Hi guys! I got a good one for ya.please help

[Sunbear]

Hi sunbear here with the 97 6bt 5.9 12 v mechanical blue bird/allison bus KALI MA . AFTER HAVING replaced the head I left oregon and she used 2 gallons of coolant two or three times and I ciuldnt find the leak. Now im in aanfran and only.moving her from spot to spot when I HAVE too ,ive noticed a little wet spot that evaporates before it can grow and then dries up all together. When the coolant light comes on I have been putting about 2 gallons of WATER in . It never goes beliw 38 here so im.not worried about freezing . I was driving back from christmas at a nice hotel by the airport and my temp gauge went all the way almost to the redline but cooled down almost immediately while the gauge was fluctuating more than usual she stayed.cool .THE REASON IM TRIPPIN.is because my engine warning light was flickering. Tomorrow im going to find the leak and put some real coolant in there but this light is making me lose sleep as I have no where to work on the bus.here in this god forsaken city but also diesel mechanics here are like 150 an hour

[Brad_SwiftFur]

Many large vehicles have coolant level sensors (usually on the plastic overflow tank); if it runs low on coolant in the tank, it can give you a engine warning light. A failed sensor or bad connection can sometimes do this too. Sometimes disconnecting the sensor will fool the computer into thinking it's full, other times it will make the computer think it's empty.

The coolant is getting out somewhere. I'd try to sort that first, then fill up the system. Most likely that will sort out the engine warning light. A system low on coolant often times will fluctuate in temperature during driving.

[Sunbear]

Thats the thing usually the low coolant light comes on

[madapple]

If it started after the head replacement,, that's where I would look,, bad head gasket seal or not getting the head
tightened down correctly ,,,

[superdave]

Originally Posted by madapple

If it started after the head replacement,, that's where I would look,, bad head gasket seal or not getting the head
tightened down correctly ,,,

yep, if its not running out somewhere when its hot, its running inside. good luck

[DoubleO7]

if it is leaking out, look under the bus behind the engine.
Should be a large area of "water wet" vs oil wet.

If it is leaking internally, your oil will be full and looking like coffee with cream.
Or you will be belching large volumes of steam and water out of the tail pipe.

[Sunbear]

When we changed the head and gasket we pressurized the cooling system and had no leaks looking up the oil pan.

[sdwarf36]

Originally Posted by Sunbear

When we changed the head and gasket we pressurized the cooling system and had no leaks looking up the oil pan.

You wouldn't be able to see inside the cylinder or combustion chamber. Besides that, you won't be checking with the 2000 psi of cylinder pressure it would have running.
I would start with retorquing the head. Easy enough+don't cost nothin'.

[Sunbear]

Well I found the leak!

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[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by Sunbear

Well I found the leak!

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And what was/is the cause?

[Sunbear]

So I just put a gallon of 20 dollar a gallon purple **** and kali (my bus) started leakin right where the hose comes out of the block there is a 90 degree elbo im pretty sure....And it has got a little worse so is it safe to deduce that since, when I blew my heater hose last year and the engine warning light came on full blast bells ringing that the sensor is now detecting the leak? And just barley flashing?

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[Sunbear]

Originally Posted by EastCoastCB

And what was/is the cause?

Did you get that repy? Im brand new to tapatalk

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[Booyah45828]

If I'm thinking right, that hose is behind the water pump and is for circulation with the thermostat closed. Also, I wouldn't reccomend running straight water in a bus. Not only does antifreeze provide freeze protection to the water, it also is used as an anti-cavitation and anti-rust for the water. Both of which are very important on a diesel engine. Get some antifreeze in there pronto and go about checking the sca and ph levels of the coolant.

[Sunbear]

Where the hose comes out of the block there is a 90 degree elbo im pretty sure thats where the leak is coming from