Chasing a dream

You're loaded to about max gcwr in a tuned truck that already has an inadequate cooling system- it's gonna run hot. 225° isn't too hot for the duramax though. You need to plumb in an oil temp gauge and monitor it to keep oil temps under 245°. Would be more concerned with that than coolant temps.
 
CarolinaHD said:
You're loaded to about max gcwr in a tuned truck that already has an inadequate cooling system- it's gonna run hot. 225° isn't too hot for the duramax though. You need to plumb in an oil temp gauge and monitor it to keep oil temps under 245°. Would be more concerned with that than coolant temps.
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This.....just barely enough truck.
 
77GreenMachine said:
Wouldn’t I have a lot of pressure in the system if that were the case?
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77GreenMachine said:
Wouldn’t I have a lot of pressure in the system if that were the case?
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Not always. Get you a kit at the parts store(should be around $75) and it checks for gas in the coolant. I have tons of duramax that had no pressure signs but has exhaust gases. The fords usually just get the glove trick but does not work as good on the duramaxs.....
 
CarolinaHD said:
You're loaded to about max gcwr in a tuned truck that already has an inadequate cooling system- it's gonna run hot. 225° isn't too hot for the duramax though. You need to plumb in an oil temp gauge and monitor it to keep oil temps under 245°. Would be more concerned with that than coolant temps.
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I believe this is the sad truth. It is a touch over 32k. The truck seems to have the power to get it done, and I don’t have to be in a hurry but it just can’t keep cool. 225° doesn’t bother me, it’s just that I have to really baby it to keep it from going over that as it can and will exceed 225° quite easily, and the warmer it gets outside the harder it is to cool. The bad thing is I haven’t even got to hot weather and real grades yet.

Part of me is really hoping I change this radiator and find it’s got a bunch of crud in the bottom of it.

I saw where one guy plumbed in two 12”x12” coolers with fans into the heater hose with some valves and now pulls a 3 car wedge trailer in southern Nevada with no issues.
 
Maybe I asked this before, but how big of an oil cooler does it have on it? That is another way of bringing down the temps. If it is similar to our bucket truck, there is enough space under the hood to add more cooling capacity.
 
77GreenMachine said:
Wouldn’t I have a lot of pressure in the system if that were the case?
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Because you have a small hole in the radiator and pressure can escape there?
 
paradisePWoffrd said:
Maybe I asked this before, but how big of an oil cooler does it have on it? That is another way of bringing down the temps. If it is similar to our bucket truck, there is enough space under the hood to add more cooling capacity.
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paradisePWoffrd said:
Maybe I asked this before, but how big of an oil cooler does it have on it? That is another way of bringing down the temps. If it is similar to our bucket truck, there is enough space under the hood to add more cooling capacity.
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It’s the factory oil cooler on the side of the engine. It is not plumbed to the radiator. I considered buying the L5P cooler, but that would just add more strain on my cooling so I was wanting to get that situation better first.
 
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Ron said:
Because you have a small hole in the radiator and pressure can escape there?
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That would make sense, but why wouldn’t it leak all the time, and I need to add coolant. Not at all being argumentative, just working thru it all, as I don’t understand why this thing isn’t leaking at operational temp, only when I first start it and why I just drove 300 miles and it’s still not low on coolant, and I removed the cap when it was still running and it did have pressure.
 
77GreenMachine said:
That would make sense, but why wouldn’t it leak all the time, and I need to add coolant. Not at all being argumentative, just working thru it all, as I don’t understand why this thing isn’t leaking at operational temp, only when I first start it and why I just drove 300 miles and it’s still not low on coolant, and I removed the cap when it was still running and it did have pressure.
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I just spit balling. Everyone ITT is guessing and throwing shit against the wall because no one is properly troubleshooting in a strategic and systematic manner because adequate data isnt present...because you are mobile and not in a shop with proper equipment..

But, hypothetically it could be as simple as, until it heats up you don't have a HG leak. When you dont have a pressurized system liquid drips from the hole. Once hot a HG leak rears its head and pressurizes the cooling system. Depending where it is in the cooling circuit it could be an easy steam bypass escape. So when it is pressurized the air is escaping and effectively sealing (most) of the liquid...other than a minor amount passing as vapor which would only show up over an extended period.

This is precisely why I could never do what you are doing. The anxiety of worrying when it will suffer a catastrohpic failure and leave me and my family stranded and where we would be at that moment would consume me. In that way I admire your ability to push on.
 
I just replaced the thermostats and for curiosity I tested the 2 that came out. The 180° opened like it should, but the 185° stat does not open until 195° and it’s barely even open, opens kinda crooked. It did not fully open until the water was over 200°
 
77GreenMachine said:
I just replaced the thermostats and for curiosity I tested the 2 that came out. The 180° opened like it should, but the 185° stat does not open until 195° and it’s barely even open, opens kinda crooked. It did not fully open until the water was over 200°
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You may have found your issue right there.

I have a pin hole in a rad that wasn't a problem for ages outside of leaking a little coolant when parked for more than 2/3 days.

I vote "she'll be fine".
 
There's a hole in daddy's <radiator> where all the money goes...
 
That bum thermostat certainly couldn't have been helping. These things are finicky about thermostats. It's a helluva flow path on the cooling system!
 
Clearly this rig needs a cummings swap. J/K, hope you get it resolved, hate it for you but you have my respect for not wigging out over this. I'm a worry wart so would be total nervous wreck on top of all the other problems.
 
Next time you're around the triad, hit me up, and you can take a spin in my Pete and see if a semi is something you might be interested in. You might be surprised at how comfortable the ride is and your already used to driving that long wheelbase truck around.
 
YotaOnRocks said:
Next time you're around the triad, hit me up, and you can take a spin in my Pete and see if a semi is something you might be interested in. You might be surprised at how comfortable the ride is and your already used to driving that long wheelbase truck around.
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Its another level for sure. It reminded me of driving all those Custom Cab Firetrucks but shorter. And it brought back memories of moving tankers and open hopper trailers around Ingredion when I was making High Fructose Corn Syrup stuff. Was really blown away by those Mack trucks and the comfort. Made a decision based on that limited experience that truck drivers should get more respect when they do the job well and I AINT GONNA BE ONE! All the room in the world was great. Threading between lanes, stalls, and train cars? You can have that shit and all the traffic with it.
 
I'm telling you, Tru-Cool 40K Trans cooler in place of the stock cooler and trans will not heat up any of the other systems. It brought my 6.0 gasser with 4L80E down 30-40 degrees.
 
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