[jeepster514]

Hello all...first time poster here and a first time diesel owner, loving the site so far, thanks for all the knowledge. Have owned and worked on gassers all my life, but now I'm the owner of a 2005 F250 SD XLT 6.0 with 195k to pull our camper through the Rockies. I have had the truck since Nov '15 and have done a number of little things to it, but I am at a loss at my current situation.


Just yesterday I replaced the STC fitting (due to no hot start)...new IPR screen (figured since I was in there)...replaced the oil cooler (due to 20-30 degree difference in ECT/EOT temps)...I also replaced the EGR cooler (due to blowing bluish white smoke). I followed DieselTechRon's detailed video to the T so I am pretty confident I put everything back the way it was, but when I buttoned everything back up and went to put in some more coolant it all ran out the bottom of the truck. I cannot see where the coolant is coming from...any suggestions?

 

[TKOPerformance]

Its possible that the y-fitting in the coolant hoses that run from the expansion tank broke. I'd start looking in that area.

Just an FYI, I hope you installed a coolant filter to protect your new OC, because if not the new cooler is likely going to plug up in about 10k miles. If there was enough junk in the system to plug the first cooler its still there and waiting for a fresh victim. Draining the coolant isn't enough to clear it out. You get less than half the coolant if you drain the radiator, maybe approaching half if you also pull the LH block drain. 3.5 gallons when the system holds 7. Ideally the system should be flushed with the bad OC in place, but at this point I'd just install the filter and see what happens to the new OC. If it plugs, then do the flush. If not just keep changing the filter and hopefully it will protect the new OC.

I'll also be curious to see if the EGR cooler fixes you smoke issue. White smoke could definitely be an EGR cooler (or HGs), but if its blue that's oil, and not oil leaking into the engine because you won't see smoke from that. A Diesel will just ingest engine oil with no real side effects. So if you're seeing blue smoke its oil burning in the exhaust, and the only real place that can come from is the turbo oil seals.

 

[jeepster514]

Thanks for the quick response TKO...I cannot see any coolant coming from the y-fitting. It looks like it's coming from the back of the motor, but I cannot see any coolant coming from the EGR cooler to the oil cooler nor can I see any direct leaking, except for when pour distilled water into the degas bottle it starts to drain everything I put in within 5 secs. The same thing happens when I squeeze the upper radiator hose too.

Before I swapped out everything I did a thorough VC-9 flush and drained the driver's side block. I did not have an issue prior to changing out the parts yesterday. I will be getting a coolant filter here soon, either Mishimoto or the Sinister Diesel, both are pricey but Mishimoto is $30 cheaper.

 

[BGilton79]

I would have someone slowly pour coolant while you look around with a good flash light. As for the blueish smoke TKO isn't 100% correct. Too much fuel can cause the same blueish smoke, whether it's a bad injector, a bad tune or just a little stiction. Over fueling while idling or at low RPMS can make the same color smoke. Good luck. I home you get it fixed.

 

[TKOPerformance]

Anything's possible, but from my experience smoke caused by an injector issue at idle is white. Though sometimes at first start up it may have a slight blue tint to it, but that quickly goes away as the truck warms up, and that's also normal when its cold out.

 

[jeepster514]

Ok, so this is weird...I drive to work, truck's steaming by time get there smelling of coolant, maybe 5 miles. After work, I drive home, truck's steaming again and smells of coolant again. I pop the hood and pour about 1/4 cup of distilled water into the degas bottle...no leaking coolant...I then pour the rest of the gallon in, still no leaking...I then pour a gallon of Ford coolant in and still leak. I wait about 30 mins, go check the truck, no coolant on the driveway. I start the truck and no leak. I'm dumbfounded...

 

[ArcticDriver]

Ok, so this is weird...I drive to work, truck's steaming by time get there smelling of coolant, maybe 5 miles. After work, I drive home, truck's steaming again and smells of coolant again. I pop the hood and pour about 1/4 cup of distilled water into the degas bottle...no leaking coolant...I then pour the rest of the gallon in, still no leaking...I then pour a gallon of Ford coolant in and still leak. I wait about 30 mins, go check the truck, no coolant on the driveway. I start the truck and no leak. I'm dumbfounded...

1-gallon Distilled Water and 1-gallon Coolant.

Is it possible you lost more than that on your drive to and from work?

 

[jeepster514]

I only put in that amount to see if it would leak again...I will put more distilled water in tomorrow and see if it holds. Rather spend $5 on water for a test than $60 on coolant.

 

[jeepster514]

I don't understand what could have happened to where it wouldn't leak again

 

[jimmy]

Where does the water run out? front of engine or back of engine?

The fat O ring on top of front cover that seals intake to front cover can be dislodged easily while fiddling with aligning intake.

 

[jeepster514]

jimmy that's exactly it...I traced the fluid leaking from the big fat o-ring underneath the intake...my next question: Can I loosen the intake bolts enough without having to remove the turbo or anything else in order to re-seat the o-ring? I'd rather not have to take everything off again...any suggestion would be awesome!

 

[jimmy]

You have to loosen all 16 intake to head bolts, completely unscrew the front 4 on each side.
You will have to break the tab on back shroud (part that is bolted to motor) that goes over the stud. Or remove the rad carried part and remove bolts for the back part (also called stator). The tab over stud is an assembly aid for engine manufacture and serves no real purpose later. You will need to remove the heater hose pipe as it bridges the front cover to the intake and will stop you from lifting intake. Remove serpentine belt from alternator. Remove the bolt from the RH head fuel pipe to intake. After all that you can pry up intake and retrieve the old seal and install a new one.

 

[TKOPerformance]

Rather than removing the stator to intake bolts I just side them back into the stator. Once they're clear of the intake they're no longer a factor and trying to retrieve them could lead to dropping them and you spending an unnecessary hour trying to find them. Just a little tip I figured out over the years.