Blew head gasket

[rhino_50]

I blew my head gasket on my 03 ram. the truck never saw over 30 pounds of boost. Not sure what caused it to go. The truck still runs. It has not got hot. I'm going the dealer tomorrow. Has anyone blown a head gasket on a stock truck. Rhino50

 

[rbattelle]

What told you it blew?

 

[rhino_50]

Antifreeze down the side of the block. The antifreeze is coming out of the head at the headbolts. Proram has pictures.

 

[Proram]

Head gasket

I have pic's but there to big, if some one can post um i'll send um to ya.

Thanks Scott

 

[Bob Wagner]

here are the pictures from Scott



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[MCornwell]

ARGH

WOW, that really sucks, mabey a imperfection from the factory...



hope you get it fixed right... keep us updated.



-Mitch

 

[NDanecker]

I'm not sure on this since I never took a Cummins apart, but from my experience with other engines I think the head gasket is lower down below the intake/exhaust ports, no????



From the picture, it seems anti-freeze is coming from the bolt. Those passages under the head bolts are usally open to coolant and require sealant. If the sealant goes it will blow coolant past the threads and out below the head of the bolt.



Usually with blown head gaskets you'll get coolant mixed in the crankcase or steam out the tailpipe. And with a turbo, that steam/coolant may damage your turbo. I wouldn't drive it anymore.



Good luck and let us know what the dealer says!!!!

 

[Big MAK]

What NJT said; it looks like a simple leak from those bolts... hopefully! Mine has some seepage from those bolts; but nothing I'm concerned with (not nearly that much). A blown head gasket would have other fairly clear indicators -- an oil analysis would tell you for sure. But unless you're getting a-lot of steam from the tailpipe and unless you're running hot then it probably isn't the head gasket.



Good luck!

 

[OTRPU]

Had a head gasket fail on my 99 24V, under load, running WV to VA with a tag trailer. Coolant leaked into cylinders. . . they don't make very good steam engines. Cracks in 5 of 6 holes in head, prolly all 6 but I wouldn't pay to have it x-rayed. 5 of 6 who cares to know if all 6. Got a new one for same as cost to rebuild my old one, now back on the road. Sitting home now, transmission blew the input shaft on the I-80W downhill Cheyenne to Laramie. With luck and bucks I'll be on the road tomorrow looking for Salt Lake City.



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Cheers,

Steve J

 

[Crunch]

Pyro location?

Originally posted by rhino_50 Antifreeze down the side of the block. The antifreeze is coming out of the head at the headbolts. Proram has pictures.

See those pictures got me curious. Where did you drill the exhaust for your pyro?

 

[rhino_50]

Dealers going to look at truck tomorrow. My pyro is a post turbo. It is in the down pipe. I at least got a 02 ram gasser to drive while my truck is the shop. rhino50

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

My bet is the headgasket is fine, has to be the coolant gallery plugs are loose. Mine were loose and leaking, not that much, tightening cured it. There have been a few threads on these leaking.



Vaughn

 

[curatchko]

That's way above the head gasket. But, it is possible that the head gasket blew, and now coolant is leaking to the bolts and then up... what worries me is that it could also be leaking internally...

 

[RonWeiss]

I'm with Vaughn on this one, you have some coolant plugs that are loose, also check for the heater hose that comes straight down to that brass fitting, crank down on that hose clamp.



Good Luck and keep us posted... .



Ron W.

 

[R.M.THOMPSON]

I got about three turns on the plugs and double clamped the heater line. BTW,it was as a mess as yours is !

Mark T.

 

[bmoeller]

Depending on where a head gasket blows and how bad, the oil and water may not necessarily get together.



I had one on my 6. 9L go a while back. Was puking out oil and seeping water. It was in two different places, and went to the outside. They did not mix. Got lucky on that one.

 

[EEngel]

Blown

Rhino,



How many miles are on your truck?

 

[John - K5AWO]

Just how many miles?

Originally posted by OTRPU

This PU logs more miles than many Solo Class 8's C2C



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Steve J

Inquiring minds want to know..... just how many you got on your rig?



That sleeper... awesome.

 

[rhino_50]

17,960 miles on truck Rhino 50

 

[rhino_50]

Hey, Guys I got my truck back! They had to reseal the three freeze plugs. Boy I thought the head gasket went. Because it looked like the antifreeze was pushing up around the head bolts. I'm still going to keep an eye on it . Thanks for all posts. Rhino50