Fighting an 06

bluedevilslax · Jul 29, 2013

Alright everyone,

I have this customers truck that just keeps coming back. He has the complaint that the truck is over heating at idle with a trailer behind it. The truck has head studs and coolant filter. Not tuned still stock. It came in the first time and had a bad fan clutch so that was addressed. Now it is back. Replaced the IPR which I know has nothing to do with the cooling issue. I have driven the truck up the Eisenhower tunnel unloaded and every thing checked out. ECT and EOT were within spec, Fan clutch engaged properly. And just can't figure out why it is only doing it with a trailer. It is a 250 and the trailer is a 5th wheel but the customer will not give me the weight of the trailer. I don't think it is overloaded because it is only happening at idle. He has told me that he has seen on his scan gauge ECT temp of 260 degrees. Then the truck will go into limp mode and die. I have yet to get it to do any of that. So I am taking a ride with him today with the trailer to see. But any help or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, Eric.

Atsah · Jul 29, 2013

So he is saying it doesn't over heat at idle with no trailer and it over heats when the trailer is hooked to it at idle? Makes no sense to me..

Mdub707 · Jul 29, 2013

LOL, yeah I didn't really follow that either.

The waterpumps are pretty notorious going bad. The plastic impeller cracks and doesn't flow well and some even spin on the shaft. I'd look there. I'm assuming the radiator appears clean as well? Coolant level is normal? EOT vs ECT? What are we getting for actual temps? Everything else looks good? No codes being thrown? What's boost pressure at when driving? Any smoke?

bluedevilslax · Jul 29, 2013

Atsah that is exactly what he is saying. Truck only overheats when hooked to a trailer.

Mdub707- radiator is clean and clear, brand new gold coolant in it, at normal level. Highest temps I saw unloaded where EOT 197, ECT 199. Only code was the IPR which has been addressed, boost pressure while pulling the hill was 15-18, only the normal smoke under heavy acceleration. All of this is unloaded.

Atsah · Jul 29, 2013

bluedevilslax said:
Atsah that is exactly what he is saying. Truck only overheats when hooked to a trailer.

Mdub707- radiator is clean and clear, brand new gold coolant in it, at normal level. Highest temps I saw unloaded where EOT 197, ECT 199. Only code was the IPR which has been addressed, boost pressure while pulling the hill was 15-18, only the normal smoke under heavy acceleration. All of this is unloaded.

Take a look for yourself when he gets there.. All I can say is, that truck hates that trailer..LOL

bluedevilslax · Jul 29, 2013

Yeah that is what I am saying. We are hoping to get him down here with a trailer today so I can figure out what is going on.

webb06 · Jul 29, 2013

I would monitor the eot vs ect while he's hooked to the trailer. We had a truck that pulled a travel trailer often and would go in to a limp mode because the oil temp was getting so hot.

Replaced the oil cooler and its fine now. Could only be showing signs when it's pulled hard. Odd but it happens I guess.

Good luck

fordfreak4life · Jul 29, 2013

I've seen some coolant temp sensors do some wacky sh*t too

Sent while spinning 18 wheels

DEEZUZ · Jul 29, 2013

Whats temp difference of upper rad hose and lower op temp

Mdub707 · Jul 29, 2013

Yeah, really need the ECT and EOT hooked to the trailer.

If the truck isn't tuned at all, it shouldn't be smoking at all either. If it is, you may have a boost leak somewhere or a sticky turbo too. Max boost on a stock 6.0 is usually around 24psi unloaded... loaded with a big trailer you might see closer to 27 or a hair more.

If it's smoking under these conditions I'd be looking at other things too.

Atsah · Jul 29, 2013

webb06 said:
I would monitor the eot vs ect while he's hooked to the trailer. We had a truck that pulled a travel trailer often and would go in to a limp mode because the oil temp was getting so hot.

Replaced the oil cooler and its fine now. Could only be showing signs when it's pulled hard. Odd but it happens I guess.

Good luck

I was thinking that is probably what's going on.. Oil cooler is clogged..

Rideracelivemx7 · Jul 29, 2013

if it were getting THAT hot you'd be able to feel it on the hoses. if its plugged in and doing it then id say there may be some sort of a short in the wires somewhere along the line. maybe the fan wont kick on or something like that, is there a port where you can put in a mechanical temp gauge for the water?

bluedevilslax · Jul 29, 2013

Just got back from a drive with the customer with his 5th wheel hooked. Truck defueled once with the EOT at 244 and ECT 228. Oil cooler looks to be the culprit. Talked to the customer on the drive. Just found out it has canned SCT tunes running to tow tune and a bulletproof EGR cooler with the EGR turned off thanks to the SCT. I know the specs for EOT vs ECT is 15 degrees and 16 degrees is the biggest difference it got to during the uphill climb. But after turning around and heading down the pass EOT 240 and ECT got down to 219 which is fully open for the factory thermostat.

loboost · Jul 29, 2013

bluedevilslax said:
Just got back from a drive with the customer with his 5th wheel hooked. Truck defueled once with the EOT at 244 and ECT 228. Oil cooler looks to be the culprit. Talked to the customer on the drive. Just found out it has canned SCT tunes running to tow tune and a bulletproof EGR cooler with the EGR turned off thanks to the SCT. I know the specs for EOT vs ECT is 15 degrees and 16 degrees is the biggest difference it got to during the uphill climb. But after turning around and heading down the pass EOT 240 and ECT got down to 219 which is fully open for the factory thermostat.

I didn't think it would defuel until eot was 253*?