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6.0L Power Stroke Diesel 2003 - 2007 F250, F350 pickup and F350+ Cab Chassis, 2003 - 2005 Excursion and 2003 - 2009 van

What would you do?

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Old Feb 15, 2013 | 04:46 PM
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What would you do?

I have read much information here about the 6.0L engine. I am new to diesel engine and am trying to learn. My question is I just bought a 2005 F-250 with 83K miles. I know nothing about the history of the engine, but from what I read here there is much i should provably do.
What would you guys recommend doing to and in what order?

Thanks in Advance
 
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Old Feb 15, 2013 | 05:38 PM
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Welcome to the FTE , first most has a scan gauge from auto zone to read live data these trucks have a lot of sensers,make sure your batteries are in tip top full chargetest separete 14 vlts, also the ficm should never drop below 45 anytime , only OEM fuel and oil filters in ,im geting ready to change oil to 5/40 synthetic ,and keep a fuel additive like diesel kleen or ford cetain boost, there is a list of scan gauge II values to moniter that will help the life of the 6.0
 
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Old Feb 15, 2013 | 06:06 PM
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Get an Oasis report from your local Ford dealer and check on it's history. It will show what has been done under warranty.
 
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Old Feb 15, 2013 | 06:09 PM
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Pictures? More details of the truck
 
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Old Feb 23, 2013 | 06:08 PM
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I got a scan gauge and took the truck for a drive of about 30min. None of this was highway mostly 1-2 lane hitting 55 mph top speed with a few red lights here and there. After awhile the ECT would stay between 174 - 178. The EOT was 196 - 202. It seems to run just fine but with what i have read here my split should closer. So back to my original post what do i need to do to prevent the horror stories i have read here?
 
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Old Feb 23, 2013 | 06:41 PM
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Don't know how LONG you were driving to reach those temps, but I would first check what the coolant/oil temps are before starting the truck tomorrow AM and post them here. They SHOULD be between 2-3 degrees of each other. You need to get the truck up to full operating temps before checking the difference. Drive it at least 30-45 min then do the comparison going 60-65 MPH on fairly LEVEL roadway. Then the difference should not exceed 15*.... oil hotter than coolant. The thermostat is supposed to keep the coolant up to approx 190* Say 186-192. If it doesn't, replace the thermostat - UNLESS you live where the outside air temp is below 0 degrees all the time! Just post what you get and we can advise.
 
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Old Feb 23, 2013 | 08:34 PM
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From: Washinhton
Originally Posted by BPofMD
Don't know how LONG you were driving to reach those temps, but I would first check what the coolant/oil temps are before starting the truck tomorrow AM and post them here. They SHOULD be between 2-3 degrees of each other. You need to get the truck up to full operating temps before checking the difference. Drive it at least 30-45 min then do the comparison going 60-65 MPH on fairly LEVEL roadway. Then the difference should not exceed 15*.... oil hotter than coolant. The thermostat is supposed to keep the coolant up to approx 190* Say 186-192. If it doesn't, replace the thermostat - UNLESS you live where the outside air temp is below 0 degrees all the time! Just post what you get and we can advise.
Really within 2-3 degrees of each other. I just got my scanguage II a couple weeks ago so just learning. 2004 6.0 with 67,000 miles. Never seen anything close to 2-3 degrees that - unless I have problems. TSB says "NOTE FOR ACCURATE TEST RESULTS, ECT TEMPERATURE MUST BE GREATER THAN 190° F (88 °C) WHEN MEASURING THE ECT AND EOT MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE DIFFERENTIAL" so I'd say his test was not valid as the truck isn't warm enough.

Are you all with stock coolers, etc. really seeing 2-3 degree differential. Running around town - highway as you say 55-65MPH - I see ECT in the 182-188 range and EOT in the 190-196 range which seems perfectly acceptable - given I understand the thermostat doesn't open until around 190??? I went up in the mountains last weekend and after a 7 mile 6% grade my EOT when as high as 213 and ECT to 198 (but only at the peak of the hill, once clearing the grade ECT went right back down to the mid 180s and EOT went just as quickly down to the low 190s. That seemed to me quite responsive. Are others saying this is outside of the norm????
 
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Old Feb 23, 2013 | 08:38 PM
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Gauges, coolant filter, blue fuel pressure spring, cetane booster in every tank, keep tabs on your ficm voltage, good batteries & future alternator upgrade...
 
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Old Feb 23, 2013 | 09:05 PM
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Check the Temps after Cold soak Just like BUD Said to do

If they are the same temp cold kinda looking like the oil cooler is Plugged

Then Install a New thermostat FORD OEM Part see if that Helps ECT vs EOT Spread

But IMO Looks like you should concentrate on the ECT vs EOT right now as they look off and summer coming and the Spread will grow with warmer temps some as there willl be more heat to shed
 
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Old Feb 24, 2013 | 09:14 AM
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Vellingapa: He is saying a 2-3 degree difference after a cold soak, not doing a delta test.
 
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Old Feb 24, 2013 | 11:37 AM
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From: Washinhton
Originally Posted by ChrisAU
Vellingapa: He is saying a 2-3 degree difference after a cold soak, not doing a delta test.
yeah read wrong sorry about that.
 
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Old Feb 24, 2013 | 05:57 PM
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did a cold soak. The ECT was 30 and the EOT was 31.4
 
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Old Feb 24, 2013 | 06:06 PM
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Time for a new thermostat for sure then. Get that done and then see what your deltas are like.
 
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Old Feb 24, 2013 | 06:18 PM
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well.... sounds like your deltas are a bit more than you'd like to see....

you can do a flush, clean, and refill.... that is a religion
around here, and there are more recipes than at a chili cookoff.

you may also be getting plugged up and have a new oil cooler
on the horizon... so then, you can put the same thing back in,
or go to aftermarket and highly priced stuff like BPD's external
oil cooler.

Kit Pricing Starting at $2,195.00
Availability: Usually Ships in 24 Hours
Product Code: FULLY BULLET PROOF KIT 6.0L

that'll pretty much solve most of the problems.
there are cheaper solutions, but this is the one
i used, so it's the only thing i can recommend,
based on personal experience.

that, and add a dc power alternator... i did the
dc power aftermarket.

270 Amp XP High Output Alternator for 2006
Ford E-Series Van 6.0L V8 Powerstroke Diesel
$629.95

expensive, but works wonderfully.

those two mods, correctly installed, will solve
most of the problems you might have.
 
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Old Mar 31, 2013 | 03:22 PM
  #15  
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i have been doing flushes of the engine. SO far i have gone through 20 gallons of distilled water. Its still not clear so i am going to continue flushing. I pulled out the one drain plug on the last flush. Hopefully that will help clear it out quicker. I have been driving the vehicle around without the thermostat. This last time i decide to connect my gauges. They seem to run about 120-130 for ECT and 160-170 for EOT. My question is could I continue doing this through the summer and just keep flushing for a few months? I do not drive the truck much (300-500 a month) and currently do not tow anything. Would running engine like this cooler that normal with the thermostat cause any problems?
 
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