Imagine that...coolant leaks.

 

After I bought it, I put a new Napa degas cap on it. I had looked at the blue egr cooler hose and have never seen coolant there but there has been oil. My CAC boots were very oily and cracked. I replaced them this morning with riff raff diesel boots. I didn't notice leaks under the degas tank before buti probably didn't look good enough. I'm on my way to Napa now for the tank

 

"What am I, chopped liver?" syndrome. Happens to all of us from time to time. Don't feel lonely and welcome to the club .

 

LOL, I know....it was aimed towards the suggestion that he might have blown head gaskets....

 

The mishimoto thermostat is too long. I remember reading somewhere that someone else had that problem. It is the little tit that fits into the small "guide" in the center of the housing.


Do I just cut a little off? It looks like it is only used as a guide.

 

No, don't cut it. Put it in the housing, then put the assembly in some boiling water. After it cools, it will relax.

 

Ok, thanks.

 

Well crap...I couldn't get the temp above 170 with the 200 degree mishi thermostat. After pulling over and feeling the upper hose, it was not building pressure with the new cap that came with the new degas tank. This cap clicks. Then I put on the cap (that doesn't click) I had been running and still not pressure. So I put on the cap that came with the truck, that clicks (looks like the original) and went back out. After another big hill it did start to climb to about 177. I put my foot on the floor up the hill and boom! The new riff raff turbo side boot came off. This truck is a turd without boost!! lol. The last time out, with the original cap, at a stop sign my alarm came on to check gauges and the temp gauge was bottomed out cold. After just a few seconds it came back up to about a third of the way up. I thought I might have had air in it, but when I got back, the level was about the same.


Anyway, I'm through today. I cleaned the crap out of my cac tube with brake cleaner and tried my best to get it angled just right and carefully tighten (with the original spring clamps). I know I didn't get the angle just like I would have wanted, but it simply would not go like it should. I didn't want to have to do the hair spray trick, because I would like to be able to take them off again, but that may be what I have to do.


I am concerned that the thermostat isn't working properly. I put it in the housing (without tools, just my fingers), then put it in boiling water for a couple of minutes, then took it out and it slowly closed up tight with the housing just like yall told me. But the best I was getting (when not building pressure) was 161 degrees. It is supposed to rain tomorrow so it will probably be a few days before I am back on it.

 

If you still have the spring clamps on the turbo
boot then make sure to use a torque wrench.
They are funny in that you think that you have
then tight enough and you don't do to the springs.
Also a little of the cheap hairspray on the pipes
will help to hold them.

Also watch where the bolt is pointing on that clamp
so that if it does blow off it does not make a dent
in the hood from the inside.


Sean

 

No wonder it runs cool now...XDP sent me the 185 degree thermostat instead of the 200 degree. But the highest it got was 168 anyway. I live in East Tennessee. I will be towing a 12k fifth wheel. Most of our towing will be during warmer months, but sometimes in cold weather. I was wanting the 200 degree for better mileage, efficiency, and that I figured the cooling system and fan could keep the temperature down even during heavy towing in hot weather. What do yall think? Most everyone I have read about wants the 200 degree thermostat.


Also, even with my climate control off, I hear the compressor kicking in and out. The dryer lines were cold also. Why is that?

 

I did a quick search and found out about the compressor running if it is above 43 degrees on certain settings to dehumidify the cabin. That makes me feel better.

 

Sounds like your thermostat is not working properly, or maybe not installed right. I am not sure if the pressure has anything to do with it.


My truck runs really well when the oil temps get over 190 deg I do notice a difference.

Also wanted to add that I had to replace my coolant tank also, same thing small cracks and it leaked.

.

 

It looked to me there was only one way to install it. I inserted the pin into the hole of the housing, pressed down on the spring and turned the ears to lock them into the housing slits, made sure it was completely centered, then put it into boiling water to heat it up, took it out to relax, then it was completely closed and flush with the housing. I have had troubles in the past with thermostats that would actually fit backwards, but this one looks impossible to install any other way. After driving it this morning with the original cap, it had pressure. The upper hose was tight but still only got to 168 degrees.


Could I have boiled it too long and messed up something? It was only 1 to 2 minutes.

 

I would request XDP to send you the 200 t stat that you ordered. Then send that 185 back to them.

 

I sent XDP an email.


The coolant flush went well. I drained the radiator, bottom hose, and driver side plug and it looked really good. A little crud, sand, etc. but not much. So instead of putting the garden hose in it, I just filled it up with distilled water and drove it a few miles then drained and inspected again. I did that about 4 or 5 times until it was really clear. Then installed the new thermostat, filled with slightly over 3.5 gallons of concentrated Ford gold coolant and topped it off with distilled water. I also installed the sinister coolant filter, replaced the degas tank, and replaced the heater control valve that was leaking. I guess when I install the correct thermo, I will make a solution of 50/50 to refill it.


I almost had the fuel filter spring cover off to do the blue spring upgrade, then I noticed a blue painted dot on the cover and remember reading that this is what a lot of Ford techs did to indicate the blue spring has been installed, so I didn't take the cover off. I guess I will sell the kit on craigslist or ebay.


I put some hairspray on the hot side cac boot this morning after cleaning it with brake cleaner. I then tightened the spring clamps a little more. I read that it is easy to egg the tube if you tighten to tight so I was trying to be careful. And I thought that as long as the springs were not all the way compressed, it indicated a proper tightness, but I guess not. I will wait until I get the proper thermo in it to flog it again to see if the boot stays on.