6.oh no!

GotRox

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Up until a week ago, my 2006 F350 had been a totally reliable vehcile. I work from home, so even though the pickup is my 'daily driver' it only has 57,700 miles on it. The pickup is paid for.

Typical use is short trips to the shop (30 miles) or store locally with many 600+ mile road trips towing my Jeep wrangler on a trailer. Given the type of use, I change my oil every 3,000 miles. Fuel filters at 15k intervals, Diff fluid, tranny, and t-case all at heavy use intervals. I have no mechanical modifications to the motor (I was thinking I was protecting reliability).

My pickup does have a few mods that should not impact the motor:
Mag Hytec diff covers and tranny pan, Aero turbin muffler, 1"leveling kit and 35" tires.

Last week, my wife drove the pickup to work while her new car was being treated with some hyper expensive carpet and paint protectant... My wife complained that after 20 minutes, the heater still was not functioning. When she drove home and put it in the garage, I could hear the water boiling in the cooling system. All Guages read fine, no oil in coolant (but coolant was VERY low). I'd changed the oil no less than a week ago (less than 200 miles) and there was no coolant in the oil.

Given that it is year end at the office, I have no time to look at it and sent it off to the stealership. First call - Dealer says EGR cooler is probably leaking and that the powertrain warranty has about 6 months left so work will be covered by warranty. Second call - Dealer says EGR Cooler is NOT leaking and they have to test more... I am thinking head gasket, but I have not yet heard back.

Frankly, I'd buy a new one if I had not just dropped a small fortune on a new Lexus LS460 for my wife last saturday and (more important for me) if the new model F350 had the same little glove box by the driver's right knee that I could keep a pound of Double Bubble in...I know, weird one, but I like it what can I say? :dunno

For me, the pickup has been utilitarian so I could spend my time and money working on my true passion - the Jeep. At this point, I am wondering if anyone here with more knowlede and experience will chime in with ideas about what is really going on with my diesel, what else I should look out for, etc. I am a bit disturbed that I have less than 60k on the clock and this type of crap is happening...
 

Yooper75

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I have the same truck you do and I bought mine with 123k on it two years ago and other than two injectors, turbo, and FICM mine has been great. If the truck is paid for I would delete the EGR as well as upgrade the oil cooler and if it comes back that you popped the head gaskets stud it and keep driving it. I deleted the EGR and put a 4in straight pipe on mine and it runs the best it ever has since I bought it. I am waiting for my head gaskets to go pop so I can stud the heads and keep truckin on.
 

GotRox

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Rookie newb here....
I did look up the EGR delete. Looks like many kits will toss DTC codes. Does that cause the CEL to come on too?

Mind schooling me on studding it? Why replace the studs? Search function gives lots of info about people doing it, I did not see the purpose though...

I know it is possible to make thes things run like raped apes and that sounds intriguing to me. However, I want to maintain the relatively low sound level in the cab and reliability. Will these mods change either of those items?

Like I said, the theory was that the Superduty would remain fairly stock so I can continue to modify the Jeep.

Usually on a daily driver, I get irritated and replace them if I end up with significant down time due to repairs or two months in a row of repairs being close to a payment. ($68k price tag on a 2011 version of my truck is a bit of a deterrent).
 
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rammertide07

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Rookie newb here....
I did look up the EGR delete. Looks like many kits will toss DTC codes. Does that cause the CEL to come on too?

Mind schooling me on studding it? Why replace the studs? Search function gives lots of info about people doing it, I did not see the purpose though...

I know it is possible to make thes things run like raped apes and that sounds intriguing to me. However, I want to maintain the relatively low sound level in the cab and reliability. Will these mods change either of those items?

Like I said, the theory was that the Superduty would remain fairly stock so I can continue to modify the Jeep.

Usually on a daily driver, I get irritated and replace them if I end up with significant down time due to repairs or two months in a row of repairs being close to a payment. ($68k price tag on a 2011 version of my truck is a bit of a deterrent).

Studding it=replacing factory head studs with more durable ARP head studs. When the engine gets hot, the factory head studs would expand....loosening the grip on the head gasket which caused MANY blown head gaskets and coolant everywhere. The EGR delete would help lower egt's (make it more reliable)...but I think you have to have a tuner to clear the codes that mod will set off.

Depending on how you mod it....it shouldn't really change the cab noise level. If you mod it and drive conservatly with it, you will see better fuel economy, more power when you need it, and smoother tranny shifts. But most people...like myself....develop a lead foot when mods are done:D
 

Dogman

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If you popped the HG there will be bubbling in the degas bottle when the motor is running. Plus you'll have white crap all around the degas bottle cap. I'd spring for the studs and keep on driven. Theres a coolant control switch (vaccum powered) in line for the heater. It could be stuck close too. Top of the motor by the turbo boost tube. If coolant cant get by theres no heater.

I just did the studs, EGR delete, and a New Motor not by choice. I'm happy for now....;tu
 

Yooper75

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I have a CEL on in my truck for the EGR and as soon as I get my gauges in I will have that problem fixed when I start running some custom tunes from Innovative Diesel. The 4in straight pipe is pretty loud when I get on it but pretty quite other than the drone at certain RPM's which I am ok with. I daily drive mine every day and tow an 11k fifth wheel with it.
 

GotRox

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If you popped the HG there will be bubbling in the degas bottle when the motor is running. Plus you'll have white crap all around the degas bottle cap. I'd spring for the studs and keep on driven. Theres a coolant control switch (vaccum powered) in line for the heater. It could be stuck close too. Top of the motor by the turbo boost tube. If coolant cant get by theres no heater.

I just did the studs, EGR delete, and a New Motor not by choice. I'm happy for now....;tu

I'm witing with baited breath to find out what the prognosis is. Where is the best place to buy Studs? If I end up with extensive work, I will do the studs then. Are there Forum vendors I should try to support? I'd need studs in hand fast...
 

melmount

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keep in mind the factory used head bolts not studs. The factories metal was and is much weaker then the material arp uses in there studs. Not to mention a stud is much stronger then a bolt. Thats why race car use studs on everything.
 

Dogman

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Check with your dealer and make shore they'll put the studs in. Some dealer wont do it because of the warranty and other will do it.
We have a dealer here that keep ARP studs in stock and give you the option to do it for cost of bolts and 150.00 labor or free the other way.
 

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