Has anyone ever considered adding a external coolant filter to their trucks? It seems to be very popular with the diesel guys. So i decided to go for it , there is no kit made for these trucks so you are on your own for parts. I used the napa 4019 filter base conversion kit 44.99 and the uncharged 4070 coolant filter 12.22 . You have the option of adding it in-line or as a bypass style. I chose to add it as an in-line unit , it was the easiest way because the output heater hose is such a bear to get to. I cut the heater hose from the manifold and removed the factoy restrictor and used two ABS plastic heater elbows to route the hose to the drivers side of the engine. I then took the filter base from the kit and welded a 9'' rod to the back and welded that to a piece of flat steel i also welded to the rod. this allowed me to mount the unit to the P/S bracket. I drilled two 5/16'' holes in the P/S bracket and the filter mount. Bolted it up and it looks almost stock. I had the filter on for 100 miles and it stopped working , it was plugged with over 1/4 pound of casting sand! I never saw this in the coolant but what was in there was shocking. I have the second filter on there and plan to change it at 5,000 miles and then every year after that. I have pictures and will post them tommorrow.

 

pics!! this i gotta see

 

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...og/coolant.jpg


the top piece is part of a new filter i cut open , the bottom one is part of the used coolant filter that was on for 100 miles.

 

great idea! so you just tapped this into the return line on the heater core? Does that circulate coolant all the time? I have a 96 bronco, with no control valve visible under the hood, im wondering if the coolant circulates through the heater hoses when the heat is not on, and if it is efficient at filtering the whole system, and not just the coolant that is returned and then pumped back into the heater core.

 

i tapped into the input line of the heater core , it flows coolant all the time and is effective. your bronco is setup the same way.

 

thanks, i like the idea, and considering i was recently in a jam where i had to use some of that shady stop leak, i wouldnt mind slapping a filter in there to get all the crap out. now, to determine which line is the input....

 

the line near the t-stat is the in-put for the heater core. the one by the water pump is the suction line.

 

So your filter plugs up and you overheat or the coolant goes up in temp! With these aluminum head engines I'll pass! See no gain and only another area for failure.

 

if the filter plugs up the heater hose line, the worst that will happen is your heat wont work. the water pump will still be circulating through the radiator.

 

Did you know that the heater circuit helps in the entire cooling process. One step to take when your engine starts running hot is to turn on the heater full blast, it acts a mini radiator.
Personally to me it's a wasted effort and expense.

 

yes, but if your blower motor isnt moving air over the heater core, its not helping the cooling any. if my heat stops working, ill know the filter is plugged. this is like saying you wont use an oil filter because it might clog up.... id rather have the crap in the cooling system clog up a filter than my heater core. the filter would be a lot easier to change