did a coolant flush on 6.0 please help!

[6ohslow]

So I decided to do a coolant flush on my 05 6.0 this weekend. Did everything as the one write up on here, I didn't replace the themostat because its fairly new. Now it takes 15 miles for the temp gauge to move, heats warm not hot like it used to be, also the lower rad hose is kinda warm not hot. Please help anyone have any idea what it could be?

[kdogg85]

Might have some air to work out of the system. Really need a guage to tell because something might be plugged and not letting coolant through.

[porkchop6209]

OK, I have next to 0 experience with 6.0's, but I will share with you what I've learned from years of wrenching nearly everything else. You've got air trapped in the system, be VERY careful, air trapped in the heads can quickly overheat them and take out the gaskets and crack the castings, and apparently HG/bolt problems seem to be rampant with 6.0's. Go ahead and get you a new gasket for your thermostat housing, along with some anti-seize(you won't need much and I love the stuff!). Now, you said the T-stat wasn't very old, did someone change it recently? Why didn't they flush and refill the system then? Might want to just go ahead and get a new T-stat, I'm going to share a trick with you that makes this process way easier. After you take out the old T-stat, clean the housing and block thoroughly, gotta have a good, flush surface to seal on. As long as the T-stat doesn't recess into the housing(you'll see a groove machined around the hole, some use a rubber o-ring as a gasket, if so, disregard this part) I like to glue my gaskets, one side only, to the T-stat housing(gooseneck for old schoolers) with 3M yellow gasket glue, don't use RTV. Then take your T-stat and just above where the valve flange flattens back out, lay the flat portion onto a 2x4 block to stabilize it, drill a 1/16" hole through it front to back. Wear gloves so if the bit spins the T-stat it won't cut your fingers. Clean off any shavings and tag ends from around the hole. What you are making is an air bleed hole, so that as you fill your cooling system, bottom to top^, it pushes the air through the T-stat and out the upper radiator hose allowing the coolant to displace and fill the passages. It can still trap a little air in the back of the head passages but as it circulates a couple of times it will burp it out. Put your T-stat back in, with the hole pointed up toward the hood, anti-seize your bolts and re-install them, torque them to spec, about 12-15 foot lbs. Don't over tighten them, they will break. Yes, you may ask me how I know that. Fill your system with 1 gal of quality coolant, I know Ford recommends their Gold brand but I think someone else has posted something about that, I've always used PEAK, if I'm wrong someone please let him and me know. Anyway then put in 1 gal of distilled water, don't use tap or well water if you don't have to, it'll crap up your radiator and heater core from the minerals and galvanic reaction. Then fill 50/50 to the top, give it a couple of minutes to bleed the air out, crank her up and turn your heater to hot/floor and adjust the levels accordingly till it's gotten to temp and cycled the T-stat a couple of times. That should do it. IF FOR ANY KNOWN GOOD REASON I AM WRONG ABOUT ANYTHING HERE AS IT PERTAINS TO 6.0's, SOMEONE INTERVENE AND PLEASE DO NOT LET THIS GENTLEMAN MESS UP HIS TRUCK ON ACCOUNT OF ME. Also, make sure the truck is level or slightly uphill when you do this.

[porkchop6209]

Hey, I ran across this post on coolants under a different heading. Very educational, you should def ck it out. I've got to type out the link so you'll likely have to search it: Ford 03-07 6.0L Powerstroke Forums> 6.0L Problems Forum> 6.0 Motor Problems Page 21 Hope it helps.

[Galaxie]

Write up how you did your flush. Assuming you too the T stat out and everything correctly correct? You can "burb" the system if air is your issue. Again, got to take care of this quickly. Not because its a 6.0 but in general, your cooling system is so important.

[porkchop6209]

There's a whole flush procedure write up, 40 pages, in pdf put together by Nylyon. Everyone pay homage..............
Dang it, I can't find an attachment button to add it to this. Look under Karl Lyon's posts, you'll find it. We all should send him a cookie, lotta work.

[BIGCREW]

I may be wronge on this but I think all t stats come with a small hole allready in them,at least all the ones I have replaced in the past few years have had them,but if theres no hole by all means put one in there

[porkchop6209]

No, not all, but a lot of them, particularly if it's to a foreign application, but they put that cavitation valve in it and if you look carefully at it the bottom, or flat end, is to the coolant passages of the engine, meaning the rising air will bank up against it and push it closed, slowing down or stopping the process. Nobody has time to waste waiting so I drill all of them and be done with it. That tiny bit of constant flow is totally insignificant, but NyLyon's work is to be admired. Can post the doc in this advanced thread message box. NOT! It's a 2.08mb file and the limit is 1.91.Figures. Can I get a witness?

[porkchop6209]

Go read my post under A Word of Caution, hope it helps in the future for you.