[dutchie88]

My truck burns coolant and someone told me I could put an additive in it to maybe stop it but which one and does it work? Would be cheaper than replacing the head gasket truck doesn't burn a lot of coolant but it does a little

 

[Smalltownpower]

Quick answer...no. Everything gets gunked up with that stuff and makes it a real mess. Not sure what the effects it has on the coolant passages of the heater core, but their small enough so i wouldnt add anything to your coolant. You have to replace the gasket anyway, might as well let it burn a lil coolant until you have time to do the head gasket.

 

[Mono06cummin]

There's an old trick but usually for radiator problems. Usually a little pepper will seal up small holes. If its an actual head gasket I suggest you bite the bullet and do it properly or you could end up with a catastrophic failure and end up buying a whole new engine.


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[CRF-250]

Theres nothing thats going to seal up a compression leak very long. Putting a band aid on it is going to leave you stranded with a burnd up motor. If your mechanicly inclined its not to bad to replace the headgasket.

 

[dutchie88]

Ok thanks for the info I don't have time to do it myself but its only a one day job right but how much will it cost roughly

 

[dutchie88]

But when it's warmer out like minus 6 Celsius it doesn't blow smoke but when it's colder it does it's weird cuz I thought diesels don't smoke when the engine is fully warmed up in cold weather

 

[steelhead01]

get the head gasket leak fixed now or you'll be driving around shortly with 5 pistons in their cylinders and one sticking out the side of the block.

coolant is a very quick engine bearing killer. like pouring battery acid in the crankcase.

get the head leak tested and checked for flatness when out by a diesel engine machine shop.

 

[dutchie88]

but wouldn't a blown head gasket blow white smoke all the time not just when its cold outside? there is coolant dripping from my water pump too but not a substantial amount

 

[jb15]

Lol.

I've used head gasket/cylinder sealer before and it works great.

Sealed a cracked head on a sbc, lasted a year at a time for three years until I pulled motor. It was turbocharged too

 

[Cummins04bb]

deffinatly want to get that water pump replaced!!! super easy to. takas maybe an hour or so at the most. stupid duh statement but that small leak thats coming from your water pump is telling you that your bearings/seals are going out in it. if you would like i can give ou step by step instructions on the removal/installation. On the other hand you have the head gasket issue. honestly your rolling the dice by not changing it. (jb15) might have lasted three years on the sealant but that doesnt make your circumstances the same. just buy the gasket if you diy maybe 50-60 bucks and thats gasket and other little items you would need to clean the surface. on the other hand a certified shop is gonna take you to the cleaners 70$/hour plus parts and a job like that probably 3 maybe 4 hours tops

 

[dutchie88]

A ahh damn trucks lol well money is tight right now because I just bought a house so I'm not sure what te best option is I would do myself if I had the time but I'm working 6 days a week what additive would I be putting in? If it works till I get more money saved up that be good

 

[sptbkfn01]

IF you are dead set on doing it, use Blue Devil. It's the only stuff I have seen that works pretty well. However, if you plan on keeping the truck, I don't recommend it.

 

[CRF-250]

If you havent yet, I would put the truck back to stock other than your injectors and just take it easy on the motor until you can fix the problem the right way. You think you dont have the money now wait until something gives and then a Headgasket job will seem like chump change.

 

[dutchie88]

Yeah I'm running everything at stock but I don't get why it doesn't smoke when it's warm out that's the weird thing

 

[600crpower]

Ok thanks for the info I don't have time to do it myself but its only a one day job right but how much will it cost roughly

I wouldn't call it a day job unless you can get the head off quick and have a machine shop thats ready for it then throw it back on quick. I would call it a 2 day project. I took off work on a Friday, got it all off an organized on a table in a few horurs. Dropped the head off to be decked first thing Saturday morning got it back by noon and was all back up and running by that evening. Granted I worked all alone with just an engine hoist so it took some work to get the head in and out. I think I was quoted about 500 with decking to do it at a local diesel shop. If I was to do it again it would be a bit quicker; I called a week ahead of time to get it decked though.

 

[nickg]

do you know for sure the head gasket is gone, are you actually burning coolant? I would fix the water pump first, then see if there is actually a coolant loss. if your burning coolant you should be able to smell it at the tail pipe...just because you see white in the cold weather does not mean its burning coolant

water pump is 2 bolts and cost 60-80$ if getting after market parts, oem is more expensive

 

[nickg]

Yeah I'm running everything at stock but I don't get why it doesn't smoke when it's warm out that's the weird thing

cause its probably not burning coolant

 

[jb15]

Is it just smoking cold b?cause its cold outside?... when they are cold you see smoke because of incomplete combustion

 

[dutchie88]

Well I just got told the same from a diesel shop owner/mechanic he seems to think that it are the injectors soo I guess I'm just gunna buy some very good additive or cleaner and hope for the best, I have read that injectors aren't cheap either lol

 

[dutchie88]

Question about injectors I have a US truck and someone at work mentioned to me that Canadian injectors are different then US injectors is that true cuz our diesel is colder here in the winter time?