Head gasket replacement and beyond,,

[spongebob]

My 06 has 425,000 on the clock, I put them all on..I’ve noticed on the garage floor a small patch of pinkish fluid.
I can’t seem to find the source, it’s seems to be coming from rear drivers side. I have added fluid from time to time,
Not much but some..so here’s my deal I’m going to have a Chevy dealer give me a quote on head gaskets replacement.

I’m thinking of buying a tester for the cooling system (psi) just to see if I’m losing any pressure, I get no smoke when starting.
Also I’ll be getting a quote on head gasket replacement from a Chevy dealer some 1-1/2 hours away.

Can someone advise me on what should be replaced as long as it’s being torn down…the only thing I have replaced is the turbo.

I’m thinking the injectors….

Thanks

[spongebob]

$8-10K from my chevy dealer for gasket install...I can get a rebuilt for a little less, thoughts??

https://duramax66.com/products/GM-6-6L-Duramax-LBZ-Remanufacture-Long-block-Engine/369#linktohere

[Yukon6.2]

I am assuming that a DIY is off the table?
I would find it hard to replace a good running original engine with a rebuilt just because of head gaskets
I will have to tackle mine one day if i don't sell my business, if i do the tow truck goes with it and then someone else can make the decision.
If not then i will have to dive into it some day as i could never justify 8-10 grand

[spongebob]

DIY is not something I want to do..My truck is in great condition,but it has 425,000 miles on it, $8-10k just to replace the head gaskets is unreal.
I got a quote for $6200 for a long block from US Engine in NY.including shipping, and now Im looking for someone to do the "switch".

hopefully someone can do it for the $4000 I have budgeted..Rats,,i need injectors too........ugggh

[spongebob]

a coworker recommended a guy that can do it for $2800. less injectors..

[DmaxMaverick]

a coworker recommended a guy that can do it for $2800. less injectors..

Whoever does your longblock swap, regardless of cost, will (should) include the fuel system installation. The reman longblock you linked does not include the fuel system, nor would any other (not complete) reman. Considering that, the source of the fuel system, or system components, is irrelevant. The "injectors" will cost only the purchase of them, with the installation being already included in the engine swap (or absolutely should be). There should be no distinguishable difference to the installer, whether the injectors (and pressure lines) are old or new. However, having done many engines swaps myself, new parts are almost always more desirable over old/used/dirty parts.

[spongebob]

"the guy" has a auto service joint, I told him I would supply the long block and he came back with the quote of $2800 which I thought was reasonable..

this covers removing and installing accessories.

[More Power]

I’ve noticed on the garage floor a small patch of pinkish fluid.
I can’t seem to find the source


Could be a coolant leak at the engine oil cooler.

[spongebob]

it's coming from the back side of the engine on the drivers side.

[More Power]

it's coming from the back side of the engine on the drivers side.

The oil filter adapter also contains the oil cooler.

[spongebob]

it's above the filter

[More Power]

it's above the filter

It's sometimes tough to see and positively identify a leak source.

I'd first suspect the components that carry coolant through the oil filter adapter/oil cooler. You can get a remote camera to use with a smart phone or Harbor Freight sells a standalone remote camera. This'll allow you to investigate some of those hard to reach areas.

If it's not the oil filter adapter, I'd consider a head gasket leak or a coolant leak associated with the turbocharger (look in the engine valley using your remote camera). A head gasket coolant leak will appear at the junction between the head and the block, but coolant will run along that seam till reaching the back of the head.

I've not heard of a head gasket leaking coolant, but I considered how it might happen when I had my two engines apart in 2021. I had a hard to find fuel leak somewhere on top of one engines upon reassembly. It took some time to find it. I eventually used a Harbor Freight remote camera and my iPhone camera to positively identify the leak source. Then I had to remove some stuff on top of the engine to get to the leak site. It just needed a little more torque on a fuel line fitting nut.

[Yukon6.2]

Do your hoses get hard from pressure buildup at all?
the ones in my tow truck do, and it used to leak at hose connections.
I tightened hose clamps and the leaks went away,but the hoses still get hard under preasure

[spongebob]

thanks More Power..I'll do some more checking, I have a remote camera.

[Kennedy]

Not going to read back through all of this talk about TTY bolts so I will just throw in my thoughts:


There is quite a difference in clamping force yield between 125 lb/ft applied to and through the shank of a long bolt and through coarse threads using PST to seal versus a fine thread with a moly lube let alone the drag of the underside of a wide flange bolt.

I'm pretty sure we delisted the studs due to availability, price, and hassle. Not that I ever had an issue with telling someone they did not need something or biasing towards what I sold. If I were doing an engine that I wanted to last it would use studs.

[More Power]

Not going to read back through all of this talk about TTY bolts so I will just throw in my thoughts:


There is quite a difference in clamping force yield between 125 lb/ft applied to and through the shank of a long bolt and through coarse threads using PST to seal versus a fine thread with a moly lube let alone the drag of the underside of a wide flange bolt.

I'm pretty sure we delisted the studs due to availability, price, and hassle. Not that I ever had an issue with telling someone they did not need something or biasing towards what I sold. If I were doing an engine that I wanted to last it would use studs.

I believe choosing studs or bolts could both be good choices. To back up that claim, I installed studs and bolts in two Duramax head gaskets projects in 2021. Both continue to perform normally. The head stud truck now has 15,000 miles on it since the service work.

I've shown two hot-shot RV hauler trucks right here in this forum that I saw personally. I even included photos of their odometers to prove what I was saying. And in one case, I included their GM service records. Both had in excess of 750K miles on their original engine, original head gaskets and original head bolts. That... is convincing evidence. I wish... that there were proven examples of 750K mile Duramax 6600 trucks that were driven all those miles with head studs.

Are you claiming more clamping force for studs?

More clamping load will Brinell (impress) the head gasket's fire rings even more into the aluminum head deck. The aluminum heads on my 2001 GMC's 140,000 mile Duramax required decking (removing) .003" to remove the fire-ring impressions in the aluminum head decks created in-part by the factory head bolts.

Second, the aluminum heads and cast-iron block thermally expand/contract at different rates. The head gaskets are designed to accomodate movement between the two deck surfaces. My 2001 GMC's head gaskets appear to have simply worn out due to a large number of engine heat cycles over 17 years of daily driving - the seal coat on the original gaskets appear to have been scrubbed away in a few areas. This (and the Brinelling) allowed combustion pressure to begin finding its way into the cooling system. So... What effect would more clamping load have on head gasket seal-coat life? We likely won't know till more are looked at over time.

Just thinking out loud...

Jim