I took my truck in for oil and filter change and they discovered I had no water in the Radiator. Turns out the radiator’s top tank had split. The truck was running great as well as the temp. Gauges were fine. There was no evidence of the radiator being dry. I could not tell if it was dry for a day or even a week.

This was the 4th truck that they had to change the radiator on. They mentioned that there was a TSB on this issue. The radiators are on back order as well.

So keep an eye on your water levels in your radiators because the temp gauges may not be running hot.
You don’t suppose these trucks are air cooled?

The dealership was nice enough to give me a loner car. But it’s just not the same.

I’m use to check out the eye candy and nice looking seat covers in traffic. Now all I see is nose hairs and hub caps.

I sure miss my big blue ox already.
<O</O

 

The radiator tank did not split, the supplier never crimped the tank. This issue has been posted numerous times. Covered under warranty.

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/6...light=radiator

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/s...15&postcount=3

 

Did you have any indication that the radiator was bad? Any coolant leaking anywhere?

 

RangerEdge02
I had no indication of the radiator going bad. No coolant leaks, even the guages were in the normal range. The truck was running great. I took the truck in for an oil change and they found the radiator split on the top tank and no coolant. Who knows how long I was driving it without coolant.


Maxium4x4,
I do find it a little odd that if the radiator was not cripped properly from the factory, that it would fail for this TSB after 15000 mile. Especial since the first 10000 miles of the trucks life was spent hauling a 19Klb 5th wheel from Cailfornia to Alaska and back. I would think that this type of work load would make the radiator fail long ago. Maybe I just lucked out.

 

Do you happen to know when your truck was built? I think it lists that info on the door jam sticker, in case you didn't know.

 

I've heard they put in the 650 radiators in the 350s with the 6.4Ls?

 

Yep, Its born on date is the same as my BD.
5-28

 

Yep, these are fun to change out too. lol

 

Mine went around 15k miles (that's 15k miles of towing about 19k just like you, a 48 foot enclosed trailer with 2 cars in there)

 

The supplier did not fully crimp the tank ends, how you drive or what you pull should not determine when the tank end starts leaking. Certified radiators replace the ones that failed, the parts department is to check this information before replacing a failed radiator.


Dates are supplied as to which vehicles would be effected. Contact your dealer if you own a truck in question.

 

probably forgot to fill it up from day one....lol

 

Add me to the list of folks who've experienced the radiator problem.

I noticed my radiator problems earlier today, but the symptons showed up last week (syptoms were that the heater stopped working, and then in the last two days I noticed the engine fan coming on at odd times, and the temp guage would rise slightly). The radiator was down a couple of gallons of coolant, and when I refilled it I noticed a slow leak from the left side tank.

I don't think that hauling weight has a lot to do with the radiator failures; I've hauled frequently at max CGVW since mine was broken in (33K). F450, 11K miles, build date back in April of '07.

My dealer commented that they had just started seeing a lot of radiator problems in the past few weeks.

GTCS - you mentioned the "top tank"; the radiator in my '08 F450 may be a different style than yours, as my tanks are on the sides, not the top.

 

hey california special, how did you get 4.30 gears in your truck, or did you add them after you bought the truck.

EDIT: sorry just noticed you have a F450

 

Add me to the list of rad changes. Mine went at 20K, at the same time I had the drive belt chirping noise.
They replaced the rad and at the same time the idler pulley and drive belt. The truck was tied up in the shop for TWO WEEKS.
In the last couple weeks I'm hearing a vacum type noise coming from the turbo whenever I let off the throttle, I also hear the turbo sucking in air and it seems to free wheels to a stop whenever I shut down the truck. The dealer said it was due to a snow pluged filter, They changed the filter and gave me bill for $250.33(119 for diagnosing,131.33 for the filter).They recommened to purchase a winter front, I've tried but there's not one to be found anywhere in the city. The dealer service adivsor suggested that I call Ford customer customer service to put in a claim for the filter charges. So i did, your on the phone for a least 45 minutes before you get someone, then another 15 minutes answering questions just to hear that they will get back to you the next business day, It's been a week and no one has called. Anyone has had the same problems?

 

F250-F450's all have the same radiators. As far as the 650 radiator its doubtful.......