Whats this leaking now?

[RSchanz]

Went to take the truck and camper on a trip this weekend and luckily stopped at the grocery before leaving town and saw a small puddle under the truck when I was leaving. I got under and looked and it appeared to be brake fluid or maybe clutch fluid leaking. Definitely not power steering fluid and it wasn't the color or scent of coolant. I had my wife press the clutch in and push the brakes and didn't really notice any difference in the speed that it was leaking. I tested holding down the brakes about halfway and the pressure remained and the brake pedal didn't go to the floor. Below are pictures where it was seen leaking, any ideas on what it might be and how to look for the problem?

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[Nero]

Might be fuel, might be oil, touch it and see what it smells like

 

[RSchanz]

It doesn't really have a smell. Its not dark enough for oil. I actually think it's coolant... so now this whole situation with the head gaskets needing to be replaced is back and the magic stuff in a bottle won't cut it this time

 

[Nero]

Only thing coolant on the drivers side is the sensors or the head plugs. Past that, head gasket.

 

[RSchanz]

I think I'll turn it on and see if it just starts leaking again. At the moment it's not leaking it just kinda about to drip there but I'm assuming that if I get the engine running and warm and it just starts leaking its obviously coolant.

 

[IDIBRONCO]

Did you retorque both heads or just one? I ask because I seem to remember you having a leak on the passenger's side. If you only did that side, you may be able to get away with doing the same to the driver's side.

 

[RSchanz]

Did you retorque both heads or just one? I ask because I seem to remember you having a leak on the passenger's side. If you only did that side, you may be able to get away with doing the same to the driver's side.

I was just re-reading that long thread from years back, haha. I don't recall ever actually re-torquing them but maybe I did so I'm going to try again. I just ran the truck and let it heat up then gassed it for a minute and it started visibly dripping again. Still only seems to leak when under pressure.

It's hard to tell which side its really coming from, I can tell both sides are leaking because there is fluid on both sides of the engine but I think it's leaking down onto the frame or whatever there then spilling over.

 

[IDIBRONCO]

Gotcha. I thought that you did. It's certainly worth a try. You're also right. That drip in the close up picture looks too clear to be oil.

 

[ihc1470]

Put a radiator pressure tester on it and pump it up to 15 pounds and you should have a pretty good idea if it is coolant or not.

 

[RSchanz]

I got down there and looked closer, it's definitely coolant

 

[Clb]

Fwiw
Put the rigs spec's in yer sig line so we know what we are working on.
My power steering weeps on that crossmember...

Eta sig line only shows in landscape mode on my fone, sorry bud.

 

[RSchanz]

Fwiw
Put the rigs spec's in yer sig line so we know what we are working on.
My power steering weeps on that crossmember...

I'm not sure what other specs to add.

I had a coolant leak issue awhile back https://www.oilburners.net/threads/coolant-leaking-from-somewhere.89333/ I wouldn't say it's worth reading all of that but I think this is the same issue I had back then. Around me no diesel mechanic wants to work on these old trucks. Back when that happened I took it to a "trusted one" and he looked it over and just poured blue devil head gasket sealer in it. That helped for like 2.5 years but maybe wore off now.

Here is a question though. The leak gets worse once the engine gets hotter. This could be from pressure in the system or could it also have to do with the thermostat opening? I can confirm that the headgasket looks bad and leaks especially on the passenger side but maybe the really bad leak has something to do with the thermostat housing?

 

[Rdnck84_03]

With the location, is it the oil cooler?

James

 

[RSchanz]

I'm not sure. It's so hard to see certain areas. Oil cooler is on the drivers side though isn't it?

You can see the shape the head gaskets were in back in 2021 when I made this video:

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Its a little hard to tell but the angles show both the back corners of the engine block

 

[RSchanz]

Got an update here.

Turned the truck on and let it warm up for like 20 minutes. I'm not sure if there are multiple leaks or what but the worst definitely appears to be in the front and coming down the crankshaft pulley(?). The main hose from the radiator is not the source. I'm thinking I'll remove all of the stuff thats in the way of the thermostat housing and inspect that. I feel like if it's the head gaskets it wouldn't leak in the front there, right? I read that the engine is angled slightly back so I would be surprised that it would leak down the front.

I also periodically checked for combustion gas in the cooling system and did not find any present. One interesting thing was that the radiator and hose got pretty hot to the touch but the main hose never became that hard to squeeze/pressurized. Is that a bad sign?

I also was doing some reading and video watching on water pump replacements and issues. Seems like that could very likely be the issue. My fan has a ton of play in it so guess its probably time to replace that and do the thermostat then see what happens.

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