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Hi All - just thought I'd post some things I've found with my 6.0.
I installed my Vegistroke last summer but soon I found it would start cutting out on me - even after the truck was up to temp for a considerable amount of time. The light on my switch kept turning on, then off. I wasn't doing a lot of driving so I really didn't worry about it until it started getting colder. Then, this winter I ran 200 miles on diesel, got out and checked the coolant lines @ the veggie tank - ice cold. Other probs were intermittent heat in the cab and the truck had some slight puking issues out the degas bottle. Even though I didn't lose much coolant, and the degas bottle read that it was at the proper level, I wasn't getting heat.
Here was the fix: As most of you know, the 6.0's have EGR issues. I deleted mine but still had the same problems. We then pulled it apart to do head gaskets and studs. While we were in there we replaced the oil cooler too. Also replaced the T-stat and checked the water pump which was fine. I've seen people post about going from the 03 pump to the larger 04 but I now realize this is not needed - the 03 pump works just fine.
A side note: To those of you doing new headgaskets/studs, I learned that when you are getting it done under warranty, Ford will not resurface the heads. You may think they are, but Ford won't pay to have it done. My truck was out of warranty but in speaking to a 3rd generation shop owner who does a lot of heads for Ford, he said he's instructed to NOT TOUCH the surface of the heads, unless the customer requests and pays for it. In his own words, those heads are so crudded up leaving a bunch of hills and valleys that even with studs, he says he'll have your heads back in his hands months down the road because of blown head gaskets once again. I'd spend the money to resurface them and ask your dealer to make sure it gets done.
Anyway, my heat probs are no more. I'm certain my head gaskets were the issue. Somehow, although they weren't really bad, they were allowing enough to escape, causing a permanent air bubble in the system which wasn't allowing hot coolant to the air box, or the veggie system.
Now, the truck heats up incredibly well. It warmed up to 14 degrees here the other day. I started the truck, let it idle for just under 10 minutes and when I got in, the veggie system was on!! Not to mention the fact that I currently have LARD in my tank - not oil. I speak from experience - this Vegistroke system, combined with a PROPERLY running truck can run even LARD with no issues in MN cold. As a matter of fact, it was -2 degrees, I started up a cold truck, let it idle for maybe 3 minutes and drove on the back streets for 2 miles and bam - with only LARD in the tank, the system turned on. Unbelievable.
My point is that if you are having heat issues with your veggie tank, it could be a number things but you should consider some of the things I mentioned. Although I didn't try to take it apart, I have a suspicion that my oil cooler was all clogged up. I now have a coolant filter installed too.
Hope that helps some of you! Happy Vegistroking!!
I installed my Vegistroke last summer but soon I found it would start cutting out on me - even after the truck was up to temp for a considerable amount of time. The light on my switch kept turning on, then off. I wasn't doing a lot of driving so I really didn't worry about it until it started getting colder. Then, this winter I ran 200 miles on diesel, got out and checked the coolant lines @ the veggie tank - ice cold. Other probs were intermittent heat in the cab and the truck had some slight puking issues out the degas bottle. Even though I didn't lose much coolant, and the degas bottle read that it was at the proper level, I wasn't getting heat.
Here was the fix: As most of you know, the 6.0's have EGR issues. I deleted mine but still had the same problems. We then pulled it apart to do head gaskets and studs. While we were in there we replaced the oil cooler too. Also replaced the T-stat and checked the water pump which was fine. I've seen people post about going from the 03 pump to the larger 04 but I now realize this is not needed - the 03 pump works just fine.
A side note: To those of you doing new headgaskets/studs, I learned that when you are getting it done under warranty, Ford will not resurface the heads. You may think they are, but Ford won't pay to have it done. My truck was out of warranty but in speaking to a 3rd generation shop owner who does a lot of heads for Ford, he said he's instructed to NOT TOUCH the surface of the heads, unless the customer requests and pays for it. In his own words, those heads are so crudded up leaving a bunch of hills and valleys that even with studs, he says he'll have your heads back in his hands months down the road because of blown head gaskets once again. I'd spend the money to resurface them and ask your dealer to make sure it gets done.
Anyway, my heat probs are no more. I'm certain my head gaskets were the issue. Somehow, although they weren't really bad, they were allowing enough to escape, causing a permanent air bubble in the system which wasn't allowing hot coolant to the air box, or the veggie system.
Now, the truck heats up incredibly well. It warmed up to 14 degrees here the other day. I started the truck, let it idle for just under 10 minutes and when I got in, the veggie system was on!! Not to mention the fact that I currently have LARD in my tank - not oil. I speak from experience - this Vegistroke system, combined with a PROPERLY running truck can run even LARD with no issues in MN cold. As a matter of fact, it was -2 degrees, I started up a cold truck, let it idle for maybe 3 minutes and drove on the back streets for 2 miles and bam - with only LARD in the tank, the system turned on. Unbelievable.
My point is that if you are having heat issues with your veggie tank, it could be a number things but you should consider some of the things I mentioned. Although I didn't try to take it apart, I have a suspicion that my oil cooler was all clogged up. I now have a coolant filter installed too.
Hope that helps some of you! Happy Vegistroking!!
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