[Reno Classic]

Recently I've been having to add coolant to the recovery tank, about a 1/4" per day, so I pulled the passenger side fender liner and observed leak evidence on the front and rear lower corners of the passenger side head just below cylinders #1 & #7. I've been reading every post I can find regarding coolant leaks and will inspect and replace the three turbo coolant supply & return hoses located above hoping that the leak is just dropping down to the lowest points on the head. Truck is stock with the exception of a Kennedy lift pump, only 118k miles, what many would most likely call a "grandpa truck." No bubbles in the recovery tank at idle and the upper radiator hose is soft when the engine is cold. For those of you with experience with blown head gaskets are the attached photo's indicative of a typical head gasket leak or is it more typical of a leak coming from one of the smaller hoses above?

 

[aaro9991]

I haven’t had any experience with head gasket leaks (just an outright blown head gasket in a Cummins) but could that be from the valve cover gasket?


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[Reno Classic]

aaro9991, I appreciate your reply however using the "taste test" it's definitely antifreeze. I really hope it's not head gaskets as I'm retired and would have to consider doing it myself or finding someone locally to assist. With so many experienced members online I'm hoping I can get more replies. Thanks for offering your opinion.

 

[aaro9991]

That’s a bummer, Worth a shot. Is this an early or late LBZ? Does the upper rad hose feel hard if you check it in the morning AND after you ran it decently hard the night before? I know it’s soft if you check but did you run it the night before fairly hard? Any type of smoke other than the usual haze that all LBZs have (that are deleted, that is). Any power loss?


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[aaro9991]

And the reason I ask about early or late LBZ is that the later ones have grade c gaskets from the factory which are thicker that what the LLY and LB7 trucks had.


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[Reno Classic]

Build date is Jan/06 so could very well have the earlier gaskets. The only time this truck has been worked hard is pulling my 30' Airstream through the Sierra's but I never checked the upper after a good workout. Will be pulling the trailer next week so will be sure to check that. No other power or smoke issues that I've noticed. No codes, 100% stock, has been a great truck since day one.

 

[thunder550]

I can't recall ever seeing a head gasket leak present in this fashion, i.e. an external coolant leak. Not that it can't happen or hasn't happened, but I don't remember seeing it. Especially in two different places.

With having it leaking front and back, and you not having a hard hose, I'd say it's more likely that is coming from somewhere else. Several coolant hoses and pipes on top of the engine to check.

 

[aaro9991]

Yeah if you aren’t experiencing any type of smoke or loss of power I don’t think your gaskets are toast. Being that these leaks are on the passenger side and your EGR is intact, it could be leaking from the EGR as well


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[Reno Classic]

Thanks guys, that's encouraging news, I really appreciate the feedback. At this point I'm going to clean the areas with brake cleaner and do a pressure test. I've ordered the small 90* coolant hoses that feed the turbo and will dig down on the topside to inspect all hoses/connections. Looks like I'll have to remove the EGR cooler just to get access to the one turbo supply hose. Being a smog state I don't have the options many others have available. Fortunately I think I've caught this early as I think its only been leaking within the last two thousand miles or so.

 

[aaro9991]

Yeah a pressure test will make things known for sure! And I have no idea about EGR cleaning but if you’re gonna take it out, definitely try to clean that as much as possible. I lost a motor due to an EGR so definitely look into cleaning it or doing something with it!


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[testdrive]

Have you thought about using a leak such as Bars Leak? Your coolant is leaking to the outside and not into the cylinder. Think I would use the cheap standard stuff.
Make sure to follow the instructions.

 

[Reno Classic]

Have you thought about using a leak such as Bars Leak? Your coolant is leaking to the outside and not into the cylinder. Think I would use the cheap standard stuff.
Make sure to follow the instructions.

Thanks for the input but I'm a little leery about using a stop leak product for fear of causing problems in other areas. I have come across one or two other posts that seem to indicate head gaskets can have external leaks, I just can't confirm if in those cases they leak at the front and rear corners of the head like what appears to be happening here.

 

[aaro9991]

Yeah I wouldn’t put any of that stuff in it either. But I really can’t see how you could have gasket problems like that with no other sort of loss of power, smoke, etc. I really think it’s something near those areas that’s leaking


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