Coolant disappearing, head gaskets?

[6.7 Powerstroker]

I've noticed recently my coolant in my primary keeps getting low, about 3 times now in past couple weeks I've added some to get it to the cold full line. So I took it to a diesel company near me that seems reputable and they looked all over and of course found no external leak. They then took a large clear tube that had a stopper on one end and clear fluid in it and jammed it into the cap opening. Then cranked up the truck and revved it to about 2500 rpms for a minute and nothing. Then held it at 3500 for about a minute and a very small amount of bubbles started trickling and then let it idle for a few seconds and it continued trickling a small amount of bubbles. Then he cut it off and said it needs new head gaskets. I asked if he was sure and he said it couldn't be anything else so now I'm not so sure I believe him. I did recently change my intercooler for a new one I picked up and I had it painted black. After calling Lead Foot Diesel, since they are about an hour and a half away, and they seem to think it's the intercooler since they've only seen 2 6.7's with blown head gaskets. Anyone seen a 6.7 with a blown head gasket and know what I should look for? I really don't get on it that much and never race it so I wouldn't think blown head gaskets would be possible. I also just sent out an oil sample to see what the condition of the oil is.

 

[powerstrokelyfe]

What year is the truck, E** still in tact ?

 

[6.7 Powerstroker]

Sorry I guess that would help.
It's a 205k mile 2011 f250, d letd since 120k, installed streetmax x about 6 months or so ago along with new 2015 cp4.2, a month ago I installed 8 new 2015 injectors and a new painted intercooler. Got the intercooler for about $100 bucks so I thought it'd look clean to have it painted black. Actually never noticed any missing coolant before the injectors or intercooler were installed.

 

[6.7 Powerstroker]

I found a coolant flow engine diagram and I think what could have happened is that when I changed my injectors I dropped the back injectors copper washer under the passenger side valve cover so I had to remove the valve cover, removed the copper washer, replaced the gasket, cleaned both sides, then torqued it down. I'm thinking I may have a leak at this gasket at the egr plate since the coolant form the primary looks like it does actually flow up through the pass through plate and back down.
Anyone know if this sounds right. I'd like to know anyone's ideas before I remove all the injectors and cover again.
I was thinking of putting the tester on again, revving it until the bubbles start, then start tightening or loosening the bolts right around that egr plate holding the valve cover down to see if it effects the rate of bubbles.
Also has anyone used the Uview combustion leak tester to test for a head gasket leak?

http://powerstrokearmy.com/photopost/data/500/medium/Coolant_flow_close_up.jpg

 

[6.0 Tech]

Intercooler has nothing to do with the primary system, so rule that out. Yes egr coolant flow come out of the block, thru the valve cove, and back down. If you damaged the gasket there, your oil should be growing. Also, turbo gaskets have coolant running thru them, if that was damaged, your oil would also be growing. The egr pass thru plate would more than likely be an external leak, as it is outside of the motor. It could be something like coolant fitting on the turbo, and just hasnt reached tye ground yet, as the bell housing design sucks and likes to trap everything.

I guess short answer/question, check your oil to see if its growing...

 

[6.7 Powerstroker]

I'll keep an eye on it for sure. I changed it today and sent some to Blackstone for analysis and made sure to fill it to the top of the line on the dip stick exactly. When I removed the valve cover there's a large metal gasket that seals the head from the valve cover and the coolant passes through it to the egr plate so you still think it would be leaking external there?

 

[6.0 Tech]

That would be the valve cover gasket, it would leak internally. Any pass thru/block off plates where the cooler used to be would leak externally.

 

[6.7 Powerstroker]

That's what I was thinking is possibly that gasket didn't get seated right and it's possibly leaking there. Do you think if I got the tester and got the bubbles going I could try to mess with those bolts to verify if it was leaking there or just pull it and redo it? Also if I pull the valve cover gasket again is there some type of additional sealer I could use just around the coolant holes to help with the sealing? I know I was very careful to torque all those bolts right because I didn't want a leak like this.
I've been thinking of doing new heads lately before my exhaust valves break since I have an early build 6.7 so maybe this is a sign to go ahead and do them.

 

[6.7 Powerstroker]

Last night I went back over the valve cover installation procedures and realized it calls for retorquing it's bolts again after the injectors are installed which I didn't do. So this morning I went to see if I could tighten the bolts right at the egr plate and they all moved some. The bolt right at the plate moved about 90 degrees until it got fairly hard to tighten. I'm going to get a combustion tester and fluid and see if it changes color. I'm wondering of the bubbles I saw weren't just from the coolant expanding or the thermostat opening and circulating the coolant because it was just a small amount of bubbles. Anyway I did tighten the bolts alittle so I'll see what the tester reads.

 

[BigRed97]

Valve cover leak cover WILL NOT CAUSE bubbles

But I agree to get the combustion gas leak detection fluid

 

[sootie]

doubt its headgaskets...

 

[6.7 Powerstroker]

Valve cover leak cover WILL NOT CAUSE bubbles

But I agree to get the combustion gas leak detection fluid

You don't think it could cause a leak even though that gasket has coolant going through it? Just trying to eliminate all possibilities. I agree that I doubt it's head gaskets but I'll try the tester and see what it reads.

 

[BigRed97]

It could absolutely cause a leak....
either external(under the EGR cooler), or internally the valve train area, wich would end up in the oil pan

Bubbles are caused from pressurized combustion gas forcing it's way in to the coolant via a head gasket or a crack in the head or block...

Possibly from a turbo as mentioned above but I'm not sure on the exact internal coolant passage of the Turbos so that may not be possible either

 

[webb06]

I’ve heard of heads cracking on the intake side causing the engine to use coolant. How much, I don’t know. If you end up removing the passenger valve cover again see if one of the intake ports looks like it’s been steam cleaned, as in one port is clean and the others are sooty. I think it’s only passenger side heads cracking. Bill Hewitt has a couple videos on a couple trucks they’ve ran through their shop, I do not agree with everything Bill has to say but he seems to be a straight shooter about problems he finds and is willing to show the world so take his videos with a grain of salt.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[6.7 Powerstroker]

Okay, I see what your saying. I was thinking under high boost pressure the pressure could somehow cause a leak there. Thanks for clarifying.

This is a picture I took with the valve cover off. Not sure if the any of the intake ports look steam cleaned. I thought it was fairly clean under there. If it head a head gasket I'll probably just replace the heads. Does anyone know if brand new Ford heads can be installed or will they need work?

 

[6.7 Powerstroker]

I finally got around to doing the test and the blue fluid stayed blue. I've also not been low on coolant again so I'm thinking I need a new diesel mechanic. He seemed certain I had a head gasket issue. He also told me my truck had an noise while idling and thought I had excessive cam wear and said the only way to check was to cut open my oil filter and check for metal. So I of course watched him very carefully while he removed the filter cut it open then cut out a piece of the filter, squeezed out the oil, and unfold it all to find nothing. That was after about 4500 miles on the oil. He said he'd just had another 6.7 come in with a similar idle and it had metal in the filter caused by the rocker arms getting off center causing excessive wear on the cam. Not to say it couldn't happen but he had me thinking both times I may need a lot of work done when it looks like he was wrong both times. That's how it looks now anyways. I'm still waiting for the oil analysis. I did make a video of the block test.
On a positive note, I did get a new tune from Power stroke Enginuities to help with the turbo flutter and the code I kept getting and after loading it today I haven't got it to flutter again and so far no code.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZdLwKu9GlNU&lc=z22ft3fjyxrjx3wepacdp430rjgqw04dx4tadsu4frdw03c010c&feature=em-comments

 

[sootie]

he's full of chit. monitor the coolant level. once the system has been opened, it can take a few good heat cycles to get the air out.

 

[6.7 Powerstroker]

I did notice that the tank didn't have any pressure when I opened the cap. Checked the tank for pressure again today and it didn't have any again so I'll order a new cap.

 

[6.7 Powerstroker]

So got the new cap and it's still not building any pressure so next is a pressure test. I did get the oil analysis back and it's all good. No coolant or excessive wear.

 

[Cg6288]

You’re not loosing coolant but it’s not building pressure either?