Clueless female diesel owner! Please help!
 

OK, I have a 2005 F250 with a 6.0. I never had any problems with this truck till about 2 months ago. My brother changed the oil (synthetic) to Delco 400, 3 weeks later the truck acts like it is not getting gas, eventually dies and will not start again until it cools down. I took it to the dealership and they replaced the FICM, left dealership and 5 minutes down the road the wrench comes on. I took it back to the dealer and they said it was not showing a code. Eventually that day the wrench went away. 3 weeks later the truck is doing the same exact thing. Now they say it code P012F and the head gaskets could be cracked (no smoke, never got hot, not using alot of coolant). The EOT is 238 and the ECT is 192.
My questions are 1) Is this hot enough to effect the head gaskets?
2) Could the change in oil have anything to do with it?

Any advice would be helpful, my husband is in Afghanistan so I'm all alone trying to figure something out about a subject I have no idea about.

Thanks

I doubt the oil change had anything to do with it... speaking for the oil itself. Who changed the oil? What oil filter was used? Some of the aftermarket oil filters cause some major issues. There is a button in the bottom of the oil bowl that the factory filter pushes down when it's sealed in there, and it allows the oil to come into the bowl to be filtered and passed on. Some of these other filters, especially the ones with their own caps, don't do this, and have cause serious issues. So that is a possibility...

Your ECT and EOT are not good, they should never be more than about 15 degrees apart. Classic signs of a clogged oil cooler, which an in turn lead to blown headgaskets or a blown egr cooler.

Is it hot enough to effect the gaskets? Hard to say.

What mods are on the truck? Is there a programmer?

Hat's off to your husband for protecting our country and hats off to you for trying to fix this truck on your own!

A coolant filter would be a big help for the future, they run about $120, one of the cheapest and most worth while investments on a 6.0. What happens on these motors is the block itself is sand cast from the factory. Over time these sand particles break off inside the coolant passages and find their way into the tiny passages of the oil cooler. The oil coolers only job is to regulate the temps between the oil and the coolant and keep them close to each other. As it becomes clogged, it becomes harder and harder for it to regulate these temps. This is probably what you're seeing now.

I feel bad that the dealer replaced, what was probably a working FICM, and at what? $1000? I bet it was close to that.

Any more info you can provide about the truck could be helpful too. :c:

just a couple more questions, how many miles on truck, any when you say hardly using any coolant does that meen you add coolant over time? just asking because I have added 1qt in 240k miles. when it is at operating temp and you shut it down will it start up after a couple minutes sitting or do you have to let it cool down first? this would be caused by a fitting on the high pressure oil pump found on the 05 trucks.

Truck has 73,000 miles and is completly stock. Put 1/2 quart of coolant for the first time about 1 month ago. It will drive fine for days then all of a sudden it will start to die and when I push on the throttle it does nothing and eventually dies, turns over but will not start. The next day it starts fine and will run great again for a while. I've only had this happen twice. The truck when running never gets hot or shows any signs of there being a problem. The dealer siad "the oil cooler is not cooling the oil and the truck shuts down when it gets to hot as a safety measure" if this is the case then how could it get so hot as to ruin the head gaskets? Doesn't make sense.

Everything I'm seeing is suggesting to put an upgraded oil cooler on it, could you suggest a certain one? Also should I replace anything else while we are doing the cooler?
The oil filter I last put on was from Napa, should I get a specific type?

The information I'm getting is very helpful and I really appreciate it.

What coolant did you add????

dexcool?

the filter from Napa/ did it have a new cap on it allready, or was it just a filter element??

Make sure the coolant you use meets the CAT EC-1 standard. Dexcool doesn't really tell us much (not anything good anyway).

The P012F ccode confirms a clogged oil cooler. The loss of coolant along with the code almost guarantees a leaking EGR cooler. Both need to be replaced.

If you have a lot of cash to send (and want the best setup), you can install the BulletProofDiesel oil cooler (it is air cooled).

Either way, you also need a BulletProofDiesel EGR cooler OR an EGR delete.

Head gaskets can become an issue if you drive it w/ coolant leaking into the intake (from the leaking EGR cooler).

I chose to keep the EGR system and only install the BPD EGR cooler. I do not have an issue w/ the OEM oil cooler (and I even like the Ford Gold coolant - I just watch it like a hawk!).

Eventually I will switch from the Ford Gold coolant to the Shell Ultra Extended Life coolant (EC-1 rated).

Also - a coolant filter is a VERY good thing to have. Casting sand sloughing off is known to plug up oil coolers. The Ford Gold also can "gel up" and plug oil coolers. No one has adequately explained the Ford Gold gelling cause yet - some have it and some don't.

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BTW - when you are into the engine for the fix, also upgrade the high pressure oil pump discharge fitting (ie replace the STC fitting), install upgraded dummy plugs and standpipes, install the updated turbo oil drain pipe ..... and you will be well on your way to a VERY reliable engine (assuming you have not compromised the head gaskets due to driving w/ an EGR cooler leak).

Oil cooler suggestions
 

Does anyone know of a good oil cooler somewhere in between the stock and bullet proof oil coolers? What about the semi bullet proof package?

No such thing, just put a stocker back on and a coolant filter, you'll be fine. The stocker is fine, if you can keep the block castings from clogging it up.

I do not buy into the whole Ford Gold coolant sludging crap up and clogging the oil cooler, I believe it to be grade A bull. JMO! :c:

The things that CAN cause the Ford gold coolant to sludge up are mixing it with normal green antifreeze, a big no-no, and using a charged filter for the coolant filters. I've seen this more than once and then guys automatically point fingers at the gold coolant.

Yet, no one here can explain why none of the ELC coolants everyone is using do NOT MEET Ford's specs for coolant.... posted this info a while ago and no one had anything to say about it.:w2: