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Head gasket leak/compression loss

ak diesel driver said:
check your fuses?
Click to expand...


Acesneights1 said:
I think there may be a fuse for the FSO too. Can't remember for sure.. ...
Click to expand...


Well Kenny and Les called it..... truck is running again, there is a FSO fuse in the under hood fusebox....I can't believe that I didn't think of the obvious (the friggin fuse) and went and pulled the plunger out of the FSOS.

Kenny, I had another one around here also, but THANKS for the offer to ship yours out Brother!
 
Hacked up plug

Here is the shoe makers previous attempt at some sort of a repair to the FSOS plug and harness.......

If you look to the right of the weatherpack you can see the spliced wire that is bypassing the plug, wrapped in tape with exposed bare wire.



FSOS Hacked up plug.jpg
 
Been driving "locally" for the last week or so.......BUT, the rad cap on the overflow tank is only closed to the "first" click, so it's not closed fully, thus letting the compression/air out.

With that said, no overheating, no coolant from the Overflow tank/hose, and no big temp swings......everything seems "relatively" normal.

It's been about 85* here, driving with a light foot and even with A/C on the highest temps I've seen are 200*-210*. When it starts to climb to 200* I shut the A/C off and she'll cool right down to 180*-190*. (Even with a car on the hook)

QUESTION: How long can I run this way?.......and am I doing any damage?
 
Forgot:.......I'm running with my original OEM fan clutch and the 1996 6 blade fan. So the "air movement" is minimal at best.


BTW....I did try the GM cooling tabs, but they didn't do much......At idle, the truck would spit out coolant from the overflow tank/hose.
 
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As long as the coolant isn't getting into the oil it's not too bad to drive it. We had a Mack once with a compression leak but it was external and the guy ran it way too long and it burned a hole so I would not let it go too long. You still thinking about HG's ? Last we talked you were considering a Ted's . If going that route run it as long as you want.
 
I'd still like to do HG's......with ARP studs and run it as long as it lasts.....Can't find anyone competent to do that, let alone swap a motor.

I'd like to also check rings and compression to make sure I'm not throwing good money in the trash.......Blowby here!

Still need to find my way out to you, if your still willing.....right now dealing with PowerStroke issues.....Can't have both rigs down at the same time.
 
Hey Louis sorry to hear you are having troubles, you have some good buds up your way from the TTS & 6.5 Posse :) figure out a weekend like did for Justin last year and have a gearhead weekend, in mean time check this out a site ww.rxauto.com stuff called Therma gasket I know a couple of folks it's worked for to buy them some time until they could fit in a mechanical fix.
 
I had seepage out the back of driver's side head a year ago, no coolant in oil or combustion in coolant problems and I put in the GM tabs and drove it a year no problems. It was my daily driver at the time and I was about as down as you seem to be. Now it is not my daily driver any more so the pressure is off me. It is sitting around a lot now and I took it out the other daily on the highway and when I stopped I smelt antifreeze, looked under and the water pump is leaking like crazy and also dripping out the back like before when HG was leaking. I put some more tabs in and drove it a mile or so and check it NO leaks (Got me home which was about 50 kilometers). I think the GM tabs are magic. I am 2 days into doing the HG and water pump. I feel for ya man.
 
I "think" the GM coolant tabs "might" be working......So far, (knock on wood) there has been no "BIG" pressure (ie.coolant coming out from the overflow hose on the coolant tank) and the cap has been closed fully.
I'm still light on the go pedal, but in the 80*+ heat with the A/C on,.... the highest temps I've seen are a sKunts hair past the 210* mark, and thats only at idle, in traffic, standing still. Normal driving and she's at 185-190*........

I might even try to put another round of Tabs in the coolant system for good measure maybe it'll get me through the summer)......Do you think adding more tabs would do any harm/overkill/waste of money, or just ride it like it is, till I see something wrong?

BTW, Haven't seen the ghost either....
 
Can a Moderator please change the title to this thread to something like: Headgasket/Compression leak?

Or whatever you think applies....


Just a thought......Water jacket doesn't seem like the right description, eh?
 
Louis,

If you decide you want to do the headgaskets at some point let me know. Perhaps if you can get the truck to my place in southern CT and we can get a few more local members to help we could probably have the headgaskets/studs done in one day if you bring all the parts/gaskets with you.

If it were my truck i'd change lower intake, upper intake, water crossover, and valve cover gaskets as well as the headgaskets. Get the Fel-Pro Perma-torque(blue stripe) gaskets.

Also probably wouldn't be a bad idea to put new t-stats in if your stuck closed once already(the GM ones are supposed to fail in the open position, mine did.).
 
Those tabs are "magic" if they are working you could probably limp through the summer if you aren't pulling and keep off the go pedal. I would carry the necessities to do the "tabs" on the road, I did and it got me home about 50 kms. Plan to do the job though and with an offer like daves I would trailer it there!!!:D:D:D
 
Acesneights1 said:
Got air Dave ? Your place is alot closer for Louis than mine, if possible maybe I can make it down.
Click to expand...

air as in compressor? ~80-90 gallons at 150 psi work? The compressor is slow in it's old age(all original save for the oil and from the '40s or '50s) but it gets there.... eventually anyways. :hihi:

Takes about 15 minutes to fill the tank from completely empty but it'll run air tools all day long without complaining.
 
Dave, Thanks for the offer and if your serious, I will get truck, parts, and whatever else needed down to you.....I'm a little shorthanded at the moment, but let me get things to a normal scheduled routine and I can either drive or Bed the rig to you. I just fired my driver, so things are a little "tough" at the moment.

So your closer to the City than Kenny is?

We'll definatley talk more and see when scheduling is not conflicting with anyone's previous commitments or life.
 
I'm serious Louis. I know how it is to be "down on your luck" with your truck(s). Both mine are out of commission right now, and have been for a bit. Really miss driving them. The K-5s rear main is leaking all over the flywheel, which can nuke the brand new clutch. The 96 needs batteries, rear brakes, and tires all the way around before she's 100% road worthy again. I just don't' have the money to get both done, so one sits and waits it's turn.

I'll do what i can to help you. Just give me enough notice so i can make sure to get time off from work. They need at least 2 weeks notice, but they let that slide sometimes. We lost 2 people so far this week. A 3rd is leaving at the end of July, and a 4th is putting in her 2 weeks this Friday. It's hectic here to say the least.

I'm a lot closer to the city than Kenny is. I'm on the opposite side of the state, basically diagonal from Kenny. Kenny's right next to Mass. It's close to 2 hours for me to go from my place to Kenny's, and that's with traffic. Without lots of traffic it's about 1 hr 45 min.

If you want to you can PM me a phone number i can reach you at and i'll send you mine. That way we can work things out. My work schedule varies from week to week, but i'm sure we can work out a day we can get this done on.
 
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