Coolant leak solved???

[CumminFast]

I found a coolant leak in my '99 ctd about 2 weeks ago. I took it to a radiator shop and they thought it was comming from my head. It was leaking on the side of the block closer to the firewall than the alternator. They suggested I put Xerox(formerly Prestone) sealant in. Since I have put the sealer in it has pretty much stopped leaking. I cannot find any traces of antifreeze in the oil. There is no sludge on the oil cap and the oil was fine when I changed it. Do yall think my head gasket is busted? Could it be something else? I just don't want to hurt my engine, but do not want to spend money w/ no performance.

 

[LSMITH]

Have the oil analyzed, you will not know if there is any coolant in there until you do. I have a headgasket leak that is enough to "wear out" the oil in 3K miles and NO evidence anywhere that there is coolant in the oil by visual inspection. It does not take a lot of coolant to hurt the oil. Get it checked, $15 and then you know.

 

[THancock]

I'd have it checked out. Antifreeze will wipe out your main and rod bearings in a heartbeat. They just won't live if that stuff is in the oil.

 

[CumminFast]

How do I get the oil analyzed? Where do I send it?



Thanks

Rick

 

[David Wheeler]

RWallace

Sounds very much like you may have the same problem I did. Here is the thread to better explain it. Hope this helps!



http://216.235.147.117/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=29367



David

 

[TowPro]

Don't mean to set off alarms here, but the 98-? ISB's have a change of the block cracking somewhere near the rear, on the PS. Hope I never find out where, but if you search this forum on cracked block, coolent leak and things like that you will find more then you could ever want to read.



try this one



Or this one



Hope its not true but



see what I mean about "slight chance"?

 

[CumminFast]

I met a cummins mechanic the other day that said he would help me out if I ever had any troubles, so I gave him a call yesterday. Turns out I need a new head gasket and my block is cracked. My truck has 187,000 mi. He is supposed to call me today after somebody from a machine shop looks at it. Looks like I am SCREWED. He said the crack is about horizontal 6in.

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

Dunno about the headgasket, but if the block is showing the notorious weak-casting crack, *I* would just be sure to keep some good cooling system sealant in the sucker, and DRIVE it 'til it drops!



The crack sure isn't going to HURT anything, as long as you can get it sealed, and otherwise the engine will continue to operate just fine... . There are some VERY good sealers available that should do the job just fine!



For the most part, wadda ya have to LOSE?



I had an old '37 Plymouth I drove for YEARS with a cracked head (outer casting) about 8 inches long, was still running fine when we sold it...

 

[LSMITH]

I agree with Gary, stop drill the crack and grind it out enough to fill the outside with a good epoxy, like Devcon or JB Weld. Put a cooling system sealer in it and drive it till she dies. The headgsket is about $200 in parts and Cummins wants 8 hours of shop rate to do it here. Get the HG replaced and drive on. The short block to "fix" yours is a couple grand. Your cracked block will go for a long time the way it is and then you can shell out a couple grand for a short block if you rebuild it. Odds are the truck will be used up before the engine is even with a cracked block.

 

[CumminFast]

The cummins mechanic is fixing my head gasket for $900 and that includes getting a machine shop to shave it so it won't leak in the future. He is also getting somebody to fix the block for under $200. I am just scared of getting antifreeze in the oil.

 

[TowPro]

I watched a guy weld a cast block on "two guys and a garage" or what every there show is called today. He did a good job

 

[David Wheeler]

RWallace

Sorry your problem was not the same as mine It would have been much easier to fix. Glad you have someone qualified to help. At least you are not at the mercy of the dealer in this instance. Now where did I put that money for my TDR renewal?????