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Coolant filter and gauges enough?

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  #1  
Old 09-06-2014 | 10:11 PM
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dondlhmn
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Coolant filter and gauges enough?

My 6.0 Liter Ford Superduty now has just under 65k miles on it and I am kind of wondering about a coolant filter helping me dodge the usual 6.0 liter problems. So here is the deal....I drained ALL of the original coolant out, flushed the coolant system (twice) and using ZEREX G-50 and distilled water refilled the system. BTW, I did get some what appeared to be sand and some of what was ferrous metal (magnetic particles) out of the system). While I had it drained, I installed a coolant filter and will be installing a custom made gauge that will monitor both engine oil and engine coolant temps with the idea that I can catch any early warning signs in the form of temp variations. What I am wondering is if by doing all that I will have dodged a lot of the engine oil temp, oil cooler problems and a herd of the usual 6.0 liter problems. I am thinking that the filter SHOULD help me avoid a clogged coolant to oil inter cooler under the oil filter and that should go a LONG WAYS toward avoiding all the usual woes.

So...my questions are...am I right? Further, would I be wasting my time installing some sort of an EGR defeat/delete/block system if there is never an oil temp/coolant level problem that is caused by a clogged oil cooler?? Would it just be a PITA overkill to install a block system that stops the exhaust gas from traveling to and possibly through the EGR valve? I can do the job, but if the consensus is that it is now not necessary, I don't want to spend the time and money to do it.

What do you all have to say? Can/will some of you answer my questions...HOPEFULLY based upon experience rather than hearsay?!?!?!?
 
  #2  
Old 09-07-2014 | 12:18 AM
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Your just now replaceing the original coolant? Yeah, I would expect problems. The coolant filter might help but I wouldn't expect it to be promising. Personally, I prefer the EGR delete because it keeps my intake manifold and associated sensors clean and working well.
 
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Old 09-07-2014 | 08:18 AM
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Originally Posted by jswartz84
Your just now replaceing the original coolant? Yeah, I would expect problems. The coolant filter might help but I wouldn't expect it to be promising. Personally, I prefer the EGR delete because it keeps my intake manifold and associated sensors clean and working well.
That's great if you don't have emissions testing. Most do and need, want, all the factory equipment intack. Also if still under ESP, I am, it's essential.
 
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Old 09-07-2014 | 08:30 AM
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Do a blue spring fuel pressure upgrade too.

Coolant filter won't hurt. I think constantly watching eot and ect is overkill. No need to permanently install those gauges.

I prefer the egr deleted. Your situation may be different.
 
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Old 09-07-2014 | 08:39 AM
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A coolant filter will not help with the issue you are concerned about. Our trucks do not need a coolant filter anyway. That is arguable but many of us feel it is not much of a benefit and most people people that have installed them like to tinker with their trucks. No problem there. But it wont prevent a clogged egr cooler if maintenance was neglected.
The only gauge you need to add is a pyro. The dash gauges are sufficient to keep you out of trouble.
 
  #6  
Old 09-07-2014 | 10:41 AM
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Originally Posted by spdmpo
The only gauge you need to add is a pyro. The dash gauges are sufficient to keep you out of trouble.
Dash doesn't do fuel pressure or voltage, so no, the dash gauges plus a pyro aren't sufficient to keep him out of trouble.
 
  #7  
Old 09-07-2014 | 10:50 AM
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Oil pressure gauge is a joke. The needle is driven to the center position when the sensor clicks at 4psi. Several posts of overheated trucks steaming on the side of the road with no indication at all of impending doom from the factory instruments. I wouldn't trust them.
 
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Old 09-07-2014 | 11:28 AM
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Originally Posted by spdmpo
A coolant filter will not help with the issue you are concerned about. Our trucks do not need a coolant filter anyway. That is arguable but many of us feel it is not much of a benefit and most people people that have installed them like to tinker with their trucks. No problem there. But it wont prevent a clogged egr cooler if maintenance was neglected.
The only gauge you need to add is a pyro. The dash gauges are sufficient to keep you out of trouble.
The temp. gauges are glorified idiot lights and will alert you of problems after it's too late.
 
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Old 09-07-2014 | 01:26 PM
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Originally Posted by texastech_diesel
Dash doesn't do fuel pressure or voltage, so no, the dash gauges plus a pyro aren't sufficient to keep him out of trouble.
That's ridiculous. I hate that the first thing everyone wants to advise a new person to do is add 10 gauges in the cab. It's dumb. Fuel pressure can be checked at the test port if needed.

Originally Posted by 69cj
The temp. gauges are glorified idiot lights and will alert you of problems after it's too late.
The dash gauges will tell you when it's time to pull over, hence they will keep you out of trouble. The gauges in our trucks are no different from the gauges in the eleventy billion other vehicles on the road. I've been through this with the Mustangers and everyone else on other forums. I recognize that I would get the flame job from my statements, but it's true. I don't care if somebody wants to plaster every square inch of their interior with gauges or not....but it isn't necessary. There's other ways to diagnose issues.

But that's not the main point the man was asking about.
 
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Old 09-07-2014 | 01:46 PM
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Originally Posted by spdmpo
That's ridiculous. I hate that the first thing everyone wants to advise a new person to do is add 10 gauges in the cab. It's dumb. Fuel pressure can be checked at the test port if needed.



The dash gauges will tell you when it's time to pull over, hence they will keep you out of trouble. The gauges in our trucks are no different from the gauges in the eleventy billion other vehicles on the road. I've been through this with the Mustangers and everyone else on other forums. I recognize that I would get the flame job from my statements, but it's true. I don't care if somebody wants to plaster every square inch of their interior with gauges or not....but it isn't necessary. There's other ways to diagnose issues.

But that's not the main point the man was asking about.
That's what's nice about digital gauges, especially DashBoss and Torque.

You just use it when it's needed, as a reference.

I hardly ever boot up Dashboss as I drive anymore. Sometimes on longer trips and occasionally to check voltage, HPO and fuel pressure. That's it. To watch all those parameters each and every time I get in the seat and drive is borderline hypochondriac behavior.

I don't think coolant filters are necessary either.


Josh
 
  #11  
Old 09-07-2014 | 02:41 PM
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I was going to say paranoid nut job, but you worded your response much better than I did.
 
  #12  
Old 09-07-2014 | 02:58 PM
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Originally Posted by Bullitt390
That's what's nice about digital gauges, especially DashBoss and Torque.

You just use it when it's needed, as a reference.

I hardly ever boot up Dashboss as I drive anymore. Sometimes on longer trips and occasionally to check voltage, HPO and fuel pressure. That's it. To watch all those parameters each and every time I get in the seat and drive is borderline hypochondriac behavior.

I don't think coolant filters are necessary either.


Josh
I agree, that's why I have the Scangauge. Rarely watch it but when towing the 5er, esp. on steep grades, it gives me numbers not "by gosh and by golly"
I'm not criticizing spdmpo but that's my choice and it did give me ample warning on the egr cooler plugging that the factory gauges will not and can not do. I do believe that he is too sensitive to anyone that doesn't see his point of view.
 
  #13  
Old 09-07-2014 | 03:14 PM
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Originally Posted by spdmpo
The gauges in our trucks are no different from the gauges in the eleventy billion other vehicles on the road.
Nice hyperbole. But unlike quite a few of the other elevently batraillion vehicles on the road, there is NO voltmeter on the dash of a 6.0. So I guess the gauges in our trucks are slightly different, in the fact that one rather important one just straight up isn't there. Yup, absolutely no possible issues can come from lacking a voltmeter on an engine where fuel delivery is electronically controlled. On a truck that was sold with packages to upgrade the alternator amperage because they were designed for high electrical load usage. It's not like every 10th question on this board seems to ultimately stem from bad batteries, bad alternator, or a burned up FICM.

I didn't say a word about putting 10 gauges on his dash, just that there's one very common one missing from the stock dash that supposedly is entirely sufficient.
 
  #14  
Old 09-07-2014 | 03:37 PM
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Wow. I knew there are some sensitive topics on this board, but I didn't think having an extra gage or two on the dash was one of them.

If I didn't know better, I'd think we have some 70 yr old ladies posting.

I'm on the side of decreased monitoring. I monitor with Torque only when I tow my camper and for diagnostics. If your running a hot tune and use your truck as a street dragster, I can see more haves. Any more than that, and you probably call 911 to cut your fingernails.

Having said all that, a volt meter would be great. But I monitor voltage enough without it because I mainly just tow the camper with it.
 
  #15  
Old 09-07-2014 | 04:05 PM
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Watch it Bryan, I'm only 67.
 


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