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the truck is an early 2004 tow truck with 300 000 km,cust has flushed coolant but still comes back smelling burnt and today it started to overheat,I had one befor that looked like this but it was blowing white smoke so I know were to go with that truck,I was just wounder if leaking headgaskets could cause the same thing as well because this truck is not blowing white smoke?,the rad is clean and newer and the fan is working, just seeking advice

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I have a truck in my bay that is getting an EGR cooler, and that coolant smells like ass, but this thing was pumping alot of smoke too. Didnt really take notice to coolant smell on head gasket trucks, but maybe I just didnt take notice to it.

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Any idea what the numbers are on temps. for oil and coolant? How was it running when it "started to overheat"? Coolant spewing? Gage going into the red? Coolant low? Customer been dealing with this for awhile?

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I had one last week with a blown EGR cooler - coolant smelled burned. I didn't get the EOT/ECT deviation, because water would leak out faster than I could put it in.

 

I am, however, working an E-450 bus. Last year, the fleet manager comlained that he was constantly having ot add water to this unit. I never could duplicate, even after driving it the same distance they do in one day. Finally, I put an EGR cooler on to shut him up. Fast forward to this week, it comes back in with another 20,000 miles. Fleet manager says that the engine starts losing power after driving it for awhile. Turns out that the oil cooler is stopped up, and the EOT will shoot way up. The PCM goes into derate, and limits the power.

 

The coolant smells like feet. Unwashed feet. Unwashed feet wrapped in leathery, burnt bacon with honey mustard that has gone bad.

 

Actually, it smells and looks like Bars Leak.

 

But I cant prove that, and the fleet manager denies adding anything to the coolant except Ford Gold and distilled water.

 

So, it is getting an EGR cooler and an oil cooler, and a thorough rinse.

 

The other complaint on the truck - an oil leak. Coming from the left side rocker box.

 

I've got one full bay stacked with parts taken off the truck so far, and I can finally see the motor!!

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the truck is an early 2004 tow truck with 300 000 km,cust has flushed coolant but still comes back smelling burnt and today it started to overheat,I had one befor that looked like this but it was blowing white smoke so I know were to go with that truck,I was just wounder if leaking headgaskets could cause the same thing as well because this truck is not blowing white smoke?,the rad is clean and newer and the fan is working, just seeking advice

So this is a 2004 truck with a 2003 as I understand it. How is the water pump flow?
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ect is 230 eot 184,pulled the intake to degas hose and I have no

coolant flow,the truck runs good I just did not push it hard,can a pluged oil cooler cause no flow back to the degas?

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ect is 230 eot 184,

These numbers were taken in the bay, right? They are the opposite of what I would expect driving with an oil cooler problem.

 

pulled the intake to degas hose and I have no

coolant flow,the truck runs good I just did not push it hard,can a plugged oil cooler cause no flow back to the degas?

Good question, and I don't know the answer. I'd think there would not be a lot of flow in that hose normally.

 

 

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ect is 230 eot 184,pulled the intake to degas hose and I have no

coolant flow,the truck runs good I just did not push it hard,can a pluged oil cooler cause no flow back to the degas?

Well, I guess now would be a good time to upgrade to the 2004 and newer style water pump and front cover assembly, if the customer is willing to spend to coin. If not, throw a pump in it, and call it a day.
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I'd think that it wouldn't allow return flow. I'd think it won't feed the EGR cooler fast enough to make a noticeable return to the degas bottle, IMO.

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Anytime I want to know without a shadow of a doubt as to wether a water pump is working, I install a clear piece of hose in the heater supply line. Holy runon sentence Batman!

 

I get the clear reinforced hose from Home Depot or where ever and just hook it in line with a union and you'll see some mad flow thru there if the pump is doing it's job.

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  • 2 weeks later...

checked for flow at the heater core and found none,water pump was cracked so I replaced it and re road tested,now eot goes to 225 and ect was a 206,replaced oil cooler and leak tested egr cooler,no leak at the egr cooler,flushed and re road tested now the truck eot and ect are dead on and the cooling system does not build lots of pressure,thanks for the input

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I have wondered that as well. I did one retail last week but the customer wanted his old parts. Somebody must have a spare they can cut up for Pictures?

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When the coolant is nasty I have had good luck with the VC9 and water then drain, refill with VC9 and water, flush with the hose at the heater hose to flush heater core and hoses, and repeat untill clear. Drain all the water you can then fill with 1 gal of straight anti-freeze, then 50/50. Of course get rid of the restrictions. Also, I dont know if you guys heard about them but there are EGR cooler and Oil cooler delete kits.

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When the coolant is nasty I have had good luck with the VC9 and water then drain, refill with VC9 and water, flush with the hose at the heater hose to flush heater core and hoses, and repeat untill clear. Drain all the water you can then fill with 1 gal of straight anti-freeze, then 50/50.

Good deal. I do the same and it works well.

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Oil cooler delete kit... I'm sure there's a typo in there...

 

EGR delete kits? ermmm, I had assumed that we were both law abiding and professional... that we held the public trust....

 

These things are fitted to these engines as a matter of federal law and a requirement for lower exhaust emissions...

 

Any !?@#%! in a back alley shop can say "fuck yer grandkids, I'm loadin' my pockets"....

 

Are we to foresake our responsibilities as mature adults?

 

FWIW, I am not against modifying a seldom driven toy.... however, what use is having part of the motoring population pay the price for clean air while we assist others in screwing that air up?

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There is an oil cooler relocation kit I have seen in a couple of rags (One of which I don't read anymore due to the instruction "After you've installed the studs in your 6.0, wipe off the head gasket and reinstall it") but I have not really been able to find a great deal of information on it.

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I Googled "6.0L oil cooler relocation kit" which does bring back results but after following 5 links I have yet to find one actually listed. This is evidence that such a thing exists...

 

Though I don't agree with doing so, I can see why guys want to delete EGR valves and coolers but an oil cooler?

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Yes it is a oil cooler delete kit. Not a relocation kit. It takes the oil cooler element out and used stainless steal tubes inplace of it. So the top is still the same. It is like putting the new kit that ford has that just replaces the cooler and not the whole case with it. I guess this takes out the problem of the cooler getting clogged and restricting flow. I dont know how well it still picks up heat out of the oil but that is the theory behind it. As for the EGR cooler delete I was just saying these parts are out there. I am not saying the more exhasut emissions the better. But I can say that it cant be good when even a stock engine is melting out the coolers untill they burn antifreeze causing an increase of emissions. Then most people do not notice this and it continues to get worse untill the coolant is dripping or running out of the exhaust and enough white smoke to think you were at a dragstrip. Not to mention damaging the turbo and sometimes cracks the injector tips because water does not compress. Also I hear people saying they get better fuel mileage with the delete kit. This would meen they are burning less fossile fuels and burning it in a more efficient mannor. Im not saying it the answer but there is always someone out there trying to improve on what the "experts" already "perfected".

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I've been out of town all week with limited internet access, so I haven't checked in. I do have an old oil cooler and a bandsaw and will cut one as soon as my back will allow me to stand up straight.

 

Guys, take care of your bodies, especially your knees and back. I'm not shitting you, if I was wrenching right now I'd be out on sick leave.

 

 

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