Diesel Water Coolant Filter for your Tow Vehicle

[leemedic]

How many here have installed a "Coolant Filter Kit" on their tow vehicle.

My 2006 F350 is in the shop right now because the oil cooler is clogged and has to be replaced. Hopefully it has not damaged the EGR coolant. I am lucky because I have an extended warrantee on my truck, and I only pay $250.

Now I am considering placing a Coolant Filter Kit.

Here is a link. Scroll down and read all the information.

http://www.dieselsite.com/2003-20076...waterpump.aspx

[bobsals]

My feelings on this product is it falls in the category as a want and not a need. In my experience of driving and maintaining vehicles over the last 50 years, as long as you change the fluids at recommended intervals (some sooner) then something like this would not be needed. It's like a lot of us here in regard to tires. Many here are spending a small fortune on the G614 tires for their rigs, but are they needed? No, many tires will do, but the G614 give added security and make people feel better about towing. But, if it would make you feel more secure and better about your vehicle, go for it!

[Rainer]

I had a 2006 F-250 diesel that sucked in it's turbos. Also had an extended warranty.

I got screwed because the truck only had 66K miles before it bit the bullet. And the extended warranty company refused to pay for a large portion on the repairs claiming they were part of the emissions system, and therefore excluded from coverage. Everyone I've talked to, from the Ford service adviser to other Ford owners who suffered the same malady, say it hasn't got anything to do with the emissions system. So, I guess I'm going to have to see if an attorney would be interested in this.

But I'm with "bobsals" on this "Coolant Filter Kit". I believe it's a cure for a disease that doesn't exist!

[1retired06]

I have been running Ford Diesels since 1999, without modifications, and have never had any issues other than normal maintenance.

[dieselguy]

With around 78,000 miles on my truck, I installed a coolant filter a few years back on my 7.3 ... I was kinda on the fence about putting one on as I was leaning towards the mindset of the above posts. At about 1500 miles after the installation, no coolant was passing thru the filter ... I put on a new one and cut the old one in half. It was full of scale and casting sand. It made a believer out of me. My neighbor followed my experience and although it took about 6000 miles, his filter plugged up as well. After the first clogged filters, there were no more ... we just changed them out once a year. With the need of coolant additive (DCA) on the Powerstrokes, coolant filters with the additive pellets inbedded in the media came in handy as a plus besides filtration. I have 134,000 on my truck on the original water pump ... I feel the filter has a bit to do with that. Soooooooooo that's my story and I'm stickin to it.

[oldelmer1]

The problem is on the earlier 6.0's the casting sand was not flushed out completely, so as the sand moves around with the flow of the anti-freeze, it lodges itself into the oil cooler and eventually clogs it up.

I added one on my 2006 after having it for a year, removed the filter after 6 months and cut it open and there was all kinds of sand in it.

And that is the exact filter kit I put on my 6.0.

[Illini Trekker]

Should be able to do the same thing for a lot less money? Put one on my GM product for under $50. Teed into the heater hoses then ran the sampling of water throw a filter head from Summit. Head was around $30 and six foot of heater hose then mounted it on the frame with 4" angle iron to block any stuff the tires might throw at the filter.

[clarkandsheila]

I put a coolant filter on my truck. It seems lots of people have engines that don't need it. It also seems that lots of people wish they had installed them, of course too late.

Ford put some engines out that had lots of crud left in the blocks and unless you know which ones they are the filter is a good idea.

I put my own together from a Fleetguard head, Fleetguard filters with no DCA chemical, just the filter , heater hose.
I did however install ball valves for isolation so if I have a hose problem or want to change the filter and the engine is still hot I can just turn off the valves.

I can't say whether or not mine was one of the needy ones but I wasn't going to take the chance.