[Weatherlite]

To address the grinding and stopping cranking, if you're experiencing the motor actually rotating for a second or two and then stopping, but you still hear a "whirring" sound like the starter is still spinning, then you have a bad starter and it needs to be replaced. If you can, get a 6.4 starter. If, however, you're hearing the motor rotate and then stop, but the starter is also stopped, you have some sort of major mechanical issue such as hydrolocking or a dropped valve....in other words, something is temporarily stopping your engine from turning. It's possible for coolant to gradually drain from the cylinder into the crankcase, allowing you to crank it again the next day, so if this is what you're experiencing I would check the oil for coolant as well. But honestly, sounds like the bendix on the starter gave out. Common with cheap starters.

Back to the "boilover" on the degas bottle. Some of us are suspecting headgaskets. What appears to be boilover could just be excessive pressure in the system puking the coolant out. Suggest you get a pressure gauge and T it into your cooling system using the small hose that goes from the radiator to the degas bottle. Make the hose long enough to reach into the cab....gotta be careful of pinch points when closing the hood. Anyway, after you have it hooked up, start your truck up, drive it around the block a few times until you are certain it is fully up to temp. You'll probably see that pressure gauge spike or at least get right up to 16PSI or so. Once this is done, safely bleed off the pressure in the cooling system. Drive it again and watch that gauge....safely. Don't wreck. lol If it rises again, it's possible you weren't fully up to temp, so try bleeding it off again. If you continually have to do this, or if it just continues to rise and fall, or if you see sudden spikes when you give it hard acceleration, you have bad head gaskets. A while ago a lot of people were doing head gasket jobs with what was supposed to be the greatest thing since sliced bread...black diamond! Yeah, they mostly all failed in short order. So, definitely possible you have bad gaskets even though you're studded. If you do have this issue, it's not the end of the world. You can swap out headgaskets without removing the cab.

There is another possibility, though. Take a look where your EGR cooler should be. I know you showed us a blockoff plate for the EGR valve, but what's down below? I'm wanting to see if they removed the old cooler completely or not. If not, and they welded the ends shut, it's possible there is a crack in it and exhaust or intake pressure is bleeding over into the cooling system, causing the puking. Something to consider at least.

Your oil temp issue....definitely a clogged oil cooler. As you will read in here numerous times, get rid of that ford gold and use an EC-1 rated ELC....red in color. There are a few different methods to use, and a few different beliefs regarding the old oil cooler. Some say replace the cooler, flush the system, fill with EC-1. Other believe this can introduce contaminants to the new cooler, just clogging it again. A different idea is to flush the system with the old cooler in, then perform a backflush but without backflushing the cooler because that would put its junk back into the system. After the backflush, replace the cooler and backflush the new cooler.....it's not going to get crud out, but it will clear the passages going to the cooler of any crap which may have been left. Both methods seem to have their merits and problems. I do know that the bulletproof external cooler is a luxury and isn't necessary. A stock cooler works just fine as long as you have that Mishimoto filter and run ELC coolant....just don't forget to change that filter.

 

[Weatherlite]

Yeah another shop told me the same thing yesterday. Unfortunately you see a ton of videos online saying "USE ONLY FORD GOLD COOLANT!!!" so it's pretty confusing. And then there are other things for these trucks where they also say Motorcraft only Motorcraft only! Lol

The issue with my truck is that they're saying the pressure in my cooling system is high which means it probably has a head gasket issue, so then they're going to have to take the cab off and replace that anyway so might as well do the cooler while in there right? If I don't have a blown head gasket you are saying I can save the money on the labor and just bypass it with the external cooler?

So the IPR is better than other coolant filters like the Mishimoto ones?

What coolant and motor oil does everyone use??

For most things, yes, use only Ford, but Ford screwed up with their gold coolant. International said use a specific coolant which did not have silicate in it. Ford said they would use what they wanted because they bought the engines and put em in their trucks. Whelp, the silicate comes out of suspension when super heated in EGR coolers and then clogs the oil coolers....thus causing a host of other problems. So generally Ford stuff is the only thing you should use, but not always. Trust the guys on this forum....lots of mistakes were made to find the right stuff. lol

If a shop is doing the work, yes, they should replace the oil cooler while in there because your temps are high....but you definitely need to make sure you go to a shop that knows their stuff! We've heard too many tales of shops doing the work and the truck still has problems. Any shop can throw parts on it, but only a decent shop can truly fix the issue.

BTW, no, it's not saving money to bypass the oil cooler with an external cooler, because it's not really bypassing it....it's replacing it with a whole other oil cooling system which is over a thousand dollars just for the parts alone. What that does, however, is remove the problem of a potentially clogged oil cooler, so no more chance of high temp oil.

IPR is a full flow, meaning all of the coolant will pass through it, so it always filters everything. The mishimoto is a bypass, meaning only a small percentage, probably about 10%, gets filtered at any given time. However, over time it does filter all of the coolant, and it does filter out more stuff because it can trap smaller particles. If you run both it's like a bulletproof setup, but just about everyone who just runs the bypass setup has been just fine.

I use Rotella ELC (not the new version which states it's nitrite free) for coolant, and Rotella T6 for oil. I've used Delo in the past and it just didn't run as well as I'd like....injectors are old. lol

 

[bismic1]

Edit - I was late in typing, lol!

Owning a 6.0L requires more knowledge than a lot of trucks unfortunately.

6_riders and Weatherlite are telling you 100% correctly! The Ford Gold coolant is not robust at all. It can drop solids out when mixed with other coolants, when exposed to high heat, when exposed to combustion gasses.

The EC-1 rated ELC coolants are proven. They are MUCH, MUCH better.

I agree, that some parts require For (motorcraft) only - like filters and sensors. You just have to do the searches and then, on the forums, you need to figure out who has the experience and who doesn't.

BTW - the motorcraft oil cooler is the only one to get, unless you are upgrading to an external air cooled oil cooler from BulletProofDiesel.

 

[itmike5.0]

If you can, get a 6.4 starter

What's the part number for the motorcraft 6.4 starter? Is Part# SA931 the 6.0 starter?

 

[itmike5.0]

OK, I will definitely take the advice from this forum and owners over the other stuff I've heard. I have the Mishimoto coolant reservoir that I've put on and it has a port built in for connecting a pressure gauge. Is there a specific gauge I should get or just any pressure gauge within the range I need?

If my most recent issue is definitely the starter that will definitely make me feel much better about my situation! I can replace that... Now as for the pressure building up I can definitely test that by getting the pressure gauge and connecting that to my degas tank. I definitely have some type of issue going on there. Since it does have the EGR deleted I will have to look around to see how exactly they did the delete and how it's holding up. That could definitely be the source of the issue OR a bad head gasket job/failed Black Diamond type product as Weatherlite mentioned then obviously I'll need a decent bit of work done. I've called around to a few shops already to get pricing on head gasket and oil cooler. The first said it's pretty much the same pricing as their "bulletproofing" so $5500!! He said that includes the gaskets, oil cooler, and any machining that is needed and also replacing the studs that are already there??. The second shop just quoted the oil cooler and said they'd want to diagnose and verify the gaskets are even an issue. They said $400 for the oil cooler and $115/hr for labor totaling 8 hours = $1320. Obviously if they do have to do the gaskets it's going to be much more. The third shop I'm still waiting to hear back from but they charge $95/hr. All 3 have good reviews and seem like they know what they're talking about. The second shop spent a lot of time with me on the phone and he was very down to earth and helpful. Also closest to my house.

Could I do this myself...maybe. I do have a sign in my garage that says "Trust Me, I'm a Mechanic" and I do have plenty of tools, compressor, etc. My issue is that my garage is full (1972 Mach 1 torn apart) and my driveway is also full (boat, 2011 Mustang GT, Ford Fusion, F350). 🥴 It's basically a mess and my driveway is not flat and gets ALL of the afternoon Florida sun. That being said...a 4 or 5K price tag could be just the motivation I need.

So I guess these are my next steps:

• Replace starter
• Drain Ford Gold coolant
• Drain oil
• fill oil with Rotella T6 (unless better option?) and replace oil filter with Motorcraft and stock cap
• Flush cooling system, hose water a few times getting up to temp with heat on, then distilled water run with heat on and flush, then fill with Rotella ELC (NOT the Nitrate free one)
• attach pressure meter to degas tank's port, drive around and see what readings I get.
• oil cooler replacement
• possible head gasket or EGR delete fix....
• whatever comes next LOL

Oh...AC also does not work.

 

[cfherrman]

Don't run the engine without oil lol

Don't drive the truck low on coolant or water only as well

DTR has a really good block flush video

Use motorcraft Diesel 10w30 oil

Just for information ford gold can be ok for 50k miles at a know mileage value.

 

[bismic1]

Don't run the engine without oil lol

Don't drive the truck low on coolant or water only as well

Use motorcraft Diesel 10w30 oil

Just for information ford gold can be ok for 50k miles at a know mileage value.

While I agree with you in general on the Gold coolant, I reiterate that it can not take exposure to excessive heat or exposure to combustion gasses ...... no matter if it is brand spanking new. It will drop solids out and/or gel up if it is abused. Some times you just don't know when you are going to get extra heat, etc. Most of us have experienced things that happen suddenly on long trips......

It just isn't worth the risk to run the Gold coolant.


Also, I am sure that the Motorcraft 10W30 is a good oil, but there are a lot of good oil choices.

 

[007matman]

While I agree with you in general on the Gold coolant, I reiterate that it can not take exposure to excessive heat or exposure to combustion gasses ...... no matter if it is brand spanking new. It will drop solids out and/or gel up if it is abused. Some times you just don't know when you are going to get extra heat, etc. Most of us have experienced things that happen suddenly on long trips......

It just isn't worth the risk to run the Gold coolant.


Also, I am sure that the Motorcraft 10W30 is a good oil, but there are a lot of good oil choices.

Agreed.

Rotella T6 5w40 is excellent.

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[itmike5.0]

Don't run the engine without oil lol

Don't drive the truck low on coolant or water only as well

Ahhhh...yes!

 

[cfherrman]

You can drive shortly low or on water but new(2000+) engines can do hotspots

Just remember 40 weight shears to a 30 weight in a 6.0.

Didn't want to hijack the thread, these things have been to death years ago.

Yes you be crazy to buy ford gold after a flush, I just don't want people freaking out if they have new golf in their truck, there is always more pressing problems.

 

[bismic1]

You can drive shortly low or on water but new(2000+) engines can do hotspots

Just remember 40 weight shears to a 30 weight in a 6.0.

Didn't want to hijack the thread, these things have been to death years ago.

Yes you be crazy to buy ford gold after a flush, I just don't want people freaking out if they have new golf in their truck, there is always more pressing problems.

I have TONS of data on 5W40 oil (5 different types of 5W40 oils). Even though they all shear to a 30 weight eventually, after 5000 miles the viscosity of ALL of them are essentially at the starting viscosity of major brand 30 wt oils. Some of the 5W40 oils containing PAO base stock are only at the 30 wt starting viscosity when these 5W40 oils reach 7500 miles.

This shearing issue has been much exaggerated over the internet.

 

[79jasper]

I was a fan of the delo 400 xsp 5w-40 in mine. Truck seemed to like it. Good price at Walmart.

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[itmike5.0]

I guess this was a pretty good find.... [emoji16] They had 3 of these at my Walmart.

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[79jasper]

Yeah, definitely.

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[007matman]

Yeah, definitely.

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Wow

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[Weatherlite]

Damn good deal!

I had never touched a diesel in my life prior to buying my first 6.0. I have torn this thing down to the block, had the suspension completely off, torn apart just about everything that is commonly needed and then some.....and all of it I was able to accomplish with the help and guidance of the people on the board. I did the head gasket job in my driveway as well. You don't need a garage....but you'd better make damn sure you cover/plug all orifices because bugs get into everything overnight if you don't. And yeah, you'll still have the machine work to pay for on the heads. Mine was about 550 to get both my heads shaved .006, magged and pressure tested...but they did all the work of removing and reinstalling the valves, and they even machined a little bit off where the dowel goes because they have run into interference issues in the past. You'll also probably want to deck your block to ensure flatness. While in there you'll want to replace anything not up to spec, like old style dummy plugs, stand pipes, or even o-rings. So it will cost a bit, but will be far cheaper than paying garage rates.

 

[itmike5.0]

I did the head gasket job in my driveway as well

How long did it take you? I am confident I have all the tools...it's the time I'm mainly worried about. Although I don't really want to spend 3-5K to have work done at a shop either. I guess I'll start looking at some of the write-ups from those who have done this work themselves. That should help the process and I'm sure if I get stuck I can get the answers I need on this site.

 

[Weatherlite]

If you include the time the heads were at the shop, about a month. Actual working time.....just a guess, but probably about 40-50 hours. Keep in mind that's with me doing a lot of other work while I was at it, such as replacing every component I could like the stand pipes, dummy plugs, every single o-ring I could get my hands on, etc. If I were to do it now I could knock a lot of hours off that because I know my truck well, and I know the little tricks to get certain things done. My best suggestion for you if you decide to go this route is to have a well laid out plan to follow. Don't just think of it. Write it down. What items do you intend to replace while you're in that deep? What things will you recondition...maybe the turbo? Create a list of parts you will need for each step. Get quart and gallon size ziplock bags and a sharpie so you can place fasteners and other pieces into the bags and label them. Stuff that won't go in baggies should have a clean surface to go on (large table) and you should probably put them on the table in some sort of order....as I took pieces off, I placed them farthest from me on the table so that as I put them back on I could just work in reverse order. Organization and attention to detail is important. And I would read, read, read. Find our mistakes so you don't repeat them. lol

 

[itmike5.0]

First I'll need to determine if I really have a head gasket issue. I guess it could also be a failed EGR delete plug/weld? Is there anything else that would cause the same symptoms or excessive pressure in the cooling system?

Keep in mind that's with me doing a lot of other work while I was at it

Maybe you could give me a few pointers... If I'm just doing the oil cooler, what other components should I consider replacing or upgrading while I'm in there? So far I have already done the IAT2 sensor, Coolant temp sensor, thermostat, and blue spring upgrade. What else should I do and what other sensors should I replace...or even wiring?

Same for the head gasket job.... If I need to replace them and get in that much deeper what should I refurb or replace? How do I know if I need machine work or is that pretty much a given?

Thanks!

 

[6_Riders]

For the oil cooler, you really only need the gaskets related to what you take off. Parts to upgrade while your in there would be;
Ficm harness, turbo feed/drain lines, new ipr screen and seals, add a gauge sending unit to the test port on the front of the cooler housing and, if you want to, rebuild the turbo. You Must replace the turbo drain/feed gaskets and orings and lube them with oil when reassembling.
If it's in your budget, the ipr full flow coolant filter with the manifold is a very good idea. If I had the money, I'd do the BPD remote mount oil cooler with the ipr coolant filter.