Coolant is Black as OIL.

[8v-of-fury]

I have a question for you guys, the coolant in my rig is black as Toby's **** what do you think the problem could be?

I am impartial to thinking it is head gaskets because the truck still runs strong, and there is not a significant loss in oil or coolant. The truck has been run this way for a year (it's not my truck.. Gf's mom.. I would never keep driving it) and the oil is just under half of the dipstick and the rad is still full when cold (albeit with black coolant). Someone told us that it could be... what was it now.. Something like an oil cooler? the O-rings go in them? (I think with almost 700K it may be a big possibility) How hard is this to do myself? I would say I have slightly above average wrenching abilities lol.

It is a work truck, so it does not see CONSTANT use.. which is probably how it has survived this long cooling with oil-freeze lol

What do you guys think the best course of action is? Scrapping it is not an option it is a loved truck lol.

p.s I took a picture of the rad cap....

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[promustangman]

I have a question for you guys, the coolant in my rig is black as Toby's **** what do you think the problem could be?

I am impartial to thinking it is head gaskets because the truck still runs strong, and there is not a significant loss in oil or coolant. The truck has been run this way for a year (it's not my truck.. Gf's mom.. I would never keep driving it) and the oil is just under half of the dipstick and the rad is still full when cold (albeit with black coolant). Someone told us that it could be... what was it now.. Something like an oil cooler? the O-rings go in them? (I think with almost 700K it may be a big possibility) How hard is this to do myself? I would say I have slightly above average wrenching abilities lol.

It is a work truck, so it does not see CONSTANT use.. which is probably how it has survived this long cooling with oil-freeze lol

What do you guys think the best course of action is? Scrapping it is not an option it is a loved truck lol.

p.s I took a picture of the rad cap....

You must be registered for see images attach

I had the same problem mine seemed to be the oil cooler I went and got new o rings from ford and new gaskets from Kragen and cleaned it up and put it back together and that problem was solved .
If you look someone has the part numbers even posted for these from ford .
I cant remember where i saw them . Brain cramps !!!

 

[sassyrel]

and someone posted what would cut that crud out of the rad and block-----rainsoft water conditioner??????

 

[BigRigTech]

Dishwasher detergent works good to get the oil out.

 

[yARIC008]

You're coolant isn't as black as oil. Your coolant is oil!

With that heavy of mixing of the oil there, I vote oil cooler too.

 

[RLDSL]

Any of the non acid radiator cleaners will get the oil out with a couple of flushes, the ones that say surfactant as the main ingredient ( that a fancy word for soap ) are the ones you want. Plan on replacing all the rubber hoses soon as they will be damaged and softened from the oil

 

[fastass350]

I've also heard of any detergent, like tide, to clean that out. I'm with others on it being the oil cooler. They are easy to re seal, but hard to pull from a motor still in the truck. Do a seach and you'll find suggestions on how others have pulled them out. They are tough to get back together, so having a press or somehow pressing it together is best. I pressed mine between a floor jack and the bottom side of a vice. Just lube up the o rings well before you press it together.

 

[clatternfool]

I am a diesel mechanic and when the macks toss a tranny cooler I use some dawn dish soap start the truck and let it run and then rinse and repeat

 

[OLDBULL8]

Check my web shots for Oil Cooler, thats how. Gotta jack up the engine a couple of inches and block it up 2X4 under the motor mounts. Pull it off and rebuild, smack the ends off with a rubber mallet, but mark them first.

Use Calgon or Dawn dish soap heavy mixture to flush the coolant system, run til hot then maybe two or three times, drain the block also when done. One plug on each side of the block, one behind the starter, use a six point socket to remove the plugs.

AutoZone has the O'rings and gaskets.

 

[8v-of-fury]

So all the oil cooler is, is a tube that is pressure fitted in to two ends with rubber o-rings? interesting. It runs along the drivers side of the block parallel with the exhaust mani, and is what the oil filter screws on to?

So Drivers side motor mount, jack the engine up 2-4".. 4 bolts, bob's your uncle. So the o-rings keep the coolant and oil that flow through the tube seperate? and a bad seal would cause the obvious leak.. interesting.

"Ok it's fairly easy job - messy but not too bad.

First remove oil filter - drain all coolant and oil from system (use coolant drain plugs on side of block to empty)

Now take loose (I'm doing this from memory so hang with me here) the three bolts that hold the rear header to the block - now take a pry bar and pry the bundle and rear header assembly out of the front header. You can wiggle the rear header and tube assembly out from the truck but you can't if you have the front header still on the bundle this is why we just break it apart while the front is still bolted to the block.

Now with this out - pull apart the bundle from the rear header on the bench - replace all four o-rings on the bundle - if the gasket on the front header was leaking now is the time to yank it and replace. If not just leave it be it will be fine. Now take the header and bundle under the truck (loose) and sort of wedge the bundle in the front header and take a 2x4 and pry the rear header on to the bundle while shoving the bundle in the front header (all three pieces go together at the same time).

Now that you have them together just rotate the rear header to the correct position and bolt it back on the block. You can either use a new gasket or use form a gasket (smurf poop as I call it) and enjoy...

Now little tip... grease up the o-rings before you start shoving things together to make thing go a little easier. Also put the o-rings on th bundle not in the header like the factory service manual says - that was a misprint that they caught in later revisions.... Because if you stick them in the header then try to shove the bundle in it will cut the o-rings and you will have another internal leak and be doing this job over again..." Courtesy of Argve.

Sounds good. So I have the latter system, meaning I need the 4 ring set which is best gotten from IH or Ford.

Drain it all, jack engine, tear it off, clean it up, lube on new rings, slap the ends back on, back on the engine. There is a gasket between the oil cooler and block yes? would it be wise to apply a gasket maker to the gasket to make a extra good seal?

Thanks a lot guys.

 

[8v-of-fury]

Judging by this picture, it bolts right there along the bottom of the block.. 4 bolts on either end or so.

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Flip this around and it bolts right on there.. Or so it looks to me.

and by jacking the engine up (after unbolting the motor mount) will give you enough room to clear the driver side exhaust mani and whatever else may grace my efforts as a PITA? lol

 

[8v-of-fury]

Quick question, what's this?

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Vacuum pump????

 

[Diesel JD]

That's the vacuum pump alright. Now with this oil cooler job. You can either pull the engine mounts and power steering pump. or pull the PS pump and exhaust manifold on the drivers side. I failed at my oil cooler R&R I think because I didn't get the block mating surface and or bundle mating surfaces SPOTLESSLY clean. Also those orings are a pressed in fit so lots of lube and a press or a BIG clamp is what you need to get them to go together. They should make a POP noise when they do slide together. The old orings will be so brittle you can break them in your hands with minimal pressure applied. Ford still has these parts the gaskets are cheaper at your O'reily's/Autozone/Kragen type store and usually in stock or next business day. Oldbull says Autozone now has the Orings...worth checking into. I'll have to pay a guy I know that works there a visit and see, maybe, do you have an Autozone up there in Canada? Its around $40-50 from Ford, you need the 2 green and 2 purple orings for the later style bundle. Towcat had the Ford part #s in the parts bin.

 

[8v-of-fury]

heh, before i saw what the oil cooler looked like i would have thought the vacuum pump was it

Ok, so removing the exhaust mani seems like it would be a timely and painful job. lol I think I will go the route of Power steering, and Engine Mount. Do both side engine mounts need to be loosened? or just the drivers? Also, I found this diagram:

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Now I know you guys told me that I needed four o rings.. but this picture shows six for 1980-1999.. two of the 6C10's and four 6K649??

 

[h2odrx]

very easy to take bolts out of driver-side mount and jack up easy on that side and very carefully remove cooler. if i can do it anybody can!