COOLANT IN AIRBOX WHILE TOWING 5TH WHEEL : TRK TOOK A SH!$

[Fastshovelhead]

Good morning,
Just got notified that friends of my wife & I, just broke down with their 05 LLY in TN while Pulling there Toyhauler while heading North on their way back home.
Only thing I know @ this time was that they posted on FB that Truck took a Sh!t & coolant was found in the Air Box & have no Cab Heat & it's 37* outside.
I don't know much about the LLY, but I'm thinking Turbo.
Don"t have any other info.

Any thoughts on this ?

 

[08lmm72mm]

Headgaskets? Or a coolant line from the rad to the overflow tank let go.

 

[TheBac]

Cant make any assumptions without any info. Probably blew a coolant line, but who knows.....

 

[Fastshovelhead]

I'm waiting for them to call me.
They didn't say anything about blowing a coolant hose, that would be easy to see.
BUT I HAVEN'T SPOKEN TO HIM YET ?
Having coolant in the factory air box doesn't make sense.
I wasn't sure if the LLY turbo was coolant cooled.
But if it was, there would be a host of other issues he should be able to notice.
He's thinking EGR Cooler?

 

[juddski88]

I'm waiting for them to call me.
They didn't say anything about blowing a coolant hose, that would be easy to see.
BUT I HAVEN'T SPOKEN TO HIM YET ?
Having coolant in the factory air box doesn't make sense.
I wasn't sure if the LLY turbo was coolant cooled.
But if it was, there would be a host of other issues he should be able to notice.
He's thinking EGR Cooler?

They are cooled by coolant, however, it is a closed loop in the center section. My bet is that the coolant in the airbox is from the degas bottle overflow. The cause of the pressure in the system is what he'll have to diagnose, or pay someone to diagnose. MBS Diesel Performance is down that way and is well-versed in duramax repair and performance. Have him look them up.

 

[Fastshovelhead]

They are cooled by coolant, however, it is a closed loop in the center section. My bet is that the coolant in the airbox is from the degas bottle overflow. The cause of the pressure in the system is what he'll have to diagnose, or pay someone to diagnose. MBS Diesel Performance is down that way and is well-versed in duramax repair and performance. Have him look them up.

I hadn't thought about how close that vents to the air intake, but that could draw the coolant in.
They broke down this morning in Portland Tennessee.

 

[Fastshovelhead]

If they lost heat, then they must have lost a lot of coolant.
I'm not sure his power levels, but I explained to him this winter the importance of having the proper Gauges to monitor.
Especially while towing.

 

[Chevy1925]

Your buddy needs to give far more info. This is basically a wild goose chase

 

[2004LB7]

Empty any coolant from the intake. Double check all the hoses are intact. Refill the coolant with whatever clean water, snow, etc they can find. Continue on their way being careful and cautious until they can get to a shop that can diagnose what's going on. If it's building excessive pressure in the coolant then they may have to leave the cap loose to let the pressure out

 

[Fastshovelhead]

Your buddy needs to give far more info. This is basically a wild goose chase

Can't agree more.

Empty any coolant from the intake. Double check all the hoses are intact. Refill the coolant with whatever clean water, snow, etc they can find. Continue on their way being careful and cautious until they can get to a shop that can diagnose what's going on. If it's building excessive pressure in the coolant then they may have to leave the cap loose to let the pressure out

He just called.
When they headed North, a couple hundred miles into their trip he seen a message,
Low coolant.
Stopped at W-Mart & added a quart.
2 hours later
Low coolant message
topped tank off
tank was empty, coolant all over inner fender and down side of truck Air filter soaked
No heat

When he called,
I asked did you see anything from the exhaust?
No
Have you checked oil level?
It's good.
Did you notice any indication of moisture while checking it?
No
Has the truck been run this morning?
No
Is it cold?
Yes
I had him check the upper radiator hose to see if it was hard.
It is
Remove Expansion Tank Cover.
Removed & Pressure in hose was relieved
Any coolant in tank?
Looks to be 1/2 full @ seam.
That's where you want it cold.
Start the truck and see if it builds Pressure.
Nothing yet.

That's where where're at now.

 

[08lmm72mm]

If not hoses have blowing off or are leaking sounds like headgaskets.

 

[Fastshovelhead]

He had a FORD Guy telling him it's probably the EGR Cooler.
There 600 mile now from home,
I'm thinking Head gasket also.
I suggested keeping the cap vented & installing longer overflow hose towards the ground to keep the air filter dry, & LIMP home.

 

[2004LB7]

If the cap is loose to vent pressure it won't spray out the overflow hose

EGR leaks are much more common on the Fords so it makes sense that he would think that

 

[660catman]

Lost coolant, hard upper hose! Sounds like the classic example when my LML head gaskets went.
I saved a video of overflow tank bubbling with cap removed.


2013 Sierra SLE 2500HD Crew Cab

 

[Chevy1925]

Egr would smoke out the exhaust due to coolant ingestion into the engine or out the up pipe.

 

[Fastshovelhead]

He removed the O-ring from the Expansion Tank Cap, & is heading North again.

 

[08lmm72mm]

Sounds like a sucker for punishment lol

 

[Fastshovelhead]

Just received an update: They only have 120 miles before reaching Home this morning VS the 600 Yesterday.
Looks like there're going to make it in the next few hours !

 

[jlawles2]

I thought about the EGR also, but the location of the EGR is POST CAC (Intercooler) so to get coolant back UP the intake into the airbox would be quite a challenge.

Hard upper hose as mentioned is usually a good sign of head gaskets. Best of luck to him. Hopefully he makes it home and has no damage to the heads or block with the distance he has driven with a bad head gasket (lots of people drive with bad head gaskets for a long time with no damage).

 

[Fastshovelhead]

We'll have to wait & find out later.