Im still slowly working at getting my engine back together after a head gasket leak.
Throughout the process, I have made some interesting observations.
1. All four cylinders showed signs of water injestion
2. Exhaust manifold and turbo had coolant residue inside
3. EGR cooler was leaking

Based on that I realized that a head gasket leak and a EGR cooler leak can show the exact same symptoms.
I have no doubt that my head gasket was leaking. But im wondering what role the EGR cooler played.

My EGR valve was disabled/blocked by installing the Weeks101 intake elbow kit. This should have kept coolant from a leaky EGR cooler from getting into the exhaust. However, if the EGR valve has stuck slightly open coolant could leak into the exhaust.

My only symptoms of head gasket leak were:
1. Unexplainable, rapid loss of coolant
2. White smoke from exhaust
3. Tiny bubbles visible in coolant tank
The usual head gasket symptom of a quickly or over pressurized coolant tank was never present. In fact, when coolant was being lost is was not out of the coolant overflow tank. It was out of the exhaust.

I have no doubt that my head gasket was leaking. The evidence of that was clear when i pressurized the cooling system, removed the glow plugs, unplugged the injectors, cranked the engine over, and water came shooting out of the #2 glow plug hole.

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U.S. Army Retired