Coolant flow and manual mode

[Snake]

After doing a lot of reading on what others are experiencing with low coolant flow, auxillary coolant pumps, and the truck switching to diesel at stop lights while idling, I think I'm also a victim of low coolant flow. Even after a 30 mile trip at 75 mph, the V3 will shut off in traffic at stop lights and then come back on again once I get going. I tried putting the truck in neutral and idling at 1000-1200 rpms and the V3 will come back on. The V3 didn't do this during the summer months, but started when the temps began dropping into the 40's at night (man, I LOVE Tampa!!).

Since I know my veggie oil and motor are both at temperature, will I harm anything by switching the V3 to manual in these situations? The longest idle time I might have is when I run into a convenience store to grab a soda. If the truck is stopped for 3-5 minutes and in park, it switches back to diesel.

Thoughts everyone?

--Snake

[greasedltn]

The V3 switches back to diesel because the temp. is not high enough. It might be right on the line of hot enough, but I wouldn't take too many chances. You might want to look into upgrading with the coolant pump.

[Jack_Toepfer]

Another 6.0 with low temps. Geesh.

I agree... do not use manual. Part of paying all that money for the kit was to keep it automatic, try not to circumnavigate any of the precausions they have engineered into this thing.

[Marv]

I'm surprised this is happening with temps in the 40s. Seems like you should still have plenty of heat to the oil.

I'm gonna have to see if mine does it when we have our next cold spell. I've been stockpiling oil here lately, so it's been a while since I've ran the system.

I agree on not using manual. Properly heated oil is key...I don't think I'd take a chance on it.

[Clay]

If you think you have a colant flow issue, your oil is likely not hot enough to burn without damage to your motor. I don't have anyway to back that up, its just a git feeling from the few years of experience i have in this.
Don't even run the system untill you get it figured out. Feel the lines to your module, both of them, if its hot enough, you will not be able to hold these lines for long because they are hot, if you can hold them for a few seconds (10-15) and they only feel warm, you have a flow issue. A 50 dollar coolant pump cured my issue.

[greasyX]

Clay my tank is inside the cargo area,do you think I will be less prone to this issue?I have not had any of these issues,but it hasn't been -20f yet..........

[Clay]

Clay my tank is inside the cargo area,do you think I will be less prone to this issue?I have not had any of these issues,but it hasn't been -20f yet..........

The heat at the tank is only one part of the equation, the hheat along the HOH and at the module are the biggest key and if your lines feel cool or only luke warm after complete warmup, then your oil is not getting as hot as you need it to for proper burn. The heads are the final heater but the oil feeding the rear 2 cyl. only stays in the fuel rail a second or two so you don't want to count on the rails for all the heat. We want our oil to be 150*-160* when it leaves the module Then into the rails and another boost of heat to maybe 180* and all is good.
IF your oil is 120 degrees when it exits the module, you may never reach 180 in the rails.
Think of it in stages. Oil in tank is 30* you have no heated pickup tube and the tank heater is primarily to melt it so it can be sucked up in the pickup tube. So you have 30* oil entering the insulated and wrapped HOH, it increases 10* (this is all therotical, i have no idea what temps are ar each location) so now oil is 40* oil enters heated module and heated filter, can you gain 100* or more of heat here to bring it to 140 or 150? This is your last heat sorce before the heads.
The tank heater will eventually rais the 30* oil to a warmer temp after you have driven a ways...like 15 miles maybe? Its that first 15 miles you need to be concerned about because the majority of your driving is likely less than that. I commute 30 miles to work so maybe 50% of my trip i have cold VO in the tank. How fast does it heat the tank exactly? Depends on how full it is. If your HOH is wrapped and really hot - both lines - you will probably pickup more than 10* heat increase in the hose from the tank to the module so feel your hoses and if they are hot enough you feel like your going to burn your hand if you hold them over 5-7 seconds, then you don't have a problem.I am real interested to find out actual oil temp pre module and post module. Not knowing the oil routing inside the V3 or how long the oil is inside it, i can not even begine to guess if its heating the oil 100 degrees or more.

[powerstroke73L]

Is this only an issue for 6.0s? I'm just wondering because I've never this happen and I've been stopped a lights in weather waaaaaay south of 40 degrees

[Tampa450]

Dam...that sucks.....

I live right around the corner and Im not having any issues like that.

Of coarse I have a 7.3 and you have a 6.0.....

You have shorter lines (passenger side) than me too, seems like you should have good coolant flow....?

Didnt Clay's problem kinda fix itself? (un-clog somewhere or something) and then he left the extra pump on there for good measure?

Whens the last time you flushed your coolant? Maybe it'd help?

I know I want to flush mine pretty soon just cause of miles.....

Do 6.0's end up with casting sand in the coolant like 7.3's?

Give me a call if theres ANYTHING I can do to help out.......

[Snake]

If the V3 is in auto mode, the green light coming on would indicate that the oil is hot enough, right?



--Snake

[Jack_Toepfer]

If the V3 is in auto mode, the green light coming on would indicate that the oil is hot enough, right?



--Snake

Yes Snake... your oil was hot enough. When the light went out you either lost some heat or lost some pressure... or both.

Guys....

He is driving for 30 minutes at 75 mph... the oil in the tank is plenty warm... especially because he is just dropping into the 40s. The manifold can't be cooling off that much. There is no way. With little to no coolant flow to the V3 it wouldn't drop 40* in a couple of seconds.

IF his manifold is losing 40* degrees at a couple second stop light... it is then picking up that 40* a couple seconds afterward? Does that really make sense to anyone? We are talking about 40* ambient temps on a very hot motor.

If the kit shuts off below 140, I'd imagine after a 30 minute drive @ 75mph the manifold would be very close to 180*. This is simply based on my observations on my truck in significantly colder temperatures with a significantly longer idle time.)

I could see possibly losing substantial heat by putting the truck in park for 5 minutes while you shop, that is almost reasonable, but NOT shutting off at stop lights. The filter will still be 200* after sitting for 5 minutes... mine was after sitting for almost 20 in the low teens.. after driving through snow and slush.

I'm sorry... from what I've seen and experienced with a thermometer on my own truck... I think this coolant pump is covering up something else. If this is a symptom rearing its ugly head on a lot of 6.0s I think DFA should address it and do some more R&D. BUT - This is where Clay's dad comes in. Same truck, same kit, same temps... no problems. I'm baffled. The only time my light goes out is with a clogged filter or when I'm sloshing around turns.

[Clay]

Didnt Clay's problem kinda fix itself? (un-clog somewhere or something) and then he left the extra pump on there for good measure?

yes, it seems when i flushed my loop with a water hose, something "unclogged" and circulation of water improved. I didn't see anything come out and thats the mystery to me still. I still use the pump and can see improved heat with it still so it was not a waste of time but i did turn the pump off last time it got pretty cold to see if the V3 would shut off at idle and it did not. I could probably dump the pump but i think i'll keep it in case.

Snake, disconnect one hose at your tank, stick your water hose in it and get it tight and crank on the water. This will flush out whatever might be in there. Also inspect all your coolant hose and see if it has collapsed anywhere - like where it makes a bend into the bed or a similar location.

[Snake]

Thanks all for the replies. Its a weird situation and I'm not trying to be difficult. In the summer months I had zero problems. Ironically, it was warm enough yesterday that I ran my A/C on a trip to the post office during my lunch hour. Even though I was in traffic the whole way there and the whole way back, my V3 stayed on the entire time. Even during the 3-5 minutes when I went inside to mail my letter.

I'm puzzled, and I'll definitely be doing some trouble shooting over the next few days to see if one hose is hotter than another, etc.

Clay, thanks again for providing your expertise. Your thoughts and opinions are valued more than you could know.

--Snake

[Clay]

No problem, glad to help.