2005 6.0 Puking After Pulling

[brazosdog02]

I have not REALLY towed anything with my truck, but, in the past, it has spit coolant out the bottle a little. Replacing the cap and keeping the level low solved that. So...I kind of know something is quite right. This past week, I towed my RV (5000 lbs) 500 miles, generally flat Texas terrain. Let me tell you that keeping it at 65mph required a bit of effort on my end. Honestly, my 2013 5.4L Expedition pulls and towed it better than my diesel. I found that odd.

Even with the slightest grade, it often required shifting out of OD and giving 35psi of boost just to hold the speed. I was surprised. My coolant temperature stayed at 200-210 most of the way and I didn't noticed any crazy spikes in temperature when giving it a lot of boost. The oil temperature is normally within 10 degrees of the coolant, but towing, it was 20-30 higher. Also, it puked about a gallon of coolant out of the bottle total.

(i have a coolant bypass installed and I backflushed early on, but it may have been too late)

This truck is a 2005 and I have no idea exactly what the issue is or if it's fixable. I am trying to get an idea of cost to find out if I want to fix it, or just leave it alone and trade it in within 2 years.

My assessment is that the Oil cooler is partially plugged and the heads may be lifting....

Thoughts? Im only considering fixing it because the truck looks brand new and has everything I like and need in a pickup....except the ability to tow worth a damn and be reliable.

 

[thewrubelator]

Sounds like Head Gasket failure, throw a coolant pressure tester on it and watch how quick she gets above 16! You can also give the upper rad hose a squeeze, if its stiffer than half chub then start getting your ducks in a row to pull heads off!

 

[C12h23]

What he said^


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[brazosdog02]

The radiator hose, while running, is never so pressurized you can't give it a squeeze. Hell, I can open the degass bottle after running hot and just have a little hiss. I do need to test. If its the heads, I'm probably gonna 'let it ride'....trade in day is coming!

 

[skevac]

I'll start off by saying by no means is this the proper way to fix it. It may not even work on a Ford or in your situation. My dads 01 Duramax when it started puking coolant we pulled the thermostat and drilled a small hole in it (around 1/8) and it quit puking. His truck had no coolant going in the oil and no steam coming out the tail pipe before or after we did this. This was just a temporary fix until we could get it in. Didn't want to chance running it too long this way and causing a bigger issue like cracked heads, coolant in the oil etc. When we got it fixed the spot on the head gasket that was causing the problem was so slight that you almost needed a magnifying glass to see it. If you want to try it this is totally up to you. Just thought I would throw it out there. Maybe someone else will chime in on this. Before everyone starts bashing I'll say it again. I KNOW THIS ISN'T THE CORRECT WAY TO FIX IT!

 

[brazosdog02]

I'm concerned that IF its the head gasket and IF I put a new Ford gasket and ARP studs that it will still puke. I have read numerous posts about that. In that case, it would be a complete waste of time and money. So...is there a way to guarantee the fix?

 

[C12h23]

Is your coolant cap original? If so I would replace with the updated cap and go from there, a properly studded truck should not puke. Have he heads checked if you end up doing gaskets


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[skevac]

Is your coolant cap original? If so I would replace with the updated cap and go from there, a properly studded truck should not puke. Have he heads checked if you end up doing gaskets


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^^ WHS ^^
As long as it's done properly including checking the heads for cracks and flatness shouldn't be an issue.

 

[brazosdog02]

I checked out the videos of the job. Do you need a engine hoist to pull the heads? Do you HAVE to undo your AC system?

I have pretty much all tools I need except for things for AC or engine hoist. Outside of that, the video I watched got well into "yeah, f--- that. This either goes to a shop or becomes someone elses problem in a year".

 

[skevac]

I checked out the videos of the job. Do you need a engine hoist to pull the heads? Do you HAVE to undo your AC system?

I have pretty much all tools I need except for things for AC or engine hoist. Outside of that, the video I watched got well into "yeah, f--- that. This either goes to a shop or becomes someone elses problem in a year".

Hopefully for you it's something simple like the cap. Also hopefully you wouldn't just sell or trade it off to someone without telling them about the issue.

 

[brazosdog02]

I've replaced the cap in the past. The cap, I always thought, is NEVER the problem, but a symptom of the root cause. The cap gives out at 16psi. If you are getting more than 16psi...that's a problem that needs to be located.

And no, I would never trade it off to a person without letting them know. But this would likely be dealer trade in.

 

[jrex2506]

Make sure u check the heads. Have them gone over for cracks and flatness. Don't just throw new gaskets on. You can do them cab on n remove a.c. stuff out of the way. But it's a pain either way.

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[brazosdog02]

Can you get the heads out without an engine hoist?

 

[bismic]

I've replaced the cap in the past. The cap, I always thought, is NEVER the problem, but a symptom of the root cause. The cap gives out at 16psi. If you are getting more than 16psi...that's a problem that needs to be located.

And no, I would never trade it off to a person without letting them know. But this would likely be dealer trade in.

The cap is a relief valve. Relief valves all tend to weaken over time and then begin to vent at an early state. Some caps last longer (stay in calibration longer) than others. Ford states to replace the cap if it ever relieves.

Also, the degas bottles are plastic and they can warp with time (and heat). This can cause the cap sealing surface to not be flat.

You need to put a pressure gauge on the system (tee a gauge into the radiator vent hose). That said though, if there is no pressure on the degas bottle after getting up to temperature, then you absolutely have a leak in the system ....somewhere. A sealed system will pressurize when heated. Condemning head gaskets MAY be premature.

Your lack of power is another issue that needs to be addressed. You should not have problems towing.

Don't wait long on deciding what to do with the oil cooler either. If in fact it is plugging, changing it before it leaks is MUCH simpler.

Lastly 35 psi of boost is crazy without head studs IMO. From this I would assume you are tuned. Hopefully you don't tow with it when tuned unless you have a tow tune. Maybe it is head gaskets if you tow w/ high boost.

 

[brazosdog02]

I am NOT tuned. I'm only using the dash gauge to check boost. I just noticed it was at the last tick mark on the gauge when trying to get the 5k lb trailer to maintain 65mph up a slight grade.

This truck is BONE STOCK. I bought it new, its never been touched or messed with. Always has been stock.

Frankly, I can afford a new cap, but it looks like most of the other parts are hundreds of dollars. I can't really swing that now. It has to run like it is for at least 6 mo to a year or more.

What causes lack of power? Isnt the high boost pressure and lack of power indicative of compression being lost through the head gasket into teh bottle causing it to puke? Seems reasonable.

 

[sootie]

how many miles on it? i have seen turbo seals pass oil and plug the catalytic causing high boost and low power. It also blows head gaskets as a result.
Could also be something as simple as a faulty or clogged ebp sensor or tube.

You need to get a scanner on it and see what is going on.

VGT duty cycle, ICP, MAP & EBP would really help us diagnose.

 

[bismic]

Well said sootie.