Oil cooler?
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Junior User
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 71
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From: phoenix united states
Oil cooler?
Ok gents 02 f250 4x4 7.3
Took a trip Memorial Day weekend with a 31' camper went from 1500' up 8000' feet. Trailer weighed ~7500 lbs. the truck was working pretty hard climbing some of the hills. Like 2nd gear at 45 mph for a 9 mile stretch. Made it no problem.
Now a couple days ago I change the oil and notice the coolant bottle is extremely low with no visible leaks so I top it off and this is what it looks like now
In my experience trans fluid getting in the radiator turns kind of brownish so I'm thinking oil cooler. Have any of you guys run into this before? The truck has 294k on it as well and has been running great no overheating issues and the oil is still oil
Took a trip Memorial Day weekend with a 31' camper went from 1500' up 8000' feet. Trailer weighed ~7500 lbs. the truck was working pretty hard climbing some of the hills. Like 2nd gear at 45 mph for a 9 mile stretch. Made it no problem.
Now a couple days ago I change the oil and notice the coolant bottle is extremely low with no visible leaks so I top it off and this is what it looks like now
In my experience trans fluid getting in the radiator turns kind of brownish so I'm thinking oil cooler. Have any of you guys run into this before? The truck has 294k on it as well and has been running great no overheating issues and the oil is still oil
Trying to Gain Knowledge
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 1,571
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From: Ezzell, TX
Wow, I am glad I didn't have that issue. The oil cooler isn't a hard job, but while you have it out, I would check the internal passages by pressuring them up and seeing if you have a leak somewhere internally as well. It won't take a long time, but it would be a must. I am going to pull my back out in the near future and do the same thing. I have changed to orings and that helped some, but my oil analysis is still showing traces of coolant in the oil, so I am going back in and testing the inner tubes. I hope that none are bad, but it would be better to fix that at the same time, if it is the case.
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Junior User
Joined: Sep 2002
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From: phoenix united states
I called my buddy over at ford a new cooler is 190 bucks so ill just replace it while its out. I'm gonna pull the T stat out of it and clean the block out and hose out the radiator
Postmaster
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 2,555
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From: Longview, TX
That's not a bad price on a new cooler, considering the reseal kit is about $85 IIRC. Most of the time oil showing up is just the orings, so the cooler may still be good. Don't toss it, i'm sure someone will be more than willing to take it off your hands.
Post Fiend
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 5,470
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From: Pea Ridge, AR
That's an incredible price, and if that is the case I would do that as well. Cheapest I have seen the cooler parts are like $225 for the "tube" another $100ish a piece for the flanges (ends).
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Junior User
Joined: Sep 2002
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From: phoenix united states
I believe it's the tube no ends and the seal kit. It's our wholesale price through the shop with ford. carquest wants 297 ford wants 197 so i said dealer part it is. Retail is usually a bit higher. Total is 197 bucks. We'll see what I get when it shows up
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Joined: May 2013
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This is probably the problem that I am facing as well. My oil was clean so the gunk in degas bottle was creamy colored. Problem I fighting in my head is the guy I bought the truck from had the oil cooler replaced. Thinking to myself what about the end caps. What if the guy didn't get a good seal to the block. I have literally 1000 bad ideas about this problem in my head. "Tugly?" and others have been trying to guide me. At least injector cups and o rings are done lol.
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Joined: May 2013
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I am fairly sure its eng oil since i'm seeing a considerable loss. Gonna run the tests Tugly has reccomended. And, I feeling pretty dang sure I'm pulling that oil cooler out just to check it out for myself. I want a good personal look at those end caps.
