'05 E-350 Ambulance, Fuel in coolant

[BLittle500]

Hey guys,

 

Not much experience on Econolines, just curious if this turns out to just need injector cups, can they be done in the cab? Also, if this bitch ends up needing heads, is that an in cab job as well? If not, is pulling the cab worth it on an ambulance? This is the first ambulance I've worked on, just forign teritory.

 

Just curious guys,

 

Thanks

[Bruce Amacker]

It will be interesting to see what the gang says on this one. In my opinion it's a split decision whether it need sleeves or heads, maybe a little more in favor of heads. Yes sleeves can be done in the truck, and so can heads, but you'd be much happier pulling the motor if it was heads.

 

Pulling the cab is very difficult on an ambulance and most guys will yank the motor rather than the cab.

 

It's a tough call. Doing the diag correctly means pulling the injectors and that's time consuming. If there's not an obvious visual leakage problem with the sleeves I'd probably suggest heads and pulling the motor.

 

Tips and stuff from my notes-

 

 

-Using a borescope through the sleeve hole to look for traces of coolant.

 

-Remove the fuel-filter-to-cylinder-head lines off the filter housing and fill the coolant to the brim, then use an air nozzle to pressurize the individual cylinder head supply lines. Watch for bubbles coming out of the degas bottle. This might ID which head it is.

 

-To identify which one it is, use an air line equipped with a shutoff and pressure gauge. The access point would be either the fuel-filter-to-head lines or head ports. Apply pressure, shut off the supply, and watch for pressure drop indicating leakage.

 

-Remove injectors and look for a “clean one”. It will have been steam cleaned by the leaking sleeve.

 

-TSB 09-26-1:

Drain coolant

Remove all injectors

Spray soapy water in the injector bores

Pressurize the cooling system with air (system must be empty of coolant)

Look for bubbles in soapy water

Replace offending parts

 

Good Luck!

 

[Aaron]

They tell you to change the cylinder heads on the offending bank in that TSB, I believe.

[Mbl35]

On an e it's easier to do 9-26-1 with the engine out,i tried doing it with the engine in with a snap on video boroscope and it's still a bitch to see whats going on in the injector cups. To me the soapy suds tend to make optical ilusions due to the fact that it's encaved the ligt in the boroscope acts more like a flashlite and the soap reflects the ligt in funky ways. I had to pull the engine out anyway so i got creative and sealed up the cooling system then pressurized the motor. With the motor out in the open it's alot easier to see whats going on in the cups. This motor had blown gaskets but i did the tsb just to be sure.

You will be better off just pulling the motor, i thought about lifting the body but it just seems like a shitload of more work to do on a lance. Just mark all of the wires in the grill before you snip them-siren, flashing lights etc and you will be fine.

[Alex Bruene]

The only correct repair for this as far as I am concerned is removing the engine and replacing both heads.

[Brad Clayton]

Just did one recently. It was ambulance and they didn't want to dick around. It got both heads and everyone, especially me, is happy.

[Jim Warman]

 

If it's warranty, you have to pull the heads anyway... or at least have a supply of parts they might ask for. I just went through an FQR with one broken injector cup - the bottom of the cup was gone... MIA.... made it 200 kms before it nearly grenaded...

 

Dwayne can tell you a bit more about the cab removal.

[joshbuys]

I'm speechless!!!!

 

I think you are nuts for pulling cab/body!!!!

 

WOW!!!!

[fordtech03]

WOW!

[DieselD]

holy crap thats got to be waaaaaay more work then yanking the engine out.

 

I have not seen a cup leak on a 6.0 yet but Ive done countless heads for fuel leaks. they crack in the injector bore

[Mbl35]

Got an 05 e350 ambulance just out of service for the crew smelling fumes. Saw it as i was going to clock out just before. I traced the fumes to the degasbottle, opened it and it reeks of deisel-oh joy!