Cracked head?

cozinsky

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This one came in the shop today with a coolant leak. It's a 1987 F250 with a 6.9. Coolant is running out between cylinders 3 and 5 between the intake and head. Nothing is leaking into the intake. I've never seen one of these leak in this area before. I'm assuming cracked head? I don't believe there's anything else that could cause a leak in that area.
 

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riphip

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I would think intake gasket first. If gonna crack, usually at/between valves
 

riphip

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79f140db-085d-49e9-ad41-c481edf90228-jpeg.130653

Note the water jackets around the prechambers. I think you have leakage there at the gasket.
 

cozinsky

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Does the hole in the intake deck surface go through to the coolant passage?
 

riphip

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No but the 6.9 head does go against the flat of the intake & gasket material (big gasket).
 

IDIBRONCO

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Coinsky, if I read your question right, yes it does go into the coolant passages. The intake gasket seals this off. The 7.3's have plugs installed in those passages so that the intake gasket doesn't have to seal them off.
 

riphip

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There are no coolant passages in/on the intake manifold. You can see on the flat area where the coolant passages on the head seals (with the gasket). This is probably where it is leaking coolant from the head.
You may just need a new intake gasket.
 

1mouse3

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yes it does go into the coolant passages. The intake gasket seals this off. The 7.3's have plugs installed in those passages so that the intake gasket doesn't have to seal them off.
There are no coolant passages in/on the intake manifold.


Coolant may not pass into the intake but there are coolant holes in the head there, look below the glow plugs. These are 7.3 heads and they have the freeze plug metioned by @IDIBRONCO.

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oldmisterbill

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It’s Ben 27 years but I think that was where hy first 6.9 leaked wrecking havoc. Hydro lock, bent rod. 2 tear dons ,number 2 to fix vibration caused by bent rod. Adaptor plat that held the starter on first attempt to start when it hydro locked. Head was ok, resurfaced for peace of mind.
 

cozinsky

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I pulled the intake off today and found a pinhole in the gasket directly above the coolant passage in the head, so the gasket is the culprit. But it apparently has been discontinued by Felpro and after an extensive search I can't find one of any brand anywhere.
 

IDIBRONCO

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I don't think that it's been discontinued. It's just not available right now (and may not be for a while) in the middle of all of this crazy BS that's going on in the country.
 
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chris142

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