Coolant overflow bottle leak...

[Joelude]

I have been having a fairly consistent bottle leak. I have changed the cap twice... and the coolant still escapes. I have checked the bottle itself for leaks... to no avail. All hoses are fine and after cleaning the mess up (in which the coolant shoots down onto the front shock... to the frame... then also hits the tire and flings it all over the wheel well), I can tell that it is coming from the cap.

The only thing I can figure is that the cap isn't getting a correct seal (no matter how tight I tighten it) and the pressure is forcing the coolant past the threads and out the bottom of the cap. I am lost and was hoping someone on this site has had this issue before and can help me correct it.

By the way... I have an '04 F-350 6.0 diesel... if that helps at all. Any information would be very helpful.

Thanks,
Joe

 

[DaveBen]

This is one of the symptoms of a blown head gasket. Pressure from the cylinders gets in to the coolant and blows the coolant out. You have a turner or a chip. This is one of the causes.

Dave

 

[Joelude]

I do have a tuner... the SCT X3. I really didn't think that this could be a head gasket... can anyone else confirm this?

 

[JRJ04]

its certainly possible....Dave know's his 6.0's!

 

[no-red 6 0]

sounds like a head gasket to me too......

 

[atk]

it does sound like a possible head gasket failure. whether your programmer had anything to do with it, who know`s....the 6.0L had head gasket issue`s with stock programming....


what is your coolant level in the bottle(when cold)?

 

[Tbar]

Didn't they issue a TSB on lowering the coolant level or am I having a senior moment............???


Tbar

 

[atk]

Didn't they issue a TSB on lowering the coolant level or am I having a senior moment............???


Tbar

yes they did....keep the level at the minimum mark....

 

[Joelude]

Just to throw this out there... is there even a slight possibility this ISN'T a blown headgasket? If so... what are the other possibilities that could put that much pressure on the coolant bottle? Just asking as I am trying to think of everything it could be.

By the way... I am getting the exhaust tested for coolant traces tomorrow afternoon (Friday).

 

[DaveBen]

You might want to have the coolant tested for exhaust. This will confirm, or not, the head gasket.

Dave