New Guy, small antifrz drip

[smlarkin]

Hi guys I'm new to the forum world and still learning the process. I have recently purchased a 2003 F250 6.0L. My wife really enjoys driving it so I have ended up driving her Hummer H2 now.
Since it has been getting colder I have noticed that there is a small drip under the front end. I have looked up under the motor and have determined that it is anti freeze and it is very slowly dripping, it looks like its somewhere by the big front pulley of the motor as the pulley looks wet. Any ideas as to what it would be and is it a home fix? I am comfortable with doing work on vehicles but this is our first diesel so I'm a little nervous about doing something to it and thought I would ask first. Thanks for all the help and I'm excited to have found this place

 

[BIG JOE]

Hi guys I'm new to the forum world and still learning the process. I have recently purchased a 2003 F250 6.0L. My wife really enjoys driving it so I have ended up driving her Hummer H2 now.
Since it has been getting colder I have noticed that there is a small drip under the front end. I have looked up under the motor and have determined that it is anti freeze and it is very slowly dripping, it looks like its somewhere by the big front pulley of the motor as the pulley looks wet. Any ideas as to what it would be and is it a home fix? I am comfortable with doing work on vehicles but this is our first diesel so I'm a little nervous about doing something to it and thought I would ask first. Thanks for all the help and I'm excited to have found this place

First off.. WELCOME to SDD, Glad Yer Here.

Secondly, from what you describe, it sounds like you may have a Water Pump going South.

Use the Search function at the top of this page for "6.0 water pump relacement", or the WIKI/DIY.. and yul find plenty of info on how to do a test to verify the issues, and the do the work.

It's JOB.. but do-able.

Joe

 

[snicklas]

smlarkin,

First of all, welcome to SDD.

On your coolant leak. The crank pully appears to be wet? I would say that it is likely the water pump. How much are you leaking, if you look down from the top right, look down toward the pulley, do you see coolant on the front of the block behind and around pulley? How much are you leaking and how many miles are on the truck? If you look from the top, is there coolant that appears to be running down from higher on the engine? There are several places on top of the engine that could leak.

Goto the UserCP in the blue bar across the top of the forum and fill out your signature with your truck's info.... like down below this post....

 

[smlarkin]

Thanks for the info Scott. My truck has 111000 miles on it. its a very small drip. if it sits for a day or two is when it is noticable and its about the size of a quarter on the ground. I looked down from the top left and couldn't see anything other than the ribs on the big pulley looked a little wet. Its funny that now its getting colder, Vegas 42 degrees is cold for us, I start to notice this stuff.
Another question. when I start it in the morning to let it warm up after about 5 minutes the truck will increase RPMs to about 1000 then when you hit the accelerator it drops back down to normal idle again. Ever have that with your Excursion?

 

[DaveBen]

The idle goes up to 1200 rpm at below 40° F. Normal. Better start looking for a water pump. It will get worse and soon.

Dave

 

[snicklas]

Yes I have, that is normal when it get cold. The PCM will increase the idle to help warm up the engine. Mine will do that, it did over the weekend, it was in the upper 20's when it happened. I think the colder it is, the sooner it happens. Mine does not take 5 minutes. I will also, return to normal idle if you apply the brake.

Another thing mine will do, when it is really cold, like a high in the teens, I park in a parking garage, after the 8 hours, i can drive home, which is ~30 miles at Interstate and county highway speeds 55-70MPH. It is cold enough, and I do not have a winter front for the truck yet, that the engine will stay cold enought that when I stop at the gas station around the corner from my house, it will kick into the high idle you are talking about.

BTW - 42 isnt cold. Today, in the Indianapolis, Indiana area, it was an overnight high of 50, at 6AM it was 45, at 8:30 AM it was 38, and they are calling for an overnight low of 10 F and a high tomorrow of 18....... 42 is nice weather......

 

[smlarkin]

Thanks again for the helpful comments. Does this idle thing have anything to do with while at a stop light with the heater on I can feel a thump every 10 sec or so, feels like close to the floor board
Yup thats why I live here, UR temps are very cold, I don't think I would make it out there.

 

[f_250pstroke02]

Just a thought and I only bring it up because I just replaced mine but being that it's just a "small leak" it might be the heater control valve. Just a thought.

 

[snicklas]

Definatly not.... I have never felt anything like that in mine........