Coolant leak

Thatoneguy

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So my truck has a coolant leak. Coming from the rear passenger side. At first I thought it was the block heater. But reached my hand in their and felt around it, nothing. I can see the leak on my exhaust, track it up to headers, and then I can't see up in there because of the cross member. Hate to say it... But does this sound like head gasket? The engine is running great other than the coolant leak, wouldn't a head gasket issue present itself with loss of power and other stuff?
 

no mufflers

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coolant can leak from the rear of the HG and cause no other issues. same thing happened with my 7.3.
 

DrCharles

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You have to be able to track it to the source (dye and a UV light maybe?) because the wind passing through the engine compartment can move coolant drips a long way from the source.

I had one that the local shop swore was coming from the left front freeze plug (which is behind the oil cooler that they'd changed o-rings on, and can't be properly replaced with the correct tool if the engine is in the truck!) ... I could see a drip off the end of the oil filter mostly. Didn't use a LOT of coolant but I did have to keep adding a little here and there. One day while tracking down the infamous belt/tensioner chirp, I grabbed my fan and could rock it over 1/4" in either direction (no slack in the viscous clutch). I put a new water pump on and haven't had to add coolant since. There may still be a seep from a freeze plug but so far so good.
 

Thatoneguy

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Update: found some of my red rotella ELC on top of the motor sitting to each side of the injection pump. Water pump is a bit wet and rusty. I don't have a front bumper on the truck currently, so is it possible that the water pump is weeping a bit and air is pushing water up and back?
 

IDIBRONCO

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That's possible. I would think that it would usually blow back towards the driver's side since that's where the fan blows most of the air (if you don't believe me on that, try adding power steering fluid without a funnel while the engine's running). Although, really, I don't see why it couldn't blow some up and to the passenger's side.
 

Thatoneguy

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That's possible. I would think that it would usually blow back towards the driver's side since that's where the fan blows most of the air (if you don't believe me on that, try adding power steering fluid without a funnel while the engine's running). Although, really, I don't see why it couldn't blow some up and to the passenger's side.

Haha actually i have tried that. NOT. FUN. At first I thought it might be my thermostat housing, but the 'stat is only a few months old, and I sealed it with the gasket and a thin layer of red RTV spread on both sides of the gasket. So I really don't think it's leaking. Then noticed the wet on the water pump. Unfortunately that's just as much of a PITA to swap...
 
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