I took my new to me, 2005 F250, 6.0 with 100k to the local Ford (Quality Care Center) to get the major fluids changed and start with a clean slate. Replaced the rear diff fluid with syth and some kind of additive, both fuel filters. Drained the tranny and installed new external tranny filter. The one taken out was black but the old tranny fluid was bright red (maybe they changed fluid but never changed this filter). Changed the oil and filter (had to buy a new cap, someone installed a Carquest fuel filter that had the filter and cap together ).

Now the concern that I have, after draining the coolant, the tech poured in 1 container of the Ford gold antifreeze and then took the empty container to their water faucet and filled up the container and poured it into the degas container, when he was done adding more of both fluids, there was a 50/50 mix. I explained to him that I wanted distilled water only and he said that this facility always uses tap water on everything and never had any issues, then he shows me a small bottle of some Ford additive they add. This is totally against everything I have read on this form. I hope I won't have any issues with this.

Also, with this many miles I asked him about the coolant filter bypass system and he felt with that many miles and drains that anything in there is long gone. How does he know how many drains this truck had by it's previous owner? The OASIS report didn't show any. Do you guys think I should install the coolant filter system, btw the truck is all stock (for now ). Sorry this got so long.

Thanks,

Andre'

 

Yes install a coolant filter. Flushing the system does not remove casting sand and large debris. Are soon as you shut of the engine the sand drops to the bottom and does not get flushed out. I now distilled water is recommended but I also know that using tap water is common practice in most garages... The minerals in the water will leave deposits in the cooling system over time. I'm not sure how significant the deposits would be but right or wrong most garages do it...

 

The tech is a tool. It is guys like this that keep the 6.0 is bad myth alive. His advice will cause you problems. It has been well documented that the casting sand never stops moving through the system. You need a coolant filter. You also need a way to monitor temps. I suggest the Edge Insight. With as many miles as you have on your truck, it is not a question of if you will need an oil cooler, but when. The only way to watch for this is with ect/eot temp monitoring capability. As to the tech and the tap water, you should have gotten what you asked for. Ford is pretty specific on the distilled water. Maybe Cheezit or one of the other knowledgeable techs will comment later with their opinion on this.

Regards

 

Chances are you have never had the coolant changed. Ford states the first time is 105K and then every 45K with coolant strenght concentration checks every 6 months.
Just make sure you keep everything well documented incase there is a problem later.

www.dieselsite.com

It is never too late.

 

Depending on where you are and the hardness of the local water, the kid may not be totally wrong -- that is the standard procedure for gassers.

Problem --- for the 6.0, the issues are totally different and distilled water should be used because of the high coolant temperatures from the oil and EGR cooler.

Scale on those components is the kiss of death. Most gassers do not have this problem.


The average "tech" is grease monkey with hardly (and often not even) a grade 12 education.

Problem is, there are techs out there that are now far more knowledgeable than the average college grad (4 year) with a technical degree, and often, know more than the engineers.

You got to sift through the ones that should be changing oil and using grease guns (for whom they may be often underqualified) and the real good techs.

I would:

A) have a word with the service manager.

B) basically make it a point to say, if the work cannot be done to your spec, thanks but no thanks.

 

5 years or 105,000 miles. Which ever comes 1st. Seems like people have a tendancy to forget that there is a time life on these items just like 6 months on the oil.