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Ran a diesel with a cracked head gasket from Tulsa to OKC, dumbest 90 minutes of my life
Got a call last Thursday from a guy stuck off I-44 near Sapulpa, his 7.3 Powerstroke was pushing coolant out the overflow but still ran. I figured I could limp it the 90 miles to my shop, right? Wrong. Within 15 minutes the temp gauge was pinned past the red, steam was rolling off the hood at 65 mph, and I could hear this sick knocking sound that got worse every time I gave it gas. By the time I rolled into Bricktown the oil was milky and the radiator cap was blowing hot coolant all over the fan, which sprayed it every direction under the engine bay. Turns out the gasket had let coolant into cylinder 7, and that piston was basically hydro-locking on compression, which explains why it felt like the truck was dragging a boat anchor. I pulled the head that night and found a 3 inch crack between the valves, plus the block surface was warped enough to need a straightedge check and a deck cut. What would you guys have done different, or has anyone else tried to push a dying motor to the finish line and lived to regret the tow bill?
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