Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Help on poss blown head gasket

[EricBu12]

Hey everyone, need some diagnosing.



I think I have a blown head gasket but not bad... it is from oil to coolant... . I think... .



There is a vibration on light throttle and decelleration with the jake. Like a gasser with a bad sparkplug... ... I thought it might be my tires but I think I see oil in the coolant bottle. gonna confirm that right now.



Idles smooth and runs fine, just a little rough sometimes...



How detrimental is this if I tow to may madness (420 mile) and back? Engine is under warranty still ,... . should I let the dealer do it? or just go to Cummins and have it done right?.....



Is it a 1 day thing If I go to cummins? If so I'd like to do it monday so I can tow to vegas tuesday.

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

If it's bad enough to cause a noticeable difference in engine operation, *I* sure wouldn't be taking any long trips with it, especially towing...



Sorry to hear it...

 

[EricBu12]

Just went out and looked,



dipped my finger in coolant and it is clean. I think it is the tires. When they are hard and unloaded, I guess they do like a out of balance, Lowered the PSI a bit to rule it out going to dinner tonight, see how it goes. If all is smooth, then I know it is the tires.



They are a AT tire but have sorta agres. outside lugs. I am wanting to get better towing tires soon but it looks like it might be sooner than I think... .

 

[Deezul1]

One way to tell if you have water in the oil is to drop a few drops of oil from the dipstick on the hot exhaust manifold. If it just smokes, no water. If it sizzles or pops there is water in the oil. Usually the water goes into the oil due to cooling sytem pressure forcing it through the flaw in the gasket. The oil passages that would allow oil pressure to flow to coolant are fewer by far than coolant passages.

 

[EricBu12]

I think I have narrowed it down to a break between a cylinder and the coolant. Seems it might be making a little soot in the coolant. I lowered the tire PSI to make it smooth riding and was able to rule it out.

 

[EricBu12]

By the way, the last post and this mne is being done on a cel phone with web browsing. A bit of a pain typing on a number pad, but I can do all I want for a Mo. price... . ahh, technology!

 

[csutton7]

does your water temp go up quickly when you hit higher boost levels--if so it's blown--I drove my truck like that for 6 months--just watched the boost and water temps to keep it under control---it will get worse as time goes on--driving and towing with it is your call, but I'd get it fixed ASAP if I was going to tow, as one never knows when it will go completely--chris

 

[OTRPU]

Mine failed and coolant got into the cylinders, they don't make very good steam engines. Blowed a bunch of oil out the exhaust, liked to cover the trailer I was pulling with oil. I don't see there's anything at all to be gained driving it with a known gasket problem. Mine's back together now in Angola, IN. I'm home, Lakewood, CO for Mother's Day. Then back to Angola to swap the PSD for the Ram. Gonna be good gettin my bed back.



Cheers,

Steve J.

 

[EricBu12]

Talked to a mechanic (on the phone) and described what was going on, he has 3 rams as well... . and he seems to think it is a clogged injector.



he told me to use a paper towel in the radiator to absorb what is on the top and if there is soot or oil, you will see it... ... so far it is clean... . Also he said water would be blowing out of the overflow... ... I think it is a piece of junk in an injector clogging it... .



Is there a concentrated cleaner to clean the injectors? or does Cummins need to hook something up to clean them?