Fixing the Truck to Death – time to cut my losses?

[PlatonicSolid]

The pride of accomplishment deserves a photo. Loosened the "P" clip nut blind, laying on top of the engine bay. Removed it from underneath with 2 feet of socket extensions ending in a flex shaft. The plastic tube isn't held in place with anything.

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[PlatonicSolid]

Dang, I thought I was at the finish line, but the return line from Linestogo doesn't fit. interferes with brake booster vacuum connection in manifold. It's 0.6 inches too long.

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[Scooterwrench]

Can you plug the hole in the Man. and find another place for the booster hose?

 

[PlatonicSolid]

Linestogo initial response was: “Yes, we know the ends are longer than OEM, but no one else has complained about this particular vehicle set. Looks like it might fit once you get it in.” They are passing the issue on to Engineering and will get back to me.

I have time to do this project now and the weather is getting too cold to be playing outside so I decided to see if I could make it work and I did. Installed a shorter brake booster vacuum elbow and Dremeled the corner. I was tempted to go down one more revolution with the elbow, but was getting nervous that it might snap off in the manifold.

If I knew then what I know now I would have left the old flex lines alone. Both the feed and return line TB ends are too long. There is a slight interference on the feed line between the crimp and the throttle cable bracket bolt.

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

The O.D. of the braided part of both lines is the same at 0.45 inch. O.D. of original braided lines: 0.41 Feed, 0.35 Return. Thickness difference makes using original retainers difficult. The new thicker Linestogo flex lines are also less flexible which limits routing options.

 

[PlatonicSolid]

Linestogo can't make fuel lines that will fit better, but are refunding me for the flexlines.

I replaced EGR and MAP knowing it wouldn't solve anything. Also removed thermostat so I could get coolant flowing since I can't keep it running long enough to get hot enough to open it. This made a huge difference in the exhaust. Now there's lots of white smoke, which must be head gasket. Here's a video (LINK). It runs so consistently bad that I didn't even notice till after the video that I had knocked #2 plug cable off - reconnecting it made little difference.

So this truck is now officially a toy that I'll play with when I feel like it, and now that it's cold out, I don't feel like breaking exhaust manifold bolts and pulling 65 lb. heads, thus went out and purchased a 2013 Chevy 2500 HD XC long bed WT with 42k miles on it.

 

[Scooterwrench]

Drain the coolant and run the engine for a couple minutes before you mothball it to dry the cylinders.

 

[Schurkey]

The truck had exhaust smoke/steam when the engine had a failed thermostat and wouldn't get up to proper temperature.

Now the thermostat is removed, the engine isn't getting up to temp...and the smoke/steam is back.

Sense a pattern?

Put the thermostat back in.

 

[PlatonicSolid]

The truck had exhaust smoke/steam when the engine had a failed thermostat and wouldn't get up to proper temperature.

Now the thermostat is removed, the engine isn't getting up to temp...and the smoke/steam is back.

Sense a pattern?

Put the thermostat back in.

I don't think there is/was anything wrong with the thermostat. I can't keep it running long enough to get up to temperature with or without the thermostat.

The sequence of events WRT smoke/steam:
• Noticed heavy exhaust smoke/steam (thermostat IN). Assumed head gasket even though compression test was fine.
• Purged all coolant and replaced with distilled water. Ran Steel Seal through system in hopes of a successful band-aid repair. (thermostat still IN). Ran engine for two 40 minute cycles and the smoke/steam stopped. At that time I could keep it running by tying the throttle a bit high. (That doesn’t work anymore.)
• Drained water/Steel Seal out of radiator knowing the engine is still filled with only water/Steel Seal mixture.
• Filled radiator with 100% undiluted antifreeze.
• To keep block from freezing I needed to get the antifreeze to mix with the engine water which I couldn’t do without removing the thermostat since it won’t run for more than a minute at any throttle setting. Ran engine and heavy exhaust smoke/steam returned as shown in video.

Questions:

Is it possible the smoke/steam did not reappear at subsequent idle attempts (when thermostat was IN) due to possible low water level in the engine from it burning off?

I have a new thermostat. If I put that in and run the engine, you think the smoke/steam will stop? Or will it just stop after the engine burns off the coolant and the coolant in the radiator remains since the thermostat won't ever open by running the engine for a minute at a time.

 

[Scooterwrench]

The truck had exhaust smoke/steam when the engine had a failed thermostat and wouldn't get up to proper temperature.

Now the thermostat is removed, the engine isn't getting up to temp...and the smoke/steam is back.

Sense a pattern?

Put the thermostat back in.

Don't think that's gonna fix his steam issue.

 

[PlatonicSolid]

Drain the coolant and run the engine for a couple minutes before you mothball it to dry the cylinders.

Hadn't considered that. Is there an easy method of getting the coolant out of the block?

Edit: I suppose I could empty the radiator and run the engine till the steam stops. Heck, engine might run much better once the steam stops - at least for a little while.