6.0 Coolant leak

showcrop

Well-known Member
My '06 6.0 has recently developed a coolant leak. It doesn't appear to leak while running, it doesn't leak while it is cooling down or right after shutting off, like you would expect. I can't see any place that is leaking, except that from the little puddle it is on the right side just behind the radiator. It appears to leak approx 4 oz. and it does not have to het even to operating temp to do it. It leaked a day or two ago, the day after having sat idling for maybe 6-8 minutes, then parked back inside. It doesn't leak while running or just after running, not until 12 hours later. The reservoir has lost about an inch of coolant.
 

Probably a cold water leak, seems to be more common on diesel trucks but I've seen it on a few, normally around a hose fitting.
Check the hose clamps on the bottom of the radiator.

Don't know why but nearly every truck we had with 3406 Cat engines would get a cold water leak at the top radiator hose and thermostat housing.
Only did it during cold weather, hence why we called it a cold water leak.
 
(quoted from post at 00:31:17 12/01/17) Are you asking about a ford diesel or a GM gas???

It is a Ford diesel. I have searched all around underneath and can see no place that it came from. No drops anywhere.
 

On the days it leaks are the temps colder?
ON the right side you have the bottom rad hose, rad fill hose, heater return line and I'm not sure what else.
Can't help you much, when I purchased my 04 the 6.0 had blown up, pulled the 6.0 and swapped in a 5.9 Cummins.
 
(quoted from post at 09:06:54 12/01/17) GOOGLE "6.0 EGR cooler leak".

Thanks, Bob. I will pull the EGR and take a look as it said in one of the articles. I hope that it is not the cooler, it has only around 15,000 miles on it.
 
Some coolants have dye in them. If your doesn't, put some dye in it and pressure test it or run it sitting still then shut it off and start looking. We use yellow glasses and a blacklight to aid in locating the dye.
 
(quoted from post at 04:24:24 12/18/17) Some coolants have dye in them. If your doesn't, put some dye in it and pressure test it or run it sitting still then shut it off and start looking. We use yellow glasses and a blacklight to aid in locating the dye.

I may have tottery that. The tough thing is that it doesn't leak until maybe 18 hours after shutting off.
 

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