Old timer taught me to check oil cooler lines first on a 6.0

Back in 2018 I was working at a shop in Spokane and this old guy named Pete rolled in with a Ford 6.0 that was puking coolant everywhere. I was about to start tearing into the EGR cooler and head gaskets when he stopped me and said 'son, check the oil cooler lines first, they're cheaper and easier.' I was skeptical but he showed me this tiny hairline crack in one of the steel lines that was just spraying coolant when the engine got hot. Took me maybe 30 minutes to replace both lines and the truck ran fine after that. I figure he saved that owner about 4 grand in unnecessary work. Has anyone else had an old school mechanic drop a simple fix like that on you?

2 comments

2 Comments

faith_carter1mo ago

Pretty sure 6.0 oil coolers are under the turbo, not steel lines...

terryk101mo ago

Man that picture you posted changed my mind for sure... I always figured the oil cooler was somewhere up top near the radiator hoses but seeing that setup under the turbo makes a lot more sense now. The way Ford tucked it in there with all that plastic stuff around it is kinda wild though. I bet that thing is a bear to get to when it starts leaking. Definitely gonna have to rethink my whole approach to 6.0 cooling systems going forward.