So about 6 months ago(Thanksgiving actually) I was pulling our travel trailer out to the local lake(maybe only about 35-40 miles) and the truck puked pulling a small hill. I wasn't pulling hard, it wasn't a hot day and the T.T. only weighs about 5-6000# tops. I've done 2500 mile trips through Baja and up to oregon and pulled hard in those trips with no problems.

Take it to the dealer under warranty and the tested the egr cooler and everything was fine. Replaced the coolant cap under the tsb and said that was probably the problem. I didn't tow for about 6 months, but when I did, it puked again under similar conditions as the first time. Took it back and they said the part # on the cap they replaced wasn't the updated one and replaced it again. Tested the cooler too and it passed.

So yesterday I'm driving home and going over the local grade that's about 7% for a few miles and it was in the 80's outside. Mind you I'm unloaded. The truck didn't seem to have the power it usually does and it wound up downshifting going up the grade which it usually doesn't have to do. Got home and heard some bubling and decided to check under the hood for fun. YEP, it puked! It goes back in on Tues., but wondering what the problem may really be.

Any thoughts? I'm not convinced the egr cooler is good, this is the 3rd time now. I don't loose coolant, only when it pukes so I don't think it would be head gaskets, but could it be? What else should I have them look at? This will be it's final trip in under the 36000 mi. warranty. Thanks for your help.

 

Have the dealer test the coolant for exhaust gases. There is a chemical that they can add that causes it to change color (I believe). As they have repeatedly tested the cooler I would start looking seriously at the HG's. Might also want to try another dealer as this one seems to just want to band aid a problem.

 

EGR COOLER and EGR VALVE!!!! I know from experience.

 

Does the truck smoke white out the tailpipe? That is a good but not perfect indicator of egr cooler failure. My truck was running fine one minute and then started the billowing white smoke. An egr cooler delete kit from First Coast Diesel fixed the problem. There are several threads here that address this issue

 

Nope, no apparent smoke. That's why I was looking for some help, I'm very aware of issue and have followed them since I bought the truck and joined the forum. Everything seems to test ok, no smoke, but she pukes still. I guess I'll see what they say tomorrow.

 

Why do you not think it is head gaskets? The head gasket failure mechanism is for exhaust gas to get into the coolant and then puke out the degas bottle. That is why it is hard to distinguish head gaskets from EGR coolers. There are other ways to over heat and puke also. It is hard to diagnose at home. You need a competent dealership shop that is also interested in permanently fixing the problem. Be persistent. Also be ready to find another dealership - if you are getting nowhere w/ the current one.

 

Well, I'm not really sure at this point what it may be. Just from most of my readings, a lot of people lose coolant with blown HG's, but I know it's not the rule. I personally know the service writer(my wife used to work at another Ford dealer with most of the employees there), and she knows the diesel tech. who's usually pretty good. I told them I wanted them to look into the HG's since their previous attempts resulted in no cure. If they come back again with no results, I'll take it to the other local dealer, but it's about 40 miles away and much less convienient. However, they have a real good tech. that I know too(from my wife) that has done other minor things to the truck before.

 

I had a minor puking problem with mine under high boost (25 - 30 PSI) back in summer of '08. I checked the degas tank for exhaust gases with a test kit and I had no exhaust gas in the degas tank. I changed the cap and it still puked but only under high boost. So I run the coolant level to where I could just see it in the degas tank and that helped but I still had some white stuff coming out. Last April it got worse so I did another degas bottle exhaust gas check and sure enough I had very little exhaust gas in the coolant but it was just enough to turn the blue fluid a slight green color. So I figured I either had a cracked tube in the EGR cooler or stretched head bolts. So, since my X is out of warranty, I opted to replace the OEM head bolts with ARP studs and NOT change the HGs and replace the EGR cooler with a Neal Technologies upgraded EGR cooler. Puking problem solved.

If the dealer checks the degas tank and it has no exhaust gas in it, then you probably have a clogged EGR cooler. What happens is the cooler is blocked on the coolant side by debris and that reduces the amount of coolant flowing through the cooler. Since the exhaust gas flow remains constant through the EGR cooler, the small amount of coolant that flows through the cooler is flashed into steam causing the pressure to rise above 16 lbs and then the pressure cap vents. I would try unplugging the EGR valve and see if the amount of puking stays the same. Unplugging the EGR valve effectively shuts off exhaust flow through the cooler. If it does remain the same, then you probably have a HG issue. If it does not, then I would say you have a clogged EGR cooler and have that replaced.

DSMMH

 

It's HG's Was going to do ARP's, but they will void the engine warranty if I do. Only have 35,500 on it, so I think I'm just going to have them replace em and go from there. If it happens again, I'll do the arp's, but the parts manager(a friend of mine) said they have 3 6.0's waiting for short blocks that had the HG's replaced fairly recently. If that were to happen and no warranty.....you can see my reason for hesitation. Plus I'm supposed to go to Wyoming for the 4th and if I wait for studs, I won't make it. SUCKS!

 

I find that kind of funny, but I heard the same thing in Columbus,MS when I thought I had a injector issue. I just broke the ice and asked if they ever heard of such,(studs) and they told me NO the Head Bolts had been upgraded. I wanted to tell them they where full of ?????, but the dealer that did my studs in Houston told me that they've done so many with the factory bolts that failed time and time again so after that they recomend nothing but
ARP's or the others that make studes for the 6.0. It's funny how in different places dealers are different and still work for the same company.

 

What gets me is that Ford would deny warranty for a fix that is proven for a well known problem. It's common knowledge that the head bolts are weak and a major problem that costs Ford butt loads to fix in warranty, but won't honor their warranty with a far Superior and proven replacement product installed by their factory trained mechanics. Or that they don't even offer an upgraded option for a cost at the time of replacement. They could get a huge price break from a company like ARP and turn around and install them at an additional cost while both fixing the problem and making some money in the process. But I guess that makes sense, therefore won't happen.

 

My wife and I traveled to a race over the weekend and after we got home I also noticed where the degass bottle puked all over the side of the engine compartment, now the degass bottle is clear empty. I already guessed I had a Head gasket going bad. I called the local dealer and he said he would be happy to put the studs in while changing the H/G's.

 

I just got mine back from it's third visit. This time it needed headgaskets. I asked about the ARP studs and they wouldn't put them in. Some crap about Ford will only warranty repairs with Ford products. Mine only had 21,800 miles and the heaviest thing I tow is a 1700 pound trailer with a 4300 pound Jeep on it. The 6.0 should not have problems pulling 6,000 pounds. Didn't cost me anything but that's not the point. You would think with all the money is has cost to fix these vehicles under warranty Ford would look for a sure fire cure. I was told my problems won't happen again with the fix they made. I hope the service writer is correct. We'll see.

 

Who can say if your head bolts were torqued right when assembled. Fords not eating the whole repair bill as the engine was purchased from another company.

 

My truck was puking the same way under load and boost. I'm at the end of my warranty so I sent it in. They replaced the head gaskets. I did buy the ARP studs for them to install while they where doing the work. Seems to be doing fine now but I have not towed with it yet.