coolant leak around head

[ARhine]

I have a small seepage of coolant from between the block and head gasket right behind the thermostat housing It is right below the head bolt in that same area. Can get a pic if needed.



It is slow enough that I don't really notice the coolant level going down and I don't have any bubbles in the radiator.



Is this comon at all? Just let it go that way? Retorque the head? Get ready to pull the head?



As far as I know the head has never been off and it has 206K miles on it now.

 

[Greenleaf]

It may be common. I have an engine here at the school, leaking at this same spot. It has a new head and head bolts too. Leaks terrible like, untill the engine gets hot. I just let it do it's thing and take oil samples. I also have the cooling system filled with engine oil. That's also a mystery, after time and money spent to locate the problem.



This engine runs quite well so I'm not going to bother it.



GL

 

[steveinaz]

Very,very common. In fact I think it's was dealer option. Just kidding. Mine has been leaking for two years and only seeps only in the summer. SteveinAZ

 

[DValentine]

Mine leaked in the same spot, after I got her a little warm one day after a hard pull.



I kept checking for oil in the antifreeze. Never had a problem, internally. When I did pull the head... . I couldn't see a problem with the gasket in that area, nor were the head bolts loose in that area. A mystery to me... Check the archives... I remember a few posts on the same issue.



Dave

 

[Greenleaf]

There may be an updated head gasket (?????) Folks say to use only the Cummins brand head gasket... ... ... . I don't know who makes the "Cummins Brand", but isn't that what's leaking (!!!!????!!!!) I seriously doubt that Cummins makes it's own gaskets. Doesn't seem to be an overboost problem as they leak coolant right at that corner.



GL

 

[cerberusiam]

I also have the cooling system filled with engine oil.

New anti-rust treatment or did you mean... ..... ?









After sitting for a while mine leaks in the roughly the same spot until the engine warms up. Haven't figured out if its the HG or the water pump but get a few drips off the right front corner of the engine and then it quits.

 

[Greenleaf]

This engine leaks coolant out the head gasket area and leaks engine oil into the cooling system. It's a real mess, but who really cares. This bus kicks booty. Runs super well and if there was a School Bus Nationals, I'd enter it. Probably the only bus in the state with a custom modified VE.



I dun took the head off cause it was leaking coolant out the gasket. The shop said the head was cracked next to the valve seats. The after cooler was leaking coolant into the intake and the oil cooler was also suspect.



GL

 

[Tulman37]

I just went through the process of thinking I had the head coolant leak right at the Thermostat. I replaced the water pump hoping that it was coming from the weep hole but it was not the problem. I then replaced the intake bypass hose and the thermostat gasket and the leak is gone!! I am glad as I was not looking forward to the expense of a head gasket leak repair!! One last note when you drain your radiator make darn sure you turn the petcock the right way as it will break right off !! Take care all...

 

[paccool]

That's where mine is leaking. Heck, I'm using this as an excuse to my wife :-laf for getting a new PDR head put on and since the head is off, a new PDR cam is going in as well.

 

[BushWakr - RIP]

Hey Scott, what year engine is the head with the cracking in/on it ????

Is it one of the earlier one's with the larger injector bodies by any chance??



pb...

 

[Greenleaf]

The engine block is a 1989 model. Would have been made in '88 I suppose. The head is new as trhe former was cracked between the valve ports. The old head used the larger injectors. The new head..... well, to be honest, I don't rightly recall what size the injectors are. I mean, I don't ever recall installing the adapter onto the nozzels to allow the proper fit into the larger hole. I replaced the nozzels with a high performance "Marine" application. So, both nozzels and head are new.



The new head will not seal at the right/front corner. The old head leaked coolant at the back.



Clear as mud?? It was a couple years ago since I performed that work. Things get a tad fuzzy.



Scott