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How To Cure Your 6.0L Coolant Puking Problems!

26K views 39 replies 20 participants last post by  maxeykevin1 
#1 ·
First of all thanks for a warm welcome..


We all know we live with this coolant puking problem, some of us in stock form, mild form and specially those beating their motors with a 10lb maul!

EGR is the number one problem on the list, Ford designed the Exhaust gasses that get recirculated into your engine for a better enviroment to get cooled by an EGR cooler, the EGR cooler is only 1 3/4" thick. The exhaust gasses are getting so high the coolant is actually getting Flash boiled, remember this is the same coolant that is supposed to cool your engine down. My solution is to leave the stock EGR plug in the sensor, and block off the exhaust part of the system. We can start a "NEW" thread about HOW-TO plug your system if you guys want.

Second, I do recommend the switch from head bolts to Head studs, as the design of the 6.0 head only carries 10 MAIN bolts, and 5 smaller ones. Their pressure capacity from Factory is 195,000 PSI, they are NOT holding up, and stretching and causing the head in it's weak areas to actually lift upwards and seperating and losing contact with the engine deck surface. Cylinder Pressure will find the least restrictive point of exit, and you got it, it's finding your cooling passages in your head to leak cylinder compression into. This is causing blown head gaskets, warped heads and even engine decks! The solution "PERFORMANCE HEAD STUDS" with atleast a PSI of 245,000 or a stronger metal, like a grade H11.

When doing the upgrade make sure you trash your old head gaskets as they are no longer good. Also take the time to take your heads to a machine shop to get them checked for cracks, and warpage. Once you are ready to install purchase from Ford their NEW upgraded head gasket kit. Problem solved!

Another thing that is not helping is we purchase "CUSTOM" tunable boxes, but yet we let the tuner the the custom part, we need to speak with them and let them know what WE want. Like some tuners/modules peak your timing way too high, or place your PEAK HP at redline zones in your RPM range.

With this told, this has been my trial and error to finally say, This IS YOUR SOLUTION!

I hope this helps many, as I had to learn the hard way. Take this as a small manual of needed upgrades to think about before going HP crazy.


-X Marks The Spot! :agreed:
 
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#27 ·
Choke,

You said get the new upgraded gaskets from ford. My queshtion is I know a guy in the Delray Beach area who is making or soon to be cooper ones would those be better than fords new UPGRADED ones?

Thanks,
FFpsd
 
#28 ·
FFpsd said:
Choke,

You said get the new upgraded gaskets from ford. My queshtion is I know a guy in the Delray Beach area who is making or soon to be cooper ones would those be better than fords new UPGRADED ones?

Thanks,
FFpsd
I would wait, and have him test trial them before buying them, I know someone who is also making them, but has some bugs to work out, I would wait if a performance gasket is what you are interested in. Let your freinds try it out for some time, before you place them in your truck. I posted about my injectors and the company I bought them from after I had them in for about 2 months and made sure they made power, just so no one would get burned.


-X
 
#29 ·
Choke
Did you ever get the cooler blocked off from the y pipe? Some pics would be nice if you did
 
#30 ·
plugging the egr up. mine is just unplugged. got tired of replacing them
do tell how to plug up choke .
im waiting with beer in one hand and 2 red eye's
 
#32 ·
Head stud/nuts: Is it Ford Certified?

Well - I have joined the ranks of 6.0L TD ownders (2004 F250) facing a (warranty) head gasket repair - it was "puking coolant" and after doing some research and finding this thread, I took it in for diagnosis. I mentioned to the Ford service manager that I had read (this forum, this thread) about aftermarket stud/nut replacements for the head bolts. He was clueless - and when I asked about the new head gasket, all he would say is that they would use the latest Ford approved parts. Two quesitons:

Q1) Any idea if Ford "approves" replacing the bolts with the H11 grade stud/nuts ? I'm guessing the answer is "no".

Q2) Any one have a way (part # or other means of identifying) the "new" head gasket? I sure want to make sure they are using the new gasket. I don't want this doesn't happen again - even if it is under warranty.

They will have my truck for up to two weeks to do this repair. They are a diesel repair shop - this dealer has an entire building dedicated to diesel repair, and he took me back and showed me an Expedition in the midst of this same repair job. So I did get a "warm fuzzy" that they know what they are doing (Sunnyvale Ford in Sunnyvale, CA).


Choke_On_My_Smoke said:
First of all thanks for a warm welcome..

... Second, I do recommend the switch from head bolts to Head studs, as the design of the 6.0 head only carries 10 MAIN bolts, and 5 smaller ones.

... Once you are ready to install purchase from Ford their NEW upgraded head gasket kit. Problem solved!


-X Marks The Spot! :agreed:
 
#33 ·
Choke_On_My_Smoke said:
I will be showin a step by step with pics onhow to do it, if cant mkt with pics, later on today I will make the post with exact instructions on how it was done in my truck, and others DJ has done. including his very own Race truck "Mini Me"...


Fair?

-X
I was searching for this post and ha no luck finding it and i need to do this mod badly. Any help for doing this would be appreciated.
 
#34 ·
Follow up on my situation (post #32 in this thread). The Ford dealer completed the repair on my 2004 F250 per standard Ford procedure and parts. They showed me the tech bulletin on the new torque sequence and spec. I hope that the new gasket and procedures are sufficient. I have towed my trailer since the repair, on the same grade that blew the gasket in the first place, and had no problems. They did re-flash the computer, which brought with it Ford's annoying but supposedly effective "fix" to the sticky fuel injectors at cold startup (search and you'll find plenty on this topic). The injectors cycle for about 30seconds to a minute after you turn off the engine, to relieve oil pressure from the injector actuators. Since I never actually saw the symptoms of this problem, it is just annoying to me (They make such a noise when they cycle that I have had to explain to strangers who were staring at my truck in the parking lot what was going on). Also - despite some reports otherwise, I did not perceive any noticeable change in power or gas mileage after the re-flash.

Jim
 
#35 ·
Coolant problem

I just purchased an 04 6.0 liter truck and I am having the coolant problem. When driven normal on reasonably level ground the engine never overheats or dumps coolant. But climb a good grade or tow a heavy trailer and the coolant comes boiling out from under the radiator cap. I replaced the cap and still the same problem. EGR or Head Gasket?
 
#36 ·
Head gasket or EGR, & update on my head gasket repair.

Sounds like the head gasket to me - but it will be quick to determine if you take it into the shop. Is it still under warranty?

An update on my situation: Since I had the head gasket replaced, I have used my truck daily, and have towed our trailer (~8000 lbs) about 2000 miles, including up the grade (Hwy 299E in N Ca, from Redding to Burney, steep grade out of Montgomery creek) where I believe I blew the head gasket initially. But my last trip up that grade was in November 2006 - I will do the same grade again in a week (July 2007), in summer heat, so we'll see. But so far, in ~10,000 miles since the heat gasket replacement (including 2,000 towing), I have not lost a drop of coolant. There is no doubt that this was my problem, and the warranty repair seems to have corrected it. Note that I had the factory warranty repair - I would have opted for one of the after-market head gaskets and stud/nut combos if it was not covered under warranty, but the warranty repair seems to be good so far. Knock on wood.

Jim
 
#37 ·
05 Excursion

I have had the same problem with coolant. The engine would overheat while towing. The first time the egr cooler was replaced. The next trip I had the same issue and brought it back to the dealer. The dealer is now putting on a set of new heads and gaskets. They say they have seen 3 or 4 of the 6 litres with the same problem in the last couple of months.
 
#39 ·
I have gone through a few sets of headgaskets.......I guess the 225cc injectors I was gunning with the VGT-ss and the 105jet didnt help...I wonder how well this set up with the big compounds will work.....and yes Im spraying on top of this:evil:
 
#40 ·
I've done all the things you have done in the past with the same results. Recently I had a what I call a (God inspired thought). I decided to change the routing of the 3/8" hoses connected to the coolant filter. Most of us have installed this at some point in an attempt to keep debris out of the oil cooler. I installed a coolant filter a couple yrs back the way everyone including the manufacture say to do it. Cut into the heater hose, add tee and also the overflow hose from degas to the radiator with a tee, etc...
What I did different which worked is reinstalled all coolant hoses back to the original way they were before I added the coolant filter. That includes removing the tee I installed at the heater control valve. EVERYTHING back to the way it was new.
THIS FIXED THE PUKING PROBLEM. My EOT and ECT temps stay within 3 to 6 degrees

Try this... Run one side of the coolant filter 3/8" line to the left side of the degas bottle and the other to the fitting on top of the engine block. I believe some vehicles use this line to cool the turbo but the 2003 tp 2007 do not use this to cool the turbo, that's the reason it is connected to the degas bottle just as the overflow 3/8" line connects to the radiator.
THIS FIXED MY PUKING PROBLEM COMPLETELY. A SIMPLE FIX WHICH I AM SURE MANY HAVE NOT CONSIDERED. I HAVENT SEEN OR HEARD OF ANYONE MENTIONING THIS ON THE ENTERNET. I hope this will help someone who is considering replacing the Head Gaskets. Save yourself $4000.00-$5000.00 and try this first. It will work if you've already done the ARP head studs and head gaskets...
Your welcome my 6.0 friends:)
 
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