How Long Can She Last?

Is water getting into the oil, or just blowing coolant out?

Don't shut it down. I drove Hermiston OR to Arkansas on a bad head gasket. Bad, bad, like shut it off and cylinder fills with coolant bad.

No issues

 

Loosen the reservoir cap if you can, and don't be afraid to run it a bit low

 

It's not burning it up from a leaky EGR cooler? That's a lot cheaper fix than a head gasket.

Sadly if it is a head gasket you might be in for an overhaul. They love to drop liners.

 

Blew mine 600 miles from home. It was getting into oil. Couldn’t tell from dipstick, except for some condensation, no signs of mixing. I did shut it down, and hydrolocked. Was able to bar it over and squeeze the coolant past the rings, into oil pan. Drained coolant from bottom of pan. Got going, straight home. Shut it down and had a quart in oil. If you have a quick release drain plug, you could drain a bit and see if it’s coolant or oil. Up to you, at your own risk. Just an idea. I’m lucky no coolant got picked up by the oil pump. Regardless, I blew one a couple years prior, made it 300 miles home, then actually ran another 2400 miles, pouring water through it. Lol. I don’t suggest doing that. Good Luck. You’ll probably make it. Leave the cap loose, if it will run without blowing out the reservoir. Like skateboard said, don’t shut it off. If it’s going out the stacks, should see white smoke.

 

Get it fixed where you are.

It may not last … then what?

 

Sounds like another job for MendTite,,sold out, good luck finding it, it really works. And no doesn't plug heater cores. I've used it many times.
ZECOL MENDITE HEAVY DUTY RADIATOR SEALER - 16 OUNCE BOTTLE

 

I dunno if they will, call Nashville auto diesel college, see if they’ll work on it for students to fix.