Losing coolant but do not know where.

[Madmoly340]

Hey guys I have a 2007 Pete 387 with a apu the engine is a Cummings which I have had mandate removed
Best thing ever. ANY WAY I am using a half gallon a day of coolant but can't find where it's going the engine does not get hot unless I'm pulling up a mountain and then the fan kicks on. And the low coolant check engine light comes on only when I am sitting still and idling I have look every where for the leak. Its not leaking into the oil from what I can tell and can not find any on the ground
Please help out someone who is totally lost
Thanks
Mike

[Signature620]

Is there much coming from your overflow hose? Try putting the hose in a bottle for a day. Is it blowing white smoke? Check for signs of coolant when you drain your air tanks. Check the condition of your radiator cap. Check for coolant in your Egr valve or outlet of Egr cooler. That's enough checks to keep you busy for a little while, hahah.

[Madmoly340]

THANKS.
I HAVE No White smoke coming out of the stack. What gets me is that it only does it while I'm stopped after I start rolling it stops chilling and flashen at me.
But I will check the other things you posted and get backagain thanks

[Rawze]

This time of year is when these types of problems occur the most in engines as they age. ...

http://rawze.com/forums/showthread.php?t...67#pid1267

http://rawze.com/forums/showthread.php?t...05#pid1105


I have had at least 5 other people in this past month alone that have had coolant loss issues that ended up being the head/head gasket in their engine. The bulk of people I have spoken to this year that have had this problem actually do NOT have the "mandate removed" or any other type of custom mods to their trucks. They have totally stock engines. There have also been a few with moded and/or deleted engines have this problem too. It seems to be a trend every year with mostly the CM871's and CM870's with more than 500k miles on them, and it happens as summer approaches. It does not point to anything specific, but I can tell you that it is common in engines that have suddenly run cold at some point, or in engines that have been overheated in their past. it is also most common to see it between cylinders 3-4 or 4-5, and that it is not unusual to find the head bolts a bit under-torqued in that area from the factory in CM871 engines. Speculation is still out on the under-torqued bolts being caused by the leak itself, or if they were like that to begin with. Personally, I think all the head bolts on CM871's from the factory are under-torqued that reside under the cams. You can just tell it when you use the method for torquing them from the service book and you use a wrench instead of an air-gun. The +90 method should realistically be about 130+ on only those bolts. Tightening them by hand reveals the differences easily as you tighten them to their final resting place.


I had someone 4 days ago come over here and had theirs checked out to see if it was the head or egr cooler. He was convinced it was the EGR cooler, and thought a egr delete was the way to fix it instead of buying a new cooler. Head was leaking so bad it was blowing soot into the coolant tank. The guy was asking some advice on someone who could remove the govt. mandate, but -- It clearly was not the egr cooler. It was the head and his truck only had 520k miles on it. I felt bad for him. You could tell he just didn't have the money to get the head replaced, and he had just purchased the truck 3 months earlier with no warranty on it. ?He said he had already been looking into getting the truck "dlted" a month earlier ... I looked at him and told him that if he had done that a month earlier, he would have been directly accusing the person who did the work.

I would start by pressure testing the system, etc. and eliminating the usual suspects like the air compressor, turbo, etc. then go from there.

Since you have the ",mandate removed" , just ensure you have good programming too. Check your turbocharger position at idle using Cimmuns Insite. The "VG Position Measured" should be a low position like 5% or maybe 15-18% max at idle. If it is a high number like 45% or higher, then you have bad programming too. Also, your boost should never exceed 38-39 psi for that CM871. if it does, then it is over-boosting, and if it is above 41+ psi, it can be damaging to the engine.

Every engine with any type of non-factory tuning should have a boost and pyrometer gauge in them so things like that can be spotted, and to also help the driver save fuel etc.

Just my own thoughts on it -- Rawze

[Madmoly340]

I thought if it was the head gasket you could tell by looking at the oil and white smome pouring out of the stack i have neither issue.
I am having some issues with my air system. And I know there is nothing wrong with my ... you did it about 6 months ago and the truck is running perfect except for the coolant.
If by chance it is the head gasket how long can I wait to have it fixed because I need to put some loot together to give to your guys over there in GA. They are the only ones I will let work on my truck.
Thanks
MIKE

[yamajason]

(03-27-2016 )Madmoly340 Wrote:  If by chance it is the head gasket how long can I wait to have it fixed because I need to put some loot together to give to your guys over there in GA. They are the only ones I will let work on my truck.
Thanks
MIKE

Waterloo had the same idea to run and save $ see how it worked for him

http://rawze.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=175

I would apply for a loan at your bank, and start talking to family...

[Madmoly340]

Whats it run to replace the head gasket

[Waterloo]

(03-27-2016 )Madmoly340 Wrote:  Whats it run to replace the head gasket

I was quoted around $4000.00 for just the head gasket, or there about, parts and labor. The head bolts are one time use, and the new ones ain't cheap. The gasket itself is like $80. A new or reman head with gasket, figure $7000.00 to $7500.00... I needed a new head along with having the lower end, rods and mains, and said screw it, let's tear into her... We are selling stock, Apple stock... Right now budgeting $34,000 and we will more than likely be real close.

One thing you can do, is run up to NAPA and get an Coolant Exhaust Gas Test Kit http://www.napaonline.com/napa/en/p/BK_7001006. It is a regular stock item in most stores, around $40 or there about. It takes a matter of seconds to perform and will at least tell you if there is gas in your system. From there you try to figure out where the leak is... Have you gone around the truck and tighten all of your hose clamps yet? I would recommend doing that before you do anything. Check your coolant bottle, any signs of coolant running down the sides? If so, buy a new cap and see if that stops it. I then bought that test kit after doing the above... Motor failed the test, then I started the other tests, air compressor and egr cooler, those passed so I knew it was my head gasket.

If it is your head gasket... I tried to nurse mine for as long as I could after discovering it last year in I think August of 2015, I made it to the first of March 2016... I haul very light loads in a 53' van, heavy for me is 15,000 and I am on flat land with my 600hp motor dialed back to 485hp. I think this helped to prolong my misery by a couple of months... But, in the process it took out all of my hoses, almost wiped out my TriPac, and blew my radiator apart. We are talking tows and roadside service call$$$$. I have the platinum roadside from my insurance company, and have yet to turn in those receipts... In other words, the longer you drive her, the odds are quickly going against you...

On Monday, I would go get one of those coolant gas test kits. If you are in a truck stop, and there is a Napa store nearby they will deliver it to you. Good luck... And yes, this sucks.

[Waterloo]

1

(03-27-2016 )Madmoly340 Wrote:  THANKS.
I HAVE No White smoke coming out of the stack. What gets me is that it only does it while I'm stopped after I start rolling it stops chilling and flashen at me.
But I will check the other things you posted and get backagain thanks

I had no signs of anything going wrong, other than exhaust gas building pressure in my coolant system and forcing coolant through my cap and lowering my coolant level via pressure in the system. Then the hoses started blowing out, then the radiator blew apart... When you start using two gallons a week, and it sounds like you already are, you are there, get her in the shop asap or risk blowing hoses and possibly your radiator if you have one of those plastic/metal units.

One thing I did, and it is annoying, as your situation sounds just like mine, is to pop the hood and relieve the pressure in your coolant system by slowly loosening the cap and letting the gas escape... Wear a heavy pair of gloves and turn slowly if you have a plastic cap. If you have the old fashioned Stant metal cap, you may want to let her cool off for a bit. I had to do this twice to three times a day...

In the morning, wake up, pee, open hood, crack coolant bottle to relieve pressure... Every stop repeat...

When it was toast, it just shot coolant straight into the air out of the coolant bottle, about a foot. You are all done at that point.