Check your FlatPlate exchanger coolant lines

[mkosina]

Not sure if there was any standard routing for the FlatPlate install on the SMB E series back in 2008, but if you have one of these, recommend checking the coolant hoses and lifting a bit if it was installed like mine.

Mine just finally rubbed through because it was apparently routed without any standoff from the steering linkage. (Van is new to me, so didn't get a chance to poke around that much yet). Enter catastrophic engine coolant leak in the field and very hard spot to splice at. Had to bypass the whole loop up above to get home, now trying to decide if I should bother replacing or just installing a propane heater instead. Love the efficiency of the hot water setup (it has the coolant circulating pump, so hot water long after shutdown), but it's a sketchy system in some respects; I am surprised this kind of modification didn't void Ford warranty back in the day..

Happy new year !
Martin

P.S. view is from above with open hood, driver side. Note how the two hoses cross (and in my case, rested on) the steering u joint. Hole was of course invisible, on the bottom of the lower hose.

[maurshir]

SMB also had a sub-optimal design for the flat plate heat exchanger on my MB chassis. They used a plastic "T" where they tapped into the factory coolant line. Although this fitting did not seem to be under stress, after the second one failed I switched to a metal fitting. Yes, dumping coolant on the ground and roadside repair are stress inducing events.

[Jeffrey]

My long flat plate coolant hose also wore thru by rubbing against the sharp edges of the steering box casting. When I replaced that hose, I sheathed it in flex aluminum tubing and re-routed it a bit. I ran the sheath everywhere I thought another incident might occur.

I also replaced all the shorter hoses and clamps as they started to leak. Eventually I replaced the flat plate itself, and used new brass fittings and elbows.