Hey guys....not to hijack but has anyone considered the Flex-A-Lite radiator + fans on their 6.0L SD's?

This radiator is a 2 row welded model. I wonder where they're getting it....

Flex-a-Lite Automotive Direct-fit Flex-a-fit

 

Flex-a-Lite makes some nice stuff, I've used them a couple of times on cars but that's about $300 more than the one I'm gonna use (radiator only). I'm not sure about the fan set-up. The factory fan works pretty well, I think I'd rather stay with that. The trans cooler looks like a nice piece also, brackets look pretty beefy!

No problem on the hi-jack, this is probably one of the more well documented "simple" failures in this forum lol.

 

Yeah. While I am considering a dual fan setup for my 55 F-600 (with the newly re-cored 4-row copper rad I have) ,

Flex-a-lite says in their "fine-print" that you're ok as long as you stay below 18.000 GCVW.

That tells me that you risk an overheat if you put around 10K behind the truck and try to pull the "Grapevine" on a hot day!!

 

Well.....only an 8hr work day AND BIG BROWN TRUCK! Lol. The radiator came in today and the 200° thermostat is supposed to be here tomorrow. Shipped on time, no billing issues, it's in good shape and it looks to be the right part except I expected the fitting for the trans cooler lines to be there. Have to see how that works out. Hope to install it over the weekend.

 

That shure is purty! Don't get it dirty while installing it.

 

Sure looks like it needs another row, doesn't it? Looks too thin.

What's the purpose of the 200 degrees Tstat? Does it open to 100% flow at 200? If so, I'm gettin me one. I've got minee open for a cam sensor pig tail now. I think I'll go ahead and put a real egr delete (mine is a welded up egr cooler) and oil cooler bypass valve while I got err down.

 

It's a two core, supposed to be 30% more cooling than stock. I haven't had my OEM out to compare yet.

I've noticed with a fresh Motorcraft thermostat and a couple of aftermarket brands, my ECT starts dropping just a few months after it's installed. My truck runs better -pulls harder, little better fuel mileage- when the ECT is up around 200°, so after buying 4 or 5 trying to get one that will stay at 195° maybe this one will last longer. My current stat was put in last fall and even with the summer temps it down to 182°-184° Unless I'm towing or pulling hills.

Seems illogical to buy a more effencient rad and then put a higher temp stat in I know but after shopping around a bit this Misho seemed the best deal on an all metal unit.

 

Seems that my IH one is holding up.
It went in this last spring/March.

But I want to know how that new
radiator does on you first tow with it.


Sean

 

Well, trans line quick connect fitting is an issue on my radiator replacement. Apparently, if your QD's have a rounded face and a ridge on the line like these:
(*Fuel line tool is in place on the line for reference.)



Don't plan on modifying a fuel line quick connect tool to fit. The proper tool has a a step in the protruding part that allows extra space for the ridge on the line like this:



And the unlocking part is thinner. I spent a while sanding down a cheap plastic tool and it ended up too thick and too short to work. I found a post where someone used a handle off of a plastic milk jug, wouldn't work for me. Also some said you can unscrew the fitting from the radiator and just screw it back in the new one but I also found several posts looking for replacement fittings. Reading the whole thread, I suspect that may be why they needed them.

I don't think these are the "Jiffy Tite" fittings I mentioned earlier, those have a flatter face and wider opening where the line goes in that leaves a wider gap around the line. Even though they are similar, the Jiffy Tite fittings have apparently been around much longer.

I'm off on 40 mile road trip (one way on two lane roads) to get the stupid tool for this while Alabama plays the second half of a football game hopefully they have a couple of sports radio stations out there in the "boonies" I'd hate to be stuck listening to the Auburn game lol.

 

At one point in the resent past I ordered the plastic OTC
tool and it is snuggled into a corner in my tool box as a
just in case I have to. Along with some 6.0 special tools.
You know the little odd things like the injector plug remover
and the glow plug harness pulling tool.

Drive safe. If you have cell service in the deep outback
you could use the iHeartRadio app. http://www.iheart.com/

Sean

 

Well, it's in. Not the prettiest weld I've ever seen -front and center when I open my hood- but it does look "serviceable".



The inexpensive plastic tool worked ok to unlock the trans cooler lines. Here's a pic of the backside showing the relief for the ridge on the hard line. Getting the lines out of the fitting was a bit of trouble even with the tool fully seated but a little prying got 'em out.




When I first looked at them I thought o-rings in the fitting were broken. But it's the hard black plastic piece that serves as the lock.





Other than the issue with the tool, it was a straight forward install. Diesel tech Ron's video is the way to go, plenty of room to get it out of there without pulling the CAC and all the other stuff. The Mishimoto video said to allow 4.5hrs for replacement!

Think I'm gonna quit for tonight and service it up tomorrow. I ended up with the Rotella ELC from Tractor Supply. All the magic numbers on the bottle in concentrate for $14.99 a gallon instead of $23 something from CAT if they had any concentrate in stock , and 20mi in the wrong direction.

 

At least you have a store close by.
My Store:REDDING, CA Oh so close NOT!

Have to look around to see if I can get the
Rotella ELC for a fair price.


Sean