coolant filter question

[riotwarrior]

Thanks guys the diagram I posted was one I found online. Mine however is reversed at the heater core section that's what was scaring me when I saw it and had me like wow. I just was not sure if the heater core it's self was a in and our design.

It aint broke it dont matter dont fix what doesnt need fixin

Just sayin...

 

[ericwade381]

^^^true there! I'll just plumb it in the way it is. Thank you everyone for all of the help!

 

[The Warden]

'How To Install A Coolant Filter' is one of the most screwed up and hair-pulling topics that I have yet encountered on diesel forums. I'm focusing entirely on 6.9L and 7.3L IDI engines because I've not studied the Power Strokes and later systems which are different. The main reason for the confusion is the ever increasing backyard advice to install the filter in-line in one of the heater core hoses, advice which I have yet to see any technical knowledge or reasoning whatsoever to support this other than 'it's easier' 'I'm too lazy to connect it the other way' (apparently it looks like it will work) and by using this connect the dots method, these are the fewest dots. I intend to show good technical reasoning and explanations why not to install the filter in-line with a heater core hose. Anyone who has taken the time to study this subject at length just from the topics on various diesel forums should be aware of at least a couple of reasons suggesting why it should not be installed in-line and I think I can affirm and add to those. My perceptions are based on some significant technical knowledge and background. I have not performed any tests to prove these perceptions but they are fairly common and basic knowledge in fluid dynamics. When I am ready to install my own filter system plus a 4 port a heater core bypass controlled by existing heater A/C controls on the instrument panel (a bit complicated) I will do some tests to prove or confirm that my perceptions about the coolant filter setup are right or wrong, including a possible improvement to increase coolant flow through a filter connected in parallel (like the diagram posted by ericwade381. In any case this should be an interesting discussion.

First off, welcome aboard!

Second...I don't know if you've had a chance to look at the Tech Articles on here yet, but I wrote articles on the coolant filter and bypass valve a few years back. I firmly agree with you about installing the filter as a bypass filter, but I'm very curious to see your conclusions on why installing the filter inline is not a good idea (I've gotten into this argument in the past with a few other members who claim no ill effects). Furthermore, given that you've apparently done quite a bit of research on the topic, I'd love to see what faults you find with my write-up so that I can make corrections.

IDI Tech Articles

Coolant filter article

Heater core bypass valve

By the way, I first used an aftermarket bypass valve that developed a leak within a month of install. I replaced it with an OEM Ford valve that's been doing perfectly for 10 years now

 

[dunk]

Thanks for the link/PN on the bypass valve. So long as there's a vacuum source with heater controls off this would be great. My air conditioning doesn't work but the heater does add some heat to the cab with everything off, would be nice to automatically cut flow.

 

[BioFarmer93]

INTERESTING, BioFarmer93. I don't recall seeing that configuration before but it seems great for mounting the cooler on the inside fender- about where the base of screw jack would be. Less intrusive than parallel between both hoses.

The configuration is (as far as I know) my own. The filter is mounted on an extension to the passenger side of the original fuel filter mount. Based on the autopsies of my last 3 coolant filters, I'm happy to say that it works quite well. Actually, a lot of theory went into it, which in hindsight was probably wasted brain-strain. I just wanted to keep the flow rate high because Mommy doesn't like to be cold and I do not trust the construction of the filters to withstand the pressures they would endure being plumbed inline.

 

[LCAM-01XA]

I could see from the 87 Shop Manuals that this would be complicated. I've used maximum heat many times in very hot weather to help cool an engine, especially when working it climbing a long grade.

We got a pusher fan for that purpose, last thing I need on a triple-digit summer day in a truck with no A/C is even more heat in the cab. But if you think about it you don't want recirculating heat for what you were doing anyways - with recirculating heating you're slowly but steadily reducing your temperature differential that cools the core as the incoming air gets warmer and warmer as the cab air heats up. If you run fresh outside air thru the core at least your incoming air temp is fixed, and the heat buildup in the cab is easily exhausted thru the side windows.

My 'fresh air'/recirc air door is controlled by a vacuum motor (described for Eric to check- I hope it's the same on an 88) from a control on the panel (been awhile since I have looked at all of this) unless you meant a different door but I'll look at it all again when I am niot so tired. The diagrams in the manual are a bit confusing and not as clear as they should be and require a lot of study. I saw vacuum lines and control cables but too tired to look now.

Yeah that's the door alright. Never notice it's still vacuum powered on the 87s and the 88s, but then again I never really needed to look at it close. Well if you got the servo and vacuum supply for it (look on top of the HVAC box by the passenger-side hood hinge), your task can be very easy - get the vacuum-powered 4-port diverter valve and T-ee it into the line for the recirc door servo. You lose the recirculating heat option tho. To be honest the only time I've found recirculating heat useful is either while driving thu areas with just bad odors in the air (think swamps at night), or when it gets so cold outside we gotta cover the grille to prevent the engine from overcooling. Our recirculating door is on a manual switch via electric vacuum solenoid valve off a gasoline Ford's emissions system, same can be applied to the diverter valve as well if we had one, but honestly I think those are just another potential failure point the cooling system and the benefits from it simply do not justify the risks. Now if someone made a metal diverter valve that would be different, but I simply do not trust them plastic glued-together things - seen too many spring leaks, granted they were all high-mileage units (as long as they were OEM parts that is, aftermarket is crapshoot) but who's to say that will always be the pattern?

 

[LCAM-01XA]

I just wanted to keep the flow rate high because Mommy doesn't like to be cold and I do not trust the construction of the filters to withstand the pressures they would endure being plumbed inline.

In my experience the heater cores put out great heat even with the inlet restricted down to 1/2" or even 7/16". On the other hand with a crew cab in very cold weather you really want a second heater core with a blower and vents for the rear passengers, the factory in-dash unit just ain't cutting it even when provided the full flow this coolant loop is capable of. I believe ours came out of some road tractor, it's a wide but shallow metal box with the core and a blower motor and vents all built into it. It lives under the rear seat, and naturally the label is on the back side of it so I have no idea what it actually is... But it works great! Now if it only had an A/C feature as well...

 

[ericwade381]

So can anyone tell us any advantages so far running a coolant filter? Maybe lower running temps or alot of trash out of your filters?

 

[LCAM-01XA]

Filters all kinds of junk out the cooling system so coolant stays nice and fresh all the time. Nasty coolant doesn't transfer heat very well so you want it as clean as possible. And if you get a filter with the anti-cavitation additives built in it then you won't have to add them manually periodically, filter does that for ya.

 

[ericwade381]

You must be registered for see images attach

Thanks guys

 

[LCAM-01XA]

So you installed it inline between the engine head and the heater core? That should work, less than ideal but it's easier and will get the job done. However, keep in mind that filter is quite heavy, and the IDI engine vibrates quite a but - the way you have the filter hanging way out there puts a lot of bending moment on that plate you have it hanging off, and your sharp corners inside where you made the relief cut for the A/C liquid line are stress concentrators. You may wanna consider trimming the thing down, like chopping the excess length past the filter head, and also removing the four corners with slant cuts (say 45 degrees) and using a dremel bit or even just a round file to smooth out the transition between the relief cuts. The result will both look nice and be less likely to develop cracks. Also I would seriously try moving the filter as close to the alternator as possible, reroute the hoses as needed - for example in our setup the coolant filter head's inboard mounting hole uses the same bolt as the fuel filter head's outboard mounting hole (obviously requires a longer bolt). You probably won't be able to pull that off as your coolant filter head is different from outs but you get the idea, the closer the coolant filter is to the tower it's hanging off the less likely things are to fatigue and the more sturdy everything is.

 

[riotwarrior]

Kinda like holding 20 lbs at the end of a straight arm vs a strap over the shoulder holding 20 lbs...onenis a lot more effort...same goes for yer filter mount.

 

[ericwade381]

Thanks guys. I was going to trim down the rough edges I wish it wasn't as long. I was thinking of cutting the extra off near the filter so it's not in the way. Do you guys put blue thread local on the filter housing bolts?

 

[LCAM-01XA]

Nah, no need for thread locker - them are grade-8 3/8" bolts, when torqued properly they don't like to back off on their own. Heck often they don't wanna loosen even when you want them to . And Riot's analogy with the weight at arm's end vs over the shoulder is right on, you really wanna avoid that if possible - case in point on our previous filter mount one of the support brackets cracked after a few years of use, granted it was aluminum and not steel but it was still certainly not flimsy - vibrations and bending moments is what killed it, luckily the main arm still held but who knows for how much longer. The redesigned version with the two filter heads sharing the same bolt does put the filter at a bit of an angle so it clears the alternator, but from functionality point that doesn't matter cause the filter will do its thing even when mounted upside down.

Just throwing ideas your way...

 

[sjwelds]

I'd locktite them anyway or for sure use lock washers or lock nuts. Had my filter head hanging by the two bolts at one point...it was after it had come back from the mechanic...and the nuts were gone. They are now top-lock nuts.

JM2CW