Help! My truck is using diesel as a coolant! + other problems...

It was just a suggestion. Not written in stone. I know of a few guys who've had good luck swapping out failing C-15's with salvage yard engines that came with warranty, were inspected and dyno'd prior to purchase. Ended up costing them less in the long run going with the engine swap vs. repairing the old engine. End of the day its the OP's money and his choice, we just bounce ideas around.

 

OK point taken, but if you are a mechanic, you should be familiar with these types of issues. 99 times out of 100 its only 1 cup. Replace at least the offending part and the injector and move on. Drain and flush the cooling system and address the leaks either while its down, or as they appear and money permits. Either way that's a better option than swinging a junkyard motor. And a less costly one at that. They might warranty it but the only thing they warranty is complete failure. Bad rings consumption excess blow by (which Detroit's are famous for) bull gears are as is. Call vanderhaags they will let you know. And then you have future maintenance costs to an engine with no available history. Would be a bad choice period. If he doesn't have capital to make the repair he won't have it for an engine swing

 

True enough.

 

I agree, we see this issue on a regular basis and repair it and flush cooling system a mind replace coolant hoses and usually the issues are gone from there. Swinging an engine over this problem is a very financially incompetent move along with unnecessary. Also a engine swing will cost more than fixing an injector cup. Liner orings are resistant to fuel and oil so fuel will not usually affect them unless they are junk anyways. This is not an uncommon problem at all so no need to overthink or overstress. Have it repaired and keep on trucking. Do not swap engines or anything drastic like that. Should not take any shop more than two days to do this job.

 

I would agree if it wasn't for the fact that he hasn't stopped driving the truck after the problem was found.
The prolonged use off that engine in that state ................

 

Explain to me if the damage is limited to the cooling system, seals and hoses, why would you swing a motor. Last I knew a series 60 Detroit engine is running around 23,000. Hell Fitzgerald's will give somewhere around 7500 for a ddec4 and about 5000 for a ddec3 and ealrt pre egr 14 liter can get almost 15000. They are getting to be in short supply. Repairing the damage to fuel in the coolant due to a leaking cup maybe between 1500 to repair the failure to a 6 pack. I can get Detroit injectors all day for 173 a piece and if you want as new as possible Williams Detroit is going so far as to manufacture new housings as well. They run around 430 a piece. Both carry the same warranty. Maybe a surge tank since cleaning it out is a pain. Run cascade they the coolant system with water until it comes out clean. Much the same as an oil cooler failure. Replace the hose seals etc. Put the new tank on fill to capacity with new coolant in a 50/50 mix. Button it all up and go trucking. No reason to swing. Just fix. The one thing I will point out is that the longer he waits the liner orings will eventually gummy up (that's a technical term) he has 2 per, so if one goes bad there is a second. If the second is breached. Will have to get liners out to re oring then the cost goes up. Being frugal with money is one thing, stupid decisions are another. Take care of your money maker. I know a guy driving around locally with the same exact problem. He drains his system weekly and replaces with water. Replaces a few hoses here and there but doesn't want to park the truck for a day or 2 to let us get it fixed. Maybe 7 or 8 months now.

 

Couldn't have said it better, fix it and move on.

 

Dave,i did not to swing another engine.I said that the last engine i hearded about with a similiar problem had to be opend up.You do agree it is better to fix the engine good then do a quick half repair only to have it break again?