taildragger

Truck started running bad today on the highway about 30 miles from home. Started seeing some white smoke when under a load, but all dash gauges read normal, the truck sounded normal, and felt normal.

Then when I got off the highway it started idling rough, but felt normal between 1500-2200 rpm. So, I get home, open the hood, and there is fluid around the front cylinder on the passenger side below the valve cover and around the exhuast manifold.

Recent history of the truck. The timing used to be at 6.5 and I bumped it to 15-15.5 could this increase in timing have caused this problem? And does anyone know what the problem is, did I blow the headgasket?

The block is still too hot to check out what kinda fluid leaked, but it looks like diesel.

Any and all help appreciated, I am currently stuck in Tulsa, OK waiting to find someone to help me with this, or a ride back to Norman, OK. But if there is anyone in the Tulsa area that can help me out plz call me at 918-645-1098

taildragger

Just started it to see where I am leaking from exactly. There is diesel coming out where the exhaust manifold is bolted to the engine, a fair bit was foaming out at idle, so what could this be, and would it explain the white smoke that I saw?

XLR8R

Are you sure it was diesel and not radiator fluid that was foaming out?

taildragger

Just felt some of whats left of the fluid, most of it has evaporated, but it felt oily, and I didn't get smell antifreeze when I opened the hood initially. I couldn't really get a good wiff of what was on my hands, so I couldn't tell for 100% if it was diesel or not...

BTW, what color is radiator fluid for diesel supposed to be, is it green like in a gasser, or is it supposed to be a different color?

XLR8R

Radiator fluid color is independent of fuel type.

Your truck's vintage suggests green if the fluid isn't too old - just look under your radiator cap to find out! Engine coolant usually feels slippery, and white smoke can sure be a blown head gasket. Is the coolant level down?

taildragger

Coolant level in the radiator was full, the resevoir tank was empty, but I cannot remember if it had any fluid in it to begin with.

Right now the truck has been abondoned in Tulsa till tuesday when I'm gonna try and get a friend to tow it to Southern Plains Cummins to get fixed...

XLR8R

Probably too late now - but if it was my rig, I'd likely nurse it back a couple of hours so I could diagnose & repair it at home. Aside from the white smoke and slight roughness at idle, you probably won't hurt it further by driving easily.

First place I'd look would still be blown headgasket...