Losing coolant, help!

[LRamey]

Took my pickup & trailer out for a test run after installing a new clutch last week. After pulling a short but fairly steep hill @ around 70 and keeping the egt's in line I pulled into a weigh station. When I got out I noticed coolant all down the side of my pickup. The overflow tank was full but I could tell that coolant had been coming out the spout on the tank.

I checked the radiator and it was down about 1/2 gallon. I filled it and the same thing happened again.

I've never had this problem before and it never showed hot on the temp. gauge. The out side temp is only around 48 deg. .

Any idea's?

 

[illflem]

Not sure if I quite understand you but it sounds like your cooling system may have been overfull. The reservoir should only be about half full when hot.

 

[cumminsgetme]

Any coolant running down the block? I had a similar situation when my head gasket blew. My temp guage never showed hot either.

 

[LRamey]

cumminsgetme,

Guess I never saw any, although there was so much water sprayed all over the place I couldn't tell. I'll look today.

Thanks,

Lonnie

 

[Cummins Corvette]

It could be a bad radiator cap not holding enough pressure, letting the coolant out of the radiator and into the overflow bottle.

 

[LarryB]

Mmmm... I'm betting my $. 02 on a bad headgasket leaking cyl pressure into cooling system and blowing coolant out the vent.



Keep us informed. Inquiring minds want to know!

 

[LRamey]

I stopped by my mechanic's this morning. (after I ran it up a steep 1/2 mile hill empty on my way to work, propane, WOT, 105mph at the top and no leaks. ) He said it most likely is the head gasket. He thought that running with propane pulling the trailer up that hill at 75mph for a sustained time is just enough to leak past the gasket and get the results I had but not when I'm running empty. Guess based on the reply's here & what he said I tend to think that's the problem.

So does anyone know of a better head gasket then stock?

 

[pwknapp]

Mine is leaking to the outside world but no mixing of fluids for the second time. Ordered the "red" gaskets from cummins and will install shortly. Mechanic said to make sure I get a new set of head bolts, keepers, valve stem seals to put in while it's out. Figure this is a good time to replace the 215's with some 370's from Peirs. Also make sure head and block is buffed with 400 til it shines. Probably let the shop check to see if it is not warped also. Meantime two bottles of Bar Seal have stopped the leak.

 

[LRamey]

I talked to Al @ Piers today. He said they are in the middle of R&D on a copper head gasket now. One on a 24v twin turbo pushing 70psi boost with no problems. They are installing one on a 12v now that he said is pushing 50lbs. boost. After about two more weeks they will release them to buy. He said they are getting them from someone who cuts them on a CNC machine and has been making them for racing diesels. So they should hold. I don't know if it's legal for me to give prices here, but he quoted me just under $200. 00

Lonnie

 

[Balzac]

Head Gasket

Had a similiar problem, Piers said the latest gasket from Chrysler is good, so that is what I put in. Apparantly the original truck gasket as installed on our engines was not as good as the one used in the marine application. Now only the marine one is used.

I had my head resurfaced, took . 009" to get it straight. Sanded the block with 400 emery and wood block.