Question Puking

[rsjohnsn]

Ok guys and gals, I have had it with this puking! I need to know how to diagnose the problem. Do I have a cracked EGR Cooler, cracked heads, or blown gaskets? Ok, here is what has happened. I drove from Knoxville, TN to Myrtle Beach, SC on the 5th towing around 7500lbs. I had very little puking on the way but today on my way back with a little bit of a lighter load, all she did was puke. Anytime the boost got above 20psi I got that sweet smell in the cab. The Exhaust temp didn't seem to affect it in that it done it at any temp above 20psi of boost. I was concerned that I wasn't going to make it home. Anyway, the truck ran flawlessly with the exception of this puking. Oh yeah, the truck was running the stock program, no programmer at all either way which did net me an average of 10mpg. Where do I begin? If I do a pressure test how do I determine where she is leaking? What do I need to tear apart?

Thanks
Scott

 

[BamaSixGun]

Head gasket failure gets my vote.

Mine puked liked a pregnant lady in her 2nd trimester.

 

[atk]

where are you losing the coolant from?(the degas bottle?)

i would also say a head gasket issue, whether it be the gasket or cracked head(`s)...

doing a pressure test may show you have a leak, but you won`t be able to see if it is leaking into the cylinder...also, with the pressure test you may not putting the same amount of pressure on the coolant system as you would running at 20 psi boost....also you got to keep in mind what is going on in the cylinder when you are running at 20 psi boost. with that much boost and the cylinder pressure, it could be leaking back in to the cooling system, causing your coolant loss....hope this all makes sense and helps...

does it overheat?(when puking)
is your degas bottle in good shape?
do a test on the coolant cap?
does the fan work properly?
do you only loose coolant when working the motor?(high boost levels)


one last thing, got to keep in mind that these motors had some issues with the head gaskets/headbolts...

i may be wrong in my thinking, but trying to help.........

 

[rsjohnsn]

where are you losing the coolant from? Overflow Bottle

does it overheat?(when puking)Not that I can tell, according to the factory temp gauge.
is your degas bottle in good shape?Original cap with 140K.
do a test on the coolant cap?How do I do this?
does the fan work properly?Yes, I even heard it get louder at some points but it wouldn't last long just in short bursts.
do you only loose coolant when working the motor?(high boost levels)Yes, I tried it again today empty and no puking all the way up to 25psi with factory programming. With performance tuning she would puke but only at 25psi and above.

Thanks
Scott

 

[atk]

to test the cap, basically same way you check the cooling system, but will need an adapter that will go on the tester and that cap will srew into....

what kind of programmer do you use?....the reason i ask, certain programers with certain programs will raise the cylinder presure past the factory recommedations(for increased performance), which can cause premature head gasket failures, with the stock head bolts...(i know you were having problems in the stock programing, but you were also working the engine harder towing your trailer, which also may have been running a little hotter, but you won`t see that much difference(movement) on the factory guage...my truck when i had the plow on would run anywhere 10 to 30 degrese`s hotter according to SCT and the factory guage never moved)

 

[keanoknick]

to test the EGR cooler, jack the rear of the truck up, about 18-24 inches higher than the front, then pull the egr valve, look down inside the opening, if you see moisture/coolant, than you have a bad/leaking egr cooler, if dry your egr cooler is proabably fine.

Keep in mind, just because the EGR cooler is bad, it does not eliminate a head gasket problem, you still need to look into that

 

[no-red 6 0]

what knick said.....

drive it til it is warm, back it up ramps and pull egr, if coolant is in bottom = no good.... to re-insert egr, i believe u must use new gaskets (might as well clean it while you have it out too...)..

my thought is head gaskets & or egr cooler...reason i know: been there done that...

p.s. if degas cap has krispy krud around it that is an indication too.

good luck

 

[atk]

any word on your truck??..........-popcorn

 

[rsjohnsn]

I haven't had a chance to do anything yet. I have been trying to catch up since I got back from vacation. I do have plans to check her out this weekend, I will keep all informed.

Thanks
Scott

 

[jwoodard]

If your coolant is overflowing from the degas bottle, there is a TSB 07-21-5 that addresses this issue. This normally only happens when operating the vehicle under a load such as trailer towing, uphill driving, or both. The TSB outlines a Service Procedure beginning with checking for cross contamination of engine oil into cooling sytem all the way to replacing the head gaskets. You can view/obtain a copy of all TSB's at ALLDATAdiy.com.
My F250 is currently at the dealer with this condition and the head gaskets are being replaced, along with a new head, ARP Studs and a new turbo.