Hey fellas. So fixed the radiator leak from the last post I had. The radiator had a small crack in it by the upper coolant hose. But I’m having more coolant leak, which seems to be coming from the valve cover / head area from one side of the block. I don’t think it’s a blown head gasket. Truck runs fines and doesn’t act weird. But the coolant seems to be running back from the driver side head area back onto the front of the transmission. It’s difficult to try to get an accurate picture. We checked the turbo coolant line and all was fine with no coolant in the valley. But could it be a bad valve cover gasket? Idk what else it could be?
Another issue with coolant.
- Thread starter Dm23
- Start date
Could be the coolant block-off plate on the right side of the rear engine cover. They are known to leak now and then.
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If I’m correct. The blocker plate is on the passenger side right? If so. It’s the driver side I’m referring to.
You may be right. It seems it may be the oil cooler. I didn’t know the oil cooler had coolant running through it. It seems to be leaking in the general area, yes. Wouldn’t a bad oil cooler tend to make the engine run hotter than normal if it was on its way out ? Or am I way off?
Sorry, missed the part about the drivers side. Like Ron said, the oil cooler is the likely suspect.
If the oil cooler is just leaking coolant to the outside, the engine would run just fine. The coolant comes in the front of the cooler from the water pump with and o-ring gasket, then exits the back into a 90° flange and into the rear engine cover with a couple gaskets. Any of those could be leaking, or the oil cooler cover itself.
You'll have to try and clean+dry it off, then pressurize the cooling system and look for leaks. You can drive the truck to get it under pressure, but I find it easier to use a cheap leak detector kit with a hand pump to pressurize it while cold, so I don't burn myself while looking for the leak.
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All good lol. I’m thinking about just replacing the entire cooler with these new L5P ones. I’m hoping this is the problem. Sounds like it is.
Please do not just throw parts at something, do proper diagnosis. It would suck to spend ~$350-$400 to find out that's entirely not your issue.
Being on the driver side the only things to leak coolant there is the oil cooler or head gasket (if it's not coming from the turbo coolant lines). The valve covers have zero sealing effect on coolant as they do not interface with the cooling system.
These are the driver side pictures.
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That doesn't look like coolant to me, that looks like oil. Which could easily be a valve cover gasket, turbo oil return, etc.
Should be easy to tell when you pressurize the cooling system. If it doesn't leak down or start dripping, then it's probably an oil or fuel leak.
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Should be easy to tell when you pressurize the cooling system. If it doesn't leak down or start dripping, then it's probably an oil or fuel leak.
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I hate to say this but some one as been there before.... you have oil leaking down the head. Maybe they had the valve cover off and didn't re-seal it properly when they put it back together?
Either way they took the bolt off the up-pipe to manifold for some reason and partially rounded it off.
Either way they took the bolt off the up-pipe to manifold for some reason and partially rounded it off.
I just noticed that. It was myself and my brother who did the cp3 conversion and new turbo about 3.5 years ago. I know we didn't take any valve covers off. Maybe its oil from the turbo? From what I remember, we took the up pipes off for more working room, and maybe its not coolant, maybe its fuel. I will clean the engine bay and underneath with some degreaser later on and go from there.
Pressure checked the system and there may be a leak. I may have to re check just to make sure. I was kind of in a rush. I have found where the oil is leaking from. The there is oil behind the turbo. So I’m thinking the return line gasket maybe bad, or we didn’t tighten it down enough.
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