Those that have done a DIY coolant filter

[Banshee365]

Hey guy's, finally getting the rest of my coolant filter system together. I've had the bracket, mount, and filters for months now but havn't finished putting it together. I flushed the cooling system months ago with simple green and then with VC-9 and thought I was good to go for a while. Well, I just took a sample from the radiator drain (trying to say it without the forum thinking I'm cursing!) and it came out brown with LOTS of grit sand and rust looking crap in there. That did it for me. Flushing it doesn't mean anything, it just breaks alot of crap loose. You've GOT to have a filter.

Anyway's, I've got the ball valves ordered through grainger that I'm picking up tomorrow morning. I still need the fittings to tap into the hoses. I think I need a 3/4x3/4x3/8 for the heather hose and 3/8 all the way around for the degas?? Does everyone use T-fittings or have some found angled T's that make the path to the filter easier for the fluid. Maybe some sort of Y fitting? Comments? Idea? Thanks!!

-Kelly

[Groundhawg]

I used standard Ts...the filter does get hot, so I know it's working.

If you were to use a "Y" type fitting I'd say it would flow more coolant through the filter, but I don't think it would be needed really. It's not like the oil where it NEEDS to be filtered every pass, just having the filter there is oodles better than what Fords engineers thought it needed.

[Banshee365]

Napa is out of 3/4x3/4x3/8 T's but they have a Y that's 3/4x3/4x5/8 and a 3/8 pipe thread to 5/8 hose. I could pick up those and run 5/8 hose into the base and 3/8 return to a standard T to the degas. Or should I just order the 3/4x3/4x3/8 standard T. Seems like the Y couldn't hurt.

[wingnut]

six of one...half a dozen of the other

[Lubbockguy1979]

I don't think a wye fitting will make moch difference in a pressure application. The bigges thing will be flow and volume (I.e. Size). From a plumbing aspect in that size I don't know of a 3/8 wye. Most pressure fittings are not directional. You have tees, crosses, 90* bends and various other x/ to/ x (male, female, transition adapters) fittings.Now drain and vents are a different story. But you seriously don't want to use any type of pvc or drain/ vent fittings mainly becasue of temprature and also be cause of pressure ratings.

[Banshee365]

Originally Posted by Lubbockguy1979

I don't think a wye fitting will make moch difference in a pressure application. The bigges thing will be flow and volume (I.e. Size). From a plumbing aspect in that size I don't know of a 3/8 wye. Most pressure fittings are not directional. You have tees, crosses, 90* bends and various other x/ to/ x (male, female, transition adapters) fittings.Now drain and vents are a different story. But you seriously don't want to use any type of pvc or drain/ vent fittings mainly becasue of temprature and also be cause of pressure ratings.

That makes a lot of sense. The T orientaton doesn't matter as long as it T's off in some way. Will there be much of an issue feeding the base with 5/8 and returning with 3/8. Since those parts are in stock I will probably just pick those up to finish it off. Anything else I should look out for?

[scott hetchler]

do you have any pics of this i would love to do one but don't know where to get the filter bracket and where to tie it into the cooling system i guess i would just tee into the heater line and then dump it back into the degas bottle but which heater line or does it matter.

[DoneDunIt]

I found this at an O'Reilly Auto Parts Store. I have seen this line of HELP Products at other Auto Parts Stores also.

[dieseldan2005]

I am also curious to what you did for the filter bracket. I want to make my own DIY kit, but the bracket is holding me back. I do not have easy access to scrap sheet metal.

[wingnut]

most of the 6.0 guys are just using a piece of angle iron (cheap and easy from Home Depot) to mount em up...lemme go find you a pic...