Ford coolant filter

[jsnip42]

I was reading today that most diesel engines especially the Ford 6.0 needs to have a coolant filter installed to protect the EGR cooler. It said the coolant in diesels gets full of debris, casting sand, and coolant sediment fallout, etc. Has anyone installed one of these filters or heard of this? Cost is about $120 from Dieselsite.com. They said Ford knows about this problem with the coolant getting bad and plugging up the cooler. About a 2K repair it it plugs up the cooler.

[GregN]

I have a coolant filter on my truck. My truck is older and i have added the filter to increase the longivity of the engine. Napa auto can get the filiters for me and the have the additive in them to preventing pitting on the coolant compartments of the engine. My filter is a Tymar.

[junglejim]

Lately I ahve been doing alot of reading on this subject. I do agree that the 6.0 needs a coolant filter (mostly for casting sand). As soon as I get pulled to my next work location this week I am going to install one. Probably from dieselsite.com. Not to much money for the insurance it provides in my opinion. If you have gauges watch the differance between the oil temp and the coolant temp. The oil temp is not suppose to go higher than 14 degrees more than the collant temp. If it does they say your oil cooler is plugged and will need to be replaced and soon after your EGR cooler. I talked to one guy that installed a filter and he said that within 350 miles it was plugged. He ended up going through 4 filter within the first 1000 miles after installation.

[dieselguy]

I installed a coolant filter on my 7.3 powerstroke. I think I got it from the Dieselsite or Pure Diesel Power for about $100. It was really easy to install and the shutoff valves included make filter changing a breeze. The first filter plugged up within 1000 miles, but the rest last over several oil changes (I can see the return coolant going into my recovery tank). I cut the first filter in half ... lotsa sand and gritty stuff caught by it. All engine blocks have a little cast sand floating around in them ... I think a filter is a good investment toward saving a water pump.

[bwney]

I added one from dieselsite.com to our 6.0 about 3 weeks ago. Install was easy, and looks good. They even sent more parts than I needed.

My truck has 82k miles on it, and it's never mentioned if I may have waited too long to install the filter.

[jsnip42]

bwney, did they include any instructions on how to install it? Not very good at figuring things out without pictures.

[Bill-N-Donna]

I’ not sure if I even have one or not. I have changed the oil cooler once since I’ve had the truck. Maybe I should take a closer look at it.

[bwney]

Dieselsite had a good instruction sheet, it even included pictures. From the front, looking back at the engine, the new filter unit goes to the left of the radiator. You loosen the bolt that holds the upper radiator mount, and slide the new filter mount under it. Re-tighten the bolt.

For actual filtering, you cut two hoses. Cut one of the heater hoses, and install a tee (supplied, with hose clamps).

Lay the other hose across the top of the fan shroud, and cut the return hose from the degas bottle. Again, the tee and clamps are supplied. Plenty of hose, too.

The kit doesn't include the shut-off valves that some install for filter change. I'm not sure they are necessary. but I'll install them later if needed.

Good pics on the dieselsite.com website, too.

[bwney]

quote:Originally posted by dieselguy

(I can see the return coolant going into my recovery tank). I cut the first filter in half ... lotsa sand and gritty stuff caught by it. All engine blocks have a little cast sand floating around in them ... I think a filter is a good investment toward saving a water pump.

I can't see the coolant returning in my 6.0 unless I take off the screw on cover of the degas tank.

Is that how you see yours? Seems like a good way to tell when the filter is plugged or nearly plugged.

[jsnip42]

Not sure what the degas tank is. I'll have to look it up. The install job does not seem to hard. Sounds like a good investment for $120. Mine has 72K miles on it but they say it is not too late to get good service out of it.

[dieselguy]

Brant:
I have a 2000 7.3 Powerstroke. The top of the radiator has a clear return tank mounted on top of it that the coolant filter dumps into. In addition, my stock water pump had a 1/4" fitting with a pipe plug in it. I just put a male barbed fitting in it and ran the hose from there to the filter housing. The only hose I had to cut was the small one going into the return tank in order to install a T fitting. And yes the engine compartment on my 2000 is always that clean ... keeps me out of trouble.

[MuddyPaws]

I put one of these on my 7.3 when it was still new. I'm on my 3'rd filter change.

You don't need the filters with the SCA tabs in them. Too much SCA is worse than none. Dieselsite no longer sells them.