Coolant leak

[jp207]

I have a 97 Century with a 430 detroit. It is losing coolant, quickly. 1-3 gallons a day depending how hard it is working. Engine has 920K on it. We believe it is a head gasket, the only place I can see coolant leaking is out of the block at the right front of the engine. Seems to be a slow slow leak though. No steam from the exhaust, no water in the oil. The engine runs really well, averaging 7+ MPG and can pull mountains with relative ease. The engine holds a solid 50PSI oil press. at cruise and about 30PSI @ 600 RPM idle. My mech tells me to inframe it, he can replace the head gasket for alot less than inframe, but tells me it is wasting money to do the head gasket and not inframe it, since it is already apart. What would you do? 920K is pretty high, but man it runs great other than losing coolant. !!

[bob h]

I have a 97 Century with a 430 detroit. It is losing coolant, quickly. 1-3 gallons a day depending how hard it is working. Engine has 920K on it. We believe it is a head gasket, the only place I can see coolant leaking is out of the block at the right front of the engine. Seems to be a slow slow leak though. No steam from the exhaust, no water in the oil. The engine runs really well, averaging 7+ MPG and can pull mountains with relative ease. The engine holds a solid 50PSI oil press. at cruise and about 30PSI @ 600 RPM idle. My mech tells me to inframe it, he can replace the head gasket for alot less than inframe, but tells me it is wasting money to do the head gasket and not inframe it, since it is already apart. What would you do? 920K is pretty high, but man it runs great other than losing coolant. !!

the worn liner walls will be very visible once the cylinder head is off...

920K? it's due

[allan5oh]

Has the rad ever been replaced?

[jp207]

the worn liner walls will be very visible once the cylinder head is off...

920K? it's due
Yeah, it's up there...Problem is money..I simply cannot afford to do the whole engine...So it's getting a head gasket replaced...I'm going to go to the truck repair shop tomorrow and take a look inside at things with the head off..

[yoopr]

That's ALOT of Fluid
Radiator has got to be replaced or you're gonna end up with some serious problems on the road.

Until then give Bars Leak a whirl for a temporary fix but just Temporary.

[allan5oh]

sounds like your mechanic is just stabbing into the dark. You ARE wasting your money doing that head gasket, unfortunately.

With that much fluid loss, it should be very easy to tell.

Does your exhaust put out a lot of white smoke? Any at all after it's warmed up?

What does the bottom of the rad look like? They tend to rust quite bad in the northern "salt states" after 4-5 years.

Has your mechanic run a hot pressure test?

I have a feeling when you go see the mechanic he's going to convince you that you need an inframe.

[yoopr]

Pressure test should show them where the problem is.

[bob h]

Pressure test should show them where the problem is.

...seems like an easy find to me...

[jp207]

The problem is quite obvious...The coolant was running down the side of the engine. Right front corner.

The truck is fixed and running now. The head gasket clearly shows the story. I was able to get a look into the cylinders and at the head...Everything looks really good...Cylinder walls still had the cross hatch in them. Truck is no longer losing water.

I believe this engine will last a good bit longer. You can't argue with 50PSI of oil pressure, 30PSI at 600RPM hot, and clean oil analysis results.

This repair cost $2350...Seem about in line?? A lube/oil/filter was also done, along with injector o-rings..

[heavyhaulerss]

i had a neighbor who had same problem. he was losing water thru overflow hose on water tank. it was head gasket. the truck had 800,000 & he could not afford rebuild. he had head resurfaced & new gasket. that cost total 1,900. that was 3 years & 270 thou miles ago. so for him it was worth not doing the rebuild. truck still runs 2-3 thou mi a week..

[bob h]

[quote="heavyhaulerss"]i had a neighbor who had same problem.


that is a completely different failure; he was leaking compression to the cooling system, this engine was leaking coolant externally

he was losing water thru overflow hose on water tank. it was head gasket. the truck had 800,000 & he could not afford rebuild. he had head resurfaced & new gasket. that cost total 1,900. that was 3 years & 270 thou miles ago. so for him it was worth not doing the rebuild. truck still runs 2-3 thou mi a week..[/quote

[jp207]

Yes, this was not leaking coolant anywhere else but to the outside of the engine. Thankfully.