Coolant loss after overheat

Sicksoh · Jun 23, 2013

Hey everyone have a question. 2006 f350 deleted and studded. We were pulling our fiver home a few weeks ago and lost the tensioner which lead to the belt. So we started to overheat only went just far enough to find a safe place to stop, which was maybe another mile. Got a ride to the local ford picked up a tensioner and belt and fixed it in the parking lot added coolant and carried on. Now I notice that after we are done pulling our fiver again there is definately less coolant in the degas. Did I blow my headgaskets even with the studs? I notice no white smoke and oil is still good not milky. No drips no leaks where else can it go. We are pulling 15k. Thanks everyone

Sicksoh · Jun 24, 2013

Ya checked again coolant low again. Is it possible that I lost that much coolant in the overheat, that I am just working out the air now. I have put 2 gallons in now and need to add more. I checked and can't find any leaks.

ghohouston · Jun 24, 2013

these trucks hold around 5 gallons of coolant total fyi, i would keep checking the oil though, is it overfull at all? any white smoke in the exhaust?

Sicksoh · Jun 24, 2013

Nope oil is good still spot on and not milky and no noticeable white smoke.

Gary · Jun 25, 2013

I'd put a pressure gauge on the cooling system and see what kind of pressure its building before you condemn the head-gaskets.

Sicksoh · Jun 25, 2013

What kind of pressure should I normally see?

Gary · Jun 26, 2013

I typically see 5PSI on a good engine, the radiator cap will whistle at 15PSI, so if it builds 10+PSI after a few minutes I'd say you have a problem.

TXGLASSMAN · Jun 26, 2013

it could have also just ate the much coolant when it over heated, due to the tensioner and the belt.

Sicksoh · Jun 26, 2013

TXGLASSMAN said:
it could have also just ate the much coolant when it over heated, due to the tensioner and the belt.

This is what I am hoping lol. As for the pressure are those pressures just idling or under load?

ghohouston · Jun 29, 2013

I could be wrong here, but I thought anything under 15-16 ish psi with a pressure gauge t'eed into one of the resovoir lines was acceptable. I mean from personal experience, having done this, ive had trucks losing coolant due to a blown egr cooler, and bossman told me to put on a gauge and see what kind of pressure we were getting, and was always around 14-15 ish

Gary · Jun 30, 2013

I've ran a pressure gauge on a few 6.0's, on a healthy engine its about 5psi, if its not 5psi then its 15ish and it had a problem, thats the way I've seen it over the years.

Sicksoh · Jun 30, 2013

Thanks I guys I will try to get a pressure gauge on it and check things out. I threw some more coolant in but have t drive it yet to see if it stays where it's at. Still hoping I just boiled over that much.

TXGLASSMAN · Jun 30, 2013

Any update on this? Do you have more issues than just being low on coolant?

Sicksoh · Jun 30, 2013

Nope not yet I had just put more coolant in but haven't had a chance to drive the truck yet. Other then that everything is working great still lots of power no white smoke.

Sicksoh · Jul 4, 2013

Well I haven't had a chance to put a gauge on it but didn't lose any coolant on my last drive but I was not hooked to a trailer either. So keeping my fingers crossed that I had just lost that much coolant. If I lose more I will put a gauge on it.