressure to enter a water passage. That would probably be enough to blow freeze plugs. In other words, oil was not necessarily involved at all. Getting the oil analysis done is still a very good idea though.

 

He really doesn't know where the leak was. The dealer said both. I doubt both went bad at the same time. Apparently the motor didn't get too hot as he shut it down right away.

 

Just that headgaskets on long inline caste iron engines/head is pretty unusal in anything much less a Cummins.Short engines/heads a lot more prone to such and caste iron /alum head of course was the worse.

 

Same thing has apparently happened to me at 43,000 miles. Coolant disappearing, dirty coolant, freeze plugs showing signs of leakage. Motor has never overheated or steamed, however. Truck often carries camper, pulls boat at times too. Will be taking truck into dealer for service on Wednesday.