If you're pushing your truck really hard, a 6. 4 powerstroke oil cooler upgrade is usually probably already on your own radar as the mandatory fix rather than a high-class. Anyone who has owned a Ford producer Super Duty through the 2008 to 2010 era knows that while these vehicles can make several serious power, they also have a checklist of "quirks" that may leave you stranded on the side of the particular highway if you don't address them earlier. The oil cooler is right on top of that list.
It isn't pretty much making the vehicle "better. " It's about keeping it alive. The factory design is, to place it politely, mistaken. It's a liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger nestled deep in the particular "valley" of the particular engine, and it depends on tiny, thin passages to transfer heat from the engine oil to the coolant. When those passages get gunked up, items go south quick.
The actual issue with the stock cooler
The problem with the initial equipment manufacturer (OEM) oil cooler isn't necessarily that it's poorly built, but that it's delicate to everything. The particular 6. 4 Powerstroke is known for having casting sand remaining in the motor block from the manufacturing process. With time, that will sand—along with any kind of rust or degraded coolant—circulates through the system and finds the particular smallest path in order to get stuck within. That path will be almost always the oil cooler.
Once those small fins within the cooler start to clog, your oil temps begin to rise. Meanwhile, your coolant might stay with a relatively normal temperature. This difference between the Oil Temperature (EOT) and Engine Coolant Heat (ECT) is exactly what most guys refer to as "the delta. " When that delta gets too wide, you aren't just searching at a hot engine; you're taking a look at potentially catastrophic failure.
High oil temperatures thin out your oil, reducing the ability to use lubrication the turbochargers plus the bottom finish. Even worse, when the cooler clogs totally or the inner welds fail, you can end up getting oil in your coolant or vice versa. That's a clutter nobody wants in order to clean up, plus it's usually the precursor to a very costly engine rebuild.
Why the upgrade is a game-changer
When a person look into the 6. 4 powerstroke oil cooler upgrade , you're usually taking a look at two different pathways. You can possibly go with a heavy-duty version of the stock-style cooler or move to a completely external air-to-oil program. Both have their particular perks, but possibly one is a substantial step up from your factory unit.
The heavy-duty inner upgrades usually function larger passages that are less prone to clogging. They make use of better brazing techniques and stronger materials to ensure that will even when a little bit of debris gets in presently there, the oil nevertheless flows. It's a "fix it plus forget it" kind of approach regarding guys who desire to keep the truck mostly stock yet want the tranquility of mind that comes with dependability.
Then you possess the external products. These are for the folks who really work their trucks—towing large trailers through the mountains or operating high-horsepower tunes. These types of kits move the particular oil cooling practice out of the engine valley and onto a dedicated radiator-style cooler at the front side of the truck. By using air in order to cool the oil instead of motor coolant, you're efficiently decoupling the two systems. This indicates that even in the event that your cooling system is struggling under load, your oil stays at a secure, consistent temperature.
Checking your deltas
So, just how do you understand if you're currently in the danger zone? You need a monitor. In case you're driving a new 6. 4 plus you aren't viewing your live data through something like a good Edge Insight or perhaps a dedicated OBDII scanner, you're flying blind.
Wait until the truck is fully warmed up plus you're cruising from highway speeds—roughly sixty-five mph—on flat terrain. Look at your EOT and ECT. Preferably, they should be within ten degrees of each additional. If you call at your oil temperature sitting 15 degrees or even more above your coolant temperature, your oil cooler is currently on its way out. In the event that that gap strikes 20 or twenty five degrees, you're essentially driving a ticking time bomb.
It's tempting to ignore it when the truck "feels" fine, but that's a trap. Warmth is a noiseless killer for the particular 6. 4. Simply by the time you get a warning light within the dash, the harm might already be done to your bearings or your turbos.
The "While You're In There" factor
Performing a 6. 4 powerstroke oil cooler upgrade isn't exactly a fast Sunday afternoon job. To get at the cooler, you have to pull the intake manifold, which usually means removing the lot of plumbing related, wires, and components. It's a labor-intensive process, which is why most mechanics recommend doing a few other issues at the exact same time.
Initial on the checklist is usually the coolant filtration package. If you're placing in a brand-new, high-flow oil cooler, the last thing you want is for the same older gunk within your motor to clog it up again within six months. The filtration kit adds a bypass filter that slowly cleans the coolant as you drive, catching the sand plus sediment before this reaches the cooler.
You could also look at your EGR coolers. Since the EGR coolers furthermore rely on the exact same coolant flow, they will often fail just after the oil cooler does. Many proprietors choose to upgrade to heavy-duty EGR coolers or handle other "bulletproofing" duties while the top of the engine is already torn down. It's about saving upon labor costs over time.
What to expect following the upgrade
Once you've finished the 6. 4 powerstroke oil cooler upgrade , the particular first thing you'll notice is the particular stability of your temps. Even when you're hauling a weighty load up a grade, those oil temperature ranges should stay much nearer to your coolant temps. It's a huge weight off your shoulders.
Beyond just the particular numbers on a screen, your motor will likely operate a bit smoother. Constant oil viscosity means better timing for the fuel injectors (which are hydraulically actuated) and better security for the two turbos. You're essentially giving your engine an extended lease on life.
Don't forget the importance associated with a proper coolant flush during this particular process. You can't just swap the particular part and call it a day. You need to obtain all the old, degraded Ford Gold coolant out of there and replace it with a high-quality EC-1 rated ELC (Extended Life Coolant). This type of coolant doesn't have the same silicate dropout issues that the particular factory stuff does, which is 1 of the major reasons the chillers clog in the first place.
Final thoughts on the investment
Let's be sincere: none of this really is cheap. Between the parts and the hours of work, an oil cooler swap can bit a bit associated with a pill to swallow. But in comparison to the cost of an alternative 6. 4 engine—which may easily climb into the five-figure range—it's the best insurance policy you can buy.
The 6. 4 Powerstroke is the beast of an engine when it's healthy. They have incredible towing capacity and can make ridiculous torque with just a couple tweaks. But you can't enjoy any kind of of that when you're constantly worried about your own oil temperatures. Having the time to do a 6. four powerstroke oil cooler upgrade means it is possible to use your truck with regard to what it has been built for with no staring at the gauges every five mere seconds.
If you're thinking about keeping your truck for the particular long haul, don't wait for the failure to take place. Be proactive. Clean out the cooling system, toss the particular stock cooler within the bin, and put in something that will was actually designed to handle the particular heat. Your pocket, and your pickup truck, will be glad down the particular road.