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JimT · 03-13-2021, **(Subject: Coolant loss )**

Might not be helpful to your situation, but I've had a number of coolant leaks this winter.

One coolant line, 11 inches long, from the back of the block to the trans cooler was
leaking, dripping mainly onto the exhaust pipe. The easiest access was through the shift cover inside the cab !@#$.

Then a week later I sprung a good leak from a return hose (14 inches long) to the water pump that ran inside the passenger frame rail from all the non-engine systems (sleeper cab heat exchanger, transmission cooler, DEF doser valve coolant lines).

Since this last repair I haven't lost 1 drop of coolant.

Chamberpains · 03-15-2021, **(Subject: Coolant loss )**

A good practice to have when you have to drop the coolant out for any reason is to assess the condition of all the coolant hoses and replace and properly protect all of them at 1 time. It saves having to continually chase new leaks except for the ones that come with clamps settling.

This includes steel braided, steel, copper and nylon lines. Take the time to take care of all of it at once rather than weekly dropping the coolant to handle the next one that pops up.

JimT · 03-17-2021, **(Subject: Coolant loss )**

(03-15-2021 )Chamberpains Wrote: A good practice to have when you have to drop the coolant out for any reason is to assess the condition of all the coolant hoses and replace and properly protect all of them at 1 time. It saves having to continually chase new leaks except for the ones that come with clamps settling.

This includes steel braided, steel, copper and nylon lines. Take the time to take care of all of it at once rather than weekly dropping the coolant to handle the next one that pops up.

Absolutely correct. That was the takeaway from my experience. I've already begun making a list of hoses to have on hand for the next time I drain the system.

On a related note, glad I picked up that airlift kit after I got back from my trip to Rawze's. Took less time to fill the system then it did to drain.

Chamberpains · 03-18-2021, **(Subject: Coolant loss )**

Got a link to this airlift kit?

tree98 · 03-18-2021, **(Subject: Coolant loss )**

https://amzn.to/3bZoHZL On Rawze's Amazon page.

It really is the tool for the job.

03maxpower · 03-20-2021, **(Subject: Coolant loss )**

Little update: coolant in the oil after another oil sample. Will be pulling the head to see what the issue really is. I still believe it’s just the gasket seeing how Cummins just replaced the head in December. More updates still to come.

tree98 · 03-20-2021, **(Subject: Coolant loss )**

BEFORE YOU PULL THE HEAD!!!!!......drop the pan and pressurize the cooling system to 20 psi, let it sit overnight and then check for coolant running down between a liner and the block. You might have to slowly bar the engine over, look closely it can be easily missed.

I would bet a lot of money you dropped a liner, especially if cummins just worked on it not long ago. You really shouldn't let those guys anywhere near your engine.

03maxpower · 03-20-2021, **(Subject: Coolant loss )**

(03-20-2021 )tree98 Wrote: BEFORE YOU PULL THE HEAD!!!!!......drop the pan and pressurize the cooling system to 20 psi, let it sit overnight and then check for coolant running down between a liner and the block. You might have to slowly bar the engine over, look closely it can be easily missed.

I would bet a lot of money you dropped a liner, especially if cummins just worked on it not long ago. You really shouldn't let those guys anywhere near your engine.

I’m a little ignorant to this so I have to ask. How does that happen? Could it have been prevented and how? I know what’s done is done, but if that’s it I don’t want something like that to happen again. Thank you

Chamberpains · 03-20-2021, **(Subject: Coolant loss )**

I'll bet a large piece that when cummins replaced the head they didn't pull the liner and cut counter bores to shim all the liners to .014 all around (basically overhaul the engine)

Instead they ripped the head off. Checked to see if the liners were within cummins spec (.010) and slapped a head back on. This leaves the liners to low, if not out of whack with numbers all over the place around all the liners. Then through normal use, the piston grabs the weakly positioned liner and makes it dance up and down every stroke (dropped liner) or something along those lines.

Drop the pan like tree98 said. Also eliminate the air compressor as a cause to coolant in the oil. But track records show chances are slim its not a dropped liner.