The 6.0L can either be a very reliable motor or one that seems to be plauged by problems. The most common problems that people experience during their ownership of these platforms are EGR Valve failure, Injector failure, Head Gasket failure, and Turbo failure. Although some trucks experienec legitimate engine failures and broken parts, many of the commone problems can be associated to either lack of proper maintenance and/or owner abuse. This next series of posts are designed to take each one of these problem areas and explain alittle bit more about them: why they happen and how to prevent them.
1. EGR Valve failure: The EGR Valve is a sensor that actuates the internal valve of the EGR Cooler. Thus determining how long the valve should stay open and therefore how much exhaust gas to recirculate to reduce emissions output. Because spent exhaust gases travel through this valve constantly while the truck is running it can easily become clogged or sticky. This happens when soot (also known as the partially burnt fuel in the exhaust gas) travles through the EGR Valve and becomes stuck to the sensor/valve assembly. This can lead to the valve not working properly and thus causing EGR Cooler failures and even blown head gaskets from the super heated exhaust flash boiling the coolant.
The Fix/Prevention: The easiest way to fix/prevent this is to make sure to check your EGR Valve for build up each time you change the oil. The proper way to do this can be found here http://competitiondiesel.com/forums/showthread.php?t=392. Basically park your truck with the front end slightly down hill. Next remove the two 8mm bolts that hold the valve in place and remove the valve. The removal can be a little tricky because it is vacum sealed into the port, but once it moves the first 1/8th of an inch it will just pop right on out. Check the valve for soot build up and clean if needed with a soluable cleaners such as Parts Washer. Next check the floor of the intake manifold for wetness. If the intake manifold is in fact wet, then you have a problem brewing with the EGR Cooler, meaning it is leaking coolant into your intake manifold. The advisable action to fix this would be to either take it to a dealership for EGR Cooler replacement or you cand do it yourself!
Here is what a clogged/sooted up EGR Valve looks like: http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w289/fordzilla_photos/Truck/DSC00827.jpg
Here is an example of an intake manifold with a leaking EGR Cooler: http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w289/fordzilla_photos/Truck/DSC00832.jpg
Here is the Valve from the first picture cleaned and ready to be re-installed:
The Next post will address the problems related to Injector Failures!
Thanks for the knowledge about fixing egr cooler.
ReplyDeleteYour side gives me the good idea to make the comment by the way. Thank you!!!
ReplyDeleteram adjustable track bar