Previous Owner blew the EGR Cooler 2 times... Do i need studs now?

[Humvette]

Guys,
I am new here and trying to get my feet on the ground. I pulled the ford service records and it showed that the EGR Cooler was replaced twice. I just drove it 3k miles cross country and back. I had no issues, but should i be super concerned that an SCT tunner will put it over the edge?

I will be installing:
- Sinister EGR Delete
- Remote Oil Cooler or Upgraded Factory
- Full Exhaust

The Truck
2007 KR CC LB Dually FX4 73k miles
Last EGR Replaced with "Factory Upgraded" EGR 13k miles ago...

Also is there a light out on my dash? At night i cannot see the P R N O D 3 2 1...???

Thoughts
M

[pizza pig]

SCT will only help as long as the tunes are custom tunes, factory programing is awful, its the coolant into the combustion chamber that causes the heads to lift, that and cold engine wot runs.

Get the cooling system pressure checked for combustion gasses then go from there. If it comes back with leaky gaskets go in there do studs and gaskets, oil cooler, egr delete ELC coolant flush and a coolant filter.

[Humvette]

Part of me just wants to knock it all out at once! LOL

I mean i just ran it 3000 miles, great power, great mpg. Wouldn't ford have tested the head gasket before replacing another egr?

[pizza pig]

Honestly its the Ford dealership, they want that truck in and out, and they couldnt care any less whatever is wrong (not all dealers are like this, but most are). They also dont know that its their coolant, lack of coolant filter, tuning and oil cooler clogging that blows egr coolers and gaskets... I'll let you be the judge


if you have the money it couldnt hurt, it will only save you from the headache in the future when the truck leaves you stranded.

[2 stroker]

Originally Posted by Humvette

Part of me just wants to knock it all out at once! LOL

I mean i just ran it 3000 miles, great power, great mpg. Wouldn't ford have tested the head gasket before replacing another egr?

The question is why did they replace the EGR cooler 2 times and leave the oil cooler in? The problem is with the oil cooler it is up stream from the EGR cooler. You need something like the Edge Insight to check the difference in EOT-ECT the max spread difference is 15* if more than that you have cooler problems. If you have just put 3k on it the problem must not be to bad if you have not puking coolent. You need gauges to be able to tell where you are on temps You could always do a coolent flush and get the Ford Gold cxxp out and install ELC coolent, here are the steps.
ELC is the coolant recommended and used by International for this engine. .
Coolant Flush for changing to ELC

Drain coolant by removing lower radiator hose. Drain block from plug on drivers side of the block. Remove the thermostat. Replace plug in block and put lower hose back on. Put thermostat housing back on without thermostat. Fill with distilled water. run for 5 minutes then drain as above..Fill and run 5 more minutes drain. Put in 1 gallon of Restore an top with distilled water. Drive it for an 60-90 minutes then drain. Flush 2 times with distilled water or whatever it takes to come clear. Put 2 qts of VC-9 or 1 gallon of Restore+ cost less and fill with distilled water. Drive it for about 60-90 minutes. Drain and flush after. Flush 3 more times with distilled water untill it come out clean. Replace thermostat or put in a new one. Put hose back, make sure block plug is tight. Add 3.5 gallons of ELC concentrate and top off with distilled water. Make sure to run engine for 5 minutes between flushes to circulate the water good. Have heater on set to hi while doing this to flush the heater core too.
2 stroker

[Humvette]

I recently added a scan2gauge, but after i plugged it in it did not show EOT I think i need to enter the vehicle specific number ... Any one know about this?
Thx,
M

[npccpartsman]

It's possible you'll have to configure the SGII. I know it does read ECT and EOT's but I don't now what the procedure is.

[Humvette]

I reads almost everything. It was pretty cheap. I have one on my H1 Hummer as well. I love them. Simple and easy to read. Will it read Tranny temp? I am pretty sure it will do instantanious MPG... I like the LOD reading! helps me get great mpg's. All i really need is an EGT.

What do you do if you notice more than 15 F difference while towing cross country? Slow down and let it cool? Or do you stop and have the truck towed?

Anyone got a link to a remote oil Cooler?

Isn't the New Oil cooler a lot better with ELC? So it becomes a none issue after an egr delete?

I have been looking at the MKM solution kits with SCT and ARP's for ~$2100

Do people Deck or Mill there heads or is this only if you blow a head gasket?

While the head is off are people porting and polishing them?

I figure with that MKM kit will be at 500+ bhp and 750+ bft-lbs? What is the next step, for more power? Injectors, pump, turbo?

Thx for all your help!

I have fallen in love with this truck already and now i need to shut up some dodge friends hehe

[pizza pig]

1) If youre doing it right than you will deck the heads. Ford specs for flatness are rediculously inaccurate. Get them checked.

2) The root to the EGR and headgaskets problems are due to the Ford's coolant. It contains silicates which fall out of suspension from high EGT's and form into a good type substance. This good clogs up the factory oil cooler. Since the EGR cooler is down stream from the oil cooler, when the cooland cant pass through the oil cooler to cool the oil, than it wont make it through to the EGR cooler to cool exhaust gasses. Then EGR cooler then over heats and ruptures dumping coolant into the combustion chamber lifting the heads and blowing the gaskets (maybe not entirely to notice bigtime) But usually when the EGR cooler goes, especially more than once i would not hesitate to do gaskets and studs with checking the heads for flatness

3) ELC will help ALOT, maybe not a cure all thing, but flushing the system before all the work is done get that crap out of there and replace with silicate free ELC thats CAT EC-1 rater and throw a coolant filter kit from dieselsite, Dfuser, FCDp etc.

4) the remote oil cooler is not needed, the factory one is more than sufficient provided you refill with ELC and do the egr delete and coolant filter. But if you want the remote anyways than bullet proof diesel is where you want to look.

Towing usually you will see a higher delta, its cruising flat open road highway driving unloaded is when you see the 15* delta it will be an issue.

List to get you going on the road nice and safe

- EGR Delete
- rebuild Oil cooler
- replace STC fitting on HPOP
- ARP studs and Victor Reinz gaskets
- Coolant Filter
- ELC flush
- SCT with good custom tunes, (Innovative, Gearhead, Quick Tricks, Truck Source Diesel, KEM)
- Turbo back exhaust
- Gauges
- oil filter bypass (your injectors will thank you)
- airdogII or regulated return
- injectors
- Garret Powermax turbo

Depending on your goal and bank account that will get you more into the range of power youre looking for.

[DieselFord]

Originally Posted by Humvette

I recently added a scan2gauge, but after i plugged it in it did not show EOT I think i need to enter the vehicle specific number ... Any one know about this?
Thx,
M

goto http://www.scangauge.com/support/pdfs/XGAUGE.pdf and see how to add this and other