Warning! 6.0L cooling cap

[absolutefreedom]

Thanks for the info! And great questions to probe for more info...
I'm out of warranty & have a 2006 6.0 diesel. Would like to have some type of gauge to be on the proactive side, just trying to decide, more info the better.


Romeo

[coyotearms]

Herb,

Great reading the links---Thanks! I think it's time for the ScanGauge even with a warranty in place. We have already been stranded once---not completely fun, but we did get to meet most of the folks living in Hermiston, OR.


Opps just starting the climb up Cabbage Hill east of Hermiston, but still is on warranty!


Where we ate every day.


Lifelong Hermiston resident waiting for an oil change for his '38 Ford pickup.


We get a brand new turbo!


Thank you Ford, for your nice work!

[EMrider]

I have always enjoyed this guy and found his videos very helpful.

Anyone get the specific part number info?

Thanks
R

[Tapatio]

Took my cap to a local O'Reilly parts store today and they tested it, only holding 6-7lbs.

New cap looked exactly the same as the one in the video, part Murray #7038, $4.99.

I don't believe I ever boiled over but better safe than sorry.

[IheartDieselVans]

To those considering the Scan Gauge, I can highly recommend it. It enables you to monitor 4 parameters...I've chosen engine coolant temp, oil temp, intake air temp, and transmission temp. The whole thing regarding the oil cooler failure is mostly based on pickup trucks, which produce higher horsepower. Ford says a difference of less than 15 degrees F after warmed up, on flat highway, going highway speeds is within spec. There's a ton of info on this on here, and the various diesel boards. Monitoring all these temps is very useful, since once you get used to where they sit, you can identify problems earlier. The only reason you don't want a scan gauge is if you want to monitor exhaust temps.

Bill Hewitt gets a fair amount of flack from some of the diesel boards out there, but clearly he is dedicated to these vehicles. The main source of criticism was from his insistence in using ford gold coolant, which many people think releases a silicate precipitate which clogs the oil cooler. I noticed that he's now saying to change that coolant every 30,000 miles, or switch to an ELC (silicate free) if you don't want to flush that often.

I'll be buying the new Ford $12 cap next time I'm near the dealer thanks to his video, easy insurance. Good thought about keeping with the Ford stuff, since I'm still under warranty.

[EMrider]

Originally Posted by IheartDieselVans

To those considering the Scan Gauge, I can highly recommend it. It enables you to monitor 4 parameters...I've chosen engine coolant temp, oil temp, intake air temp, and transmission temp. The whole thing regarding the oil cooler failure is mostly based on pickup trucks, which produce higher horsepower. Ford says a difference of less than 15 degrees F after warmed up, on flat highway, going highway speeds is within spec. There's a ton of info on this on here, and the various diesel boards. Monitoring all these temps is very useful, since once you get used to where they sit, you can identify problems earlier. The only reason you don't want a scan gauge is if you want to monitor exhaust temps.

Bill Hewitt gets a fair amount of flack from some of the diesel boards out there, but clearly he is dedicated to these vehicles. The main source of criticism was from his insistence in using ford gold coolant, which many people think releases a silicate precipitate which clogs the oil cooler. I noticed that he's now saying to change that coolant every 30,000 miles, or switch to an ELC (silicate free) if you don't want to flush that often.

I'll be buying the new Ford $12 cap next time I'm near the dealer thanks to his video, easy insurance. Good thought about keeping with the Ford stuff, since I'm still under warranty.

Yep, the scangauge is a great investment. I monitor oil, coolant and tranny temp as well. All of my vehicles now have them.

On this coolant cap issue, I am not clear on exactly how the faulty caps that don't pressurize cause trouble. Is it that they allow coolant temps to reach excessive levels of 250 or more before the cooling system kicks in? And that most owners do not realize this because they do not monitor temps. Or is it that they result in a lower boiling point, which is somehow bad in itself?

I have never seen my coolant temp exceed 232 and that Peak has only been reached 2-3 timesafter pulling long grades in summer heat. Average is between 195-205 the vast majority of the time.

Whatever....I will grab a new cap because it is cheap insurance and the original part does not seem to perform as designed.

R

[IheartDieselVans]

Without watching the video again to get the numbers, a lower pressure liquid will boil at a lower temperature than a pressurized one....ie, pressure in the cooling system raises the boiling temp.

Bill Hewitt is saying that it's possible, depending on your rig and what coolant/mixture you're running, that the coolant will boil even before the radiator fan is triggered to turn on. The good cap has a stiffer spring, which maintains the correct (16 psi, I think) pressure in your system.

[jage]

Originally Posted by EMrider

Anyone get the specific part number info?

Waked into Advanced AutoParts and bought one for a 2005 E350 6.0L and one for a 99 F250 7.3L- same part number. $10.56 out the door.

[yvrr]

Is Bill Hewitt saying that this is a diesel problem only? He mentions that "Ford" didn't want to stock a radiator cap specifically for diesels so I'm assuming that it only applies to diesels...wrong?

[UJOINT]

Originally Posted by yvrr

Is Bill Hewitt saying that this is a diesel problem only? He mentions that "Ford" didn't want to stock a radiator cap specifically for diesels so I'm assuming that it only applies to diesels...wrong?

Pretty much.

Replaced mine today.