2006 f250 6.0 powerstoke xlt Head Gasket
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2006 f250 6.0 powerstoke xlt Head Gasket
Yesterday while i was plowing the truck lost all of its power started blowing lots of black smoke. I parked it and checked the antifreeze. Was almost empty. Checked the oil and its all milky colored. Im pretty sure that would be a head gasket. Anyone got any idea on what this will cost and what we should replace while the cabs off. We have been told that we should do egr delete and upgrade the oil cooler in it to bulletproof it. What do you guys think we should do? Its a work truck that we plow with and haul trailers with hay and firewood. We also use it as an every day vehicle to so we dont want it to happen again. It has 162,000 miles and run great till this winter. Alot of the winter it was blowing blue smoke but it hasnt done that for a while now. But it has been lacking power quite often it wont go over 25-35mph.
Fleet Owner
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If the coolant is all milky, then your oil cooler has already failed! It will require a ton of flushing to clear the system. If I had an oil cooler failure, I would probably choose to go with the BulletProofDiesel oil cooler because it is so hard to get the system clean and many people have had their new oil coolers plug up because of crud that wasn't all removed during the flushing.
As far as the EGR system - either delete it or go with a BulletProofDiesel EGR cooler.
Lastly - get an engine monitoring system for watching key parameters (temps, pressures, etc). Oil cooler plugging can usually be prevented by running an ELC (EC-1 rated) coolant, and failures are preventable by catching a plugged system as it begins to plug up (by watching the split between oil and coolant temps).
As far as the EGR system - either delete it or go with a BulletProofDiesel EGR cooler.
Lastly - get an engine monitoring system for watching key parameters (temps, pressures, etc). Oil cooler plugging can usually be prevented by running an ELC (EC-1 rated) coolant, and failures are preventable by catching a plugged system as it begins to plug up (by watching the split between oil and coolant temps).
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Head Gasket
If the coolant is all milky, then your oil cooler has already failed! It will require a ton of flushing to clear the system. If I had an oil cooler failure, I would probably choose to go with the BulletProofDiesel oil cooler because it is so hard to get the system clean and many people have had their new oil coolers plug up because of crud that wasn't all removed during the flushing.
As far as the EGR system - either delete it or go with a BulletProofDiesel EGR cooler.
As far as the EGR system - either delete it or go with a BulletProofDiesel EGR cooler.
Fleet Owner
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Oh shoot, I misread! Sorry! I thought it was the coolant that was milky. If the oil is milky it MIGHT still be the oil cooler. Usually the oil is higher pressure and the oil will go into the coolant. However, if the oil cooler is bad enough you CAN get coolant into the oil when you shut off the engine (the coolant stays pressurized for awhile until it cools and the oil pressure quickly drops to 0 gauge pressure).
The loss of coolant (dry degas bottle) is either EGR cooler, or head gaskets leaking, or both. If you don't see much evidence of the coolant blowing out the degas bottle cap (overpressuring), then it probably is a leaking EGR cooler at a minimum. Just make sure you don't have other leaks in the coolant system - they seem to be common at hoses when the temperatures drop!
The loss of coolant (dry degas bottle) is either EGR cooler, or head gaskets leaking, or both. If you don't see much evidence of the coolant blowing out the degas bottle cap (overpressuring), then it probably is a leaking EGR cooler at a minimum. Just make sure you don't have other leaks in the coolant system - they seem to be common at hoses when the temperatures drop!
Hotshot
Joined: Dec 2014
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From: Jersey Shore
It could be HGs, it could be oil cooler related, it could be cracked heads. Having a diesel running out of character, like blue smoke never is a good plan. People have wiped out their motors running for 20 minutes just to get down the road.
There’s no way of estimating how much damage is in this motor. Gaskets, new heads, new long block..... it going to have to come apart, evaluated, and go from there. There is no bulletproofing, just improving the known weak points. The rest is in the operators hands.
You need to access the hurt, then decide the level of repairing and improving.
There’s no way of estimating how much damage is in this motor. Gaskets, new heads, new long block..... it going to have to come apart, evaluated, and go from there. There is no bulletproofing, just improving the known weak points. The rest is in the operators hands.
You need to access the hurt, then decide the level of repairing and improving.
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The blue smoke happened last year too. just seems to be on the coldest week of the year. Last year when it happened it stopped smoking before we had a chance to have it looked at and it did the same this year. Once it stopped being so cold it stoped throwing blue smoke.
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So what exactly would you guess my problem is with our 6.0. Lost all its power plowing, blows black smoke, and all coolant went into the oil. Truck is 100% stock work truck.
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Fleet Owner
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Your coolant system holds around 7 gallons, so I don't think it all went into the oil!
Could you catch an oil sample (you can remove the drain plug, catch a sample, and then re-install the plug (have a container under it and make sure it isn't hot!). Just remember that all the water will sink to the bottom unless it has bonded w/ the oil and coagulated.
You might consider sending an oil sample in to have it analyzed if it isn't too bad.
If it is bad, then you may have a problem worse than head gaskets or EGR/oil coolers.
To start troubleshooting, pull the EGR valve and takes some picks of it and from inside the intake manifold.
Could you catch an oil sample (you can remove the drain plug, catch a sample, and then re-install the plug (have a container under it and make sure it isn't hot!). Just remember that all the water will sink to the bottom unless it has bonded w/ the oil and coagulated.
You might consider sending an oil sample in to have it analyzed if it isn't too bad.
If it is bad, then you may have a problem worse than head gaskets or EGR/oil coolers.
To start troubleshooting, pull the EGR valve and takes some picks of it and from inside the intake manifold.
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Your coolant system holds around 7 gallons, so I don't think it all went into the oil!
Could you catch an oil sample (you can remove the drain plug, catch a sample, and then re-install the plug (have a container under it and make sure it isn't hot!). Just remember that all the water will sink to the bottom unless it has bonded w/ the oil and coagulated.
You might consider sending an oil sample in to have it analyzed if it isn't too bad.
If it is bad, then you may have a problem worse than head gaskets or EGR/oil coolers.
To start troubleshooting, pull the EGR valve and takes some picks of it and from inside the intake manifold.
Could you catch an oil sample (you can remove the drain plug, catch a sample, and then re-install the plug (have a container under it and make sure it isn't hot!). Just remember that all the water will sink to the bottom unless it has bonded w/ the oil and coagulated.
You might consider sending an oil sample in to have it analyzed if it isn't too bad.
If it is bad, then you may have a problem worse than head gaskets or EGR/oil coolers.
To start troubleshooting, pull the EGR valve and takes some picks of it and from inside the intake manifold.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Nov 2003
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The sample would have to be sent to a lab that analyzes oil. If it was too contaminated, they might not even run it though.
I use Blackstone and MRT Labs (have also used Polaris). It is about $25 to have it analyzed. Usually they only want the sample in their container. I would probably call and talk to them first, if you haven't ever had it done.
Could you first catch the sample and post a pic?
Also, when people run their degas bottle empty, I always like to know how low it got (ie how much would it take to re-fill the system). It can possibly help determine if the engine might have overheated as well. Unfortunately we don't get factory gauges that can help with that stuff! The system is large so one, even maybe two, gallons low doesn't worry me a ton.
Lastly, pull the oil filter out and inspect the standpipe that is in the oil filter housing. It will warp at 300 degrees and even melt at around 350 degrees. Nothing you have posted makes me think that it got that hot, but just curious (and you would want to know all that before spending any money on repairs).
I use Blackstone and MRT Labs (have also used Polaris). It is about $25 to have it analyzed. Usually they only want the sample in their container. I would probably call and talk to them first, if you haven't ever had it done.
Could you first catch the sample and post a pic?
Also, when people run their degas bottle empty, I always like to know how low it got (ie how much would it take to re-fill the system). It can possibly help determine if the engine might have overheated as well. Unfortunately we don't get factory gauges that can help with that stuff! The system is large so one, even maybe two, gallons low doesn't worry me a ton.
Lastly, pull the oil filter out and inspect the standpipe that is in the oil filter housing. It will warp at 300 degrees and even melt at around 350 degrees. Nothing you have posted makes me think that it got that hot, but just curious (and you would want to know all that before spending any money on repairs).
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Oil cooler
ok so we have been calling around and people seem to think it’s the oil cooler. Anyone know what it would cost to fix this? Would it of damaged anything else when it broke? We’re hoping it’s not head gasket because the quote we got for head gasket was $5000 and if it needs rebuild that would make it $9000 and even more if heads cracked.
Hotshot
Joined: Dec 2014
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From: Jersey Shore
If someone is doing heads or head gaskets it’s only a few hundred dollars more to replace the oil cooler. If the EGR cooler is an issue it’s onlt a parts cost increase during eith Job, head gaskets or oil cooler.
Before any work is done this motor should be tested for cylinder compression and Marks suggestion for coolant in the intake. The compression test will tell if there is a head gasket issue. I’m seeing the best case issue as the oil cooler gets replaced along with the EGR cooler depending on how that tests.
This is not a cheap motor to repair.
Before any work is done this motor should be tested for cylinder compression and Marks suggestion for coolant in the intake. The compression test will tell if there is a head gasket issue. I’m seeing the best case issue as the oil cooler gets replaced along with the EGR cooler depending on how that tests.
This is not a cheap motor to repair.
More Turbo
Joined: Jan 2017
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I would scan through what the fellas here have suggested. Get an oil sample, send it to blackstone (some have posted their sample report here and it has great detail. Do a search here on the forums and check it out). While you're waiting on a sample report check the compression. This stuff should tell you what's going on and prepare you for the next step. Who knows it may save you a couple grand. Personally I think mechanics have the upper hand. They could tell you anything and if you don't know anything about it, you can't tell them they're wrong. The almighty dollar.
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In 2015 (111k mi), I noticed antifreeze on the ground. Head gasket. I knew about the head bolt issue, so I took 'er in for a "cab off" repair. The shop had done this so many times with the 6.0 that the cab was up in the air in just a couple of hours!
Along with new head studs, the oil cooler was upgraded along with the oil rail plugs. Since the glow plug harnesses and starter were oil soaked, they were replaced also. Also replaced were the various gaskets,fluids, and 1 glow plug. Whole thing came down to a $5100 bill. I certainly hope that my 6.0 issues were put to rest!
Along with new head studs, the oil cooler was upgraded along with the oil rail plugs. Since the glow plug harnesses and starter were oil soaked, they were replaced also. Also replaced were the various gaskets,fluids, and 1 glow plug. Whole thing came down to a $5100 bill. I certainly hope that my 6.0 issues were put to rest!