cooling/Motor problem

[aptacek]

Last nite ran into a problem where I saw alot white smoke coming out of

exhaust. I also saw that coolant mist was spraying on the exhaust below

the turbo. Later I could feel/see it was coming from what appeared between the cylinder head and block. I also noticed the top of the radiator was cold

how ever as I opened the radiator cap it was rapidly discharging steam into the overflow tank hmmmm. Once I slowly vented off the steam from the radiator, it

was approximately a gallon low. I am anticpating that the head gasket needs

to be replaced. Will I need to do the cylinder head rebuild? Also I am thinking that the thermostat needs to be replaced. How do I know if the water pump failed. The head is original and there is +200,000 miles on the truck.

Any feedback would be appreciated Thanks



Andy

 

[matches]

check your oil, maybe you got lucky and just lost a hose or something, spraying water can be difficult to track down, milky white oil is a for sure sign of head gasket failure. You could have oil in your coolant also, but from what you describe I don't think so.

 

[dpuckett]

aptacek-

Welcome to the TDR. First, fill in your signature so we know what year truck you have. If it is non- intercooled, it is a good pssibility you just blew the head gasket, and have nothing else wrong. The old gaskets werent as tough as the newer ones.



These engines are pretty tough- mine was used to haul tractors cross country for 200K; it got sold to a contractor/ team roper, then I bought it with 240K. I bumped the timing to clear up some smoke, and blew the HG within a week. I drove it almost 10Kmi like that, because I had no idea it was the HG. It just made a funny sound under hard acceleration that sounded like a cross between a bird chirping and a screeching bearing in an alternator. I replaced the turbo, alternator, throw out bearing on the clutch, all to no avail. Then I read about the same type noise being a HG on the big Cummins engines, and asked here about it being the same thing on my 5. 9. Few guys said it was possible. I bought the kit, replaced the gasket, cured the noise. Head was within . 002" of flat overall; had the hone marks in every cylinder. I had no mixing of oil and water, no external leaks, and no obvious place on the old gasket where it had blown between two cylinders. It still is a good idea to get the head checked out, but I wouldnt sweat it too bad with less than 500K.



Daniel