6.0 Overheating

[Mark Oomkes]

We have a '04 6.0 Powerstroke F550 that is running quite a bit hotter than our 7.3's. It has a 9.5 EZ-V with a dump box. I was using our oldest 7.3 pulling a Bobcat, with the 8.5 straight blade on it, 60 MPH and the gauge never moved. Our 6.0 loaded with 3 yards of salt, front and back blade, if we run up the road normal speeds it will heat way up and if we don't lower the plow it will overheat.

I am wondering if anybody else has noticed this or had any problems with overheating.

[EZSnow]

I was in my dealer today and they were talking about this. From what I understand, the new trucks have an electronically catuated clutch fan, rather than vicsous (sp?) coupling. Seems that the truck can't tell that fan needs to kick on at highway speeds, and there's not enough air getting around the plow. Or something to that effect. "they're working on it"

[Mark Oomkes]

Thanks EZ, I'll ask them about it and also let them know we are having some problems as well.

On another note, I heard from another contractor that there is a programming 'upgrade' that Ford is performing if they are asked about it. Apparently the 6.0's are running a little too lean and there have been some issues of stalling at low RPM's and the upgrade will take care of it. We have also had this happen when lifting plows trying to back away from a snowbank.

[urethane dino]

go to the www.dieselstop.com
read the forum page on the 6.0
There have been several programming upgrades since the release of the 6.0 The latest just this week so they said.

[Pickering Snow]

Mark

I can tell you for a fact my 6.0 runs warmer than my 7.3 alot of it is design they want the engine running warmer has with all the new emisson standards impossed on diesels a warmer engine reduces emissons and gets better mileage has the computer leans the injection system back cold engine richer etc.

When i got my 6.0 in aug i thought the same has you cause the guage does run on the high side of middle but i took a temp probe and did some other checks and its running right at stat temps and it also has a hyro fliud fan clutch to help reg temps

[Mark Oomkes]

Thanks, Dino I will check into that.

Fred, that makes sense, but we've had it to the point where it has overheated. This was the first time out with the truck and the operator wasn't paying that much attention to it (which makes sense in a brand new truck), I wouldn't expect it to overheat either. I'll have the dealer check that out along with a few other things.

[paulsoccodato]

my 6.0 litre has never run hot yet. plow on or off. i even towed my skid steer with plow on, and no problems, (with overheating anyway).

definetly bring it in and get it looked at.

[4evergreenlawns]

Mark,

The stalling while raising the plow could be that same Charging issue I had. If you hold the up button long after the plow is all the way up the electric draw WILL cause the trcuk to stall.

Are you running dual ALTS? My guess is, NO. If not a HO Alt is something you might want to look into. I have all the info forthe change I just did on my F-450 for the HO alt upgrade.

Try rasing the plow several times while holding the up raise button. Turn on all the other stuff too as if you were plowing duing a strom, heater, headlights, radio. Two thing might happen. 1st ABS light while come on, 2nd the radio cuts out and than comes back on. After that a few times the truck WILL stall. All from my experience before chaning the alt. And, YES, I took it to Ford and they check the ALT and it was working just fine, but not keeping up with the demand of AMPs.

That V plow is heavy and with all the other positions and scooping that plow WILL draw alot of AMPS. Due to the lower RPMs you need to plow with the PSD the low out put at idle just can not keep up. This is not seen in the single Alt gasser because they will run the higher RPM plowing at low speed. Oh the tech did offer that I plow in low gear to get the RPMs up at low speed. I passed on that offer.

PM me or give me a call if you need more info.

[Mark Oomkes]

Thanks for the info Ron. We just had this truck in for service. The dealer replaced the standard alternator with the HO alt even though we were not having a charging issue.

The plows and spreader are all run off central hydraulics, so that would not be the problem. They did perform the computer\software upgrade and it is idling slightly higher now. Now we just need some snow to try it out on.:grinz There were also some issues of not engaging reverse fully when shifting from 1st to reverse, they think this might also be due to the low idle.

BTW, we always plow in 1st gear.

[Mark Oomkes]

Our dealer just let me know that there is a temporary fix for the problem of the temp almost spiking and then dropping down. He also said that there will be a permanent fis eventually. I haven't talked to him yet to find out what the fix is or the exact problem, but I will keep you updated.