Notices
Pre-Power Stroke Diesel (7.3L IDI & 6.9L) Diesel Topics Only

nasty looking coolant??

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old May 3, 2011 | 08:39 AM
  #1  
79 f-150 guy's Avatar
79 f-150 guy
Thread Starter
|
Elder User
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 967
Likes: 0
From: effort,pa
nasty looking coolant??

ok i got my 1988 4wd here wich has a 7.3 5spd, the truck has 180k on it but the coolant looks like new in it. odviusly it was taken care of and changed regularly.
now i also have a 2wd with a 7.3 that has 136k on it and i was thinking of swapping the lower miles engine into my 4x4 but the coolant in that engine is nasty bad, and ive heard that these have head gasket problems where they will start to leak coolant into the combustion chambers. does anyone now if the shot old coolant may chew up the headgaskets or was that just a fish story.
 
Reply
Old May 3, 2011 | 09:18 AM
  #2  
oreocreaming's Avatar
oreocreaming
Postmaster
15 Year Member
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 4,319
Likes: 4
From: Elk City, OK
they dont have head gasket problems...... they have cavitation problems. if the engine has cavitation that means that the coolant has eaten its way though the cylinder wall and gotten into the combustion chamber. depending on where the holes are it will ruin your oil, but my guess its none of those issues. if i were you, id remove the oil cooler on the drivers side under the exhaust manifold..... then replace the 4 O rings inside it. they are a ford/international item only! that is usualy the reason you get oil in the coolant and/or coolant in the oil. easy fix, just takes a little time to do. $50 in O rings and 2 new gaskets and your good to go.
 
Reply
Old May 3, 2011 | 09:20 AM
  #3  
oreocreaming's Avatar
oreocreaming
Postmaster
15 Year Member
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 4,319
Likes: 4
From: Elk City, OK
do a search on "sca" on our forum as well. you need to regularly test your coolant with test strips and adjust the levels as needed or you will cause irreversible damage to your engine
 
Reply
Old May 3, 2011 | 09:25 AM
  #4  
79 f-150 guy's Avatar
79 f-150 guy
Thread Starter
|
Elder User
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 967
Likes: 0
From: effort,pa
no i have no coolant in the oil, i was just woried that maybe the coolant has checwed up the block since it is so nasty in the lower miles engine. is there a way to prevent cavitation, id hate to swap the engines and have it cavitate 6 months later... thanks
 
Reply
Old May 3, 2011 | 09:32 AM
  #5  
oreocreaming's Avatar
oreocreaming
Postmaster
15 Year Member
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 4,319
Likes: 4
From: Elk City, OK
nasty looking coolant means nothing, its all about the "sca" levels in it. and yes you can prevent it by either keeping your sca's in check or running a elc (extended life coolant)
 
Reply
Old May 3, 2011 | 09:33 AM
  #6  
84-6.9L's Avatar
84-6.9L
Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 2,216
Likes: 0
From: Princeton MN
The sca search should give you all the info you need. I could type it up but i have to go to work in 3hrs.
 
Reply
Old May 3, 2011 | 09:36 AM
  #7  
79 f-150 guy's Avatar
79 f-150 guy
Thread Starter
|
Elder User
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 967
Likes: 0
From: effort,pa
ok, im new to the sca thing, did a quick search and got confused. this is my first diesal and ive never delt with sca levels before.. what is the sca's and where do i get the aditive to keep them in chack. also should i run both elc coolanat plus the sca additive or just one or the other.. thanks
 
Reply
Old May 3, 2011 | 09:39 AM
  #8  
79 f-150 guy's Avatar
79 f-150 guy
Thread Starter
|
Elder User
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 967
Likes: 0
From: effort,pa
Originally Posted by 84-6.9L
The sca search should give you all the info you need. I could type it up but i have to go to work in 3hrs.
ya i'll keep lookin for the info then.. this ones got me confused, think i'll go smash my head off the door of the truck for buying it..lol
 
Reply
FTE Stories

Ford Trucks for Ford Truck Enthusiasts

story-0

Top 10 Most Expensive Ford Trucks Ever Sold on Bring a Trailer

 Joe Kucinski
story-1

2027 Ford Super Duty Buyer's Guide (Every Model, Engine, & Package)

 Brett Foote
story-2

Top 10 Ford Truck Tragedies

 Joe Kucinski
story-3

AEV FXL Super Duty - the Super Duty Raptor Ford Doesn't Make

 Brett Foote
story-4

Lobo Vs Lobo: Proof the F-150 Lobo Should Be Even Lower!

 Michael S. Palmer
story-5

Ford's 2001 Explorer Sportsman Concept Looks For a New Home

 Verdad Gallardo
story-6

10 Best Ford Truck Engines We Miss the Most!

 Joe Kucinski
story-7

2026 Shelby F-150 Off-Road: Better Than a Raptor R?

 Brett Foote
story-8

2027 Super Duty Carhartt Package First Look: 12 Things You NEED to Know!

 Michael S. Palmer
story-9

10 Most Surprising 2026 Ford Truck Features!

 Joe Kucinski
Old May 3, 2011 | 10:04 AM
  #9  
84-6.9L's Avatar
84-6.9L
Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 2,216
Likes: 0
From: Princeton MN
In a nut shell flush the cooling system. And get fleetcharge coolant and mix with distilled water. The fleet charge should have the sca's in it. The sca protects the cylinder walls from the little coolant bubbles that form as the cylinder wall flexes slightly, by creating a thin film between the coolant and the lock. If you can't find fleetcharge get low silicate coolant and get some fleetguard DCA-4 additive. Napa should sell the coolant test strips,at every oil change pop the cap off the rad dip the strip and read it. the bottle they are in has all the charts to read it. If that doesn't help i will go slam my haed in my door and see if that makes you feel better
 
Reply
Old May 3, 2011 | 10:14 AM
  #10  
79 f-150 guy's Avatar
79 f-150 guy
Thread Starter
|
Elder User
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 967
Likes: 0
From: effort,pa
well after reading thru a bunch of old treads i'm geussing i'll do exactly that and change out the coolant in the truck and probly leave the higher miles engine in it. one thing that worries me now thou is the nice clean green coolant in my 4wd.. i wonder if they were running sca additive or not, i geuss it's just a crap shoot. but i wish i had a good idea since im going to drop a mess of money in it soon replacing the IP, feul lines and glow plug controller..
 
Reply
Old May 3, 2011 | 10:28 AM
  #11  
84-6.9L's Avatar
84-6.9L
Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 2,216
Likes: 0
From: Princeton MN
well being you may buy the test strips just give it a test.
 
Reply
Old May 3, 2011 | 10:39 AM
  #12  
79 f-150 guy's Avatar
79 f-150 guy
Thread Starter
|
Elder User
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 967
Likes: 0
From: effort,pa
thats a good idea, i'll get the strips and test both trucks to see if they kept up on the sca's.. thanks
 
Reply
Old May 3, 2011 | 10:50 AM
  #13  
84-6.9L's Avatar
84-6.9L
Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 2,216
Likes: 0
From: Princeton MN
If not you can stop any further damage. If they haven't cavitated yet you willbe fine as long as you keep up with it
 
Reply
Old May 3, 2011 | 10:53 AM
  #14  
79 f-150 guy's Avatar
79 f-150 guy
Thread Starter
|
Elder User
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 967
Likes: 0
From: effort,pa
ok, glad to here that. woulda never thought that cavitaion was such a big problem. do the psd's have the same problem, cause my altimate plan for the truck was to either build a rurbo idi or swap in a psd..
 
Reply
Old May 3, 2011 | 11:00 AM
  #15  
84-6.9L's Avatar
84-6.9L
Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 2,216
Likes: 0
From: Princeton MN
Nope and its only the 7.3idi's. The 7.3 is a 6.9 block bored 110 over. the walls get pretty thin. The psd blocks were originally designed to run that specific bore so the walls are thicker.
 
Reply



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 12:01 PM.

story-0
Top 10 Most Expensive Ford Trucks Ever Sold on Bring a Trailer

Slideshow: 10 most expensive Ford trucks ever sold on Bring a Trailer.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-27 16:24:34


VIEW MORE
story-1
2027 Ford Super Duty Buyer's Guide (Every Model, Engine, & Package)

Here's everything that has changed for the latest model year.

By Brett Foote | 2026-05-27 16:17:28


VIEW MORE
story-2
Top 10 Ford Truck Tragedies

Slideshow: Top 10 Ford truck tragedies.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-18 19:34:33


VIEW MORE
story-3
AEV FXL Super Duty - the Super Duty Raptor Ford Doesn't Make

And it might be even better than that.

By Brett Foote | 2026-05-18 19:26:42


VIEW MORE
story-4
Lobo Vs Lobo: Proof the F-150 Lobo Should Be Even Lower!

Slideshow: Does lowering an F-150 Lobo RUIN the ride quality?

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-05-18 19:20:37


VIEW MORE
story-5
Ford's 2001 Explorer Sportsman Concept Looks For a New Home

Slideshow: Ford's bizarre fishing-themed Explorer concept has resurfaced after spending decades largely forgotten.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-12 18:07:46


VIEW MORE
story-6
10 Best Ford Truck Engines We Miss the Most!

Slideshow: The 10 best Ford truck engines we miss the most.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-12 13:09:47


VIEW MORE
story-7
2026 Shelby F-150 Off-Road: Better Than a Raptor R?

Slideshow: first look at the 810 hp 2026 Shelby F-150 Off-Road!

By Brett Foote | 2026-05-12 12:50:07


VIEW MORE
story-8
2027 Super Duty Carhartt Package First Look: 12 Things You NEED to Know!

Slideshow: Everything You Need to Know about the 2027 Super Duty Carhartt Package!

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-05-07 17:51:06


VIEW MORE
story-9
10 Most Surprising 2026 Ford Truck Features!

Slideshow: 10 most surprising Ford truck options/features in 2026.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-05 11:17:22


VIEW MORE