Puking after studs still

[lazlow]

Mods on the truck are 4" downpipe back straight pipe. Full egr delete with elbow, coolant filter, minimax with gearhead tunes, and arp studs installed with all ford gaskets about 8k miles ago. This thing has been driving me crazy with puking and not puking and i dont even know what to do with it anymore. Had a problem a few weeks ago on a highway drive going up and down some hills where a small amount of coolant puked out. Sinister coolant filter had always been garbage and decided that was sucking air as it was leaking which caused it. Replaced with a different filter mount and all seems good. Pull a 9k lb excavator on a 3k lb trailer up some steep grades to test it out and all is good coolant level is normal and it was definitely working the truck a decent amount.

After that drive i take an 8 hour drive for vacation and another 8 hours back without issue. Coolant level looked slightly low just from me not checking it after the coolant filter change so i add some more. Just now got on it a little bit only to about 40lbs of boost on Matts wild shift on the fly tune and i got coolant everywhere. Maybe its the cap? Maybe retorque the studs back down? Im not sure what to do as im getting tired of dealing with this...the truck never even gets hotter then normal when driving. Im hoping i just had too much coolant in but i guess ill check tomorrow after the truck cools down...

 

[3brorce]

Did you have heads checked for cracks while they were off?

 

[MorganY]

Were the heads decked?
Block cleaned properly without making the surface untrue?

 

[lazlow]

heads got checked for cracks and both were machined but not much was needed. The one was just out of spec barely so both got done. Block was also cleaned to the best i could get.

 

[MorganY]

heads got checked for cracks and both were machined but not much was needed. The one was just out of spec barely so both got done. Block was also cleaned to the best i could get.

Cool, What did you torque the studs to, and what with?

 

[lazlow]

275ft/lb with the arp lube and with one of the big snap on torque wrenches. Im thinking it might be worth it to torque them again. Im thinking that can be done cab on pretty quickly but idk what has to come off really

 

[jugger13]

I ha d some to Puking issues after doing head studs for a while also.
manage to lose my Degas cap working on it one day.
bought a new one, put it on haven't had it Puke again.
it was like 5 Bucks from Napa worth a shot.

 

[G Racing]

I would try a new cap first. If that doesn't fix it then they probably missed a crack in the head or the block didn't get cleaned good enough.

 

[Powerstroked162]

:whs:


How'd you clean and prep the block surface?


.

 

[ghohouston]

^my question too. Everyone has different opinions, but imo, the only safe way to clean a block is with fresh razor blades. Every head gasket job ive done, ive used them with no problems. This is from 6.0, 7.3, 6.4, cat c12's and macks...

 

[lazlow]

Yup had bunch of razors and spent a while cleaning it. What has to come off to re torque them? Turbos or just valve covers and the misc things in the way?

 

[Tree Trimmer]

did you do a hot re-torque on the studs?? or re-torque at all after the initial install.

 

[black6.4]

Razor blades? That sounds lime a pain in the ass! What gaskets did you use? Hopefully oem

 

[ghohouston]

^not really. And you really cant **** it up, where as if you use a whiz wheel or whatever you want to call it, you can dig to far into the block very easily.

 

[webb06]

did you do a hot re-torque on the studs?? or re-torque at all after the initial install.

They definitely shouldn't require a hot re torque. I've never done it on my truck and the heads have been off 3 times.

I'd definitely get a new cap first though

 

[lazlow]

They definitely shouldn't require a hot re torque. I've never done it on my truck and the heads have been off 3 times.

I'd definitely get a new cap first though

Yeah ive never read anywhere it was required so i never did it. I put a different cap on and put some coolant back in but kept it about an inch below the regular cold fill line and got on it a bit with the mild tune and all seems good. Just gonna keep it on the lower power levels and play it safe. Pulling the cab wouldnt bother me but just having to tear the motor down again and wait on parts would kill me. Had it on and off 3 times chasing down a high pressure line leak..good thing i have a lift in the driveway