First I would like to thank everybody here and I am glad this site is exists for people like me. I am not sure where I read the recommendation for diesel tech Ron, but his hour and a half video on how to replace the oil cooler gave me the confidence I could do the job myself. And I did it in a day and a half, not too bad for my first time. I am really happy with the results. I followed all of Ron's advice and everything went smoothly. My oil temps were running about 11 degrees over the coolant before the replacement and now is around 6-7. I had purchased a delete kit for the EGR cooler but to my surprise a stealth delete had already been performed. The blue spring upgrade had not be done yet so now that's done too.


I am glad this job is complete. I do wonder how long the new oil cooler will last. I don't have an external filter on the coolant. Also I have been running aftermarket wix oil filter too (I will change that soonest).


Thoughts?

 

Your oil cooler should last the life of the truck with proper cooling system maintenance.

A lot of people recommend the cooling filter, and it does seem easy to install, but I decided to not install it, and maintain my system a little better.

 

Good job gabe2002 don't it feel goodl that you can read and accomplished that job. I would most definitely change them filters and I would recommend oem filters for these trucks, just my 2c.

 

I won't wait for one mile on changing filters!

Congrats on your oil coolers change out!

 

Thanks for the replies. It feels really good. I jumped into the diesel world with both feet and (eyes closed). It was a very steep learning curve starting with the first oil change. I was discouraged at first, but I am getting to know the issues and how to fix them. My confidence in the truck is growing.

 

Good job on the change but no way I would have pulled a cooler for 11* delta, egr delete makes even less of an issue.

 

jsm180,


I purchased the truck in October. I did not know the stealth delete was done. I did the VC9 flush the oil temps jumped. pulling my 5000# travel trailer I was seeing 217 degrees. I was between jobs so now was the time...and I am learning every day. Thanks for the input, I hope I don't have to do it again.

 

Seems i have heard the service life of the oem cooler was meant to be 100k. I can't attest to the accuracy it was they work in the auto field that it came about.

 

I would recommend putting a coolant filter on your truck or start saving now for a new oil cooler in two yrs time. New Ford oil coolers come with a two yr warranty because of the known failure rate. Besides that mine stopped up after 1.5yrs even with monitoring and back flushing oil cooler once a month due to fouling. Put the coolant filter on there and immediately noticed a difference in condition of coolant not to mention the trash that was in filter after cutting it open.

 

All Motorcraft parts come with a 2 year warranty, it's not because they have a 2 year failure rate

 

None of the coolant filter systems will completely clean a contaminated system due to the way they are plumbed. You have to clean the cooling system of all trash otherwise the oil cooler becomes the coolant filter.

My truck went 10 years and 150,000 miles on the original oil cooler and I am over 3 years on the replacement with another 30,000 miles with no coolant filter.

 

Im seeing a broad range of results with my 6.0. It runs anywhere from 4*-17* difference. Granted when the coolant is cooling down. So is the oil temp. While I am cruising it will hang out 185*/~195*. But when I started climbing a big pass here in Montana it seen that oil temp hit 221 degrees and the coolant temps were ~205.

 

That's why the standard test is a steady 65 mph unloaded. It's repeatable.

With loads and grades all other variables nothing is certain.

Josh

 

If I can get 100k out of the oil cooler, I will call that good. I might put an external coolant filter on, but I would rather put an upgraded alternator first. I just need a place to put that amp and subwoofer from my old truck...


On a side note, I broke the tab on the oil temp, turbo solenoid, and lost the little plastic insert for the ICP connector. I have had problems with all three connections now...that seems to be the extent of what went wrong.

 

151k on original oil cooler here. No coolant filter and temp splits run 3 to 7 and I'm the second owner. I'd say the oem cooler will last as long as you will let it