Finished EGR/oil cooler and guage pod. Some questions

[Piratejonh]

2003 F350
I just finished upgrading to a sinister EGR Cooler, replaced my oil cooler and installed an autometer gauge pod. No leaking fluids woohoo. I would like to thank everyone that has posted information on this procedure especially fishermedics thread and all that contributed to it. Took about 8 hours not including the following problems.
Now I have a couple questions.
My egr cooler had about a dozen large tubes in it. I was expecting to see radiator type fins in there. Was this already upgraded by the P.O.? The O-ring on the EGR cooler had lots of corrosion around it. Is it possible there was an undectable leak there causing my fluid to vaporize out the degas cap?
I guess I feel like I spent a lot of money because of a $2.00 o-ring.
I obviously cannot see a lot of the inside of the oil cooler but it appeared clean. I expected to see lots of corrosion/blockage.


Gauges-
Transmission temp doesn't read after 30 miles. No load easy driving. No teflon tape on the sensor. What would an ohmeter read when checking it?

I found here that normal boost pressure is 28psi or so at WOT. How about @ idle. Should it be almost zero?

And the worst thing. I hear an hissing sound. Loudest on the passanger side. I'm guessing its an exhaust leak as I can smell it in the engine bay. The sound is worse under load. However at idle it cycles on and off???. A few minutes each. Its too hot to check the pipe connections yet. Seems to drive OK, although I didn't hammer on it.
Any thoughts or links to other threads please.

[Chanzfx4]

The hiss is most likely downpipes leaking or y-pipe.

[Piratejonh]

Is there a way to check or should I pull the clamps and reset it? They went on a lot easier than everyone led on about.

[macoyle]

I would agree other the y pipe leaking, and the boost should read zero at idle

[Piratejonh]

Am I going to have to loosen the up pipe (Is that the right term-still learning here) on the drivers side again to reset the Y pipe clamp. That was absolutely the hardest part of the whole job. That rear flange nut/bolt is a PITA.

[Piratejonh]

Oh noo-
It seems I installed the Manifold gaskets with the U shape in the up position but facing in towards the valley. Do I need to pull them and flip them around?

And now I initially had oil pressure now it seems I don't on the idiot gauge.

[Piratejonh]

Bump up for a new crowd

[Piratejonh]

Whoa is me. I have a massive oil leak on the top of the engine. Pulled the Oil filter/fuel filter housing and turbo oil feed tube and reseated everything. heres for hoping.
Found a possible source for the hissing. Y pipe at turbo, left side, is not seated well. I've loosened both clamps at the exhaust headers but still cannot wiggle the upper end around to match it up. Whats the trick? I see another set of pipe clamps midway up on the passanger side almost behind the turbo. How the heck am I gonna reach that?

[Piratejonh]

Well the truck won. I look like I've been in a car accident. Sprained wrist, bleeding and so many bruises my neighbor was going to call the cops on my wife.
End result, broken turbo, broken VGT electrical recptor requiring an entire new solenoid, and the ICP pigtail is fried requiring a new end.
Thats $1500 in parts from MKM customs, 3000 for ford to fix what I broke. Should have let ford do it from the start.
Oh and don't believe everything you read on these sites. The gasket was in correctly, 03's don't need upgraded coolers and the gauge pod isn't a cheaper solutuion.
2003 F350 4-sale