So i've been "losing" coolant on my last trip from Dallas to Phoenix... I went through 6 gallons+. There's no external leak, and no coolant in oil. I took the truck to the dealer and they said it was highly unlikely it was the Gaskets, and thought it was the EGR cooler... After 18 hours of pressure testing it (Taken off truck) it was not losing pressure. Now they want just under $7000 to get it fixed. $2k+ in parts, $4k+ labor... :eek:
I have 208k miles on the truck, Edge Evo Race since about 120k miles mostly on level 1 since 95% of my miles are towing.
Please Help! Any good mechanics in Phoenix, not charging dealer prices?

Just remove the EGR cooler altogether, and be done with it. There a couple kits available now to do this.

Thats outrageous. Id call them a blankin idiot. Like said before....delete it completely. EGR delete kit for LBZ/LMM coming soon.... (http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/showthread.php?t=364453)

Well it's not the EGR cooler that's leaking (or so they said). That's how much they want to change the head gaskets...
So i just paid the Stealer $525 for pressure testing my EGR cooler and telling me it's working fine... great news
I brought the truck home and looking for a Diesel tech.
Anyone else had this problem on an LMM? heads or gaskets???
Still looking for a diesel mechanic in Phoenix!
Thanks

How many hours to change head gaskets on a LMM?

And the price of the gasket set?
Just curious! May have to do my own someday...............:frankenst

How many hours to change head gaskets on a LMM?

And the price of the gasket set?
Just curious! May have to do my own someday...............:frankenst

easier/faster to just pull the engine IMO...

I didn't really ask details after they dropped the bomb on me, i'm guessing about 30 hours since they charge $119/hour...
They didn't even take it apart and start talking like it was the heads and needing to take to a machine shop, and i don't know what else...
What does IMO stand for?

I didn't really ask details after they dropped the bomb on me, i'm guessing about 30 hours since they charge $119/hour...
They didn't even take it apart and start talking like it was the heads and needing to take to a machine shop, and i don't know what else...
What does IMO stand for?

IMO=in my opinion

DURAtotheMAX, u mean just swap the engine for a new/used one?

He meant to pull the engine out to replace the gaskets is easier than leaving it in.

What about pulling the cab off the frame? If I recall right, one memeber said that could be done in 1.5 hours.........:confuzeld

I don't mean to be captain obvious here......but shouldn't you first verify where the coolant is going before you go yanking apart your engine? So the dealership thinks it's the heads, how do they know? Get an oil analysis done, it'll tell you for sure, even if it's not leaking into the bottom end only into the combustion chamber enough trace glycol will make it around the rings to show up in a test. One fellow was using tap water with his water/meth setup and the oil testing picked up the minerals in the water....it's that accurate.

I don't mean to be captain obvious here......but shouldn't you first verify where the coolant is going before you go yanking apart your engine? So the dealership thinks it's the heads, how do they know? Get an oil analysis done, it'll tell you for sure, even if it's not leaking into the bottom end only into the combustion chamber enough trace glycol will make it around the rings to show up in a test. One fellow was using tap water with his water/meth setup and the oil testing picked up the minerals in the water....it's that accurate.
X2

What about pulling the cab off the frame? If I recall right, one memeber said that could be done in 1.5 hours.........:confuzeld

Yeah there was a article in one of the diesel magizines on lifting the cab.

Where can i get an oil analysis? It doesn't look like there is any coolant in oil... maybe just not enough to see by plain sight... Last code before i took it to the stealer was: P0672 - glow plug #2 circ failure, i got a P2563 turbocharger boost control pos sensor circ range/perf on 5/24 and about two weeks prior.
I talked to a few people that have more experience with diesel engines and since it's not leaking through the EGR cooler, since i didn't see any coolant in OIL and no external leak there's only one other place it can go right? Exhaust gases smell very very toxic with that coolant...
I simply don't have the tools, ability and knowledge to do this on my own that's why i need to find a local diesel tech that can do it as a side job, or someone that does this out of his garage and doesn't charge Stealer prices.
Thanks for the input guys! And if you know someone that can help me out in Phoenix, please let me know.
Thanks again, will keep posting updates.

Well ther is stop leak, it might get you home!!!!!!!!!!!

There is a brand that is clear with copper in the bottom .

This stuff is good and does'nt stop up the rad.
you must drain anti freese.

Well ther is stop leak, it might get you home!!!!!!!!!!!

There is a brand that is clear with copper in the bottom .

This stuff is good and does'nt stop up the rad.
you must drain anti freese.

dont even think about putting stop leak in a duramax.....!!! Id rather drive it with a blown head gasket or leaking radiator than put stop leak in it.

Stop leak is good for fixing the cooling system in the beater 1982 chevy C10 that you just got for 400 bucks....not a brand new $45k+ duramax... ;)

JMO

ben

A buddy that drives a semi had the same problem and put stop leak in his tractor, (he was using 4-5 gal of coolant for 1000 miles, significantly less after stop leak added), drove it for another 6 months before he decided to take everything apart and check where exactly is the coolant going... it was the head gaskets, don't know exactly what year and make of his semi.

I had bad experience with stop leak in my 1990 Dodge Spirit... plugged it up completely...
So i didn't really wanted to try it in my truck.

A buddy that drives a semi had the same problem and put stop leak in his tractor, (he was using 4-5 gal of coolant for 1000 miles, significantly less after stop leak added), drove it for another 6 months before he decided to take everything apart and check where exactly is the coolant going... it was the head gaskets, don't know exactly what year and make of his semi.

I had bad experience with stop leak in my 1990 Dodge Spirit... plugged it up completely...
So i didn't really wanted to try it in my truck.

DO NOT try it no matter what anyone says. It's ****ing junk, and like Ben said it's meant for beater's, not expensive diesel engines.

This is odd cuz at about 175KM's my old beater 6.5 had a 1/8" hole in the rad. I did add two bottles of stop leak, did replace the water pump somewhere between then and now but as my sig shows this POS is still hauling down the street. My plan was to replace the rad but over time I'd forgotten about it till now! wow

Fire it in and trade it

Also i was getting a P003 code??? No description found by Edge Evo, unknown...

P003A?

Turbo vane position not learned. Can be caused by the programmer; can also be caused by bad vane position sensor and/or bad vane control solenoid. I just went through this with my 06.

So i found a diesel shop that gave me $3500-3800 parts and labor. Is it really a 35 hour job?

My friend own a shop called Bartling Enterprises. They are fair and should treat you right. There names are Kevin and Scott. I beleive there shop is in Gilbert bu close enough.

I googled it, it's actually in Queen Creek, that's way out of the way about an hour and a half from where i live (NW Phoenix, aka Peoria)
Thanks

I googled it, it's actually in Queen Creek, that's way out of the way about an hour and a half from where i live (NW Phoenix, aka Peoria)
Thanks


I'd at least give them a call. I'd drive an hour and half to save a few hundred $$'s if possible. Anyless than $200, probably wouldn't be worth the drive with gas and having to fill up with Antifreeze on the trip down. Good luck with the truck. Chris

I found a diesel mechanic close by, he works full time and also works at home on other peoples cars and trucks. He seemed knowledgeable and a nice guy so i'm hoping for the best. I'm taking the truck to him today.
Thanks

Let us know what he finds.:) Curious myself to say the least! Chris

Does Edge Evo Race clear the codes involved with the EGR deletion?
Or can it be programmed with EGR delete?

A quick update: The starter died (burned solenoid) due to partial hydro lock. After the starter rebuilt and egr cooler lines connected to each other (no coolant going through the cooler) and egr unplugged i'm still burning coolant... So it's either the injector cups or the head gaskets... Great! Just super...

A quick update: The starter died (burned solenoid) due to partial hydro lock. After the starter rebuilt and egr cooler lines connected to each other (no coolant going through the cooler) and egr unplugged i'm still burning coolant... So it's either the injector cups or the head gaskets... Great! Just super...

No injector cups on 2nd 3rd 4th or 5th eneration engines. Only on first gen engines (LB7). did the cooling system ever have excessive pressure, IE the upper rad hose hard as a rock?

No injector cups on 2nd 3rd 4th or 5th eneration engines. Only on first gen engines (LB7). did the cooling system ever have excessive pressure, IE the upper rad hose hard as a rock?

OK, I didn't know that... but than again there's a lot of other things that i don't know about my duramax...:(
I did have a lot of pressure in the cooling system on the last trip from dallas to phoenix when i started "loosing" coolant...

http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/garageimage.php?do=full&p=113658&d=1277190959

http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/garageimage.php?do=full&p=113657&d=1277190921http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/garageimage.php?do=full&p=113656&d=1277190905

http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/garageimage.php?do=full&p=113656&d=1277190905

http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/garageimage.php?do=full&p=113655&d=1277190891

nice! :eek:

Ive seen some pretty impressively EGR-clogged-up intakes, but yours takes the cake I think.

Clean it out and definitely put a blocker plate in.

ben

I finally got my truck back :D hopefully i'll be able to go another 200k miles without any major issues.
Thanks Gary, from Van chevrolet!

so it ended up being head gaskets?? How did the rest of the motor look?

it didn't look bad at all, also the heads checked out 100%

My starter died..., again. Not sure what the deal is but i did notice it was taking longer to start since i brought it home.
Also if i listen to the exhaust, i can hear a "breathing" sound. From a lower sound to a higher sound back and forth... (this sound was there before, for a while now; it seems that it breathes faster than a few months ago thou). Initially i thought it was from the climate being on, but i noticed it does it when it's off also. I don't know what to think of it, i'm pretty sure it didn't do it when it was new. Any thoughts?
Thanks

New starter installed, tried a few times and it just does a one time clicking noise, tried one more time and started right up. drove 2 miles to checker to get batteries checked. Both are fine. Noticed the coolant level below the line. It was above full before i left. I also noticed coolant on the dip stick, and when the dip stick is out on the "breath out" noise there is steam coming out the dip stick tube... WTF??? I just changed the head gaskets and thought it was ok. There was no coolant in oil before i took it in. It was going straight in the cylinders and out the exhaust.
Have to call them tomorrow and have it towed in and looked at.
What can it be at this point in time??? Gaskets not installed correctly or something???

intake gasket possibly if ur getting coolant in oil

intake gasket possibly if ur getting coolant in oil

Do you actually know anything about working on a duramax or are you just pulling random guesses out of your butt?

ben

Anyone else ever have this problem before? Any inputs are appreciated

Anyone else ever have this problem before? Any inputs are appreciated

The dealer might not have not installed the head gaskets correctly.

The reason its not the intake manifold gaskets is because this is a duramax. Its not a 1995 350 gasser. It is physically impossible for coolant to get into the intake because coolant doesnt run through the intake manifolds or intake manifold gaskets. FWIW, there are not even intake manifold gaskets on a duramax. They are sealed with RTV.

Im sorry to the other guy (rpickett) that I came off as sounding like an ass, but it really confuses things and doesnt help the original poster when people post "possible problems" that arent even related to the duramax in ANY way.

The ONLY WAY for coolant to get into the oil on a duramax is a failed oil cooler or a bad head gasket.

I would take it back to the dealer right away.

My own wild guess...I have a strong suspicion that they either installed the head gaskets upside down or on the wrong side. The duramax's do NOT use the same head gasket on each side. There are different head gaskets for the left and right side. If you put a "RH" gasket on the left side, you will get coolant in the oil, among other big problems.

hope that helps

Ben

I just talked to the dealer, no updates yet.
Thanks Ben!

After yet another starter put in they were able to get it started. The tech drove it home last night and back to dealer this morning. White smoke coming out the exhaust... I told them i smelled burned coolant after they "fixed" it. They are doing a compression check now...
when will it end??? when...? :(

It will end when you find a dealer that has a technician that actually knows WTF he is doing.

I finally got my truck back :D hopefully i'll be able to go another 200k miles without any major issues.
Thanks Gary, from Van chevrolet!
Is this the dealer it's at now and did Gary the DMax tech do the work? I would think he would get them on the right side and right side up. This is crazy; ther're more issues now than before the repair.

Mike S, do yourself a favor and ask questions before leaving a post like that without knowing all the facts.
JD4440: we are doing what we can to resolve his issue. There is more to the story that would clarify a lot on this thread. I'll keep you posted on the status, and trust me that I'm helping him out anyway possible with his truck.

So when will you here the info? I want to guess #2 is cracked.

So when will you here the info? I want to guess #2 is cracked.

#2 piston Cracked??? I hope not

They are doing everything they can. Truth be told, when i took it in it was partially disassembled, they were never able to test anything i just told them to change the head gaskets...
What happened after, or it there were other issues i have no clue...

Mike S, do yourself a favor and ask questions before leaving a post like that without knowing all the facts.
JD4440: we are doing what we can to resolve his issue. There is more to the story that would clarify a lot on this thread. I'll keep you posted on the status, and trust me that I'm helping him out anyway possible with his truck.

Are you a dealer technicion? I'm sorry if you are actually a knowledgeable one, but for the most part, the "technicions" that work at the dealerships around here are idiots. One "duramax specialist" from a dealership here told me that I was an idiot for using sealant on my injector cups...go figure that he said GM was stupid when I showed him where its called for in a TSB. :rolleyes:

Are you a dealer technicion? I'm sorry if you are actually a knowledgeable one, but for the most part, the "technicions" that work at the dealerships around here are idiots. One "duramax specialist" from a dealership here told me that I was an idiot for using sealant on my injector cups...go figure that he said GM was stupid when I showed him where its called for in a TSB. :rolleyes:

06-14-2010, 10:19 AM #1 (http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/showpost.php?p=3892305&postcount=1) NOYZMKR (http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/member.php?u=121965)
Diesel Enthusiast

Join Date: Jun 2010
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New to the site and here to help.
Hey what's up guys. My name is Gary and I just joined the site. Don't hate me that I drive a F250, at least it's a diesel right. I really joined to help anyone out. I'm a service advisor at Chevrolet dealer in Scottsdale, AZ. If you have any issues with your rigs let me know. Happy to help any way possible whether it's warranty, extended warranty, or non-warranty work. Keep in mind I don't work on them myself, so I may not be able to answer technical questions, but I will do my best to find the answer for you. I'm sure many of you have had bad experiences with dealer's, but I handle vehicles as if they're my own. If you need any help at all let me know.
Gary
__________________
2002 7.3 powerstroke (we all make bad decisions in life right!), 37" procomp xat's, airaid intake, 5" straight pipe, superchip tuner, just the basics. My dad drives a duramax-does that count?:D

Running it with the coolant bypassed around the EGR cooler could have damaged the cooler. Common problem on ford 6.0l when coolant flow is restricted to the egr cooler. I know its the exact same cooler, but similar design.

The cooler was only bypassed in the beginning of the testing, when we were trying to figure out where the coolant is going. After installing the new head gaskets cooler lines were connected back.
After some more testing since i took it back, coolant in cylinder #2... tiny pen point hole in the heads, the machine shop that tested it, missed it... I have no clue how since they "checked out 100%"
Dealer ordered new heads, should be installed by tomorrow afternoon.
If there's anymore problems after this, I may go insane...

If you do not go insane - you may go broke...

I read thru every one of the posts on this thread, as I understand it you paid the "works on the side" guy $3500 for the first set of repairs, now I am wondering how much the dealer is going to charge you? Are they still quoting the original $7,000 price? I hope - for your sake - I have missed something in the translation...

I have been weighing the cost/benefit/risk ration of doing a DPF delete and a basic tuner upgrade to my LMM, looking at the pics of your exhaust manifolds makes me question the risk of doing a DPF delete.

I find this whole thread a bit unnerving. I have heard it said that a boat is a hole in the water to pour money into... looks like the same applys to our beloved trucks. :(

Good luck to you.

No man, i payed the first guy 500 for testing and partially taking it apart; then this dealer quoted me 2600 with some ridiculous discounts, and i'm only paying half for the new heads so that's another 500. I wish they could've charged the machine shop for it all. After all it was their fault for not seeing that the heads were not ok. (i don't even know how the heck they came up with the heads checking out 100% ok...)
My total cost is around $4000... the only thing that sucks worst is that i use my truck to haul cars and i haven't worked for close to 2 months now...
If i was to advise anyone on do's and and don'ts after the warranty is gone of course:
-do an egr delete,
-do a dpf delete, and
-pvc reroute with a stock tune (efi live i guess it's the only one that can do both with keeping it stock out of what i read)
I hope this will help other people in making their decision with their trucks.

I got my truck back on friday, running good. I hope i'm not gonna have to change anything else for a while...

Are you gonna tell us what it was, or........

After some more testing since i took it back, coolant in cylinder #2... tiny pen point hole in the heads, the machine shop that tested it, missed it... I have no clue how since they "checked out 100%"
Dealer ordered new heads, should be installed by tomorrow afternoon.
If there's anymore problems after this, I may go insane.......
This is what was finally wrong with the truck from what i can gather from reading his replies

That's correct "Bobcat2002", tiny hole is the heads is what was allowing for coolant to fill #2 cyl... (new heads installed)
It seems to run good now, although when i program it it looks like there's quite a few more smoke than it used to be... I only put it in level 1 after driving a few days stock. I programmed it when it started to go into regen, i figured there's no point of dumping a bunch of diesel in the exhaust since there's nothing to clean.

What a nightmare.