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  #1  
Old 01-27-2009, 10:42 AM
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Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Do I have a cracked block? not a Benz

I have an 83 Dodge D50 with a 2.3L diesel. It is in excellant shape and I want to repair it, I am just wondering if I have a cracked block.

It started with a coolant leak, and the engine overheated a few times. It never went off the temp gauge, it just went to the top of the guage, but not into the red. I haven't fixed the leak, but I have driven it a few times and just kept it topped up. It just seems to use coolant really quick. I don't see any obvious coolant leak, but there is some leaking on the driveway. Of course it could be leaking as I drive.

It starts and drives fine, with no obvious smoke.

I am taking it into the shop. Are there tests that can be done to check for a cracked block before I throw a lot of money at it?

Thanks

Peter

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  #2  
Old 01-27-2009, 11:17 AM
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Could also be a blown head gasket, but I don't know if that is characteristic of diesel engines..

Check for oil in the coolant reservoir or the radiator.
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  #3  
Old 01-27-2009, 11:29 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by G-Benz View Post
Could also be a blown head gasket, but I don't know if that is characteristic of diesel engines.. ... Check for oil in the coolant reservoir or the radiator.
I'm not sure if a gasser-cracked block would appear the same as a diesel-cracked block, but I'd be concerned about coolant in the oil...look at the dipstick and see if there's a "foam" on the stick...then see if the PCV valves (or whatever a diesel's crankcase ventilation recycling system uses) shows the same style of "foamy deposits" in its pathways...that's how a technician showed me that he could tell if the block had major issues...

That, and the fact that the engine was drinking oil at the rate of 1 quart/100 miles!

Now, G-Benz might have it right with the blown-gasket too...I've had that in the past (but again, on a gasser only) and that was very similiar in the respects of having to add coolant all the time. What was happening was the coolant was getting sucked into the #1 and #3 cylinders, and getting blown right out the exhaust...now with 2 cylinders pulling and pushing coolant through themselves, I was making a fair amount of steam and the side bar to this was the exhaust had a "sweet smell" to it...that was the glycol...steamed antifreeze being sprayed at those following too close to me...

Stick your nose down by the tailpipe and sniff for "sweetness" and that could be a clue that you MAY only have a blown gasket...

Good Luck with the diagnosis...let us know what you find out...
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Old 01-27-2009, 11:32 AM
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Rusty freeze out plug will lose coolant too.
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Old 01-27-2009, 11:39 AM
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Mistel, check out these forums. I was looking at one of these trucks once, and this site had a lot of good info, as I recall.

http://www.4x4wire.com/forums/postlist.php?Cat=&Board=mitsudiesels
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  #6  
Old 01-27-2009, 12:50 PM
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You can have your cooling system checked with a pressure tester through the radiator cap. Most radiator shops can do this.

A rusted out freeze plug is more likely than a cracked block, but only a pressure test could tell for sure.

In the past the sure sign of a blown head gasket was LOTS of white smoke pouring from the tailpipe (coolient being sucked into the cylinder and coming out as steam), but now it is common for cylinder pressure to leak into the cooling system and all you get is an increase in cooling system pressure.

It could also be that the bottom of your radiator needs to be cleaned out. Is the bottom hose of you radiator sucking down when the engine gets hot? If so your radiator is full of sludge that has settled into the bottom.
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Old 01-27-2009, 04:03 PM
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Thanks

Looks good so far, as I do not see any oil in the coolant, and the dipstick looks good as well, no foam just oil.

Truth is I run it on WVO so I have a mess of hoses added to the coolant system so I will have to make sure they are all tight. I do have other problems, a leaking seal on the front of the injector pump so it leaks oil and fuel when it gets hot. I don't want to throw good money after bad. I will get the garage to test for a cracked block, but I do suspect the head gasket may be leaking.

Nice Forum! (the 4x4 one) Thanks for the link
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  #8  
Old 01-27-2009, 06:44 PM
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i'd have them pressurize the system and go from there.

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