I need to start with, "Sorry for the long read."

I'm amazed at the knowledge, know how and skill of the regulars on this section of this site. I've learned plenty about my truck through researching mainly this 6.0L section of FTE. However, I'm not mechanically skilled like so many of you. I'd like to know if I am doing what I need to do or if there is a trick that can save me some headache. BTW, I already am so frustrated I had to call it a night and called in for vacation tomorrow. Luckily no one is super reliant on me being there tomorrow, but I'm running out of vacation days.

So I was swapping out my FICM with one from Ed's FICM repair. I had read so many instruction posts, watched Ed's video, Diesel tech Ron's, and Powerstrokehelps videos and thought I was good to go. I got the thing unbolted and plugs pulled out and I thought I was golden. I needed to manipulate the degas bottle one last time to pull the FICM out and the Y-Connector let go in a big way.I didn't loose that much coolant out of my De-Gas bottle, but with that break being below the top of the radiator no telling how much leaked out through the broken fitting. It was brand new too, as I just got the truck back for studs and head-gasket job.

So how to replace. It is hard to get to that spring clamp that holds the bottom hose on to what I think is the water pump. I tried to get to it and pull it up over the connection point, but it is too tight. My thought is that I need to pull the metal tubing that I believe comes from the intercooler off and I will be able to get to it easier. Was there a way to just replace the Y-connection. I saw a video on youtube where the guy just went down to Lowes and fashioned a fitting out of PVC fittings. I'm not going to do that, but thought there might be a way to get around this issue easier. I think if I had removed the Air Filter before starting this job it might have gone easier, but with that part that broke being so brittle it was time to replace anyway. I cannot image how bad that would be if it let go on a trip.

Any suggestions, tools to make things easier, general advice on things I might want to tackle while I have these parts removed are all appreciated. Like I started with I'm not a skilled wrench turner at all. I even considered hiring a mobile mechanic to do the coolant hose part of what's left.

 

I didn't go with the Doorman replacements at the parts store as no-one had any in-stock. Should I do this? or stay with original OEM. My thought is OEM Ford. The Doorman uses normal hose clamps at the y-fitting which would have made life easier though.

 

I think the Dorman parts are just fine for things like this, used them many times on many vehicles. I know their oil coolers get a bad rep on here but thats just due to the crappy gaskets they use, replace the gaskets with the OEM ford pieces and you actually got a pretty good cooler for a good price.

My Y-pipe is actually starting to wear through where the hose hits the corner of the FICM... seen it the other day. Guess I should get off my duff and replace it before it pops while the wife is hauling ponies...

 

I got my *** kicked a few times wrenching to don't feel bad it's always a broken clip or something this plastic stuff getting brittle with age

Iv put a worm drive clamp there and degass bottle is the first thing to come out when working that side
I have pushed it out the way but not worth it to break it so I'd just be longer time then those guys little extra work but you know it's good
Those guys know how to tweak it to just push out the way but it's an exact way they push it

 

These are he three tools I typically use for the constant tension clamps. The long nose vice grips are typically use sideways.

https://www.amazon.com/VISE-GRIP-Ori...rds=vise+grips

https://www.amazon.com/OTC-4525-Cabl...ose+clamp+tool

 

Yes, The bright side is I had plenty of room to put my FICM back in. I tested it and it started the truck. I'm about to tackle the Air Cleaner and then de-gas bottle. I had to mix coolant in spare distiled water bottles because I don't know exactly how much I lost. Tractor Supply was the only place in town with ELC and it was only available in concentrate. It't taken me several hours to change this dang FICM. I hope it is worth it. I know I needed it, but that little piece of brittle plastic is a pain to replace for sure.

 

Jack you beat me to it. I use the Gearwrench brand spring clamp tool just like the OTC one.
Very handy.

As for the degas bottle. I remove mine anytime to am working around it for fear of breaking
that "Y". I hear that is a spendy part from Ford.

One other Dorman item to avoid is there FICM power board. FICMrepair will get you the best value.



Sean <BR>

6.0L Tech Folder

 

Have you seen the You tube video where the guy cuts the Dorman apart? Take a peek at that -- it isn't just the gaskets on their oil cooler anyway..

 

Sean, it seems like there are a few companies selling he same tool, and some a different version. That tool saved a lot of frustration when working on my wife's Lincoln LS and the Escape I bought for our granddaughter. That has become one on my essential tools.

Boy if you guys want to see plastic in a cooling system with a finite life, it's the LS. That Jaguar designed system is complicated, expensive, and it all starts to degrade at 100k miles. All of it. Guys sometimes replace one part at a time, but that just gets you to do the same steps over and over. I did writeups that are posted in my Facebook if anyone ever needs to do either vehicle.

Of course then there's the alternator on the Escape. Located at the back of the motor behind the crank. So you pull apart the right front suspension to replace that sucker, and they go bad because they get wet. Or as many of have learned, aftermarket rebuilds will make you cry with that vehicle. I bought I believe was the last remaining NEW Ford alternator left in the country for it. Then in a year she rolled and totaled it.

 

Yep, Those long nose vice grip ones are what I see people using on youtube. I almost went to Lowes to buy some, but I found some shorter handled channel locks that worked ok. That one lower hose connection it was just as hard to get the clamp back on as it was to get it off. I don't know how shorter people with short arms can even get to it, but I'm mechanically challenged to start with.

 

Duckbill pliers work well too.




With the duckbill you can grab the 3 prongs straight or side on.



Sean <BR>

6.0L Tech Folder

 

The reason I like the vice grips (and the OTC tool) is that they will lock with the clamp in open mode, which leaves both hands to fight the clamp and hose to get them off.

Tuna, yeah even with the tools the clamps are not as open as when they are in the locked open position at the assembly line. The locking tab typically gets in the way of a full open condition. I've slotted washers so I can but then on the cable of the OTC tool so it will open some of the clamps a tad more when it's needed. They are times I've broken the adhesive between the clamp and hose so I can pull the hose out from under the clamp, then remove the clamp. Some hoses use adhesive, others a staple, and sometimes nothing.