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