Andyinchville
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Nov 24, 2006
- Messages
- 110
- Location
- Charlottesville, VA
- Occupation
- Lawn Maintenance / Property Development
HI All,
Recently my day driver was driving my 1999 International 4700 with DT 466E engine and noticed a funny antifreeze smell so he pulled over to see what was going on.
As he pulled over he said he noticed alot of steam so he called me (he also indicated a strong antifreeze smell inside the cad and even some antifreeze on the floorboard inside the truck ).
Based on his info I almost assumed a blown heater core and I thought maybe the heater could be bypassed to continue the trip (of course after adding antifreeze etc...). However, the driver also said he thought steam was coming from the large upper radiator house....
Once he said that I knew we had to be towed since I was out of town and could not rescue him with a hose repair on the side of the road.
Anyways, the truck was towed to our shop and I asked my girlfriend to ensure the tow driver had disconnected the driveshaft and I instructed her to put a "do NOT use" taped onto the steering wheel so other night shift drivers would not use the truck until it was fixed.
Later that day we needed to catch up on deliveries so an extra driver was called in to take out the 2000 International to help out on a route (I was the one he was helping).
As the relief driver approached me I began cursing......WTF !
He had done a pick up and met up with me to consolidate a load in the parking lot with the truck that had blown the hose earlier that same day....and NO no repairs were even done yet !!! UGH...
The drive from the shop to the pick up point to my meeting point by the highway was about 25 miles or about 43 minutes drive time....
Turns out my girlfriend forgot to put the note on the steering wheel (not to use the truck) AND despite the driver having a key for our 2000 international (key even marked 2000) and him using only the 2000 up to that point (the trucks do differ in the details and are not exactly alike but very similar) the driver STILL put it into the 1999 international truck and it started it (although with some jiggling the driver said)....not realizing it was not his truck (how brain dead is THAT?).
Anyways, after replacing the top hose and putting coolant back in the truck seems to run OK (no funny noises etc)....
BUT....After the first nights drive after the above fiasco , I had to fill the overflow tank back up (almost empty...I was surprised it did not kick off a warning light or something).
The next night the tank remained pretty much full
Admittedly BEFORE this incident, I had to put a little antifreeze into the overflow tank every week or so....never any signs of leakage or dripping so I was at a loss where the fluid was going....
I checked the oil and it is NOT milky....whew.
One concern tho was the top of the dipstick (under the cap) had always been a little rusty (not on the outside but on the inside where you read the oil level, just towards the top)....after the incident , it seems more "moist" then I remember it and pulling out the dipstick seems to have some brownish smears here and there (I did degrease the engine to make leaks easier to find (and also to make changing out the other hoses (if 1 blows better change them all just in case because they are old probably) and belts cleaner to do..... so maybe some water went into the dip stick area?
Anyways, am I being overly paranoid?....What would you do if the above scenario happened to you? would retorquing the heads be advisable or just leave well enough alone?
BTW the driver said he though the truck had an antifreeze smell to it....UGH
The mechanic did note come whitish streaks towards the back of the engine but nothing was outwardly leaking or even wet at that time
I do plan on changing the oil because it's probably a little past due anyways.
Thanks in advance for any and all help / advice
Andrew
Recently my day driver was driving my 1999 International 4700 with DT 466E engine and noticed a funny antifreeze smell so he pulled over to see what was going on.
As he pulled over he said he noticed alot of steam so he called me (he also indicated a strong antifreeze smell inside the cad and even some antifreeze on the floorboard inside the truck ).
Based on his info I almost assumed a blown heater core and I thought maybe the heater could be bypassed to continue the trip (of course after adding antifreeze etc...). However, the driver also said he thought steam was coming from the large upper radiator house....
Once he said that I knew we had to be towed since I was out of town and could not rescue him with a hose repair on the side of the road.
Anyways, the truck was towed to our shop and I asked my girlfriend to ensure the tow driver had disconnected the driveshaft and I instructed her to put a "do NOT use" taped onto the steering wheel so other night shift drivers would not use the truck until it was fixed.
Later that day we needed to catch up on deliveries so an extra driver was called in to take out the 2000 International to help out on a route (I was the one he was helping).
As the relief driver approached me I began cursing......WTF !
He had done a pick up and met up with me to consolidate a load in the parking lot with the truck that had blown the hose earlier that same day....and NO no repairs were even done yet !!! UGH...
The drive from the shop to the pick up point to my meeting point by the highway was about 25 miles or about 43 minutes drive time....
Turns out my girlfriend forgot to put the note on the steering wheel (not to use the truck) AND despite the driver having a key for our 2000 international (key even marked 2000) and him using only the 2000 up to that point (the trucks do differ in the details and are not exactly alike but very similar) the driver STILL put it into the 1999 international truck and it started it (although with some jiggling the driver said)....not realizing it was not his truck (how brain dead is THAT?).
Anyways, after replacing the top hose and putting coolant back in the truck seems to run OK (no funny noises etc)....
BUT....After the first nights drive after the above fiasco , I had to fill the overflow tank back up (almost empty...I was surprised it did not kick off a warning light or something).
The next night the tank remained pretty much full
Admittedly BEFORE this incident, I had to put a little antifreeze into the overflow tank every week or so....never any signs of leakage or dripping so I was at a loss where the fluid was going....
I checked the oil and it is NOT milky....whew.
One concern tho was the top of the dipstick (under the cap) had always been a little rusty (not on the outside but on the inside where you read the oil level, just towards the top)....after the incident , it seems more "moist" then I remember it and pulling out the dipstick seems to have some brownish smears here and there (I did degrease the engine to make leaks easier to find (and also to make changing out the other hoses (if 1 blows better change them all just in case because they are old probably) and belts cleaner to do..... so maybe some water went into the dip stick area?
Anyways, am I being overly paranoid?....What would you do if the above scenario happened to you? would retorquing the heads be advisable or just leave well enough alone?
BTW the driver said he though the truck had an antifreeze smell to it....UGH
The mechanic did note come whitish streaks towards the back of the engine but nothing was outwardly leaking or even wet at that time
I do plan on changing the oil because it's probably a little past due anyways.
Thanks in advance for any and all help / advice
Andrew