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Paramedic Saves 6.0L

166K views 335 replies 64 participants last post by  Fishermedic 
#1 ·
I'm a paramedic not a mechanic. I've never owner a diesel and I've never even done an oil change. I'm about to attempt major surgery on a 6.0L diesel in my driveway and by myself. Is it possible??? :dunno:

Here's the story.... shortened up some.
I've been looking for an Excursion and finally found one close by (only 13 hours from home:hehe:), it an '05 Eddie Bauer and is in very good shape for the money I paid. It does however have an oil cooler issue, my temps are 25*-30* apart on the highway. I factored in the cost of fixing the oil cooler issues and this truck is still a better deal than some of the "perfect" Ex's for sale right now so here we are.

Since we still have our van for another 3 weeks the Ex is our third vehicle so having it off the road won't hurt our family of 7 (soon to be 8) but once the Ex is the primary vehicle downtime will hurt. Because of this here is my plan for the next three weeks.

Bullet Proof oil cooler system with the cold weather package
Bullet Proof EGR, I've debated this in my head and I'm keeping it for now and if I tune then I can just turn it off.
Updated turbo oil drain tube
Updated turbo oil feed
Replace the STC fitting
Replace the IPR screen
Updated blue spring
Replace the thermostat
Flush the coolant and switch to CAT ELC
Oil will be Rotella T-6 5W-40

I hope this is all I'm going to need, it's 300km to the nearest city so if I can't find it here I loose a full day!


I plan on taking lots of pics, labeling and zip-tying/bagging everything and writing a lot of notes.

Hopefully I can update this thread as I go and use it for hints/tips and advice to help me get this project finished and the truck "Bullet Proofed".

I'll be taking my time on this and I'm sure I'll have some questions along the way but the .org has given me the confidence to attempt this. :crazy:
If the rain stops soon enough I'll start today, if not tomorrow morning I'll start getting dirty! :hyper::scared:
 
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#40 ·
looking great!!! btw do the CCV mod while you're in there that'll help the oily mess in your IC boots.
 
#41 ·
Good start to the project!
 
#42 · (Edited)
Well round one, two, three and four went to the turbo. :(

I sprayed the crap out of it with Deep Creep and then I twisted, turned, pried, pulled and hit it with no effect. I then proceeded to talk very nicely to it, no go, I swore at it, no go, I swore at everything that is in the way, no go, I stopped swearing and sat in silence giving it a glare that would make any man or beast turn and run... it still did not move. Next I resprayed and started at the beginning... three more times... it's still in there! All I can do now is laugh! :hehe: :( :hehe:

The problem I'm having is with the exhaust, both in and out of the turbo. I can't get either side to release from the turbo. The mounting bolts were easy, the one in the back was the easiest! :nod: Next I'm going to bolt the turbo back up and retry my removal routine again. It'll be two days from now though as I need to go to work. I'm planning on spraying the Creep in there after work both days, maybe when I get back to it they will already be off and waiting for me to pull the turbo out. :dunno::rofl:

If anyone has any suggestions I can add to the above routine please let me know!
Maybe I can get some pics up tomorrow of the work that I accomplished in between round with the turbo, not tonight though I'm tired.

Edit: The first two round were with the turbo mounting bolts in, the last two were with them out. The header to Y-pipe bolts are loosened.
 
#43 ·
Just a suggestion to keep at it. Some of those bolts are stubborn and will give you grief. I've spent a bunch of time cursing at my truck, too! Just know that you aren't alone in this process. I don't have any advice to offer other than to keep at it. :thumb:
 
#45 ·
Just be careful with that because you can deform the clamp so it isn't reusable. Probably not a big deal since you can always get another from the dealership.
 
#46 ·
Hit the clamp itself with a small hammer. The vibrations will help jostle the clamp. Then pry the V part of the clamp up and off the flange. This usually works for me, along with a healthy dose of PB Blaster :thumb:

If none of this works, most times if you talk dirty to it, it'll break free, and you'll have it in the palm of your hand :sly:
 
#47 ·
I know I wrestled with the y-pipe clamp, stood back and did the same. No swear word would release it, no special dance facing any direction on the horizon worked either.
A friend of mine dropped by while I was contemplating the finer things in life, grabbed a screwdriver an popped it off with a quick whack of the hammer. That guy has trouble changing a flat tire and he popped it right off. Sometimes you just over think stuff.
 
#48 ·
My fancy dance and swear words were for lining the y-pipe back up with the turbo... :doh:
 
#50 ·
I am also saying the ARP head studs you have the engine takin apart this is the time to do this.... Only other item I think any 6.0 should have is a coolant filter good luck... Get R Done
 
#51 ·
Well, I've done a lot of swearing dancing and contemplating on this turbo. I have not however tried a screwdriver. Can one of you please give me a little insight as to how the parts sit and what comes loose of off what? It looks like the pipes mate over a flange onthe turbo and the clamps are on overtop of that. Is there something more in the way these clamps work or would that be overthinking things? I only ask because I'm very much of a 'work smarter not harder' kind of guy. Brute force has it's place but I find it usually makes more work when I try to use it.
 
#52 ·
Correct. It's a flange type setup, but the part the gets stuck is the little 'fitting' molded into the y-pipe flange that seats inside the turbo flange. That may not make sense, but it will when you get it apart. If you have the y-pipe connections loose at the manifold and the up pipe, you just need to break that rusted connection.

It's arid here in CO, but I'm guessing by the pics you posted, its humid there in Canada, making for more rust and PITA to remove metal to metal connections :dunno:
 
#53 ·
They are called v-band clamps and sometimes get jammed when folks overtighten them or just due to the heating and cooling cycles that the exhaust components go through. Use a screwdriver (I used a marlinspike) to get in there and pry the clamp away from the flange. It's much easier when you completely remove the nut holding it together. Here's a pic to help you visualize.

 
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#54 ·
Pics are great, having a picture of how it works to hold the pieces together gives me a better idea of what has to happen to get those same pieces apart. All of it is all easier to understand when it's apart. :nod: I'll be back at it on Thursday and I'm confident I'll get the turbo out. After that the intake comes out and the heart is exposed! :woot:

On a side note I'm now looking for all the info I can get on the glow plug harness and o-rings and will also be searching for the part number for the fuel line I kinked.
As long as it's slow, being at work is a good thing, I can get my research done and not be want to be outside working on the truck. :hehe:
 
#57 ·
Defnitely post up the part number to the fuel line. I did the exact same thing to mine for the passenger side. I had to drive it out of necessity, and all seems to be fine, but I still want to replace. Without going and sitting next to the parts guy, I have not been able to determine what the part number is, best description was Mike at Tousley who said it is called a fuel tube (not line), but I didn't get a number and they had none in stock.
 
#55 ·
PB blaster is your friend here....

Hit it (SOAK it) a few hours before you need to work on it, and again right before you do. I used a large flat-tip screwdriver to pry mine off... It was a pain to get it back there, took a bit of prying then POP.... just poped off.

You'll get it... Just dont break/throw things, youll be ok! :rofl:
 
#58 ·
I actually have the page for the fuel lines for my truck. I had them sent to me for a related issue I was having with something in the area.
astroinhouston: The part number shown in the Ford Parts book shows the drivers side fuel line as 9L273, the passenger side as 9A274.
If you PM me your e-mail addy, I will send you a pdf file of this page.
 
#59 ·
As you were sending the PDF I found an exploded view of the lines, banjos, washers, etc. 9L273 is the one I need and the international part # is 1837982C1.

I've found that, at least up here in Canada, the international parts are less than half the price of the Ford parts (even though the Ford parts have the international part numbers stamped on them). If they can get me the line that's the route I'll go.

Thanks again NYC and everyone else for the help. I couldn't and wouldn't be doing this if it weren't for the info and help I've received here! :thumb:
 
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#60 · (Edited)
Well just a few parts updates and a question before I'm back to work on the truck tomorrow.


1. The STC fitting, I read in another post the 05 Ex doesn't have the STC fitting so doesn't need replacing. Is this true?
2. International can't get the fuel line I need, they are "Ford only" parts, so the line will end up costing $50 instead of $30. :doh: Lesson learned, proceed with caution on those lines!
3. I got an email from Gene at BPD, the system should take about 21 quarts of oil. That's about 20L so if I don't spill any I have enough... I'll get another jug. :D
4. I also went back and looked at the coolant numbers. It should hold 27.5 qts, 26L. At 60-40 I will need 15.6L of concentrate, I have 12L so I need another jug of that too. :doh:


The good news is that I won't need the stuff for a little bit. The bad news is my wife is starting to ask when I'll be done spending on the truck. I guess a spring swap will have to wait! :dunno::D
 
#61 ·
Well just a few parts updates and a question begore I'm back to work on the truck tomorrow.


1. The STC fitting, I read in another post the 05 Ex doesn't have the STC fitting so doesn't need replacing. Is this true?
2. International can't get the fuel line I need, they are "Ford only" parts, so the line will end up costing $50 instead of $30. :doh: Lesson learned, proceed with caution on those lines!
3. I got an email from Gene at BPD, the system should take about 21 quarts of oil. That's about 20L so if I don't spill any I have enough... I'll get another jug. :D
4. I also went back and looked at the coolant numbers. It should hold 27.5 qts, 26L. At 60-40 I will need 15.6L of concentrate, I have 12L so I need another jug of that too. :doh:


The good news is that I won't need the stuff for a little bit. The bad news is my wife is starting to ask when I'll be done spending on the truck. I guess a spring swap will have to wait! :dunno::D
That is false. The 05 and 06 trucks have the STC fitting. Depending on the year of your ENGINE, and not your truck. (did that make sense?? lol)
 
#62 ·
Take a look at your HPOP cover. Is it Cast or aluminum? If its aluminum then you have a true 05 motor and need the STC fitting. I doubt it though every 05 excursion I have seen has an 04 motor.
 
#63 ·
An 05 does have a STC fitting :nod:. Gene's a good dude, as are the rest of the BPD crew. Good luck with the wife :hehe:
 
#64 ·
The part numbers for the glow plug harnesses are as follows:

-4C2Z-12A690-AB for the passenger side

-5C3Z-12A690-A for the driver side if the vehicle build date is 01/15/04 or later

The fuel line you kinked up is 3C3Z-9L273-AA.

By the way, threads like this intrigue me greatly. I'm sure by now, the OP realizes and can appreciate why these engines are very expensive to repair. To give you a few more helping hints, SOAK and I mean SOAK the marmon clamp at the back of the turbo with LIBERAL amounts of PB Blaster or WD-40 between the cracks of the clamp and the two flanges. To break it loose, get yourself a LONG screwdriver and a hammer. Place the screwdriver (or prybar) between the clamp and flange from the driver side (in the space normally occupied by the coolant degas bottle), and hit it until the clamp breaks loose to where you can rotate the clamp. Once this is done, you can move onto removing the three 10mm bolts that secure the turbo to the pedestal (if you haven't already).

More helpful hints. Once the turbo is removed, get your TX-27 bit to remove the three fasteners that secure the oil filter standpipe to the oil filter base. You don't want that in the way, while your attempting snake the intake and EGR cooler assembly out. Which brings me to my next helpful hint. The last intake bolt on the passenger side will require the turbo downpipe be moved out of the way as you're loosening it (if you haven't figured this out already). Knock the oil cooler outlet-to-EGR cooler inlet rubber hose out of the oil cooler outlet. Don't forget to remove the EGR cooler up-pipe clamp as well, using the same technique previously described for the turbo up-pipe clamp. Remove all your intake bolts and remove the intake and EGR cooler as one assembly.

Do you think you should've paid someone to do this job for you yet?
 
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#66 ·
Thanks for the replies guys! I love coming to take a look at who has replied and offered advice here. There's a lot of knowledge out there on the ORG.

m-chan68. Thanks for the part numbers, I had just remembered the glow plug harness this morning. Thanks also for the tips, they are greatly appreciated.

It didn't take me long to realize why working on these motors is so expensive! Am I wishing I had paid someone else to do it? NOT AT ALL!! In April I had absolutely no clue when it came to diesel engines. I knew they didn't have spark plugs, although I didn't know why, but that was the extent of my knowledge! The only mechanical work I had done before starting this was a carb job on the '91 Arctic Cat with my Dad, when I was 16 (that's 20 years ago)! I love learning new things and that's part of the reason my work is progressing so slow. Instead of just taking it apart and putting it together I'm thinking about how it all works as it's coming apart (and trying to keep track of EVERYTHING so I can get it put back together). "What's this hose for, where's it coming from, where's it going to and what happens when it gets there?" Is how my thought process goes. It's the same for all of the connections, "How does this hold it together and why is this the best way?". So, no, I am very happy I'm doing this myself. Having said all of that ask if I still feel the same when I'm done!! :D


Thanks for all of the tips, I do have the injector harness out of the way, as well as the rest of the wiring. The oil filter standpipe is out and the intake bolts are out as well. This was all done in between rounds with the turbo and exhaust. :nod:

The turbo connections have been sprayed at least half a dozen times so we'll see how the whacking with a hammer and screwdriver works and I'll get some more pics up soon. Work didn't allow me to accomplish too much of my personal "to do" list this block so I didn't get them uploaded yet.
 
#67 ·
I always find it gratifying when I get done a project on any of my vehicles, even if it fights me the whole time. The only way to really know your truck is to do your own work. It is really good to have that knowledge when stuff happens and you are in the middle of nowhere.
 
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