Empty radiator / 5 gallons of sludge in the oil pan

[Azgrw]

2002, 5.9l HO 2500 4x4. 210k on the engine, Manual trans. Truck has been us d as a daily driver the last 3 years with occasional trailers, nothing over 10k pulls in the last couple years. And the family has had the truck for the last 15 years and I’ve had it since 70k Miles(2007)

2days prior, put a new thermostat, wate pump and belt on the truck, verified fluid levels and topped the coolant off.

Morning of incident:
40 degree ambient temp. Started the truck and let it idle for about 5 min before heading to work. On the way to work (small town, city driving) average stop lights, max 55mph. Around 6 miles away from home, truck starts to over heat. Limp it the rest of the way to work (4miles) temp never pegs out; hot but in the arc on the gauge.

At work / radiator is empty; oil level high. Had a leaking heater hose (the bought that caused the loss of coolant).


After work / put 4 gallons of 50/50 coolant in the radiator. Begin to limp home. 10/15 min of 25-35 mph; gauge starts to overheat. Stop and add about 2.5 gallons of water, limp it the rest of the way home.

I have disconnected the heater core and radiator, flushed both. I had small indications of oil in the coolant.

I drained 5 gallons of mixed sludge from the oil pan. The engine was pushing out sludge from the breather bottle ....


Removed the valve cover and found the sludge on the valve train, dropped the oil pan and the bottom of the engine is coated with the same sludge. I have to raise the engine to removed the oil pan to fully inspect and clean th pan and bottom of the engine.

... And a link to drop box for Vids

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/4ypqwotgzxw1j3s/AAARM90c13O6nMt8Y8ubHQ4-a?dl=0

Im hoping it’s a head gasket... Whatcha all thinkin?

Thank you for the help

 

[B.G. Smith]

Oil cooler. bg

 

[Killer223]

oil cooler, rinse engine with diesel, then be ready for several short oil runs, after you get it all back together, run for 5 min, change the oil, then run up to temp, change oil, then another up to temp and change oil again.
really sounds like oil cooler to me.

 

[NIsaacs]

Oil cooler. bg

Possible, but not likely. Since the oil pressure is way higher than water pressure, usually the oil is in the coolant with an oil cooler failure. My guess is head gasket, cracked head, block or soft plug leaking into the crankcase.

Nick

 

[Tuesdak]

Wow that's some nasty pics! Pressure up the cooling system with a tester and you may see the leak. After this is fixed I would check and then keep a close eye on the turbo as turbo bearings are the first to get ruined from coolant in oil.

 

[promisedland]

Nasty is right! Wow! Keep us posted!

 

[Joe Mc]

Big Time!!! Sorry to hear. MHO ditto on oil cooler and watch turbo bearings. I’m hoping for you that it isn’t the HG and at only 210k miles with what sounds like not a hard life and not beating it all the time, it’s unlikely the HG. More likely, due to sheer age, it’s the oil cooler. Yes oil pressure is higher than coolant pressure....when the engine is running when not running the 15psi +/- in the coolant easily can put it in the pan. Now, you never really know until you find it = right.

Good luck and please keep us posted on progress.

 

[NIsaacs]

it’s unlikely the HG. More likely, due to sheer age, it’s the oil cooler. Yes oil pressure is higher than coolant pressure....when the engine is running when not running the 15psi +/- in the coolant easily can put it in the pan. Now, you never really know until you find it = right.

So why isn't the radiator full of oil? With as much coolant as is in the crank case, the oil cooler leak should be large enough the oil pressure should have the radiator full. Since it don't, something else is leaking.

Nick.

 

[DavidC]

Hope he does not have a 53 Block.

Dave

 

[DClark]

Hope he does not have a 53 Block.

Dave

That's my ? Is it a 53 block? Been there, done that. Mine was internal and mixed the oil with the coolant. Ck your block for the 53 #s. Good luck.
DClark

 

[Mark31]

Engine gurus, how much of this can a bottom end, etc, take before damage? What would help you determine to do "further inspection" rather than just the obvious?

 

[mweiman]

Hope he does not have a 53 Block.

Dave

Not an expert on what years they were used but I would doubt it being a 53 block in an 02 truck.
Matt

 

[DavidC]

Not an expert on what years they were used but I would doubt it being a 53 block in an 02 truck.
Matt

There is only one way to know for sure. Things happen.

Dave

 

[cerberusiam]

Engine gurus, how much of this can a bottom end, etc, take before damage? What would help you determine to do "further inspection" rather than just the obvious?

Regardless of the source the engine is done. It needs to come apart and be boiled out or it will self destruct at some point. There is no way to adequate flush all the passages in these engines without disassembly and hot tanking.

 

[Joe Mc]

Nick, not taking a shot at you or your comment by any means. Just adding my $0.02. Yes more oil than coolant psi, guess it depends on how thin the oil gets compared to coolant. Hope well find out exactly what it is (and that it’s not too costly for Azgrw) as progress continues

 

[Mark31]

Regardless of the source the engine is done. It needs to come apart and be boiled out or it will self destruct at some point. There is no way to adequate flush all the passages in these engines without disassembly and hot tanking.

Cerb, that what I was thinking. I would hate to spend money "glossing over" an engine and then later having it faint.

 

[NIsaacs]

Nick, not taking a shot at you or your comment by any means. Just adding my $0.02. Yes more oil than coolant psi, guess it depends on how thin the oil gets compared to coolant. Hope well find out exactly what it is (and that it’s not too costly for Azgrw) as progress continues

Thanks Joe, I did kinda think that, since your take was the direct opposite of mine

Nick

 

[Joe Mc]

Cool all good then. enjoy the weather, man its been winter cold here in the mid-teens and into the subs at night.

 

[MMcCallie]

When my head gasket went out the leak was more gradual, subtly seeing liquid on the dipstick. The head ended up having numerous tiny cracks. I don't use an oil cooler, is there a way to bypass it to rule it out as the culprit?