2012 DOdge ram 3500 6.7L head cracked? blown head gasket?

[Deafautotech]

hi  i am working at largest ford dealership in indiana, customer had bought a used 2012 dodge ram dually with 6.7L cummins as it already had EGR deleted and no catalyic convertor as it had straight pipe. it was traded in like that and new buyer had bought this truck. but the buyer had bought a century service contract.

 

the problem is he are ride it hard and towing hard... now he came in for no heat issue and found out coolant was push out of radiator to fill up the coolant reservior.  i did bled the coolant system and filled up to re-test, it would make heat but i has monitor the coolant funnel that it has keep bubbles out and coolant temperature gauge would go increase then decrease as varies. then bam there is cool blowing not heating blow..

 

i has research around the internet, there is many 6.7L cummins reports of failed head gaskets issues...

 

i am plan to do block tester to see if it has exhaust fume come out of radiator. i would like to see if anyone has suggest or advise so i can have proof what is problem and have independent warranty company inspecter to look at since the Buyer has bought extended service plan... Chrysler dealership across the street from me said it is void the warranty for all emission related missing and said it has cracked cylinder head and need head gasket...

 

i can do that works since i am former chrysler technician and cummins expert at closed chrysler dealership.

[MnTom]

Check for combustion gasses in the coolant, but that won't tell you much other than you have a leak. Your next bet would be to run a compression test to determine which cylinder is the problem and which one to concentrate on when you pull the head.

[mopartechnician]

There is actually a law that says the automaker has to be able to prove that the product caused the failure. They cannot just void your warranty just because you have a chip/emissions delete. I am a former cummins tech so I know how it all works. Now if the warranty is purchased with the delete, than it comes down to the aftermarket warranty company. They are a pain in the *** and wont aprove ****. Now as far as the head gasket, many things can cause it to go out. Doesnt always mean that it was abused but at the same time it was most likely hot rodded and over heated.

[Deafautotech]

I was told that it is aftermarket warranty company to figure out what to do after I has find out and report back what it will need to do. But I has not make estimate yet because need do few more tests before say it.

[Deafautotech]

I don't think I has correct compression adapter for. 6.7L since I own a 2002 5.9l and I has adapter for that older cummins diesel....

I would tell aftermarket company to have cylinder head check out by machine shop to make sure it is good or not. But need proof foray before tear it down .

[mopartechnician]

I do believe a common rail compression tester will work. Also get your coolant pressure tester and watch the needle. Also if it builds pressure past 25lbs than your pulling the head even if its just a head gasket

Edited March 18, 2014 by mopartechnician

[MnTom]

No matter what it rurns out to be the head needs to come off anyhow. Then you can see the extent of the damage.

[Deafautotech]

thank you for a advises. the block tester to see if it has exhaust gas in coolant- it had failed, so it has to pull the cylinder head out which I will do it at my work since Chrysler dealership had refused to do it as warranty because of all emission stuff had removed... the aftermarket warranty company refused to do since said the truck has powertrain warranty but both had denied the warranty claims.. so my work's used car dept has to pay for the works that I will do...

 

 I did research around and find more newer cummins has similar issues as I has, some of them has to put a O-rings on cylinder head, and ARP studs... my work had approvaled the ARP and will send the head to machine shop to test it to see if it is ok or not. if it is good, will do grooves on head for O-rings to fit in...  I am just want to do that to try not get it blow it again in future like other cummins forums members had did two or three times...

 

it has no chips or smarty. just EGR deleted, emission stuff removed.. it was happened before traded it in..  I am think that as  drive pressure may take too much for head gasket since new owner of truck use it as horse trailer and tow hard... so I just want to make it better for this engine to don't have that happen... 

 

I had part dept ordered the parts from schied diesel at Terre Haute, Indiana...

 

is the fuel injector tubes as one time use?? I knew the ford powerstrokes has used ONCE then dischard it if it get come off)

 

what do I miss something on parts??

[Deafautotech]

Update:

 

I did discuss (use video phone) with Schied Diesel shop in Terre Haute, Indiana. they had recommended me to just do studs and cummins head gaskets since they has been do that to newer cummins (2010 to 2013 6.7L) they said many of those came in as some of bolts had scretched or little loose than other bolts... they said customers of cummins had decided to go for ARPs studs and cummins head gaskets, they had reported back as no problems. some of customers decided to do either O-rings or fire-rings when they went for much more works like bigger turbo, injectors, and etc...

 

I told them it is customer that do towing a horse trailer a lot and it is stock as no high performance chips or anything except EGR deleted. they said just studs it and put it back together to ship out...

[MnTom]

That sounds like a good plan.

[Deafautotech]

update: I got it fixed and bled the air out of coolant system, it got heat quicker than before and driving around, it work pretty good but I am take it easy as need to do drive cycles to see what is going on... it was work normal so I returned to customer after it has been parked for month because fought around with Chrysler, century warranty (aftermarket warranty) and used car dept... it had ended up my work's used car dept ate the bills and had me to do it since nobody will do it at my work except me (former Chrysler tech/ cummins diesel tech)... I could get it done soon as I can but my work had stop me few times to do other works and had to stopped and wait for machine shop to return few items that it supposed to be came with cylinder head... oh well customer was glad to get it back and put that truck to working!!! I told customer take it easy as not gun it down the hill!

[silverhocummins]

Good thread.  As for Chrysler warranty...spit, cough.....  I have been a Dodge Cummins fan and am on my 3rd truck.  But I found Chrysler was brutal when it came to my brand new truck bleeding rust through the door under the paint.  Obviously a factory problem but they denied it from dealer to Chrysler.  I had to get a lawyer and then they fixed it.  I might never buy dodge again for that reason, well maybe not new. Just a side track re warranty issues.