in that case, usually you'd have a single plug that looked cleaner or wetter than the others. How much coolant are you actually using? Have you done a cooling system pressure test??
Blackstone labs say no coolant found in oil
- Thread starter landbeast
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in that case, usually you'd have a single plug that looked cleaner or wetter than the others. How much coolant are you actually using? Have you done a cooling system pressure test??
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- #62
Actually redid the test today the die in the tube stayed blue , my plugs all looked dry to me , as far as how much coolant I’m using I truly don’t see very much gone
I wonder if it needs more cylinder pressure for the gasses to pass into the cooling system? (give it some quick full throttle pulses, assuming you have good oil and up to temp since you'll be getting close to redline from that)
Those sparkplugs look very good though.
Those sparkplugs look very good though.
I see no issues here at all...
if you're not using much coolant, than your "smoke" might actually be unburnt fuel or oil instead and not coolant at all.
Wait, did we actually determine that all that coolant is actually being lost? Last I checked, you'd done some service back at the start of all this, then it came up low, but is it actually using more after the fact, or was it just some air burped out of the system? I still stand by my original diagnosis (mud induced paranoia) unless there's something I didn't read in here. You've got good plugs, a good test of the coolant, a good Blackstone report, a compression test with one slightly low cylinder... You might have some issues with a valve on #4, but I really think your headgasket is probably fine. 
What am I missing?
What am I missing?- Thread starter
- #66
Wait, did we actually determine that all that coolant is actually being lost? Last I checked, you'd done some service back at the start of all this, then it came up low, but is it actually using more after the fact, or was it just some air burped out of the system? I still stand by my original diagnosis (mud induced paranoia) unless there's something I didn't read in here. You've got good plugs, a good test of the coolant, a good Blackstone report, a compression test with one slightly low cylinder... You might have some issues with a valve on #4, but I really think your headgasket is probably fine.
Wait, did we actually determine that all that coolant is actually being lost? Last I checked, you'd done some service back at the start of all this, then it came up low, but is it actually using more after the fact, or was it just some air burped out of the system? I still stand by my original diagnosis (mud induced paranoia) unless there's something I didn't read in here. You've got good plugs, a good test of the coolant, a good Blackstone report, a compression test with one slightly low cylinder... You might have some issues with a valve on #4, but I really think your headgasket is probably fine.
Ok , did my 3rd c02 test yesterday and the tube stayed blue , let the truck sit and idle for 20 minutes turning heater on and off , did the test actually did it several circles 2 minutes at a time , even turned the heater on and tested , not sure if you do that or not , but it seemed fine . Someone suggested to put a camera down each cylinder to look and see If I see coolant or a very shiny steamed cleaned piston top
That’s next , I apologize to who told me to try that I can not think of there name . But one more time and I’ll shut up , you guys on here are fantastic. I’ve truly learned more in a week or so about my old truck . That I thought possible. I’ll post pictures if I can of the cylinder scope , I put in a picture of the test yesterday that’s after a good 4 / 5 minutes squeezing the tube .
that test at least confirms there are no exhaust gases entering the cooling system. This doesn't rule out a head gasket breach entirely, but is a damn good result. Have you removed the cap when cold, started the car, and let it warm up, then checked for bubbles? That can be another way to confirm it, but honestly, given the co2 result, I wouldn't bother.
Please confirm if you are still losing coolant, and if you have done a cooling system pressure test? That's when you put a pump with guage onto your radiator, pump air into the system to pressurize it, usually around 15-17psi, and then leave it on the system to see whether the pressure drops. This would reveal any leaks in your cooling system. There are dozens of heater hoses, radiator hoses, radiator, heater core etc etc where there could be a leak if you're losing coolant. It doesnt mean you have a head gasket breach.
As someone mentioned above, if you drained and flushed your cooling system, and you then lost a little after the next few hundred km, that's likely due to the system burping. It's almost impossible to purge all air out of the system without driving it a few times, even if you use all the old tricks to avoid it.
I think we need clarity on a few more points. Please give us answers to the following:
- Did you recently service your cooling system?
- Are you losing coolant? If so, are you noticing the overflow bottle level drop, and the radiator core, or both?
- Have you completed a cooling system pressure test?
- Please confirm that the car isn't or hasn't overheated before.
Cheers,
Pete
Please confirm if you are still losing coolant, and if you have done a cooling system pressure test? That's when you put a pump with guage onto your radiator, pump air into the system to pressurize it, usually around 15-17psi, and then leave it on the system to see whether the pressure drops. This would reveal any leaks in your cooling system. There are dozens of heater hoses, radiator hoses, radiator, heater core etc etc where there could be a leak if you're losing coolant. It doesnt mean you have a head gasket breach.
As someone mentioned above, if you drained and flushed your cooling system, and you then lost a little after the next few hundred km, that's likely due to the system burping. It's almost impossible to purge all air out of the system without driving it a few times, even if you use all the old tricks to avoid it.
I think we need clarity on a few more points. Please give us answers to the following:
- Did you recently service your cooling system?
- Are you losing coolant? If so, are you noticing the overflow bottle level drop, and the radiator core, or both?
- Have you completed a cooling system pressure test?
- Please confirm that the car isn't or hasn't overheated before.
Cheers,
Pete
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- #68
Hi Pete , new radiator , thermostat , I can see that the antifreeze is maybe an inch down from where it was sitting in the over flow after several weeks of driving , I have not done a pressure leak down test , and no sir the truck has not over heated . Here is the results of my compression test , that and leak test is the only two I’ve done . Radiator / thermostat / antifreeze was done 10- 15 . Thank you , any advice is very much appreciated .
Thank you Pete
an inch down in the overflow is exactly what mine did after 400km since replacing my radiator, hoses, flushed and all new coolant. I'd say that's a burp for me too. I'm not topping the overflow, i'll just monitor the level over the next couple of hundred kms to see if it drops any further.
It is INCREDIBLY difficult to do a full system flush and refill and avoid getting any trapped air. This will naturally "burp" out with a bit of driving and heat cycles. It will then suck in coolant from the overflow to fill the radiator. This can be why the overflow is a little bit lower since you filled it.
It is INCREDIBLY difficult to do a full system flush and refill and avoid getting any trapped air. This will naturally "burp" out with a bit of driving and heat cycles. It will then suck in coolant from the overflow to fill the radiator. This can be why the overflow is a little bit lower since you filled it.
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- #70
