coolant leak and idk where.

[Bdsankey]

Oh and i for got to mention the reservoir still has pressure after like 2 days of sitting. And i was told thats a good thing because that points away from a head gasket also.

Before you do something rash, check the overflow tank cap and clean/replace it if needed. That might be all it is. But yeah, the guys are right -- it could very well be headgaskets.
Id also be wary of letting that shop work on my truck.

Like said above, replace the overflow tank cap and see if it persists. They are cheap enough making them an easy way to troubleshoot issues.

If you have pressure in the cooling system the next morning after parking the truck the night before you very VERY likely have a head gasket issue. Mine would do the same thing.

Ok. So when i am tore into this what should i do while i am in there? Goal is to have no more the 700hp. And the budget would be about 12k with a trans upgrade being part of that 12k

A built trans is going to run you ~$4500-$5000. If you are not doing the head gasket work yourself you will end up spending ~$4000 on that job with head studs. Honestly, you may be better served with sticking to 600-650hp as it is MUCH less of a risk on the stock bottom end. You're in connecting rod bending territory. The factory pistons won't be much of a problem at that level.

If you're going to do the head gasket job yourself make sure you buy good head gaskets (I like Victor Reinz Grade C Wave Stopper gaskets), buy ARP head studs, Mahle top end gasket set etc. The most critical is to send your heads to a reputable machine shop to ensure they are flat/not cracked as well as having them make sure all the valve guides are good. I know when I brought my heads to the machine shop with only ~150k miles on them it needed 26 guides, complete valve job, and they had to deck them flat which ended up around $900 all said and done.

 

[Bdsankey]

700hp, holy crap!!!!

Wouldn't twins make a more streetable truck?

700hp doesn't take a big turbo to do these days. Take a look at any of the big turbo builders drop in 66-68mm turbos. They will get you right into that power area with good drivability.

 

[turbovan]

If you're going to do the head gasket job yourself make sure you buy good head gaskets (I like Victor Reinz Grade C Wave Stopper gaskets),

You prefer those over GM OEM gaskets? Why?

700hp doesn't take a big turbo to do these days. Take a look at any of the big turbo builders drop in 66-68mm turbos. They will get you right into that power area with good drivability.

Good to know, thanks. :thumb:

 

[davig]

I have already replaced the cap. The truck is at a different shop one of the big name shops here in utah to get a second opinion on the hg. We will see what they say

 

[davig]

Shop 2 just called and said they whent threw it and dont see anything that would tell them bad hg or injector cups.

 

[RobsDmax]

Sounds like these shops are not big name diesel shops. Rock hard upper rad hose and pressure in system is probably 75% bad HGs. I don't know where you are taking them but if they are not diesel shops I would find a diesel shop.

 

[Bdsankey]

You prefer those over GM OEM gaskets? Why?



Good to know, thanks. :thumb:

OEM gaskets (LML) aren't as good in my opinion. The Victor Reinz gasket is extremely proven in many many builds at high horsepower and are extremely well made. The new GM gasket (LML style) isn't bad but there have been many mixed results with them in terms of staying sealed.

 

[juddski88]

OEM gaskets (LML) aren't as good in my opinion. The Victor Reinz gasket is extremely proven in many many builds at high horsepower and are extremely well made. The new GM gasket (LML style) isn't bad but there have been many mixed results with them in terms of staying sealed.

You realize that VR is the oem supplier of those lml gaskets, right? Dana Inc owns Mahle/clevite, and mahle owns/ brands as VR and makes the old style fully coated gaskets still... All it is is differing part #s with different specs, all manufactured in the same place by the same people.

 

[Bdsankey]

You realize that VR is the oem supplier of those lml gaskets, right? Dana Inc owns Mahle/clevite, and mahle owns/ brands as VR and makes the old style fully coated gaskets still... All it is is differing part #s with different specs, all manufactured in the same place by the same people.

The last set of LML gaskets I used were not the same as the victor reinz wave stoppers I had sitting on the bench for my build. That said, being made in the same plant by the same people doesn't automatically make them the same gasket unless the specs being manufactured to are the same.



For example, look at batteries. There are only a handful of battery manufacturers but yet they all perform differently and have different ratings but are made in the same factory by the same people.

 

[juddski88]

Yes I understand that, which is why I wrote the post. It is confusing to people to say "use Victor Reinz" or "don't use Victor Reinz" because they are all manufactured by VR. Specify part numbers of the gaskets, because there are a few options, that's all I'm saying.

 

[Bdsankey]

Yes I understand that, which is why I wrote the post. It is confusing to people to say "use Victor Reinz" or "don't use Victor Reinz" because they are all manufactured by VR. Specify part numbers of the gaskets, because there are a few options, that's all I'm saying.

Gotcha, now I understand what you were aiming for.


Left: Mahle 54598 (Link - Rockauto)
Right: Mahle 54597 (Link - Rockauto)

Use ARP studs, PN 230-4201

 

[NateW03]

Same issue. 11 LML

Okay I read through this thread and checked all the things I saw and none are the issue. My truck is loosing coolant but I have no idea why other then possible blown head-gasket, but with that being said my truck isn’t showing any sign of a blown head-gasket that I have seen y’all say are tell tell signs of it. Also it seems like the only time the add coolant message comes across is after I’ve been being a little firm on the throttle.

Also I had a Mishimoto radiator in the truck that failed recently and had the dealership replaced it with a stock one and check the water bump and it all came back as good after done.

Truck has K&N intake, 5” down pipe back exhaust, deleted, and a GDP selectable time switch and tunes. As far as I’m aware this is all the mods the truck has being as I bought it used with 89K miles. Truck has 117,548 now and just started doing this around 113000 miles.

 

[Kuzz]

Just took my truck to the shop with almost the same issues as yours. Turned out to be head gaskets. But if thats not it then it could also be ur injector cups. The only sign I had was a loss of coolant with no visible leak and my tank would stay pressurized over night.