Well, been looking over the truck the last week. Originally had, what I thought to be, a bad water pump. Looked to be leaking out weep hole due to coolant seeping along the timing cover below it. Replaced the pump and all was well for a couple days. After a 4hr trip I found a small coolant puddle. Started tracing it and found the source at front-middle of the head. Leaks down behind the fan housing and follows the timing cover under the water pump. 

Warmed up the truck and when I squeeze the upper radiator hose small bubbles emerge from the head in the area pictured. 

Will start tackling the head in the next couple weeks. Surprised it blew with arp studs in place at 135lbs...

Is this a common area for it to go and is there a water jacket behind there? Could the new pump have had anything to do with it? 

My first time ever having to do a head so I'm sure I'll have plenty questions along the way. 

Sure it was me?  (sarc) Should have honked, we go through there quite often. We went through Snowflake a fews mo's back, decided to go east on US60 instead of going up through Payson, over to Quemado? and then up to I40. just for a change of scenery.

10 hours ago, Royal Squire said:

What is capacity of lift straps?

Making fun of my fan belts?

2 hours ago, Blueox01 said:

Sure it was me?  (sarc) Should have honked, we go through there quite often. We went through Snowflake a fews mo's back, decided to go east on US60 instead of going up through Payson, over to Quemado? and then up to I40. just for a change of scenery.

 

That route also bypasses the Arizona port, Lol I use it quite often. Also due East of Quemado to Socorro to Roswell into Texas. No New Mexico scales at all that way. Some of the roads are on the slow side but that gets good fuel mileage How did you like the Salt River Canyon? Lots of tough pulls from the Phoenix area, no matter what route you take, the 60, 260 or I-17.

Edited May 2, 20213 yr by NIsaacs

37 minutes ago, NIsaacs said:

 

That route also bypasses the Arizona port, Lol I use it quite often. Also due East of Quemado to Socorro to Roswell into Texas. No New Mexico scales at all that way. Some of the roads are on the slow side but that gets good fuel mileage How did you like the Salt River Canyon? Lots of tough pulls from the Phoenix area, no matter what route you take, the 60, 260 or I-17.

 

37 minutes ago, NIsaacs said:

 

That route also bypasses the Arizona port, Lol I use it quite often. Also due East of Quemado to Socorro to Roswell into Texas. No New Mexico scales at all that way. Some of the roads are on the slow side but that gets good fuel mileage How did you like the Salt River Canyon? Lots of tough pulls from the Phoenix area, no matter what route you take, the 60, 260 or I-17.

Beautiful drive, been through there before, What's that area called north of Quemado with the Rock formation that you have to wind around, we stopped at that rest are on the N. Side for "Selfies" Wife's big on that.

8 hours ago, NIsaacs said:

 

 

Dang, you been busy, that's a lot of miles in 1.5 years. I saw you in Holbrook, AZ about a year ago towing a boat. Where is your head gasket leaking? I did mine at 258k, 6 years ago, 364k miles now. I used Fel-Pro and reused the oem bolts.

 

This quote from another thread,, may or may not apply.

 

http:// Posted April 17 On 4/16/2021 at 7:18 AM, Mopar1973Man said: Ok... Finally blown the head gasket.

 

NIsaacs said: I call that a leaking head gasket, not blown. Blown is a fire ring gone. I doubt your turbo had anything to do with the leak. High rpm/coolant pressure is more likely. Cummins designs the water pump for a 2500 rpm engine. Then Dodge pumps that up to 3100+, the head gasket fails on the right front corner. Note the area in pink on the picture, 4 cyl. but 6 is the same. That hole is the thermostat bypass port. That little narrow section of silicone bead fails. If the heater core is partially plugged and or the thermostat is closed, this location can get a lot of coolant pressure at high rpm. I lost mine racing a Ford gasser, he was empty, I was towing my empty flatbed gooseneck trailer up a long grade in 5th (6spd truck), wot for several miles. When I got to the top I could smell coolant. I don't do that anymore, Lol.

 

 

 

Your head gasket is missing a few holes.

That area is called the Narrows, and yes it is a nice drive. That lava flow is huge. The Bandera Volcano it came from has a huge crater. It is a national park and you can walk up the mountain and look at it. We did when we were younger, tough climb. 

1 hour ago, NIsaacs said:

That area is called the Narrows, and yes it is a nice drive. That lava flow is huge. The Bandera Volcano it came from has a huge crater. It is a national park and you can walk up the mountain and look at it. We did when we were younger, tough climb. 

"When we were younger" is the key statement.

Like last year I made the trip over to Mohave Valley AZ. Even with temps between 110 to 120F. No issues really. While down there I made a heat shield for the transmission and dropped transmission temps another 30 to 40 degrees even towing my 31 foot RV. 

 

Even when I last drove my truck last week it still started and ran fine just the driver side front of the gasket was only weeping engine oil. I didn't blow the compression seal nor was I mixing fluids. 

@Mopar1973Man, what type of heat shield for the trans? You have a 5speed same as I do, what are the trans temps like while towing? 

13 hours ago, Doubletrouble said:

@Mopar1973Man, what type of heat shield for the trans? You have a 5speed same as I do, what are the trans temps like while towing? 

 

Normal here at home I can tow about anything and stay around 180*F towing but about 140 to 150*F empty truck. This includes climbing 7% grades for 7 miles. Now as for Arizona I make a simple heat shield out of a piece of sheet metal and two 4 inch exhaust clamps. Just tucked it between the NV4500 and the 4 inch exhuast. In Arizona with 110 to 120*F daytime temps and climbing a 7% grade it was just getting up to 200*F my alarm on my ISSPro is set for 225*F. After adding the heat shield it dropped roughly 30 to 40*F off the trans temp. I was able to stay in 5th gear and leave the cruise set for 65 MPH and no issues. 

 

Remember with me running 245's tires and my final ratio is 3.69:1 it way cooler than running 235's or 265's tires. This made a huge impact on trans temps as well.

Edited May 4, 20213 yr by Mopar1973Man

19 hours ago, Doubletrouble said:

@Mopar1973Man, what type of heat shield for the trans? You have a 5speed same as I do, what are the trans temps like while towing? 

 Thanks for the pic! I see how that could make a difference.

On 5/1/2021 at 11:20 PM, Blueox01 said:

Original gasket? Mine leaking and not because of old coolant. If not original what brand?

 

100k, how many yrs? Is it the miles or the age? Never had a Cummins gasket leak, I know this is against the book, But I reused my head bolts 3-4 times, never a leak, when I did my restoration, bought new OEM bolts, Mahle Gasket 1 1/2 yrs 150K leaking like a sieve, going back to Cummins for the gasket, and ARP head studs this time. Had a u-joint fail, 12 east of Ellensburg,WA,e cost me mor than I want to admit, time down, lost revenue, motel, food. Decided to get my old FSO8406 remaned by Inland Truck, and rebuild rear diff. Had to pull the cab to get trans out. Puzzles apart hope I can get Humpty Dually back together right.

Can't say if it is the original gasket. I'm the 3rd owner and it still had stock head bolts when I got it 60k/5yrs ago, but 

Update : I let the truck sit for 5 days or so and then took it on a couple 80 mile round trips, one with a ton of gravel in the bed. At this point it has stopped leaking, at least to the ground. Radiator level appears to be full still, will check it in the morning again. Could be evaporating. Has me scratching my head since I definitely ran it harder the last few days.

I'm guessing it will leak again 

7 hours ago, CAMG3X said:

Can't say if it is the original gasket. I'm the 3rd owner and it still had stock head bolts when I got it 60k/5yrs ago, but 

Update : I let the truck sit for 5 days or so and then took it on a couple 80 mile round trips, one with a ton of gravel in the bed. At this point it has stopped leaking, at least to the ground. Radiator level appears to be full still, will check it in the morning again. Could be evaporating. Has me scratching my head since I definitely ran it harder the last few days.

I'm guessing it will leak again 

If it's a small leak that is only from low pressure 15-16psi and not from cylinder pressure, I've had good luck with using bars leak tablets. Put 3 in and see what happens, comes in the package of 6. I've driven some vehicles for 5-6 years like that and then sold them never had a problem. 

7 hours ago, CAMG3X said:

Can't say if it is the original gasket. I'm the 3rd owner and it still had stock head bolts when I got it 60k/5yrs ago, but 

Update : I let the truck sit for 5 days or so and then took it on a couple 80 mile round trips, one with a ton of gravel in the bed. At this point it has stopped leaking, at least to the ground. Radiator level appears to be full still, will check it in the morning again. Could be evaporating. Has me scratching my head since I definitely ran it harder the last few days.

I'm guessing it will leak again 

I drove mine for 20k miles with the leak before it finally had a drop hit the ground. The heat on the block evaporated it before it could the ground. But it was always moist at the leak. Mine failed right here a d it was the original gasket.

Edited May 6, 20213 yr by dripley

On 5/6/2021 at 5:39 AM, Dieselfuture said:

If it's a small leak that is only from low pressure 15-16psi and not from cylinder pressure, I've had good luck with using bars leak tablets. Put 3 in and see what happens, comes in the package of 6. I've driven some vehicles for 5-6 years like that and then sold them never had a problem. 

Is the bars leak safe on heater cores and radiators. I'll keep checking on mine, but seems to be not leaking currently. Need to clean it up again to be sure. 

On 5/6/2021 at 6:21 AM, dripley said:

I drove mine for 20k miles with the leak before it finally had a drop hit the ground. The heat on the block evaporated it before it could the ground. But it was always moist at the leak. Mine failed right here a d it was the original gasket.

Can see how that area is a weak point. Oddly mine looks to be coming from the front driver stud area, maybe from the nearest water jacket somehow. 

I happened to order new axle joints and ball joints before all this, so will probably attempt to get them out of the way first while the gasket is holding

13 hours ago, CAMG3X said:

Is the bars leak safe on heater cores and radiators. I'll keep checking on mine, but seems to be not leaking currently. Need to clean it up again to be sure. 

I used it on quite a few vehicles with no I'll effects, just don't over do it. Flush it out whey you fix the problem.

On 5/6/2021 at 12:39 PM, Dieselfuture said:

If it's a small leak that is only from low pressure 15-16psi and not from cylinder pressure, I've had good luck with using bars leak tablets. Put 3 in and see what happens, comes in the package of 6. I've driven some vehicles for 5-6 years like that and then sold them never had a problem. 

Here in the UK we call that Dog **it, not derogator by any means just a good description of what it looks, like here it used to be about 3 or 4 inch long and brown

Seems to have been replaced at my local parts place by K seal in a bottle ..... I mean in a bottle what next bring back Dog **it, Bars will work and last and be fine in heater cores

This is what I'm talking, I never used any other stuff. 

abouthttps://www.google.com/search?q=bars+leaks+tablets&oq=bars+leaks+tabl&aqs=chrome.1.69i57j0j0i22i30l3.7271j0j7&client=ms-android-google&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8

 

Well that didn't turn into a link, here is another

https://barsleaks.com/product/radiator-stop-leak-tablets-hdc/

 

Tablets were never sold in my local store, this is the place that you could buy a Spitfire prop from ( joking) store goes back to the 30's and they used to keep everything not so much now

 

Always sold Dog S

I saw no ill effects with mine and I did flush out the cooling system after the HG replacement.