Ford 6.0L Oil Cooler Replacement/Repair

As Betsy reported, I spent all day Saturday getting our truck repaired. We knew we were starting our trip with cooling problems. The Ford 6.0L diesel has a long history of cooling system problems, some resulting in very expensive repairs (think $10K to $15K at the upper end). Through a Ford users forum, FTE - Ford Truck Enthusiasts, I have learned a lot about this truck and engine.  When it was apparent our problem was escalating, I was able to find a mechanic in the area we were staying. He is a Ford Master Tech and, as many do, he does side jobs at home. He has a roll around tool chest about the size of a small pick up truck. I had been in contact with him and set up a day to get the work done. He agreed to let me hang around and watch the process and we got along very well, sharing war stories with his educating me on the ins and outs of the 6.0L diesel. The problem is the oil cooler starts to plug due to a gel like substance that forms due to the antifreeze aging and temperature. The coolant goes from the oil cooler to the EGR cooler. The EGR cooler has very hot exhaust gases (800*F to upwards of 1500*F). The reduced coolant flow can't cool the exhaust gases and the heat turns the coolant to steam which, in turn, ruptures the EGR cooler allowing coolant to enter the intake manifold that can cause major damage to the engine. Fortunately I learned to monitor the engines vital statistics with aftermarket gauges (the ones on the dash are just fancy idiot light type gauges and often don't register a problem until after the fact). A new oil cooler and aftermarket EGR cooler, along with a few extras the mechanic did, and we are back in business. I'm looking forward to towing the 5er again to see what reading I get then. To initially test for a plugged oil cooler you have to be able to monitor your ECT (engine coolant temp) and EOT (engine oil temp). First you have to be fully up to operating temperatures and then drive for about 20 to 30 minutes at freeway speed on relatively level ground (not always easy). The difference (called the delta) between your ECT and EOT shouldn't exceed 15*F. Also, it is important that your thermostat is working properly. You should be seeing at least 188*F to 192*F ECT. This is the only way to determine your delta. Any other driving conditions have no relevance. Our delta was only 12*F but when towing a heavy load (our 5er is right at 14K lbs) we were seeing ECTs up to 230*F and EOTs 240*F and peaking on mountain passes at 258*F. That is the upper limit. Not good for the engine. At 300*F EOT there are some plastic parts in the oil filter housing that can literally melt. I've rambled on long enough. Time for some R&R.

Picking Up The 5th Wheel and the Drive Home

Betsy and I went to Poulsbo RV in Everett, WA last Saturday to pick up our new-to-us 5th wheel trailer. It’s a HitchHiker II LS 32.5 UKTG (UK= U shaped kitchen/ TG= triple glides or slide outs). It’s 33 feet long and didn’t look quite so big until we backed the truck up to the hitch. Compared to the truck it’s pretty big.

The tech at Poulsbo RV gave us an hour and a half orientation on how everything works and then we were ready to go. I guess. Betsy remembered the tech showing us how to put one of the glides out about a foot or so so we could get to the back window to tape on our temporary license and asked me about it just before I was going to pull out. We looked and sure enough, no license. We tracked down our salesman and he said he was sure it had one, it was good until 2010. We went to look and he asked the tech where the license went. It was out of state and they took it off. We ended up getting new WA state license for free.

Pulling out of Poulsbo RV you have to cross Evergreen Way, a four lane street with center turn lane and, of course I needed to turn left. Fortunately, traffic was pretty light that day and I easily got across and headed in the right direction. Thankfully the diesel engine in the Ford F250 has plenty of pulling power and it was no problem keeping up with traffic. Staying inside the white lines was another matter but no one honked so I guess I was ok. Just before we got on the freeway I noticed in the rear view mirror that one of the storage doors was open so I found a nice wide shoulder to pull over on and secured it and gave everything else the once over and away we went. Again the diesel engine quickly and easily got us up to speed and everything was hunky dory, that is until I hit a stretch of road that had grooves worn in the pavement from years of use. The truck’s steering is a little sloppy and I over-corrected a couple of times before it settled down and was tracking straight again. Still managed to stay in my lane and hopefully didn’t freak out the other drivers too much.

I did a Google search about the steering problem and learned it has been a problem with Ford trucks for several years running now and no fix in sight. Ford is apparently adopting the “if you ignore it maybe it will go away” method for correcting their design flaw. We’ll see once we start traveling. There’s lots of Fords on the highway so maybe it’s just a matter of getting used to the quirks.

RETURN TO THE MAINLAND

Four months went by in a flash. July 28th was here before I knew it. We were headed home. Our plan was to stay with our daughter and her family for a few months. We had given ourselves that amount of time to search for an RV we could afford, and make our travel plans. We planned to explore the area between our hometown of Snohomish, WA and Phoenix, AZ,  where a number of Kim’s family members lived. We figured it would take 2-3 months to find the motor-home we wanted.

Well, let me tell you, when the Universe supports your intentions, boom -  things happen. The first day we went window shopping for an RV, we found one we really liked. We had started looking at Class A Motor Homes. We saw a number we really liked, but we out of our budget range. Kim had once talked about getting a 5th wheel, but I said no. I wanted to have a small tow vehicle.

Well, never say never. We were looking at various options at Poulsbo RV, in Everett, Washington. http://www.poulsoborv.com/  Bob Anderson was the salesman we were dealing with. He patiently showed us a number of options, and just as we were narrowing things down, I thought it would be a good idea to look at 5th wheels just in case. I hadn’t been in a 5th wheel rig in about 20 years, and let me tell you, things have changed.

So it was back to square one. I much preferred the feeling of a 5th wheel.  We found one we liked at the Everett location. It was brand new and really maxed out our budget allotment. Bob looked online and found one he thought we’d like up at the Mount Vernon store. We took a drive up there, looked at it, and knew it was the one. The ceilings were higher, and it had a more spacious layout. It felt more like a home. A much littler home than I was used to, but a home nonetheless.

Next stop, a truck to pull it with. We made a few calls, checked a few websites, and found a Ford F-250 Super Cab LB SRW truck at Bickford Motors, right in our home town. http://www.bickford.net/ Our salesman was Dan Hudson, and before I knew it, we were the proud owners of a new (to us) truck.

A quick trip to the bank for two cashier’s checks, and we had our rig or rigs. I’m learning the lingo here. Apparently the 5th wheel is a rig. The truck itself is a rig. And together in combination the truck and 5th wheel trailer is a rig. If Kim’s Aunt Maria and Uncle Bill were travelling with us in their motor home, we would then have a traveling caravan of rigs – I guess.  Like I say, I'm still learning the lingo.

And to top it all off, I knew the Universe and Angels were with us because the truck color (Arizona Beige Metallic) matched the trim on the 5th Wheel , which by the way is a NuWa Hitchhiker II 32.5 UKTG LS – translated for other virigins means it is made by NuWa, the model is Hitchhiker II and it is 32.5 feet long with a U shaped kitchen and triple glides. Glides apparently are the same thing as slide outs. We have two in the ‘living room’ and one in the ‘bedroom’.

The process of finding and purchasing the rig, which we thought would take a few months, took less than 2 weeks, from “We’ll take it” to “Holy crap – we have to drive this home now?” I actually suggested that they deliver it for us, but apparently that wasn’t in the cards. It was a matter of just jumping in and doing it. Or rather for Kim to jump in and do it, and for Betsy to follow behind in the little Ford Focus thinking there is no way in hell she will ever be driving that thing!