7.3 power stroke cooling system woes

[93redzj]

So a few weeks back I was doing some work on the truck, noticed I was leaking antifreeze so I was going to add some to the system while I searched for this leak. That’s when I noticed some sludge in my coolant reservoir. I use the truck to pull a trailer 4 days a week for work so I’m my mind, taking it to a shop and letting them flush the system, find the leak and check to be sure nothing else was going on was a better/quicker option for me.

Three weeks later, about 12 flushes, new t-stat, water pump, coolant reservoir, oil cooler, and A leak fixed, pick the truck up on a Saturday only for it to be leaking at water pump.

Take truck back to shop, they now say there’s fuel in the coolant and that’s what caused the gasket to fail on water pump.

I’m not an expert but it seems a little quick if any fuel were present in the fresh coolant, for it to cause the water pump to leak as if no gasket were present to begin with??

IF there is fuel in coolant, would that be as a result of a leaking injector?

 

[Noel]

Definitely trying to pull one over on you for the fuel in the coolant causing a leak that quick. But if I recall that’s usually a sign of injector cups.

 

[Croatan_Kid]

Injector cups and/or o rings.

 

[93redzj]

Definitely trying to pull one over on you for the fuel in the coolant causing a leak that quick. But if I recall that’s usually a sign of injector cups.

That’s what I was thinking. Might just have them redo the water pump gasket since that’s under “warranty” for them to do at no charge and I’ll just get the truck back and finish up myself. At this rate I could have gotten all that work done in 3 weeks myself.

How much of a pain are the injectors to change?

 

[Croatan_Kid]

Pulling the injectors really isn't bad on those. They sell special brushes for the cup bores. I don't remember if those get sealed at the bottom with LocTite like LB7 cups or not. They do have 2 or 3 or 4 o rings on them though.

 

[93redzj]

Looks like I might just do this one myself. I’m really enjoying dumping money into this thing haha. Transmission over the summer, now this debacle with the coolant system, which has already pushed me into the 2k range for parts and labor

 

[RoosterRash]

Pulling the injectors really isn't bad on those. They sell special brushes for the cup bores. I don't remember if those get sealed at the bottom with LocTite like LB7 cups or not. They do have 2 or 3 or 4 o rings on them though.

Yes the injector cups get loctite
I have the riffraff diesel injector cup tool if you need to borrow one

 

[Croatan_Kid]

Looks like I might just do this one myself. I’m really enjoying dumping money into this thing haha. Transmission over the summer, now this debacle with the coolant system, which has already pushed me into the 2k range for parts and labor

Two grand? So you're 2, maybe 3 payments towards a new one It's all about perspective!

 

[93redzj]

Two grand? So you're 2, maybe 3 payments towards a new one It's all about perspective!

Haha oh believe me, I don’t want a $1k month truck payment, I’m glad I OWN this one and can, at least currently, afford to keep putting money into it, but dang when is enough, enough lol. Still, owning it and making repairs here and there is far more beneficial to me financially to buying a truck in this day and age.

 

[93redzj]

Yes the injector cups get loctite
I have the riffraff diesel injector cup tool if you need to borrow one

Hmm, excuse my ignorance here, what’s the injector cup tool for? I’ve only ever done injectors in a 89 XJ and 94 vette lol, so injectors for a diesel will be a new one for me

 

[RoosterRash]

The injector cups are pressed into the head and separate your injector from your coolant if an injector cup cracks you get fuel in your coolant. This is where the tool comes in you can pull your old cup out and press the new one in.
May not be your problem tho they should have seen the fuel in your coolant before they done all the flushes

 

[RoosterRash]

Riffraff diesel (strictly powerstroke company)is a good place to buy motorcraft parts and they got very detailed instructions to do things as well

 

[93redzj]

The injector cups are pressed into the head and separate your injector from your coolant if an injector cup cracks you get fuel in your coolant. This is where the tool comes in you can pull your old cup out and press the new one in.
May not be your problem tho they should have seen the fuel in your coolant before they done all the flushes

Ohhhh wait a minute, so I can press in new cups and not replace actual injector? Shop is thinking cracked cups on injectors

 

[RoosterRash]

Yes you can replace cups without replacing the injectors
You should be able to smell fuel in the coolant tank and actually see it floating on top if it’s been sitting for a while

 

[Croatan_Kid]

Ohhhh wait a minute, so I can press in new cups and not replace actual injector? Shop is thinking cracked cups on injectors

Yes. They're separate things and the injectors sit inside of the cups.

 

[93redzj]

I know we’ve “determined” the truck needs injector cups, but based on my experiences with this shop thus far, I was going to double check the coolant myself to see. Now when I picked truck up from them last Monday I drove it straight home, maybe 8 miles. Parked it and that’s where it has set until I’ve had time to mess with it.

Pop the hood to check coolant. Reservoir is bone dry. Disappointment #1, also note there was no signs of it leaking out on my driveway. So I pick up some coolant to top off and going to run the truck to see about any contamination in the system. As I’m topping it off, I notice the level keeps dropping as if it’s going somewhere. Check under the truck, it’s pouring out as quick as I’m putting it in. Come to find out it’s leaking from thermostat. Yet another part the shop had replaced.
The lesson here boys and girls, don’t be lazy and take your truck to a shop when you’re fully capable of doing the work yourself, cus you might just end up doing it all after them anyways. Plus you will have spent so hard earned dollas in the process