I'm having a weird problem (I think is a problem?) with the coolant. Ever since I have owned the truck no matter where in between the lines I fill the coolant tank to no matter wether warm or cold it ALWAYS overflows until the tank is empty if I'd let it get that far. The truck doesn't indicate any warmer than half gage, ever. Right now it seems this more an annoyance that I have to keep cleaning it up rather than a real problem, but my concern is that it may actually be a problem that I don't know enough to investigate/correct. Any suggestions?

 

When it escapes the overflow (degas) bottle, does it leave a white residue on the tank around the cap?

You may want to use the search function on here and search for threads with "puking" in the title on the 6.0L forum.

Read all you can and then come back here for more questions and answers. The guys on here are going to ask if you have any gauges or a way of monitoring your realtime oil and coolant temperatures. You'll also want to start getting info together on stuff like who does the maintenance on the truck, do you know if that person uses the correct oil/filter/coolant, and when was the last work done. You'll also be asked about the color of your exhaust fumes.

Loads of help on here from really knowledgeable guys ... but don't ignore this issue. It is one of the biggest symptoms of pending $$$ repairs.

 

From the sound of the issue it dont sound good

any tunner

any gauges

the gauge on the dash sucks

 

Post the year of the truck..... you may just have a bad coolant tank cap or much worse. You need to monitor your Engine oil temp (EOT) vs the engine coolant Temp (ECT) in degrees. Your stock gauges are simply bad indicators at best. Most if us have purchased the ScanGauge which can be programed to monitor many different parameters in/on the engine for a very reasonable price (around $150).

Do you tow or really work your truck? Or are you just a person that loves to drive a Ford truck?

Also what brand filters do you use on it? Do you change your own oil or do you have it done? If so, where?

 

Jus to rule it out....
Do you know if any part of your coolant system is leaking? Do you have any liquid on the driveway? I guess not as you might have mentioned it.

But could you have a slightly open or leaking radiator drain petcock? (drivers side up at the front)
Do you have a hose that's not attached properly? The one going from the top of the radiator to the thermostat can be a pain to get back on with the clamp snug, and the leak can be hidden becuse it's a slow drip and it's hidden.
Did you disturb the block drain plugs? (1 on driver side - 1 on passenger side)
Check the freeze plugs.

I don't know enough to know if a faulty water pump would leak to the outside on this truck .... I know it does (did) on my cummins.

If the leak isn't on the outside then you are back to the original posts.

 

@ topherchris, did u use the ford gold coolant? it has to be 50/50. off the top of my head, i cant remember exactly how much coolant u put in, and how much distilled water. but i'm sure the guys will chime in. also, did u do a coolant system flush? u might have something clogging, and a flush should clear it all out.

make sure it aint no generic thing u put in. ford gold coolant if ur a 6.0

 

Thank you for the term puking...it is showing signs of the oil cooler being bad. There isn't any sludge that I've noticed and the oil level is good but the breather tank is a tanish/orangeish color and where the coolant dries it does leave a white residue. I've been planning on doing this kit for a couple weeks: Complete 6.0 Ford Powerstroke Solution with Sinister EGR Delete Kit, Oil Cooler and ARP Headstuds Oil and filter changed about 1K miles ago by myself. I used Castrol oil and Fram filter. I have not done a coolant system flush on the truck since I've owned it. The truck is currently bone stock with no aftermarket way to monitor anything. I live in San Diego and I know in town driving isn't good for a diesel engine but I don't do much towing, I mostly use it when I don't want to ride my motorcycle. Before I get the kit I'm deff going to print out all of these suggestions and look at everything, I REALLY appreciate all of the replies.

 

Id hate to see yyou go threw all that and have it be the FAN or something like that

Gauges!!!!

If you know what the problem is before you dive in your odds of an Actual fix go UP

 

And I don't think there's any leaks in the system because if you look at it when you open the hood it is deff. overflowing from the vent tank. Also to answer other questions, I do all work that I can do myself...I really don't like letting anyone else touch my vehicles. Truck is an 03 with the 6.0 and I can't see any exhaust fumes or anything coming out.

 

I was waiting on exhaust, intake and the likes to do gages. Are there any tuners out there that display all of those parameters?

 

You will need a tourq wrench that goes to 250ft/lbs for ARPs

being an 03 you should get buy without the tunner for an EGR deleate but thats no FUN

do you have a coolant filter on it Lets spend some MONEY Igottcha

throw a Power Max Turbo and some injectors at it to

 

That kit comes with Black Oynics headgasket I would go OEM

I wouldnt buy that kit

better Deals at
www.partsguyed.com

better deal on OEM stuff

But I do run that Sinister EGR Deleate and lost some turbo whistle but other than that great

 

I do not believe I have a coolant filtration system. It sounds like a good idea for the future though and I will add it near the top of my to buy list. Being in the military we have auto shops that we can work on vehicles at that I'm sure will have the torque wrench I need. I understand I don't need a tuner just yet, but I'm sure there is one out there that displays every parameter on the truck (or at least the ones I would want to see) without me having to run a bunch of wires or mechanical lines for the meters/gages, but I'd like it to be a tuner just because it would be more convenient and as far as the kit goes...I'm not exactly sure what I should get because through all the research it seems there are such a wide variety of problems that come up so often, I asked for suggestions about it because I wouldn't mind spending a little now to prevent huge costs or engine damage in the future, I don't think or really know if I need that whole kit and I'm completely fine with buying it piece by piece or as the problem arises as long as that problem doesn't scrap the engine.

 

Buy a scangauge for the truck for gauges it gets More GaUGes than you will ever need and it just plugs into the OBDII port $160.00$ ONLY 1 WIRE to run

you will be able to monitor your oil cooler with it anlong with a TON of other gauges

www.scangauge.com

check it out^^^^^^^^^^^^
you will need to do separate EGT and Fuel Pressure as there are no stock senders for these

Do some DEEP research on what you want as far as bullet proff the truck
and I mean the oil cooler
theres 2 kinda oil cooler advalible
stock or these guys

Semi Bullet Proof Package
they got a few good products

when the oil cooler catastropicaly failes it either plugs with shi or POPs internaly and mixes the fluids 2 kinds of failure some us this BPD Remote oil cooler


When it POPs it a catastropic failure that happens FAST and can scrape the moter depending on severity

 

Scangauge works great for a lot of guys on here, and it's hard to beat at $160.

The other option is a product by Edge Products.
They have Edge Attitude, Edge Evolution and Edge Insight. You'll want Edge Insight. Insight comes in CS or CTS models which refers to the touch screen or not.
It is more expensive ($399 - Edge Insight CTS ::: $299 for the CS).
I have the CTS and I like it.

The extra $$$ gets you something with a little fancier design, and you can plug in a cheap backup camera on the CTS ($16). Plus you can add other gauges to it throught their accessories page. These accessories are not cheap either but everything will then be displayed on the one screen.

With the scangauge the other gauges you add then have to be installed in typical pillar or overhead pods.

One other benefit with the Edge Insight is you can read the codes behind the check engine light while driving and clear them too. Each code comes with a brief explaination.
It will also let you record performance tests like 0-60mph.
It can store the max value of certain parameters ... like highest boost or rpm's or tranny temp ever reached.
It also has a maintenance manager that alerts you to certain milestones as your odometer roles by. You can program those milestones and record what you did ... oil change etc..

No I don't work for them but I do like the product.