Does it look like melted frosty coming out?

 

Yes it looks just like a frosty oozing out...

 

Pics are always good in situations like this, but you are very likely looking at the after effect of a ruptured oil cooler.

It isn't surprising that you don't see anything in your oil system. Your low pressure oil system is about 70psi and the coolant system is sub-16. That determines the path. You may notice a drop in oil level, though.

It's a kinda tricky spot. There could be other things going on, so it would be nice to know a bit more about the operating values of the engine. ...but it isn't so good to run it now.

The other tricky spot is this... The coolant system is now contaminated. All of the oil-laced coolant will need to be flushed from the system and - more than likely - a number of hoses replaced. Oil causes the rubber hoses to break down. You will notice gooey inside walls. Until the ruptured cooler is out, though, you are just going to be pushing more oil through.

My suggestions...

• With proper monitoring of coolant and oil temps, it is possible that you would've seen this coming. If you are not monitoring, start reading up on that.
• You might was well start stocking up on flushing/cooling system supplies. Coolant hoses, 30+ gallons of distilled water, CAT EC1-rated ELC, Cummins Restore and Restore+, a new degas cap and maybe a bottle, thermostat... Winter is coming.
• If you still have an EGR cooler, it is time to decide if you are going to keep it or ditch it (based on where you live and emissions). If you are going to keep, buy an upgraded cooler. If you are going to ditch, buy a delete.

...also - like the EGR question above - it is time to start thinking about what you are going to do and how you are going to do it. Given your catch-22 situation, this would be a great time to switch to either an air-to-oil cooler (BPD) or an oil cooler relocation (BPD, IPR).

Bullet Proof Diesel Heavy Duty Engine Oil Cooler
Coolant-to-Liquid Oil Coolers
IPR External Oil Cooler Kit for Ford 6.0 Powerstroke

That way you could clean things up as best you can, get the cooler out of there, and then go back to cleaning things up the rest of the way.

It would be good to know more about what you are comfortable with technically/mechanically. Sadly, you now have a problem that you will need to either wrench your way out of, buy your way out of, or sell your way out of.

If you are going to either wrench or buy, the guys here are the right ones of which to ask questions. They sure helped me. If you can tell a bit more about your truck, it will get things going.

Good luck!



Edited to add...
This writeup on flushing may help - http://www.ficmrepair.com/pdf/Powerstroke_Cooling_System_Flush_v1-0.pdf
Here is info on Restore/Restore+ - https://www.cumminsfiltration.com/pdfs/product_lit/emea_brochures/LI33024-GB.pdf

People also use Dawn or Cascade dishwasher soap to cut the oil. Restore is better, but not cheaper.

 

When I had that happen to me it was my oil cooler that took a crap, bad. Had to have the whole system properly flushed multiple times and a new oil cooler installed.

 

is the steps to flush the system then add the cooler? Or add the new cooler w/coolant filter flush the snot out of it, get all the hoses replaced,new filter, add distilled +ELC and call it a day?

 

That's the Catch-22 to which I was referring.

If you can detect the oil cooler clogging before the rupture, you can flush then replace. After a rupture, you can start the flushing - but you will still have oil pushing through into the coolant.

In my case, my delta was growing so I planned to flush and then do a cooler swap. My oil cooler ruptured during my flush. I ran Restore and about 15 more gallons of distilled through it and installed an oil cooler relocation. I also replace a bunch of hoses, water pump, degas bottle, stat, the works.

Then, I flushed more after I was done. Because my oil cooler was outside the engine, I could backflush it easily. Turned out perfectly fine for me. I would have been more concerned if it had still been inside the valley.

 

Any idea about how much this is going to cost me, not super comfortable doing the work myself and a little tight on time. im thinking im going to have someone to do it for me. I live in eastern NC so I think I am most likely going to delete the egr and have an upgraded oil cooler installed. How much money am I looking at to have all this done.

 

Oil cooler is around $400, EGR Delete is $200 in parts.. I'd do an educated guess of around $1000.

 

I can't tell if the $1000 is total or added to the other. Cleaning up something like this is time consuming. If total, I'd bump that number up.

Part of it is that there will also be some incidental parts/expenses that will add up:
New batch of coolant: $75
Oil change and filter: $100
Distilled water: $40
Restore/Restore+: $60
Coolant hoses: $75-$125
Thermostat: $30
...and lots o' time.

If you don't do any of the oil cooler relocations/fixes above, go with an IPR GENII EGR delete. Cool doohickey.

 

Here is where it gets expensive... The shop will go in, pull the oil cooler and most shops will install a clogged cooler. From there they will flush with dawn, more dawn, lots of water, then more water, then a lot more water, then do a chemical flush. After they are sure the system is clean they will throw a fresh cooler in and if all checks out you will get the truck back.


This is basically a double oil cooler job. Then you add in the time spent flushing.... Ask any powerstroke mechanic and this process is something that makes a lot of people cringe to think about. Cost wise it really depends on your shop doing the work. An oil cooler job ranges in price from $1500 at the cheapest with the cheapest parts, to $2500+. Obviously this price sky rockets if you start adding the bpd relocation kit, but it will pay for itself when you look at what the shop will charge you to go back in a second time to replace the oil cooler.

Many times this is a problem that will haunt you for a short while. Even after a proper flush there is a chance oil will stay in the system. This means that the new oil cooler could very well clog much sooner than it normally would.

Either way you go...... OEM PARTS! None of that dorman crap or you will be back in there again. THE ONLY aftermarket parts you want here are delete kit and if you choose then go with the bpd relocation kit. That is it, make sure they go back in with a Ford oil cooler and Ford gaskets. Trust me, the few $ you save buying AM oil cooler parts will be eatn up in the next year or 2 100x over...!!!

 

^^^ Great info here. I did not know about the "installing the clogged cooler for the flush" approach. That makes sense.

OP: As Crazy says, the oil cooler relocation/air-to-oil systems add cost, but the advantages are...

Relocation - You can easily backflush the new cooler. That makes is less likely that anything that made it through the flushing/cooler swap process will get you 3 months down the road. ...and even if it did clog up, you are about 45 minutes away from having it replaced it in your driveway.

Air-to-oil - Your coolant system and oil systems are now completely independent and the tiny passages of the oil cooler are not in the equation. A can of peas could probably make it through a BPD system. No future clogging there.​

You have a special mess on your hands. If you can incorporate a special solution, it may help you in the long run.

 

No point in ruining a good cooler.

Btw op, once flushed and clean have the shop use an ELC coolant instead of Ford Gold. It makes upkeep of the coolant much easier.

 

So after all said and done, I am putting in a new oil cooler, egr delete, programmer, new heads as both were cracked, head studs and gaskets and and all fluids flushed. So what I thought was just going to be the oil cooler, we are now bulletproofing it. this definitely raised the price up quite a bit. Thanks for all info and pointing me in the right direction. Anyone on here located in the eastern NC area???