Here's a little update to my situation....

I thought i was dealing with a blown head gasket and possibly cracked head(s). Low coolant light came on and truck has been smoking like a freight train at idle and while driving.

Truck was in the shop today and they pressure tested the coolant system cold and hot and it's holding pressure fine. Mechanic is saying it's not a head/gasket issue. It is losing coolant, he had to add 4 litres to top it up and he said the oil level was up about 3/8" on the stick but it looks fine. He has taken a sample and sent it away for an analysis. Results won't be back until Tuesday next week.

So any thoughts on what I'm dealing with here? Cracked block? Anyone experience anything similar to this that can give me some insight?

Thanks,

Dave

The '00 I just finished puttin' a new longblock in was doin' the same. Held pressure forever but oil was full of coolant. 2 cylinders had cracks at the bottom. I know that is not what you wanna hear, but.....

Dave, did you pull the CDR/hose off and look at it yet?

Terry,

No I haven't. I'll do that tomorrow.

Any thoughts on where the best place in Ontario would be to get a new long block if it came to that?

Dave

I posted in Chris's AMG thread about a place that is sellin' Reviva engines, which apparently is the one you would want. Had quite an ordeal tryin' to get a price out of them, but I will get one tomorrow. I don't really know of others that are close to us.

Pull those hose off of the radiator that runs from the resivor to the radiator on the top, passenger side of radiator(small hose on the top passenger side of radaitor, i think its a 1/2 or 5/8 hose). Hook up another hose to that and run it into a cup of water. IF you get bubbles, then you have a head gasket issue. I could get you pictures if you need them. You can buy a tester to check for combustion in the cooling system to verify a cracked cylinder wall.

Joe

Just thought of somethin' Dave. Didn't you post awhile back about seein' some smoke while drivin? That was you wasn't it?

Terry,

Yes. I posted on Saturday or Sunday about losing coolant and white smoke.

Dave

Terry,

Yes. I posted on Saturday or Sunday about losing coolant and white smoke.

Dave

Yeah I noticed that thread. I meant a few months back, maybe it wasn't you.

Another place sometimes overlooked is the heater core supply connector at the thermostat housing. This really isn't one of GM's better idias'. You'd be looking for a white or brown powder under the connector depending on what kind of coolant your using (extended life or glycol). When and if the coolant evaporates it leaves behind the powder.

Charlie,

I'll have a look for that. Thanks.

Terry,

Nope, nothing posted a couple of months ago.

Dave

Dave
I believe terry was referring to this post:
http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/showthread.php?t=180706

Could be I guess. That was last summer and reading back through that thread it was dismissed as normal.

Dave

A little further from the x-over, there are tees that divert the coolant to the front and rear heaters. It is made out of ABS Plastic and that thing seems to crack slowly but progressively. You may want to replace that with Brass barb, instead of another plastic.

A little further from the x-over, there are tees that divert the coolant to the front and rear heaters. It is made out of ABS Plastic and that thing seems to crack slowly but progressively. You may want to replace that with Brass barb, instead of another plastic.

NAPA makes a steel one to replace that junky GM part, Dave. You need to make sure you keep the restriction (GM puts in a little restroctor orfice in there) to moderate the water flow through the heater core.

That being said, I'm starting to get a little worried about your engine... has your oil analysis come back yet?

That being said, I'm starting to get a little worried about your engine... has your oil analysis come back yet?

You and me both! Oil analysis won't be back until next week, likely Tuesday. I'm going to go out shortly and do a little checking around for any signs of leaking coolant.

Dave

Dave, did you pull the CDR/hose off and look at it yet?

Terry,

I just pulled the CDR valve off the valve cover and it's full of goop and a clear liquid dripped out. I called the garage and the mechanic said it could be because I've just been driving short distances and it's not burning off. He said the liquid is likely just condensation. What are your thoughts?

Thanks,

Dave

Terry,

I just pulled the CDR valve off the valve cover and it's full of goop and a clear liquid dripped out. I called the garage and the mechanic said it could be because I've just been driving short distances and it's not burning off. He said the liquid is likely just condensation. What are your thoughts?

Thanks,

Dave

Further to...

The mechanic said to taste the goop and if it tastes sweet then it's coolant. It tastes sweet. I'm guessing that's not good.

What am I looking at here guys? Cracked block?

Thanks,

Dave

Dave, read thru my old thread here http://dieselplace.com/forum/showthread.php?t=142062

Does the goop look like the pics? You not gettin' pressure into the coolant, just smoke and coolant in oil. I'm guessin' you have head problems. If the block was cracked into the upper part of the cyl, you would have pressure into coolant. If its cracked into the lower cylinder, you would have coolant on oil.

I would pull the valve covers and pressure test to look for cracks. If none found I would pull the pan and pressure test again.

Terry,

Yep goop looks like in your pic.

The shop pressure tested the coolant system cold and warm and it's holding pressure but I'm losing coolant somewhere. Oil level is up but doesn't appear contaminated (analysis will tell us that). It's smokin like a freight train but can't detect any odour of coolant.

The shop is just waiting to see what the results of the oil analysis are. I'm just curious about what I could be looking at based on what I'm seeing.

Thanks,

Dave

If it was pressure associated, you could isolate the cylinder thats causin' it, but your not havin' pressure issues.
It's a crap shoot now. With the goop in the CDR you def have coolant contaminatin' the oil. The oil analysis will show coolant in oil.

If it didn't hold pressure I would say a head is cracked lettin' coolant in the oil. It is smokin' so I still say you have a head cracked into the exhaust. But with the coolant in oil, I'm leanin' towards a lower crack in the block as well. There won't be any pressure with a lower crack, just coolant on oil. As well there won't be pressure with a head surface crack, dependin' on where it is, just coolant in oil. There are so many different ways this could go that it's confusin'.

How long was the pressure test done? Like 5 minutes..5 hours..overnight? If I suspect pressure on an engine, I hook up the tester and start it. It will rise fairly quickly. If not, I pump up the tester to 15psi and leave for at least a half hour, cold and hot. Some cracks won't show cold, others will. Again it depends on where it is.

Anyway, with the goop, you got coolant mixed with oil, you're gonna have to open'er up to find out whats goin' on. :(

Sounds way too familiar now.....sorry Dave - I think your block is toast......

Yeah I'm fearing the worst guys. I'm already starting to think about my options. I guess I need to get some firm prices on things before I make any real decisions. I'd love to be able to find a wrecked truck that just had a fresh motor put into it.

Terry,

Mechanic said when he pressure tested it cold he left it on for hours and it didn't lose any pressure. Pressure test hot was left on for about 1 hour.

Dave

Yep. As soon as your CDR or Valve covers start developing a case of elephant snot, you got issues, all right.

Oil volume increasing was a clue for me... any time it goes up faster than it leaks out, something's fishy.

Dave,
Have you had a chance to pull the engine apart yet?

Can the cracks on the block be seen?

I believe Dave is not doin' anythin' till his oil analysis comes back, which is tomorrow I think.

Terry is right. Waiting on the oil analysis. I've e-mailed a few people who have used engines listed for sale but I haven't heard back from anyone.

Dave