Oil cooler Death rate

[kdogg85]

This has been bugging me, are there certain circumstances that kill the oil cooler faster? I know the gold antifreeze is the culprit.

Example one, my truck, purchased with 44k on the clock, never towed a day in its life, done coolant flush at 45k, by 47k the delta went from 5* to 7* at 75mph over 20 minute period. I replaced it anyway, when I had studs installed, was a WTH why not while I'm here.

Example two(hypothetical), truck purchased at 44k on the clock, towed day in and out, flushed at 45k, and delta goes from 5* to 20* at 75mph over 20 minute period indicating something broke loose and got into the cooler and killed it.

What I am getting at is do trucks that tow more which causes higher engine heat, kill an oil cooler faster than a truck that is used primarilly as a car with a bed which would run under lower heat and load conditions?

I know there are trucks over 200k that have been abused like no other that have no problems and trucks with lower mileage babied and are in the shop more than on the road, and everything in between and vice versa.

[a2elvis]

Well I havent been totally convinced that the Ford coolant is the REAL issue. There are school buses and heavy duty applications that use the VT365(6.0L) that have used ELC(CAT) coolant from day one that still have oil cooler and EGR cooler failures. So is it was just the coolant that was the problem those wouldnt fail... I have heard of oil coolers clogging up almost immediately after install. Id have to find the thread, but he had a NEW ford oil cooler put in drove half way home and had a 30* spread. Then installed another NEW Ford oil cooler and the delta was back to normal.

Does the load or how hard the engine works on a day to day basis mean the oil cooler will fail quicker, not sure but from what I see it will fail its just a matter of time.

[kdogg85]

Well hmmm, I read alot about the casting sand being left in. wonder if the sand plus the stuff in the coolant falling out of suspension and mixing is what's making the sludge? I know for sure when mine came out, there was some sludge in it, but it wasn't anything like the picture of one that was caked over with crap. Just wonder if the higher heat enviroments are speeding up the process any faster?

[a2elvis]

I dont have any factual data to support either way. The only thing I know for sure is that the oil cooler will fail its just a matter of time.

[HaysKSFirefighter]

Sub'd...wanna see where this goes.

[windrunner408]

Just so I am clear, I am presuming that when we talk about an oil cooler clogging we are talking about the engine coolant flow paths and not the oil flow paths right? I have never had mine clog to my knowledge but just got rid of it. Now I would submit to you that the higher heat environment would have little to nothing to do with it other than the heat cycles that an engine goes through is a very good way to release corrosion buildup ("passive oxide layer" that forms to keep the block from rusting further) that forms where the coolant flows and plugs the coolant channels (that are already very small) thus lowering the cooling efficiency of the cooler and leading to a clogged cooler. That is at least my theory anyways.

[kdogg85]

Yes, I was implying the coolant passages. I couldn't see the oil passages clogging unless the filter was destroyed or something like that.

So, assuming the coolant paths are flushed out and no trace of sand or gold coolant is left, the rust that forms in the block would be a third item that could clog the coolant passages. Haven't thought of that at all.

when mine was apart, they guys that done the studs had a homemade rig that flushed the block out and then done the heater core and radiator with water, and then steam. There was a good bit of crud that came out but not a 5gal bucket full or anything.

Would be neat if a rust inhibitor could be run through without ruining any of the aluminum parts in the process.

[windrunner408]

I'll tell ya. Next to running some sort of petrolyum based coolant (not sure if that is possible or even a good idea but we all know stuff like that protects from rusting), you are going to have some corrosion that will form in your coolant flow paths regardless of how well you steam clean, use restore or restore+, whatever. I say that coming from an idustrial stand point and when you deal with power plant piping that has a chemically controled PH of its coolant and is kept at a much higher temp (i.e. 480-520F) and if that temp is going to go less than 350F more things are done to the ph to help against the formation of corrosion. Even with all of this corrosion (crud as we call it) still forms and can get released into the coolant if you were bringing a plant on line from say a shut down condition where the temp while shut down was less than 300F and was brought back up to ~500F. So while I know our trucks are not on that sort of scale, the principles of corrosion and its prevention is still the same.

[mazsecond]

It's not really a matter of what type of coolant, its about keeping the coolant clean and fresh. A bypass filtration system is the best way, in my opinion, to keep your oil cooler running good. Sinister makes some good kits relatively cheap and easy to install.

[kdogg85]

I know a little about chem plant piping, having liquids that will explode on contact with each other and such. work in it every day. The building I work in makes material for cigarette filters, no one would smoke knowing what is used to make them.

Well, I guess that means Donovan or Keith Black need to build an aluminum block 6.0. Can't rust the unrustable. But, I see what you're getting at. Kinda hope for the best and pray it lasts a long time.