well i got down to the beach house yesterday and this morning i noticed coolent on the ground. it looks like it might be coming from the head/headgasket around #6 driver side. this really makes me mad because i just got the head back on mayb 2-3 weeks ago. i had to put suds in, new head gasket and o-ringed head. i followed all the instuction to the T atleast im pretty sure i did. do you guys think i should try t torque them down again and maybe a little tighter and see if that will get it to stop? and there isnt anything else back there that the coolent could be comin from? thanks

 

Why did u have the head off in the first place? Id the block matting surface flat as in used a feeler gauge flat? Retorqing might cure it, how many miles and heat cycles has it been since they were tightened? I wouldnt over torque them either

 

the head was off because i blew out the headgasket thanks to my water meth. the block was flat and i had the head milled down to make sure it was perfect. i ckecked and retorqued them after the first short heat cycle and sence then i have somewhere around maybe 800 miles max on it

 

normally if its leakin tighting it isnt gonna help bc its too late but i wouldve done a couple more heat cycles..

 

yeah, i agree with everyhing you are sayin oglejust. i think i may have kinda screwed myself. i wanted to do more heat cycles but i have been really busy with trying to get corn in the ground and other farm stuff and just didnt really have the time but i guess i should have made it cause now im really going to pay the price.

 

i did like four heat cycles cus i didnt wanna do it again. and i babied it around for a long time. and remeber not to get on it too hard when its cold. your old truck is haulin a$$ these days bud.

 

I know this is going to sound strange,BUT,when you had the head off did you have it checked for cracks?.They are notorious for cracking in between cylinders 5 and 6 and will leak as you described.

Also,when you installed the head back on the engine did you make sure to not compromise the o-rings and set the head back on squarely?.If not it could be a possible reason for the leak also as I have seen that many times also.Owners will set the head back on not being careful and then they will either knock out or loosen the back two o-rings and the head will then never seal properly.

 

jrad- one of these days if i can ever keep my pickup running for a good period of time we need to meet up somewhere so i can check out yours/my old one. i want to see what you have done to it! and i sure do miss that thing


hammer- i actually know what your are talking about when it comes to heads cracking but i didnt know that the cummins were notorious for doing it,especially around 5 and 6. i guess i learn new thins everyday its just to bad it has to be on a thread about my pickup. i will have to make a phone call to the diesel performance shop that did my o-ringing and milling. i asked them to check everything but i dont know if they checked for cracks.
also when it comes to putting the head back on and not screwing up the o-rings, i was trying to be as careful as possible but i guess there are no gauruntees i didnt screw them up

 

alright man we will. ya it hasnt been cheap but its real fun truck.

 

yeah, thats what i have heard but it seams whenever you are bombing a diesel it never is cheap. i have been through the same thing you have on this one i have right now and similar things to ones i have had before. i guess its a price you pay to have fun