Coolant Leak Woes

racertracer · **Posted:** Fri Jun 08, 2012 12:35 am

naturist wrote:

So, @racertracer, of course I plan to do a flush on the cooling system. But why replace the radiator? It seems to be fine.

Just make absolutely sure that it's clean and that you have a good strong flow, same with the heater core.

racertracer · **Posted:** Fri Jun 08, 2012 7:40 am

naturist wrote:

The verdict is in: the head is cracked.

Oh, happy, happy, joy, joy. (Note the dull monotone in my typing.) Now to start buying the assorted parts required. Anybody got any recommendations of suppliers with fair prices? Places to avoid like the plague???

Naturist, were they able to see where the crack was located?

The reason why I ask is because another member experienced a loose freeze out plug on the cylinder head that was the cause of the leak and not a leaky head gasket, just wondering if this could be the constant cause of the issue with these heads. Could they check for that?

naturist · **Posted:** Fri Jun 08, 2012 9:30 am

@racertracer, I have not seen the head since it was taken off, though I did see it before it was cleaned up for the inspection. I also saw the top of the block and got a close look at where the leak was.

Remember, now, I wasn't losing coolant to the outside, or at least not enough to be sure, I was just getting lots of air blown into the cooling system.

The leakage was from cylinder #1. And while I could see coolant deposits around the coolant channel, there was no evidence of coolant crossing the ring into the cylinder.

By email, after the head got cleaned up, the mech told me that there was a big crack between two valves. He didn't say which two, but my guess is probably either two intake or two exhaust. Either way, I'd expect such a crack to soon lead to valve failure, if not dealt with in time. Glad we avoided THAT.

I have no reason to suspect a freeze plug had anything to do with it.

grywlfbg · **Posted:** Tue Jun 12, 2012 2:01 am

naturist wrote:

So, @racertracer, of course I plan to do a flush on the cooling system. But why replace the radiator? It seems to be fine.

Because most of us tried chemical fixes for leaking head gaskets (like KSeal) that left a bunch of junk in the coolant system. Both racer's mech and mine recommended replacing the rad due to lots of junk inside. What can I say, I got desperate and kept dumping in KSeal hoping for a miracle :oops:

I'll do some searches here but can you give me the Cliff's notes of how to test the fan clutch?

racertracer · **Posted:** Tue Jun 12, 2012 3:18 am

naturist wrote:

I'll do some searches here but can you give me the Cliff's notes of how to test the fan clutch?

I wouldn't bother, just replace it with a new HAYDEN clutch - Part # 2905, it works better than the OEM and activates at a lower temperature.

You're into it this much and it's cheap insurance for 45 dollars. http://www.rockauto.com.

I would take every precaution to eliminate this problem from ever happening again, as did mine, (I don't remember replacing my fan clutch)......I would even consider using the ARP studs.

geordi · **Posted:** Tue Jun 12, 2012 9:48 am

Arp head studs and the steel gasket are a must, I think those two things will solve a multitude of potential problems with this entire job. I hate TYY bolts from my VW TDI days. Cheap crap.

grywlfbg · **Posted:** Fri Jun 15, 2012 4:26 pm

racertracer wrote:

naturist wrote:

I'll do some searches here but can you give me the Cliff's notes of how to test the fan clutch?

I wouldn't bother, just replace it with a new HAYDEN clutch - Part # 2905, it works better than the OEM and activates at a lower temperature.

That was me asking the question, not naturist. My CRD is all buttoned up and working just fine. And I won't ever order anything from rockauto after the way they screwed me on my water pump rebuild. Will have to find the part somewhere else :mrgreen:

If my head or gasket fails again I'll use the studs but for now she's running great.

racertracer · **Posted:** Fri Jun 15, 2012 9:29 pm

Great.... good luck with it.

LMWatBullRun · **Posted:** Mon Jun 18, 2012 9:43 am

geordi wrote:

Arp head studs and the steel gasket are a must, I think those two things will solve a multitude of potential problems with this entire job. I hate TYY bolts from my VW TDI days. Cheap crap.

Did anyone ever get a source for the steel gasket?

naturist · **Posted:** Fri Jun 22, 2012 5:50 pm

Well, my little tractor is back on the road, some $3,400 later. Parts came to around $2000 of that, the rest labor. I had a non-dealer do the work, a shop that normally works primarily on MBs and BMWs. The guys there had never done a VM Motori engine, but were willing to do the job "by the book," and consult whoever they needed to. They also said that they saw no way to do the job in the 8-10 hours it was supposed to take without cutting way too many corners.

It's running great now, and with any luck should be good for the next 100,000 miles (I had them replace the timing belt, tensioners, water pump, and serpentine belt while they were at it, even though those had only 50,000 miles on 'em).

They also cleaned out the intake. When I asked 'em to do that, the guy looked at me with big eyes and said there was no way he'd put an engine back together all cruddy -- he figured it as part of the job already.

And yes, the head was cracked in at least two places that were obvious, between intake and exhaust valves.

racertracer · **Posted:** Fri Jun 22, 2012 6:55 pm

naturist wrote:

Well, my little tractor is back on the road, some $3,400 later. Parts came to around $2000 of that, the rest labor. I had a non-dealer do the work, a shop that normally works primarily on MBs and BMWs. The guys there had never done a VM Motori engine, but were willing to do the job "by the book," and consult whoever they needed to. They also said that they saw no way to do the job in the 8-10 hours it was supposed to take without cutting way too many corners.

It's running great now, and with any luck should be good for the next 100,000 miles (I had them replace the timing belt, tensioners, water pump, and serpentine belt while they were at it, even though those had only 50,000 miles on 'em).

They also cleaned out the intake. When I asked 'em to do that, the guy looked at me with big eyes and said there was no way he'd put an engine back together all cruddy -- he figured it as part of the job already.

And yes, the head was cracked in at least two places that were obvious, between intake and exhaust valves.

Congrats .... enjoy the ride.

Coolant Leak Woes

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