Radiator Issue
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Senior User
Joined: May 2007
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From: Central Texas
Radiator Issue
I hooked up to a 9000 lb fifth wheel camper. Truch was pulling it just fine and i was pleasently suprised and the ease my truck was pulling the trailer. We where in heavy traffic and my engin temp went from normal to hot failry quickly so i pulled off and got ou of the truck and smelled antifreeze so i shut her down and raised the hood. I had antifreeze all over the engin compartment and flowing onto the ground. I had trouble finding where all of it was comming from but finally figgured out the top engine side of the radiator was leaking severly at the seam between the plastic top and the coils.
Is this just a case of a failed ratiator or isit the result of a different problem that caused an over pressuering of the system? If so where should i start looking?
Can the radiator be repaired or is it best to just buy a new one? Any ideals on where to get a new one?
I s there any way to flush the system with the radietor off the truck?
I have had this 2003 6.0 for 3yrs and te heavist load in I normally pull is about 6K. I have never had any white residue around the degas or ever had to add any fluids. 2 yrs ago i did replace the degas container due to a crack in it.
Is this just a case of a failed ratiator or isit the result of a different problem that caused an over pressuering of the system? If so where should i start looking?
Can the radiator be repaired or is it best to just buy a new one? Any ideals on where to get a new one?
I s there any way to flush the system with the radietor off the truck?
I have had this 2003 6.0 for 3yrs and te heavist load in I normally pull is about 6K. I have never had any white residue around the degas or ever had to add any fluids. 2 yrs ago i did replace the degas container due to a crack in it.
Elder User
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 649
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From: PA
If it were a problem with overpressure in the cooling system it should have blown off through the Degas cap. I think the caps are designed to take up to 16PSI before they let the pressure vent.
Any idea what your temps were at when it came apart?
Any idea what your temps were at when it came apart?
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Senior User
Joined: May 2007
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From: Central Texas
I dont have any after market gauges so all I can go by is the idiot gauge. I only made it about 10 miles with the trailer and I was keeping a close eye on temps because i had never pulled this big of a load. All guages where right where they normaly run. Dead center of the normal range. Temp went up quickly to the top of the gauge and after evry thing cooled off it took 2.5 gallons to fill the system up. I ended up having a friend come get the trailer and i got a tow home. The leak is so bad the just gravity feed from the degas drains the fluid out of the degas.
Temp went from normal to hot in one city block
Temp went from normal to hot in one city block
Postmaster
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 3,956
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From: Abilene, Texas
well, if your only going off the stock gauge, that would be why it looked like it went from normal to really hot in a matter of secounds. The gauge will read normal untill the engine gets hot then jump up all of the sudden. It doesn't read good enough to show the gradual increase of temp that actualy happens. For exsample once my truck got as hot as 240 degress, but the gauge showed normal all the way up to that point then just jumped up to the top! I know that it really didn't happen like that so I hooked up the AE, and driving looking over at the AE once in a while, I could see the gradual raise that my stock temp wasn't showing.
I have never heard of to much pressure blowing out a radiator. As stated before the degas bottle cap should release any pressure over 16 psi. I would replace the radiator, get a way to see real temps, and keep a close eye on it for awhile.
I have never heard of to much pressure blowing out a radiator. As stated before the degas bottle cap should release any pressure over 16 psi. I would replace the radiator, get a way to see real temps, and keep a close eye on it for awhile.
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Senior User
Joined: May 2007
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From: Central Texas
Just talked to the local Radiator shop and he found a new radiator for $235. he suggested to buy a new one. He also said the failure can be caused by a stuck thermosate causing a sudden surge of pressure that cant be released fast enought by the degas cap.
Is there anyway to do a flush on the engine with the radiator off?
What brand type of antifreeze would you suggest refilling with?
Is there anyway to do a flush on the engine with the radiator off?
What brand type of antifreeze would you suggest refilling with?
Hotshot
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 17,398
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From: Whittier, CA
Why would you want to do that? Is it just to save time, so you can do the flush while waiting for the radiator?
I do not think you can do the VC-7 cleaner without a radiator. But if you just wanted to do the distilled water flush, you could probably rig up a loop between radiator hoses, remove the t-stat, and do fair job of it. But you have to figure out what to do with the transmission lines if you have a auto. Doesn't seem worth it to me.
I will be using Shell ELC next time I do mine. Which won't be for quite some time. I won't dump out good Motorcraft Premium Gold, but I won't use it next time.
Is that OEM design? Or better? That's a good price. But I have been suprised before with how inexpensive a new radiator can be. There is a school of thought that says you should replace a radiator every 5 years because they lose efficiency from deposits, and no amount of cleaning will restore them. I do believe that, just not sure about the time frame. I've had excellent results from installing new.
FWIW, I don't buy the t-stat sticking idea.
I do not think you can do the VC-7 cleaner without a radiator. But if you just wanted to do the distilled water flush, you could probably rig up a loop between radiator hoses, remove the t-stat, and do fair job of it. But you have to figure out what to do with the transmission lines if you have a auto. Doesn't seem worth it to me.
I will be using Shell ELC next time I do mine. Which won't be for quite some time. I won't dump out good Motorcraft Premium Gold, but I won't use it next time.
FWIW, I don't buy the t-stat sticking idea.
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Senior User
Joined: May 2007
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From: Central Texas
I was thinking of trying to save time by flushing while waiting but after thinking about it I dont see any sence in it
I will get the details on the radiator. local parts store wanted $399
I removed the old radiator and found 2 cracks about 3" long in the top plastic running horizonally from the top hose toward the middle. Also about 50% of the fins where stopped up with debris. I had no ideal that much stuff was getting in there. I guess power washing is not enough. My bad.
I will get the details on the radiator. local parts store wanted $399
I removed the old radiator and found 2 cracks about 3" long in the top plastic running horizonally from the top hose toward the middle. Also about 50% of the fins where stopped up with debris. I had no ideal that much stuff was getting in there. I guess power washing is not enough. My bad.
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Senior User
Joined: May 2007
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From: Central Texas
New rad installed and system flushed. For 3 yrs pior to this I have had an issue with my a/c. when i stopped or in stop and go traffic it would blow warm air and once out on the main road it would go bac to blowing nice cool air. How with a rad that is not all stopped up on the outside my a/c is working better than ever. Apperently the rad was not allowing enought air to come through. Just a heads up. If your a/c is acting like mine you may have a radiator exterior thats stopped up.
Hotshot
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 19,071
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From: Saratoga Springs,UT
get a scangaugeII and check your EOT vs ECT temp spread soon trust me you dont want to deal with a oil cooler failure
the coolant I use in sig about same price as ford gold
good your back up and running
about the only flush you can do with the radiator off is stick a hose in it and let it flush
the coolant I use in sig about same price as ford gold
good your back up and running
about the only flush you can do with the radiator off is stick a hose in it and let it flush
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Joined: May 2007
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From: Central Texas
Thanks Blade. I have an A/E and monitored my eot and ect. ect was 215 - 220 and eot was 215 - 228 in 98* outside temps.
After i installed the new rad i did a complete flush and went bac with ford gold. I wanted to go with zerex but no one local had it and ford dealer sold me 4 gals of there gold at 16.97 a gal. Some kind of special they had if you bought 4 gals.
After i installed the new rad i did a complete flush and went bac with ford gold. I wanted to go with zerex but no one local had it and ford dealer sold me 4 gals of there gold at 16.97 a gal. Some kind of special they had if you bought 4 gals.
Hotshot
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 19,071
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From: Saratoga Springs,UT
IIRC 221 ect where engine defuels your numbers are getting close
do you have the egr valve plugged in it can affect fan operation
did you replace the thermistate
are thos number with the old radiator
do you have the egr valve plugged in it can affect fan operation
did you replace the thermistate
are thos number with the old radiator
Hotshot
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 19,071
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From: Saratoga Springs,UT
when the pcm detects a ect of 221 or higher it shuts the fuel down to save the moter from catastropic failure warped heads/head gasket issue and so on
most people here the fan kick on at 218 ect some alittle sooner do you hear your fan at those temps
your ect vs eot spread looks good oil cooler ok
your thermistate could be sticking just a thought temps a little high
most people here the fan kick on at 218 ect some alittle sooner do you hear your fan at those temps
your ect vs eot spread looks good oil cooler ok
your thermistate could be sticking just a thought temps a little high
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Senior User
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From: Central Texas
Thats part of my concern. I never heard the fan on this short trip to the scales. Befor the rad and flush the fan came on a lot and now i dont hear it. I have never monitored temps so i am not sure what is normal and when the fan kicks in. I guess i need my ae softwear working so i can test the fan.