Puking Coolant & Don't Know Why?

[MatthewH]

So i just got home from work and performed a pressure check on the system. Using a Stant ST270 tester, i pumped the system up to max for a 16lb system. It took it roughly 8 minutes to leak down to the min mark. Other than a couple of hose clamp leaks on the main rad hoses, the only air leak i heard was around the test cap itself. Still no water in the oil, but am going to pull the plug real quick to be sure. Also going to try pumping the system up multiple times as suggested by 466Navistar, but right now, it looks like i need another thermostat and cap. Will test again this afternoon and post with results.

 

[466Navastar]

why was air leaking from around the test cap?.....could it be that the radiator fill neck is dirty or deformed and the radiator cap isnt sealing on it?...if so neck might need replacing at radiator shop

fix all the leaking clamps - inspect/clean the filler neck and try the press test again - after trying a few times (if it still leaks down) disconnect the power to the injection pump and crank - if the head gasket or cavitation caused coolant to fill a cylinder it will hydrolock and not continue to turn over.....you will need to remove the glow plugs and turn over to get coolant out......where ever coolant comes out of a glowplug hole -----THATS a bad cylinder (obviously)...either cracked head/head gasket or cavitation

also ck the crankcase oil for coolant after the tests....

if you cant find the problem - then a professional should look at it....

 

[MatthewH]

The reason air was leaking from around the test cap is because the cap has some corrosion on it, so it wasn' making the greatest seal.
However, when i got home from work, i opened the rad and checked the level, it was below the upper heater hose port. When i started the truck, i had no sooner got back to the rad opening, and could watch the level slowly raise up almost compleatly full. Also noticed a couple streams of tiny bubbles, and whisps of smoke , and this was within a minute of starting the truck, and it hasn't run since saturday.
Needless to say, looks like a head gasket. Still no water in coolant, or coolant smell at exhaust, but everything else points to it, so i guess i'm pulling the engine and replacing it with another i have on a stand.

 

[BIG_RED]

Therein my lie your problem. Deformed radiator cap spot will cause coolant consumption, as the 16 psi pressure bit does not seal properly. Had that happen on mine. I only went through a quart of coolant in a week, but.. it's freakin' cold here.

If it's not a hose, rad cap, rad cap mount, or a t-stat.. it's ugly. Head gasket or other internal engine problems for sure.

 

[tripp2727]

had a similar problem on my 1009 and it turned out to be the water pump loosened the bolts up so that it was leaking around the edges of the pump. the bolts were so loose that i almost lost one and could hand tighten them all. it quieted down some of the vibration racket i had under the hood. hope that helps

 

[466Navastar]

I thought he said there were NO external leaks

before changing the engine - think it might be wise to take it some where and have a pro put a pressure test - or at least look at it?......changing the engine is no fun,,,,,,

maybe put some flourscent die in the coolant and use a black light in the dark looking for leaks.....and look at the crankcase oil under the blacklight

good luck -----many more posts than I thought would jump on this one.