Towing Problems
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From: Oak Harbor Wa
Towing Problems
I have an 04 F350 with a turbo back 4" exhaust. This last weekend I towed my 30 ft ultralight trailer that weighs only 5000lbs. The truck was doing great until I started towing up a hill. Thats when the truck started acting funny. It was real sluggish then made some weird whinning noise on the drivers side and started spitting fluid out of the overflow. As soon as I got to the top of the hill everything started working just fine. The temp gauge never moved the entire time and the only time it did it was going up the hill. It did it on the way there and on the way back. Please help.
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From: Oak Harbor Wa
before I left on the trip I made sure the level was right in between min and max. By the time I got to the top of the hill the level was barely even visible. Once I let the truck cool down a bit I added almost a 1/2 gal just to get it back to min. level
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From: Prosser WA
Sounds like you have to much coolant. I believe ford changed the max level and says not fill the bottle up over the min. line. I think think there is a tbs for this problem. Someone with more experience will hopefully chime in.
Moon
Moon
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From: Oak Harbor Wa
There are no other mods on the truck. Even if I just fill the coolant to the min line it shouldn't puke like that should it? If I keep my coolant level at min or below I shouldn't have any problems right?
Post Fiend
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From: Rural WV
I would say yes. Keep the coolant to the min line and give it another go. I'm almost willing to bet a beer it quits puking.
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From: Oak Harbor Wa
I will try it this weekend and see how it goes. It just seems to me that the coolant level shouldn't be an issue with these trucks and the amount of weight that I am pulling. I could see it if I were towing 10000lbs, but not 5000lbs. Thanks for your help.
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From: Prosser WA
If it continues to puke then take it to a ford shop and have them check it out. Since your not running a tuner then I doubt it is a head bolt or gasket issue, but even stock 6.0s have been known to stretch the head bolts. Also, if your turbo vanes stick it can cause over boost which can stretch the head bolts.
Moon
Moon
Last edited by Powermoon; Jun 7, 2007 at 12:54 PM.
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From: Arizona
Originally Posted by gf350
There are no other mods on the truck. Even if I just fill the coolant to the min line it shouldn't puke like that should it? If I keep my coolant level at min or below I shouldn't have any problems right?
Now that being said these are also classic symptoms of a bad head gasket or a leaking EGR Cooler. My vote if lowering the level does not help, is a bad EGR cooler, as this is a fairly common leak.
Here is the TSB
http://www.ford-trucks.com/tsb/fullt...hp?tsb=06-21-2
Good luck.
Jäger
Joined: Jan 2005
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From: Northern Arizona
I agree with the above posts, too much coolant so it puked. I've noticed that after towing the coolant level won't 'show' properly in the Degas boittle until the next day so be careful when adding coolant after a trip. Mine appears empty afterwards, again until the following day.
The whining noise you heard was probably the thermostatically controlled fan coming on, boy are they loud!
One other possible issue with these engines, if you lug them I believe they are more likely to puke than if you keep the rpm up when ascending a grade. The 6.0 likes to rev, don't let it 'chug' up a grade, hammer it. Mine has puked three times, all while towing up the Grapevine grade and I believe it was due to the engine rpm being too low. It's much better when kept above 3,000 rpm in that situation.
Not a scientific study, just my observations.
The whining noise you heard was probably the thermostatically controlled fan coming on, boy are they loud!
One other possible issue with these engines, if you lug them I believe they are more likely to puke than if you keep the rpm up when ascending a grade. The 6.0 likes to rev, don't let it 'chug' up a grade, hammer it. Mine has puked three times, all while towing up the Grapevine grade and I believe it was due to the engine rpm being too low. It's much better when kept above 3,000 rpm in that situation.
Not a scientific study, just my observations.
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From: Oak Harbor Wa
kepler4
Thanks. When you say the thermostatically controlled fan kicked on. Will it only kick on under a load like that? That is the first time I have heard that noise. I did try and keep the rpm's low. I thought that being only a 5000lb trailer that the truck should be able to handle the lower rpm's. When I try it again I will make sure that the coolant level is right below the min line and that I keep the rpm's up. I am also going to get a new cap today and try that before I tow this weekend. Like I said before the truck only did it while towing. I didn't have any issues when I went on trips un loaded.
Thanks. When you say the thermostatically controlled fan kicked on. Will it only kick on under a load like that? That is the first time I have heard that noise. I did try and keep the rpm's low. I thought that being only a 5000lb trailer that the truck should be able to handle the lower rpm's. When I try it again I will make sure that the coolant level is right below the min line and that I keep the rpm's up. I am also going to get a new cap today and try that before I tow this weekend. Like I said before the truck only did it while towing. I didn't have any issues when I went on trips un loaded.
Jäger
Joined: Jan 2005
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From: Northern Arizona
Since it's thermostatically controlled, it will only be activated once a certain temp is reached, I don't know what the exact temp is though. Blackhat, BTH, vloney or another Tech may chime in with that knowledge. The fan will also spin faster the higher the coolant temp climbs and spin more slowly as the coolant temp drops.
Yup, I thought the turbo was going to come blasting through the hood the first time I heard that fan! It scared the heck outta me. I'm used to it now and you'll get used to it as well. Owning a 6.0 is a whole new experience as it's a high-performance Diesel engine. I love it!
Let us know how your next trip turns out.
Yup, I thought the turbo was going to come blasting through the hood the first time I heard that fan! It scared the heck outta me. I'm used to it now and you'll get used to it as well. Owning a 6.0 is a whole new experience as it's a high-performance Diesel engine. I love it!
Let us know how your next trip turns out.