OBS Overheat!!!!

[79jasper]

It's called a injector cup for a reason. Pulling the glow plug isn't going to tell you much of anything, besides coolant getting into the cylinder.
You pull the injectors to do it right. Some drain the coolant down before pressurize the system, then use soapy water to spray the cups. Countless youtube videos out there.
Everyone always pulls the "i don't have time." Do you have time to replace the engine when you bend a rod?

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[Kraig]

Easy man I was just trying to emphasize my need for the vehicle.

 

[Kraig]

Easy man I was just trying to emphasize my need for the vehicle. And, if I am burning the coolant in the cylinder via a leaking injector cup it stands to reason I would see the coolant in the affected cylinder thereby narrowing down which cup is leaking. I should be fine changing only one cup right?

 

[79jasper]

Possibly, but others could be right behind it. Iirc, riffraff or one of the other companies rents the installation tool.
The less likely possibility is the headgasket. Not really known to just let go on a 7.3. But if you pressurize and it's not coming from the cup, that might give some answers.

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[Kraig]

Thank you so much for the info. I understand it's best to do all of them. I will dig into it this weekend when I get back home. Thank you and I will update as I get more info.

 

[Kraig]

Oh more more thing, as far as brand of cups, any certain one to get or stay away from?

 

[79jasper]

I would stick with ford/international. Riffraff has a decent price.
The ebay cup/tool combo's are tempting at the price, can't say that I've heard any feedback.

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[aggiediesel01]

Pulling the glow plugs and letting it sit over night or a couple days before cranking again could give you a clue as to which cyl is filling with coolant but not necessarily if it's coming from an injector cup. If there's any liquid in there, it will come squirting out like a fire hose. The GPs sit down beside the injectors in a puddle of oil, when removing them make sure more oil isn't going to drain into the cylinders while it sits.

Does your coolant have black residue floating on top of it? If water is getting into the cylinder when it's off then combustion gasses have to be going the other way when it's running. Usually that shows up as carbon floating on top of the coolant similar to a head gasket leak as well.

 

[Kraig]

That's what's so weird. I'm losing the coolant but not getting combustion gas in my coolant. I mean I haven't done a combustion gas test yet but I can take off the cap and fil the degas all the way up and no bubbles, no disturbance nothing. And this is while the truck is running and up to temp. I am so confused. Nothing seems to fit what's happening.

 

[lotzagoodstuff]

2 gallons of coolant every couple hundred miles is a lot. Whether it's a head gasket that you can't seem to find because it only really happens at operating temperature, or injector cups, or some other symptom, you really need to consider that your engine is drinking 256ish ounces over 250ish miles. At some point the next greater level of leak is going to occur and make bad things happen. The fact that it cranked hard upon starting may mean you've hydrolocked it already, in which case it's probable that you've already bent a rod.

If it was me, I'd park the truck, buy/borrow a commuter car and consider more reasonable options like pulling the heads to see if you can figure out where all that coolant is going. You could also take a look at the top of piston heights and take a guess at whether or not you've bent a rod on the cylinder that you find questionable.

Jasper wasn't busting your chops and neither am I. Just trying to bring you to the realization that you might do some catastropic damage if you continue to operate an engine that's consuming that much coolant. Gassers can drink lots of water, diesels not so much. Whether you keep driving it or not, if you haven't started looking for a known good engine to swap you should consider doing that as it's always less fun to find one when you need one versus when you want one.

Good luck whichever way you go.

 

[Kraig]

Well, I did buy a commuter car. A 2016 Ford Fusion. The engine developed a crack in the block before the first oil change. It had 104k miles. So if this truck isn't operable I have two dead fords.
I love ford but this is testing my love. I just can't believe "the best diesel ever made" can be so hard to diagnose. Lol. But that's my luck. It's never easy with me it seems. I am going to be pulling the glow plugs this weekend and do a pressure test and maybe that will offer some more information.

 

[Kraig]

Well I checked the oil pan again. Oil level is good and when I pulled the plug it was black oil right from the start. I pulled the valve covers and was slightly startled. Let me know what y'all think. I'm uploading the video to YouTube now so you can watch it and give me your thoughts. Be gentle please.

 

[Kraig]

I'm also getting very inconsistent flow out of the injectors. I assume that's an issue too.

 

[Kraig]

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[Slow]

You could have a cracked cup or two but would most likely see or smell fuel in your degass bottle but not always. Two ways to test for combustion leaks into and out of your cooling system. The first you want to try cold and hot and that is to put a coolant pressure tester on you system and start the truck up. If the pressure shoots up you gotta leak from one of the cylinders. Do this cold then do it with a hot engine. If that test is not definitive the next test requires a borescope. You pull your glow plugs an look at the top of your pistons. Coolant leaking into your cylinders will clean the top of your pistons in the cylinders that are leaking. Just imagine a high pressure steam bath. What ever you do if you pull injectors or glow plugs do not crank your engine with the starter to get the oil/fuel out of your cylinders. Even though the combustion chambers are open you can still bend a rod. Turn the engine over by hand first before reinstalling your glow plugs.

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