Installed a coolant filter

Ford_6L_E350 · 11-14-2009, 05:46 PM

Today I installed a DieselSite coolant filter. This kit is made for a pickup and now I can see why there is no kit for 6.0 vans. What a PITA!

There is no room under the hood for the filter.

The filter is a bypass style filter taking some coolant from the heater, diverting it through the filter and back into the coolant reservoir. I also ordered the ball valves that allow the coolant to be shut off so the filter can be changed without severe loss of fluids.

The first challenge is finding a place to mount the filter assembly. If I had a stock bumper, I don't think I could have done it unless I put the filter under the van, somewhere on the frame - maybe near the batteries. As it is, I mounted it behind the aftermarket bumper, below where the winch would go if I had a winch.

The next challenge is trying to see the heater hose that I need to put a tee into.

I removed a screw that held an AC line in place and pulled the hose forward as far as I could.

Now you can see the heater hose. Still hard to get hands near it, but possible.

The hose from the heater to the filter snakes beside the radiator and down to the filter.

After the filter the line goes out into the wheel well. Note the 3/4" hose over the 3/8" hose for protection.

And then back into the engine compartment.

And finally it tees into the coolant reservoir line.

The whole installation took about 4-5 hours. Most of the time was spent deciding on a location for the filter and trying to route the lines. Actually cutting the heater hose and installing the tee fitting took about 10 minutes once the AC line was out of the way. The bend in the heater hose is short and it has to be cut in the middle to fit the tee in place. Routing the return hose was the most difficult. I tried about 4 other routes before deciding I had to go into the wheelwell.

Now, I have to drive about 500 miles and change the filter and see how much debris I have collected.

Mike

DisabledExplorers · 11-17-2009, 12:55 AM

I am really looking forward to hearing your results as I have done plenty of reading on this but had a feeling the vans had no room at all.
Strong work on the install, looks clean.

saline · 11-17-2009, 07:51 PM

Thanks for the install description and pics. I am ordering a coolant filter later this week. I don't want any EGR/Oil cooler failures out in the middle of nowhere (which is where we are most of the time).

Ford_6L_E350 · 11-17-2009, 08:28 PM

I kind of wish I had done it earlier. And, I might have but when I sent www.Dieselsite.com a message asking about installing a coolant filter in a 6.0 van they never answered. Nor did they answer when I sent another question after I bought the filter assy, nor did they answer when I sent another message after I installed the filter. Maybe they only answer the phone.

Over on Dieselstop forum, ridintall installed a coolant filter on a 6.0 and gave the courage to go ahead and do it. It was a little scary cutting into the heater hose knowing I could never change the hose if I screwed it up. Probably not near as scary as having an EGR/Oil cooler failure.

100 miles on the filter. 400 to go before I change it out. That could be Feb/Mar the way miles pile up in the winter. Maybe I need a roadtrip to DV!

After looking at the finished installation, I will probably reroute the return line a little. It is too close to sharp sheetmetal and if I move it back about 2" where it enters the engine compartment it will pass between some nice smooth brake lines instead.

Mike

Ford_6L_E350 · 11-17-2009, 08:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by saline

Thanks for the install description and pics. I am ordering a coolant filter later this week. I don't want any EGR/Oil cooler failures out in the middle of nowhere (which is where we are most of the time).

You will need about 6' (I bought 10' to be sure)more 3/8" heater hose to mount the filter under the bumper. Alot more if you mount it under the body by the transmission. And maybe some 3/4" id hose to protect the lines. Get it before you start. I would suggest you:

- First decide on a location to mount the filter
- Route the hoses
- Decide on a better location for the filter because of hose issues
- Mount the filter
- Make sure the engine is dead cold. At least overnight.
- Remove the cap from the coolant reservoir
- Pull the AC line aside
- Connect the tee fittings to the hoses
- Measure and mark the middle of the bend on the heater hose
- Cut carefully
- Install the tee into the heater hose
- Take the heater hose off the tee fitting and put the hose clamps on the lines
- Reinstall the tee fitting and tighten the clamp
- Cut and install the tee fitting in the return line, tighten
- Install the filter
- Start the engine, check for leaks
- Open the valves and let coolant flow through the filter, check for leaks

The only way I know to tell if coolant is flowing through the filter is feel the hoses. When the outlet (return) hose is warm, coolant is warm and flowing. My longer term plan is to change the filter when the return line doesn't warm up or every year, whichever comes first.

Good luck with the install.

Mike

**daveb** · 11-18-2009, 11:36 PM

Mike, I wonder what Ford did to my rig as they new this to be a problem and addressed it when my rig went into the shop. They did some kind of upgrade (some kind of cooler upgrade) but nothing like you did from what I've seen. At least they claimed to have some sort of solution to an on going problem. Do I trust Ford? Of course not.

saline · 11-19-2009, 08:52 AM

The joke about the 6.0l is that it has a factory coolant filter,.........it just happens to be the oil cooler!

Ford_6L_E350 · 11-19-2009, 09:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daveb

Mike, I wonder what Ford did to my rig as they new this to be a problem and addressed it when my rig went into the shop. They did some kind of upgrade (some kind of cooler upgrade) but nothing like you did from what I've seen. At least they claimed to have some sort of solution to an on going problem. Do I trust Ford? Of course not.

There is supposed to be an upgraded EGR Cooler, maybe that is what they did?

Mike

etbadger · 11-21-2009, 02:31 PM

We installed our filter under the van next to the fuel filter, tapping off of the feed line to our coolant-heater. We installed it when re-plumbing the coolant-heater to actually send heated coolant through the block (as it came, our coolant heater only heated up the heater-core and water-pump housing, so it didn't really help start-up in cold weather).

So far the filter has not clogged up, but it has not been on very long, and the coolant has been flushed out at least 2x before.

-e

**daveb** · 11-23-2009, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ford_6L_E350

There is supposed to be an upgraded EGR Cooler, maybe that is what they did?

Mike

Correct but nothing like what you did. They just tweaked a common bug with a Ford part that was giving the 6.0 problems.