She's a Gusher

[Dirtleg]

Well since Christmas I have been DD"ing my IDI due to my wifes' truck having a broken shifter fork in the transfer case. So she has been driving the 06'. I must say I have been very happy with it right up until today.

As I was exiting the highway on my way home from work I pulled into McDonalds to get a snack. (was starving) As soon as I came to a stop I noticed the steam. Lots of it. I wasn't running hotter than normal on the highway but as soon as I noticed the steam I could see the temp gauge start climbing up. I shut it off and popped the hood. Coolant gushing from around the motor mount on the drivers side. I mean really pouring out.

Within a couple minutes it had stopped running out. I believe I narrowly missed melting this one down. At the rate it poured out it must have just happened prior to me stopping or it would have been dry already.

I got picked up and brought the 06' back with the gooseneck. Truck started up fine and ran perfect while I loaded it on the trailer.

I am thinking blown oil cooler. Opinions?

I don't think the head gasket is blown due to it running so smoothly. The other thought is lost a freeze plug. Original engine now at 257K miles.

Too bad I haven't finished building my 6.9 yet. Money got tight and when it started flowing again time was not available to work on it but that's another story.

So what do ya'll think.

 

[87crewdually]

I think i'd refill it and pressurize it to see where it's leaking. My bet would be the casting plug. The oil cooler in most cases would blow oil externally if o-ring failure unless the aluminum end casting of the cooler is deteriated and formed a hole for the coolant to leak from. You won't know for sure until you fill it up and pressurize and look for the gusher.

 

[argve]

filler back up and start her and have a look see to find out where it's coming from.

 

[Knuckledragger]

My bet is on the core (freeze) plug. They are in the right place for your description and fail in a similar way. Do a pressure check to be sure.

 

[icanfixall]

The oem freeze plugs are stainless steel and you buy them in packs of 7 for the complete job. They are enexpensive and only Ford or international has them. Do not install brass plugs. They wont stay in. I burned up a motor after a rebuild at 5200 miles because the crappy shop installed brass plugs. BTW... You need a special freeze plug tool to install them... Don't let some fender jockey install them with a hammer and punch or socket.... Its the wrong thing to do and I talk from expensive experiance....

 

[typ4]

On that note the stock freeze plugs should never fail, being stainless and all.

 

[87crewdually]

On that note the stock freeze plugs should never fail, being stainless and all.

True but what's all around it,.....rust/corrosion prone cast iron. Just saying don't rule it out!

 

[1320Cummins]

I once worked on a 99 Cummins that had a pin hole in a stock 200,000 mile or so stainless plug. Truck had good looking coolant when I worked on it. Must have been defective??
Maybe in your case a PO installed steel plugs.?

 

[typ4]

I was assuming everyone took care of the cooling system like they are supposed to.

Thats what I get for not thinking outside the hole.

And I have seen pinholes but that is weird.

 

[Agnem]

Any idea what it is yet?

 

[hesutton]

Like above, it sounds like a freeze plug in the block. Glad you didn't melt her down. McDonalds saved your IDI.

Heath

 

[leftcoastjeff]

coolant dumpage

I'll guess oilcooler, happened to me.

The rear portion that holds the oil filter had a hole in the water jacket.

You must be registered for see images attach

Dumped all the coolant, real fast!

LCjeff

 

[Dirtleg]

Sorry it's taken me so long to get back to this thread. We busy here on the farm and working and all.

There is no way I can pressurize the cooling system currently. Too big of a leak. I just got home from work and the truck is still on my trailer as I haven't had time to unload it. Most likely tomorrow afternoon I'll do a diagnosis on things but this evening is plenty full already and I've got to be back at work at 5am tomorrow. I'll keep you posted on what I find.

And as far as cooling system maintenance goes the coolant has maybe 10,000 miles on it and I keep the SCA's current. It was the second full cooling system fill that's been in the truck in the last 2 years. The PO?? Well that's anyones guess.

 

[Dirtleg]

So we had a change of plans and I decided to fool with the truck. I put the hose in the radiator and turned it on low. Water started coming out just as before. But man was it in a really hard to see place. Eventually after climbing around on the recently (today) thawing out ground (can you say mud anyone?) I was able to see that it was for sure coming from in front of the motor and pushing back onto the oil cooler and motor mount.

Turns out the lower radiator hose had split at the very back. It was deflecting off the oil cooler head and coming out at a right angle to the block. Had me fooled. I couldn't see the split but found it with my fingers and felt the tear in the hose. So turns out to be no big deal afterall.

Thanks for the suggestions.

And Icanfixall, I can clearly say that thanks to you sharing the unfortunate situation you had with a freeze plug coming out there is no chance of a hack (unless you count me) working on my cooling system ever. Some lessons are learned the hard way. Others because the unfortunate one has beat it into us. But that is what we are all here for isn't it?

 

[leftcoastjeff]

Glad it's only a hose.

LCjeff