I do like the simplicity of this truck. On the radiator, I've read that the radiator can suffer the same clogging affliction as the oil cooler. It all starts with the EGR cooler super heating the antifreeze and changing its molecular structure into sticky little particles that like to attach to surfaces. It's what clogs up the oil cooler and causes the cooler to collect other particulates leading to higher oil temperatures. I've read that the radiator is a place these particles like to attach in the cooling process. over time, they create enough restriction to cause over heating. reduced radiator flow could also explain how at higher rpm, coolant pressure builds due to blockage and out the degas bottle cap it goes. This truck had a pin hitch in the bed and rumor has it it used to pull horses and equipment in the Oregon Mountains. The 185 degree thermostat has made a difference and so has rerouting the coolant return from the coolant filter into the radiator for cooling, rather back into the heater core return hose and into the water pump without cooling. The folks at AFE told me the new radiator may not ship till November. The Scummit people tell me it's in a production run and should be here September 7th. I'm expecting an email, text, or call from Scummit with a definitive answer and then I will decide if I need to go with a Mishimoto instead. Whatever happens, I need to do something to resolve this heat issue once and for all.
Still confused. Is there an issue you’re trying to correct with a new radiator or just too much reading and hand wringing over real or supposed problems?
I get it, the 6.0 is maligned with plenty of real issues, some major, some just finicky. Probably hard to discern between the two given these trucks have garnished far more than their fair share of attention over the last 20 years, and not in a good way.
But to that point, the efficiency of the radiator is not one of those things. And in general a truck with that low of miles shouldn’t “need” many of the things that it does or that you’re doing to it.
To put it another way, in your words, you think this hauled a GN horse trailer through the mountains. Far rougher duty on a cooling system and drivetrain than basically driving around bobtail. A truck camper really isn’t much of a load for a class 5 truck, that should be 90% of the reason you bought a behemoth like that to haul a mid size ish TC. The overbuild of the vehicle for your planned use equaling a lower duty cycle.
Pardon me if this all seems rather silly, but after hauling our truck campers all over North America, including towing sizable trailers at the same time for many of the trips, on a 3/4ton diesel that didn’t begin to even stress out the drivetrain, I’ll say you have less to worry about than you think.
Remember you’ve hauled this camper everywhere on a F250 with an anemic little gasser and less than stellar transmission (comparatively).
And as I recall, your only real issues were high mileage issues like worn suspension parts and the engine debacle (s). You did buy another high potential engine debacle but the rest of the truck is tough as nails and the nails are about 3x as big as the F250.
6 liter overheating is a very well known issue. Why do you think there are so many products addressing the problem? Bulletproof alone makes their water pump, external oil cooling system. Improved EGR cooler. Coolant filter systems protecting against overheating. There are larger radiators by several companies. I am not the first or only person dealing with excessive or overheating problems with a 6 liter diesel.
10-4. So it’s overheating already and never got the right care for the cooling system. I understand that. Part of the fickleness of the 6.0.
My response was in consideration of the main cooling system. IE radiator and fan. Those were not problematic. As mentioned, 6.0 radiators were and are used as upgrades for the older 7.3 trucks.
However the 6.0s are more prone to cooling issues. And the radiator becomes a victim of circumstance in trucks not religiously maintained and root causes “bulletproofed”. Like EGR and oil coolers and adding a filter.
Guess I was assuming with the extremely low miles on your truck, if it at least got a coolant change or 2 that would not be an issue in your scenario.
It’s all good. I’m glad you view this as a hobby and not a major inconvenience.
Oh believe me, it's an inconvenience! We haven't been campi g in 7 weeks... Summer's closing soon. I'm going to be waiting about a month yet for the new radiator. In the mean time, I will satiate myself installing the viper 5706 alarm with remote start, flood lighting on each camper jack with 3 way seitching from cab or camper, larger stabilizing bars on the front jacks. Ill do the waterpump, fan clutch, and radiator when it gets here. All in the name of fun.
I am certain the larger capacity, 3 core radiator will be the game changer. We'll see.
