6.0L Coolant Filter Setup Opinions...

[daveb]

Well being I'm in CA, I went for the XPD. I have some mounting options being I have the Espar Hydronic.

[SixCardCharlie]

is a coolant flush required when installing a coolant filter?

[JoeH]

Originally Posted by SixCardCharlie

is a coolant flush required when installing a coolant filter?

No, and depending on how you do it, and if you use harsh chemicals, you can just make things worse by plugging up the oil cooler even more.

[SixCardCharlie]

Originally Posted by JoeH

No, and depending on how you do it, and if you use harsh chemicals, you can just make things worse by plugging up the oil cooler even more.

From what i read a coolant flush can cause the egr cooler to go out so i would rather wait till im ready to bullet proof it. But i do want to add a coolant filter.

Do you mind explaining how to do it and not need to do the flush?

[JoeH]

Originally Posted by SixCardCharlie

From what i read a coolant flush can cause the egr cooler to go out so i would rather wait till im ready to bullet proof it. But i do want to add a coolant filter.

Do you mind explaining how to do it and not need to do the flush?

Sorta. It's the oil cooler plugging that restricts flow to the EGR cooler that causes it to rupture. The EGR cooler is downstream of the oil cooler.

I don't think you need to do anything. Slap that puppy on there and start filtering. IMO, do the flush when you need to change out the oil cooler and/or considering an EGR delete. It's not easy to flush the block. To do it right can take up to 50 gallons of distilled water. Other opinions may vary.

[Glenn P.]

I looked at installing a coolant filter on my 6.0L 2005 but after reading the install instructions from Sinister and looking at the hole I'd have to shove my hand into to make cuts, attach clamps and pinch a connector to remove a hose I decided against it as my hands are too big and I do not need to induce a new point of failure in an area I cannot get my hands into to work.

That said, a great tip was presented here to add it to the heater line going to the REAR AC unit! Never thought of that and it will be a perfect way to mount it out of the way of all the other lines in the engine compartment. Thank you for that idea, guess I've got some some poking around to do to figure out exactly where I will mount it unless one of you have already done this and have some good instructions/pictures. Headed out for 3 weeks so will have to wait for my return with the van to dig into this project.

[Glenn P.]

I had the chance to explore my options under the van last night. It looks easy to tap into the rear AC coolant line just before the vacuum operated valve. This is located outside the driver side frame rail about where the transfer case is at. The AC lines run in parallel down there to the metal coolant lines and come to a junction at this point where they transition from metal lines to soft lines on my van. I ordered the Sinister Diesel Universal Kit as it comes with a variety of fittings. The Heater hose to tap into is 5/8 heater hose so I ordered an extra foot of that and the run from there up to the degas bottle looks to be somewhere in the 12 ft range but I ordered an extra 14 ft piece of 3/8 silicone heater hose for the job. I'll mount the filter to the frame rail down there, tons of holes in the frame rail already to use, looks like swiss cheese actually!

I am so happy to have read this thread where someone mentioned tapping the rear AC heater line. So much easier than tapping anything in the engine compartment or behind the doghouse!