Hey Guys,

Got a problem with our 04 5.3. Has about 92k miles.

Noticed that it's been using water. Can't see it in the oil, but can smell it in the exhaust. Seems to run fine, so I don't think it's a headgasket.

What else could it be? Cracked Head? Warped Valve?

Would really like to figure out to see which side is bad so I don't have to tear the whole thing down.

Thanks A Lot!

 

i had a cross over tube leaking on the rear of mine and would drip on the y-pipe and smell antifreeze cooking
Took about a week for it to need water

 

Where is this cross over tube? Up top near the heads on the back?

Thanks!

 

Nm...

 

Leaking water pump gaskets are common....

 

presure test it, check everywhere you can see.... If still nothing, pull your valve covers off. check around the interior head bolt holes... should have a "clean" area if head is cracked

 

It's not the water pump gaskets..replaced those recently.

How do I go about pressure testing it? Looked all around the motor and no wet spots.

Thanks again guys.

 

Leaking coolant isn't all that bad, but you said you can "smell it in the exhaust". That's is the most disconcerting part. Time for a leakdown. You can do a compression(Dry then Wet), but you're probably going to end up doing the leakdown anyway. It might be the head gasket on one side so all that has to come off is the intake and that single head. Good time to do a cam upgrade. I have a 99 5.3 with 90K on the clock, but I don't expect to pull those heads back off till I hit more that 200K. I put my top end together years ago when the truck new. It's bullet proof.

 

When I had a bad head gasket, I found it by pulling the plugs and seen that they had burnt anti-freeze on them. Check that and see.

 

the cross over tube from head to head on front and rear of motor
pull the plugs check for discoloration on them to make sure it isnt dripping in the cylinder from a blown head gasket