Iron scale experiment

[Lilpooh]

A little history first, from 2004-2008 I've had the original oil cooler. Then in 2008 I had studs and other work done to the truck including new oil cooler (cooler #1). In 2009 I installed a coolant filter. July of 2011 my deltas were out of spec, so a new oil cooler (cooler #2) was installed. Fast forward to May 2012 replaced another oil cooler (cooler #3) do to delta being out of spec. So the cooler i have in now is cooler #4. When cooler #3 was installed I did a complete flush with VC-9 and Restore along with a butt load of flushing, this was done in order to switch to ELC.


Now cooler #1 I did not cut open to check the blockage. Cooler #2 was cut open,found yellow blockage and at the time I thought I was also dealing with casting sand, but it was iron scale. Now prior to removing cooler #3, I tried back flushing the cooler to see of I could salvage it (wishful thinking). I was able to get some of the iron scale out and into the bottom of the bucket, but not enough to make a delta difference. So out came cooler #3, which I put a magnet in the coolant passage and pulled out some iron scale.


So before I pulled out cooler #3, I did a coolant flush and back flushed every coolant passage I could get my hands on (degas, heater core, block plugs, back of heads, oil cooler feed port, ect, ect). There was hardly any iron scale in the bucket, just a couple of flecks.


As of last week end, oil cooler #4 is in the truck. Just to be sure I got out all the iron scale, I taped 4 high powered magnets to the lower radiator hose. I'm gonna drain the coolant next Wednesday to check the ID of the hose for iron scale. What my plan is, if I find iron scale, I'm gonna back flush the oil cooler with 50/50 ELC in hopes of keeping the passages freed up. If I don't find any scale, I'll just keep draining and checking the lower radiator hose every week for the next 4 weeks.


Wish me luck, Rich

[Evil Eye]

Best of luck, Rich. Since you changed out #3 and didn't get much iron scale, do you think that most of it is out of the system due to your flushing? In another thread, smeusse (Scott) went and had his radiator flushed after having multiple oil cooler failures in quick succession. Do you think your problem might be similar?

[lubbock guy]

Rich, why dont you just replace the oil cooler with a BPD air cooled oil cooler and never worry about "clogging up another facotry oil cooler"? after replacing four coolers, and the time in labor, the BPD oil cooler would have paid for itself, not too mention the oil running 10 to 20 degrees cooler.
sorry, but i can't see your logic replacing a known failure item time and time again.

Originally Posted by Lilpooh

A little history first, from 2004-2008 I've had the original oil cooler. Then in 2008 I had studs and other work done to the truck including new oil cooler (cooler #1). In 2009 I installed a coolant filter. July of 2011 my deltas were out of spec, so a new oil cooler (cooler #2) was installed. Fast forward to May 2012 replaced another oil cooler (cooler #3) do to delta being out of spec. So the cooler i have in now is cooler #4. When cooler #3 was installed I did a complete flush with VC-9 and Restore along with a butt load of flushing, this was done in order to switch to ELC.


Now cooler #1 I did not cut open to check the blockage. Cooler #2 was cut open,found yellow blockage and at the time I thought I was also dealing with casting sand, but it was iron scale. Now prior to removing cooler #3, I tried back flushing the cooler to see of I could salvage it (wishful thinking). I was able to get some of the iron scale out and into the bottom of the bucket, but not enough to make a delta difference. So out came cooler #3, which I put a magnet in the coolant passage and pulled out some iron scale.


So before I pulled out cooler #3, I did a coolant flush and back flushed every coolant passage I could get my hands on (degas, heater core, block plugs, back of heads, oil cooler feed port, ect, ect). There was hardly any iron scale in the bucket, just a couple of flecks.


As of last week end, oil cooler #4 is in the truck. Just to be sure I got out all the iron scale, I taped 4 high powered magnets to the lower radiator hose. I'm gonna drain the coolant next Wednesday to check the ID of the hose for iron scale. What my plan is, if I find iron scale, I'm gonna back flush the oil cooler with 50/50 ELC in hopes of keeping the passages freed up. If I don't find any scale, I'll just keep draining and checking the lower radiator hose every week for the next 4 weeks.


Wish me luck, Rich

[Lilpooh]

Originally Posted by Evil Eye

Best of luck, Rich. Since you changed out #3 and didn't get much iron scale, do you think that most of it is out of the system due to your flushing? In another thread, smeusse (Scott) went and had his radiator flushed after having multiple oil cooler failures in quick succession. Do you think your problem might be similar?

Hey Shawn, I think it was a combo of flushes and how awesome the OEM coolant filter (oil cooler) is! LOL!

I flushed the radiator with the garden hose, so unless a radiator shop has something better, I'll call that good.

[Lilpooh]

Originally Posted by lubbock guy

Rich, why dont you just replace the oil cooler with a BPD air cooled oil cooler and never worry about "clogging up another facotry oil cooler"? after replacing four coolers, and the time in labor, the BPD oil cooler would have paid for itself, not too mention the oil running 10 to 20 degrees cooler.
sorry, but i can't see your logic replacing a known failure item time and time again.

If I had $2300 laying around, I would of! LOL!! Tousley has OEM coolers for $250 (I think that's what I paid), I do my own labor so cost is free!!! At $2300 for the BPD kit, I can replace the OEM a total of 9 times before reaching that $2300 cost.


The BPD has crossed my mind, so has doing a DIY oil cooler kit. For the time being, I'll do what I can afford.

[lubbock guy]

so the ford oil cooler cost is 250 dollars, but what is your time in labor worth? My time is worth alot, i would rather replace it once and have time to do other things.

Originally Posted by Lilpooh

If I had $2300 laying around, I would of! LOL!! Tousley has OEM coolers for $250 (I think that's what I paid), I do my own labor so cost is free!!! At $2300 for the BPD kit, I can replace the OEM a total of 9 times before reaching that $2300 cost.


The BPD has crossed my mind, so has doing a DIY oil cooler kit. For the time being, I'll do what I can afford.

[Lilpooh]

Originally Posted by lubbock guy

so the ford oil cooler cost is 250 dollars, but what is your time in labor worth? My time is worth alot, i would rather replace it once and have time to do other things.

To each their own! I'm a 40yr old motor head, I enjoy working on my vehicles. Oil cooler replacement isn't that hard, if I busted @$$, I could knock it out in 6hrs or less.

Like I said, if I had $2300 extra cash laying around, I would buy the BPD. I could always save my lunch money, but I enjoy food too much to give it up! LOL!

[DoubleDpsd]

Imo his time and labor is worth the bpd setup subtract the oem oil cooler. He's working on his truck with his kids also so its more than $$. So 2300-250=2050 he saved.jmo.

Its not the oil cooler that seems to be his issue, it seems to he the iron scale buildup.

Sent from my droidx using autoguide app

[Lilpooh]

Originally Posted by darsey715

Imo his time and labor is worth the bpd setup subtract the oem oil cooler. He's working on his truck with his kids also so its more than $$. So 2300-250=2050 he saved.jmo.

Its not the oil cooler that seems to be his issue, it seems to he the iron scale buildup.

Sent from my droidx using autoguide app

Yuuupppp, creating memories for my girl!! They love working with daddy!!

[southend]

Interesting, subscribed:thumbup:

Sent from my SCH-I500