Exhaust gas in coolant?

Discussion in 'Heavy Duty Diesel Truck Mechanics Forum' started by AlRod, Sep 7, 2021.

  1. AlRod

    AlRod Bobtail Member

    6
    4
    Dec 22, 2018
    0
    Hello everybody.
    2017 Freightliner Cascadia, DD15 470k miles. Have been owning the truck for 9 months. No coolant/oil loss observed for that period of time. Coolant's color was pretty much normal, no smell or white smoke at all. Oil tested every 30k miles. No signs of coolant in oil. Slightly elevated Fe and Al. Had high silicon, but determined that it was contamination from the oil test pump. When the sample is taken by direct drain, silicon is normal.
    Last week the radiator started leaking, appears to be a smal crack on a plastic top. Had to replace the coolant reservoir as well as it started falling apart when was taken off.
    So I bought the gas test kit and ran the test. The liquid turned from blue to green. I assume there is an exhaust getting in the coolant. What keeps me wondering is why no coolant's been lost? In my understanding if there is an intercharge between two systems it should work both ways - if exhaust's getting into coolant there should be coolant getting to the system which leaks the fumes.
     
  2. Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.

  3. Snailexpress

    Snailexpress Road Train Member

    2,675
    6,068
    Apr 28, 2014
    Rocky
    0
    EGR cooler is place to look first. When DPF is full or engine brake event exhaust gases pressru is high and can pressurize cooling system. When exhaust gases pressure drops some coolant can go inside EGR cooler then in exhaust or in engine if EGR valve open. Coolant evaporates water in hot DPF and coolant chemicals plug DPF even more.
    Disconnect EGR valve from EGR cooler and look for coolant traces.
     
    AlRod Thanks this.
  4. Patriot_Bearing_Supply

    Patriot_Bearing_Supply Bobtail Member

    42
    41
    Sep 25, 2019
    Cleveland Ohio area
    0
    I don't trust those kits. I probably still have one in the stuff from my old repair shop. Signs of an exhaust gas leak into coolant: Cooling system will be pressurized within a couple minutes of starting the engine. Once warmed up, with the radiator cap off, you will see constant bubbles coming through the coolant, to the outlet (they may not come out till the thermostat opens, because the thermostat can hold the "air" behind it).
     
    AlRod Thanks this.
  5. AlRod

    AlRod Bobtail Member

    6
    4
    Dec 22, 2018
    0
    So, I took the truck to Freightliner. They ran a test and it didn't show contamination in coolant. No I am puzzled. Shall I give them the benefit of the doubt or take to some other shop? Can't decide
     
  6. Patriot_Bearing_Supply

    Patriot_Bearing_Supply Bobtail Member

    42
    41
    Sep 25, 2019
    Cleveland Ohio area
    0
    Re reading your original post, you have zero symptoms of an exhaust leak into coolant. Even if it was leaking once the engine hot really hot, you would still have low coolant in the system, as the "air" would push it out. Because it is displaced by "extra" air, it won't pull back into the system from a non pressurized reservoir (which only works based on standard expansion and contraction of coolant with temperature.

    You're looking for a solution without having a problem. Drive the truck.
     
    AlRod Thanks this.
  • Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.