Dying oil cooler?

[BlackNoma]

My truck got hot (235°) one day (about a month ago) and I immediately pulled over and opened the cap. Coolant boiled over and a big chunk of orange rtv came out with it... I put 2 gallons of coolant back in it and it's been great ever since.

Until I saw my radiator start leaking a week or two ago. I pulled the cap and there is oil all over the cap and in the rad.

The truck runs great and doesn't smoke or anything and doesn't ever get above 190°. I'm pretty sure it's the oil cooler.

What exactly causes it to die? Just the o-rings or the heat exchanger inside the tube? What is the kit y'all recommend to fix it? How long can I limp this along before fixing it? Anything I should check to make sure this is the issue?

 

[Thewespaul]

Oil cooler o rings get hard and start leaking. You can run it but I would avoid it if you can. I actually like the dorman reseal kits the best, they have a metallic gasket that holds up the best in my experience. You get a five speed in it yet?

 

[BlackNoma]

Ok, so all I should need are the o-rings?

Not yet. Gotta sell my motorcycle first to find the swap. Thought I had it sold, but the guy backed out last minute. :-(

 

[Thewespaul]

You’ll need the whole reseal kit, it comes with mounting gaskets and the o rings. I’ll take a picture of the kit I use when I’m back at the shop in the morning.

 

[BlackNoma]

Ok, I found it. part# 904-223

Thanks Wes!

 

[Cubey]

Not trying to hijack, just asking the question: Anyone here done this on a van?

It actually doesn't look too horrible from eyeballing the cooler. The lower radiator hose looks like the main thing that has to be removed to gain access at the front end of it. It looks like it would come right out, pulling it towards the transmission, there is tons of space it looks like.

It's still fine (for now) but I might consider just rebuilding it next spring as a preventive, when I have access to a driveway for working and my truck for driving, should it take me longer than a day to finish.

 

[Black dawg]

why would you remove the radiator cap with coolant temps at 235?

 

[BlackNoma]

why would you remove the radiator cap with coolant temps at 235?

I knew I was losing a little coolant from it evaporating out of a seam leak at the top of the rad. Very slow, but still knew it was there... So I figured it was just from being a little low on coolant.

I was also in somewhat of an emergency situation and needed to get back on the road asap or to know I needed to get another ride.
This was 10 minutes into my 1.5 hour trip. Never went above 190 after I put 2 gallons in.

 

[icanfixall]

Never worked on a van for anything but remember the van oil cooler takes different cooler to block mounting gaskets. Otherwise they are the same cooler o rings and bundle.

 

[Cubey]

Never worked on a van for anything but remember the van oil cooler takes different cooler to block mounting gaskets. Otherwise they are the same cooler o rings and bundle.

Yeah, this page lists both the truck and van part numbers:
http://www.dieselhub.com/maintenance/idi-oil-cooler.html

According to that, only the front gasket is different, and it says...

Alternatively, Fel-Pro ES70689 comes as a gasket set that services both the front and rear oil cooler headers of all F-Series AND E-Series at a fraction of Ford's gasket prices

It's a 3-gasket set for under $10 so that's what I'll get.

It also mentions "early" 6.9s needing 4 small o-rings instead of 2. What's considered early?