6.0L Aftermarket EGR Cooler

[mchan68]

Has anyone ever had any success with this EGR cooler before?

 

http://www.ntshoptools.com/Ford_Power_Stroke_EGR.html

[eastendpowerstroke]

Look's kinda cool

[Brad Clayton]

Never seen it before, but the internals look like an '03 cooler and they do seem to hold up better. Matter of fact I've never replaced a failed cooler in an '03.

[mchan68]

Never seen it before, but the internals look like an '03 cooler and they do seem to hold up better. Matter of fact I've never replaced a failed cooler in an '03.

Funny you should mention that. Neither have I. And I was just thinking of asking if anyone else has when I posted this.

[eastendpowerstroke]

Just my own truck because I could, and one customer truck with a clogged oil cooler per the TSB

[Keith Browning]

I recall replacing one but I don't think it was because it was leaking internally. In looking at this beefed up cooler I only question whether the design affects it's efficiency. Here is what I mean - The EGR cooler was redesigned for the 2004 model year. The internal construction allows for better heat transfer and it is also longer providing additional cooling capacity. Obviously this has an effect on emissions. I am curious as to whether or not this company has tested and emissions certified this EGR cooler. None the less, I applaud the idea and effort because they are right, the stock EGR coolers are weak.

[Shlep]

He's been selling them on E-bay for awhile now and I've been in touch with him a few times but I haven't actually had one in my hands yet, but we'll see what happens shortly.

[jimmy57]

I agree the 04 up coolers are much more efficient. The exhausr is much cooler when the breeze blows over exhaust as truck is being towed to shop after the cooler injects WAY too much coolant into exhaust.

 

Sorry for the cynicism. Cynicism, no, just reality.

[DwayneGorniak]

Originally Posted By: flmmaz

Never seen it before, but the internals look like an '03 cooler and they do seem to hold up better. Matter of fact I've never replaced a failed cooler in an '03.

Funny you should mention that. Neither have I. And I was just thinking of asking if anyone else has when I posted this.

 

I have changed a couple for blowing out or leaking. However, I do see allot less of the 03' coolers fail than the 04' and newer ones.

 

And as for meeting emissions, the website does say this: Street Legal – no waivers or “off-road use only” restrictions!

 

Doesn't mean that these coolers meet emissions, but at least they're legally acceptable. And I don't know what's worse for the environment an improved cooler that won't blow or a cooler that will pump 20 litres of burnt coolant out the tailpipe and piss all over the ground through the seems of the muffler. Not to mention the bad ass clouds of second hand smoke that these pieces of shit leave the highways covered in. I think the second hand smoking bylaws should include Sick Litres myself.

[Jim Warman]

I don't see where this cooler is "legal".... The website has no indication of any blessings from EPA or ANY air resources bodies (the one we see talked about most often is CARB - California Air Resources Board).

 

The device appears to be a very robust construction but, as Keith points out, what about heat transfer? When you are hard on the throttle, is the recirculated exhaust being sufficiently cooled? Or are we getting set up for some unforeseen catastrophic failure?

 

Think about this... it looks "stock"... it will pass a visual inspection... It allows exhaust gas to recirculate - it will pass NOx testing.... But I don't see anything that says this device has actually been submitted for EPA or CARB testing or certification.... And that,to me, suggests that perhaps things are a wee bit "underhand" as far as any R&D may be concerned.

 

Definitley better than deleting the EGR system, but what of long term effects?

 

Afterthought.... if you have one of these devices installed and are into some serious pedal.... could reduced cooling effect have a negative impact on NOx production? Are we waiting for an intake manifold to go into meltdown? (Indications are that aluminum has a melting point of 1220F - an exhaust temperature that isn't hard to reproduce in a turbo charged engine.

 

Whenever we answer one question, we usually pose a half dozen new questions.FWIW.... I still firmly believe that the 6.0s biggest flaw is bad owners rather than bad design.

[Aaron]

I still firmly believe that the 6.0s biggest flaw is bad owners rather than bad design.

+100000

 

If'n I was gonna do an upgrade on a 04-up 6.0 truck, I would switch up to the early build EGR cooler after making a custom adapter to include the 'scoop' in the up-pipe, as the early build motors use throttle plate to help add EGR flow.

 

Just my .02

[DwayneGorniak]

I agree that "MOST' of the owners of these things are brutal. However, I still think the Sick-0's are a total piece of shit!

[Tony302600]

Originally Posted By: Jim Warman

I still firmly believe that the 6.0s biggest flaw is bad owners rather than bad design.

+100000

 

If'n I was gonna do an upgrade on a 04-up 6.0 truck, I would switch up to the early build EGR cooler after making a custom adapter to include the 'scoop' in the up-pipe, as the early build motors use throttle plate to help add EGR flow.

 

Just my .02

I think these trucks are being used as grocery getters rather then hauling trucks. We say very few trucks that were used above their designs compared to the people that did short trips.

[dieseldoc]

I have had no real troubles with my personal 6.0 I do drive it back and forth to work every day, however it pulls a trailer just about every weekend. I use it at the farm, it gets me to work. BUT it has to work on my time off. It hauls hay,livestock, pick-ups, old tractors and the like. My 6.0 has had one egr valve(at 2000 mi. for electrical failure), and a turbo pedestal( to fix the drone at 1800 rpms). Plenty of oil and filter, and fuel filter changes. The 6.0 is a decent engine when used for and how it was designed to be used. It is no 7.3 and never will be, but it is ok. just my two cents

[mchan68]

Here is yet another aftermarket outfit, offering a "bulletproof" alternative to stock EGR/oil coolers.

 

http://www.bulletproofdiesel.com/default.html

[Keith Browning]

I think that is the same dudes just a new web site but you have found an oil cooler bypass! I was looking for those.

[sixturbosix]

I have noticed that these egr coolers are made more like the early round style.From what I have seen the round egr coolers have alot less failure.Correct me if i'm wrong because I have never cut one open i am just looking at them from the y-pipe end..Wonder why they went away from this type build.

[sixturbosix]

My bad I now see where this was posted earlier in this thread.But it is an interesting observation many have noticed.

[Aaron]

Yup - that looks like a late model cooler with early model guts in it.

 

"WE BUY EGR COOLER CORES"

 

*Looking at box of EGR coolers under his bench*

 

Hmmmmm.....

[blown99]

I contacted him about the cores. He will pay $20 a piece in multiples of 10. He also wanted intake gasket kits. He would only pay $25/kit. To bad I just threw out about 50 cores.

[Aaron]

I just talked to him also.

 

He didn't say anything about intake gaskets to me.

 

You mean, the old gaskets? Or a new set with the hose and the cooler gaskets and shit?

[blown99]

He wanted new gasket kits. I think cost was over $50 if I remember right.

[Aaron]

Yeah, I'll sell that for $25

[Jim Warman]

Why is the 6.0 a total piece of shit?

 

EGR system? Without it you don't have a streetable engine. VGT turbo? Without it you have zip for driveability.

 

One thing we have seen is the sheer number of diesel pick ups on the road. People that never "needed" a truck like this before.... but the western world has always been subject to fads when it comes to choosing automobiles.

 

The 7.3 may have been better suited to the current fad in that it doesn't have some of the delicate controls that the 6.0 has... but the 7.3 is ill suited to the current fad due to shortcomings in tailpipe emissions.

 

Tuners.... let's all add tuners to our trucks... screw the atmosphere, anyway - our grndchildren can just learn how to breathe whatever we choose to leave them? Somebody has to look out for us... I guess it might as well be us....

[DwayneGorniak]

Just base this on the whole engine and the injection system if you want. Leave the EGR, emissions systems and turbo's out of it and lets compare all three Powerstrokes. Cylinder heads have to be included as well, being that they are part of the engine. And even though the six litre is over stressed in Ford's application, it was designed to completely replace the 7.3L and 444E.

 

7.3l: Eighteen bolts per head to start with, a totally beefy engine that could take a shit load of abuse and live through lack of maintenance on the lubrication and fuel side of things as well. What ever went wrong with them that wasn;t all that easy to fix? Push rods, injectors on a rare occasion and some high pressure oil system leaks, etc.

 

6.0L: 10 rubber head bolts per head that stretch the minute you put a trailer behind these units, lifters failing, cam lobes grinding off to often in my experience, an oil cooler system that is a joke (just look at Bruce's photo's), Cold stiction issues like crazy even when they are maintained, internal injection system leaks, etc. I'm most likely forgetting some things.

 

6.4L: Believe it or not I believe this is a better base engine platform than the six litre if you leave the finicky fuel injection system out of it. But: Bigger head bolts than the six litre, easier to service rocker arms, aaaannnnnddddd.....not much else.

 

 

Now put 15,000lbs behind each truck with everything else the same such as manual transmissions, gear ratio's, etc and pull that 15,000lbs for a five year span and see which one has more repairs. the 7.3L is a no brainer. It can take it. Even the 6.4L won't have an issue if the radiator holds up and the fuel is always clean. But there is now way that the six litre would last without popping a set of head gaskets and something in the injections system.

 

 

Sure, if you add the same types of emissions to a 7.3L there will be issues. But the base engine will not be the culprit and neither would it be on the 6.4L.

 

Therefore, I still believe the Sick-0 is a piece of junk.

 

 

Hey, it's just my opinion. Don't shoot me for it.