...I don't usually...

[trukdoc]

...start a post,just respond ,but this is bugging the h^&** out of me...beast has been losing coolanta gallon to san saba and a gallon back{@145mi round trip}got worse on thursday gal and a half here and almost two gals there...I'm thinkin headgasket/cracked head and at 290k I'm thinkin it's time for that o/h I keep promising her...but joy joy I come out friday and w/p is pouring on the ground...ok here's the deal in dec. of 07 I had to change the crank belt pulley and found the harmonic bal.blown{pulled pulley and slid ring off of balancer}...so I'm fixxin to put on ssd h/o w/p and just for giggles reached down and you guessed it the"new" balancer is blown...any ideas why shes eating balancers??? I mean come on factory unit runs from 93 -07 and this one doesn't make it barely 2 and a half years...got a new one coming...bought this beast in 2000...only had to change heads glow plugs at @ 160k,inj.pump at @230k,batts every 2 years,3 starters and I'm on my I think fifth heater core...very minor stuff till this balancer thing....we got some smart guys on here tell me where to look for this grimlin...thanks ...jd

[JD_countryboy]

maybe you got a bad balancer? Or one that was sittin on a shelf for long time and was already deterioratin before you got it? Cause that does sound strange.

[vmac4]

maybe the coolant getting on the rubber broke the bond.but like you said,original lasted so long,and replacement doesn't.maybe that is the way it is(think about batteries).

[trukdoc]

...that balancers are only good for @ 100k.mi. and that 75-85k this one had on it may be enough for failure...also balancer made in china{napa}so is the new one...anyway if they{balancers}are only good for a hundred thousand miles,you boys better get to checking them...jd

[trukdoc]

...water pump fixed the leak.but still looseing coolant on run to san saba and temps in the 90s and most likely climbing thru summer...it looks like I might be building up the spare engine after all...spend 2 or 300$ and my "new heads on the engine in beast or spend a thousand on the spare and have a "new" engine to put in...ever wonder why this c*** seems to happen just when business is picking up and if you were triplets you couldn't get it all???

[grancito]

If you have no bubbles in the coolant reservoir, you may have a leak in the heater.

[trukdoc]

...I think the fifth heater core in oct.last year...when I shut her down even with idling to cool her down she gurgles...jd

[trukdoc]

...pretended to be a mechanic yesterday and checked my cooling system and cap...cap popping at@13-14lbs instead of 16..put on a new 16lb cap and so far so good...jd

[trukdoc]

...whine whine whine...open vent on t*stat hsg and bleed air til coolant comes out top off and run 80-100mi,bleed air and add @ a gal of at this point water to get back...tore down my "spare"engine to do hopefully a ring job and lower end but, you guessed it broken top ring at #8 so now I go from @450$ in parts to @1300$ in parts...I can get a set of hi dollar racing pistons cheaper than these are going to cost and that's with my brother selling me parts from his store at cost...oh well I still can't replace the beast for what I can fix her for...guess I'll post overhaul costs as I go along...TEM is going to call when he gets thru micing everything so I'll know if it will clean up or have to be bored...jd

[trukdoc]

...yesterday{tues} #8 that had broken top ring miced out to @.030 so punched block to .040.so new pistons yippie...also going to have to deck the block ...polished the crank and even though the cam looks ok, I can't see replacing everything else and not replacing it and lifters also...machine work:bore block,deck the top,check line bore,replace cam bushings,replace freeze plugs,vat and boil out is going to run @695$...I use this shop almost exclusively and send him a lot of buss. so everything else is only going to run @850.$...and I'll assemble it myself and since I get real a*** retentive about my assembly on engines{plasti-gage everything,about a gallon of assembly lube,etc.} hopefulley I can get it put togather before the beast lays down completly...next big job is @10mi.from house so that should take some of the stress level down...jd

[kaptnkirk]

Not to thread jack, i was lookin for tips to get the damn heater core out, and saw the beef about blancers, There is a guy in Oregon that rebuild the things for about 100 dollars, Mine went out and i put a "factory" replacement on it, it lasted about 6 months... Got this guy to rebuild the one that came with the truck (thank god for being a pack rat) and i havent had any problems with it so far, he claims to use a compound that costs an astronomical amount per gallon, its high temp and has a good chemical bond, I dont remember the name of the site but i think the guy's name is Dale. It might be worth lookin into if you ever have to replace another one...

[trukdoc]

...pull the 5 screws from bottom of heater box,unhook the hoses and core will drop in your lap...check your cooling system block pressure after install...balancers are toooo cheeeep to mess with "rebuilt"...thanks anyway...jd