2nd blown oil filter gasket and coolant mixing with oil? Help with isolating the causes?

Rdnck84_03

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Sorry if there is an obvious answer to this question but I’m not a mechanic and still learning. So to check this, Is the recommended method here is to ensure the water pump plate isn’t leaking coolant into by removing the water pump and then make sure both surfaces are clean and put a new gasket and/or blue RTV on the mating surface?
I will be completely honest I haven't looked very close at the water pump on the idi to know exactly the design. I would recommend doing a little research and looking at the exact design.

Someone please correct me if the following info is incorrect for this engine.

If it is setup like the gas engines, the timing cover gaskets or cracks and corrosion holes in the cover can allow coolant into the crankcase. Take this with a grain salt because I am not sure if the timing cover is part of the pump on these engines.

Hopefully someone who knows for sure will chime in and fill us both in.

James
 

SkylabTech86IDI

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I agree. It's probably time to start pulling the engine apart. Unless you want to go through the oil cooler again first.
Pulled the cooler back off, found this:

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A split o-ring. When I rebuilt the cooler with new o rings, I managed to slice the outer oring somehow. Despite being careful and gentle, it still happened. Not much to do about that except put new rings back on and try again.

Check out this debris
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Nero

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Well that cooler has seen better days.
on some of the trucks I work on that are natural gas, the mixing valve has 3 o rings that are incredibly easy to cut during install. To prevent it, we run a red scotch pad completely hosed in wd40 on a drill on the openings, try to smooth out that sharp lip, then absolutely slather the crud out of the o ring with vegetable oil. Pops in like butter. Maybe worth a shot?
 

SkylabTech86IDI

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Well that cooler has seen better days.
on some of the trucks I work on that are natural gas, the mixing valve has 3 o rings that are incredibly easy to cut during install. To prevent it, we run a red scotch pad completely hosed in wd40 on a drill on the openings, try to smooth out that sharp lip, then absolutely slather the crud out of the o ring with vegetable oil. Pops in like butter. Maybe worth a shot?
Yeah, the cooler is in rough shape. Looks rusty on the inside of the copper tubes. Therefore I’m also wondering if perhaps the cooper coolant tubes inside the oil cooler have pinholes in them that’s allowing a mix in the interior tube. I think the PO’s were careless about what coolant went in.

I’ve been debating on whether a motorcraft cooler for $589 new (just the center tube, front or rear headers are not included) is worth buying and installing.

In the mean time I’ll clean everything up,
Flush the radiator and block with garden hose water, and follow your method to slap it back together and see what happens.
 

SkylabTech86IDI

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SkylabTech86IDI

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That's not a good idea. The ones for the PSD are slightly longer and it probably won't bolt to your engine. I'll bet that it's a waste of money. Not to mention that the gaskets are different too.
Got one shipped to my home that said was specifically for the 6.9idi/7.3idi, 1984-1993 model years. turns out they still sent a powerstroke oil cooler anyways
 

Old Goat

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Well that sucks. Where did you buy it?

Here on Ford Parts Giant they have one in stock.
$404.54 plus ship/tax.
I put in my year truck (86) be sure to put in yours.
Put in part# F3TZ-6A642-C, or search that part# on Google.



This is strange, did some more searching, and Taska says this part# does not fit my 86 or your 89 7.3 engine....
Great price $380.22 Wonder what gives???

F3TZ-6A642-C is suppose to fit 84 -94.


Goat
 
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Old Goat

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david85

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Wish I found this thread sooner. I went through a similar struggle a couple years ago. In my case, oil was getting into the coolant, so not exactly the same thing. Cleanliness of the oil cooler header bores proved critical in my case. See photos in this thread for more: https://www.oilburners.net/threads/oil-in-coolant.90535/

Another thing. You may want to build a test rig to submerge this bundle in water and then pressurize with compressed air. It took some extra work for me to do this, but not as much as R&R the entire cooler.

Is it still blowing out the oil filter seal as well?
 

SkylabTech86IDI

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Thank you all for the links and the recommendations. I got a new oil cooler that showed up.
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SkylabTech86IDI

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As I was cleaning up the rear oil cooler header, I noticed these gashes around the coolant port.

1) could this crater be a cause of a coolant mix problem?
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2) should there be extra rtv fluid in the valley between the coolant and oil ports?

3) are these metal gaskets good enough or should I switch to a felpro gasket?
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SkylabTech86IDI

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Wish I found this thread sooner. I went through a similar struggle a couple years ago. In my case, oil was getting into the coolant, so not exactly the same thing. Cleanliness of the oil cooler header bores proved critical in my case. See photos in this thread for more: https://www.oilburners.net/threads/oil-in-coolant.90535/

Another thing. You may want to build a test rig to submerge this bundle in water and then pressurize with compressed air. It took some extra work for me to do this, but not as much as R&R the entire cooler.

Is it still blowing out the oil filter seal as well?
I should be able to tell you if it’s blowing out the oil filter seal once I get it reassembled. I’ll check out your link, thanks!
 

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