Botched dealer coolant flush

[MC]

I took my 2018 F250 powerstroke to the local Ford dealer for a coolant flush. I quizzed them before I made the appointment , they said that they would get all of the coolant in both the primary and secondary system changed. Quoted price seemed low ($225). They assured me that it was a complete job. picked up , paid the bill and thats when I became very suspicious. Billed for 2 gallons of VC13 G coolant Not nearly enough. This is the concentrate but still not anywhere close to enough for the system Complained to the service manager. He offered to do it again for no charge. Not interested.
I sent a sample from the primary system in for analysis. Also sent a sample in of the virgin ford VC 13G Ford cooland dilutd 50-50 with distilled H2O. Analysis attached.




View attachment 257793

 

[Kira]

Awwww...why all the dealership hate? (some say)
Here's another example.

 

[TheOilWizard]

First off, only two posts in 20 years is pretty impressive.

The picture is a bit grainy for me and hard to read - does it suggest the fluid was not fully replaced? Just a drain a fill instead of flush?

 

[Rand]

Along with a botched dealer flush it appears to be a botched post missing the coolant analysis (from vehicle) we got the virgin one.

 

[johnmyster]

I test drove and thoroughly inspected 13 used 6.7 PSD trucks this summer. 2011-2016. The majority of them had different colors of coolant in each system. Green, orange, yellow, pick two. Yet, mud tires and aftermarket wheels.

Used car salesmen all be like, "excellent maintenance history, we don't sell no junk." Me, "you have the records? Did you notice the massive (pick at least one - upper pan, fuel injector seals, CCV system, front cover) oil leak and the original/factory CCV filter?" Salesman, "yes, our shop put a new air filter in it." Me, "but the aftermarket intake has a clear cover and I can see leaves in the air filter housing."

It's what you get when you build a truck with two radiators, two water pumps, two coolant bottles, six thermostats, liquid coupled intercooler, liquid coupled fuel cooler, liquid coupled frame mount trans cooler...rats nest of coolant hoses everywhere. People think maintenance means oil changes and an occasional set of windshield wipers.

 

[dogememe]

Until this thread I didn’t know 6.7s had two cooling systems.

 

[KrisZ]

Looks like they did a radiator drain and fill.

 

[burbguy82]

I dont get the coolant flush. As long as you do a drain and fill on the radiator on a proper interval, one should never have coolant issues.

Waiting until the coolant is bad is the wrong idea.

 

[GON]

Until this thread I didn’t know 6.7s had two cooling systems.

The 6.2L Super Dutys' also have dual cooling systems.

 

[KrisZ]

I dont get the coolant flush. As long as you do a drain and fill on the radiator on a proper interval, one should never have coolant issues.

Waiting until the coolant is bad is the wrong idea.

It doesn’t work that well with large systems or dual cooling systems like in this case. Sometimes it’s better to change everything at once.

 

[BrendanC]

love the power and comfort of a 6.7PSD but i couldn’t imagine ever owning one. i have worked on many that were stuffed up and can promise id never want to do that on my personal time. new diesels are interesting to say the least. you have to shell out a kidney to buy one, then start giving plasma donations to maintain it.

pre emissions duramax, cummins or a 7.3L are the only diesels i’d own.

 

[dogememe]

love the power and comfort of a 6.7PSD but i couldn’t imagine ever owning one. i have worked on many that were stuffed up and can promise id never want to do that on my personal time. new diesels are interesting to say the least. you have to shell out a kidney to buy one, then start giving plasma donations to maintain it.

pre emissions duramax, cummins or a 7.3L are the only diesels i’d own.

Modern diesels are great - quiet, oodles of torque - If you lease it and get a fresh one every 3 years and are never out of warranty.

 

[burbguy82]

Modern diesels are great - quiet, oodles of torque - If you lease it and get a fresh one every 3 years and are never out of warranty.

yeah that solves the issue, get into new one every three years......solved, or more like kicking the can

 

[dogememe]

yeah that solves the issue, get into new one every three years......solved, or more like kicking the can

Sure, but it's the only way anyone should be driving a modern diesel. Under warranty. Beyond that, nope, nope, nope.

 

[JimPghPA]

Dealers hire anyone who will work for less than they have to pay a certified mechanic, and jobs not requiring a certified mechanic are often done by these untrained people, while the certified mechanic works on more challenging vehicle jobs, and tries to beat book time to maximize his pay. This maxamizes dealer profit and fills the positions. If they always only hired certified mechanics, they probably would be too short of personal and make less.

So don't expect a certified mechanic to be doing simple jobs on your vehicles at dealers. More often than not, the person doing simple jobs is straight out of high-school and never worked on vehicles before. And many of them are there for the pay only and really don't give a darn about doing any job correct.

 

[burbguy82]

Sure, but it's the only way anyone should be driving a modern diesel. Under warranty. Beyond that, nope, nope, nope.

A big part of the issue, other than of course the underlying EPA emissions reduction illusion......is the power of these things. They have way to much power, way more than anyone could ever need in a vehicle. More power = more fuel and air.....there is no getting around it.

I suppose that way of thinking is a bit communist, but..... so be it. Every Tom **** and Harry does not need a 500HP diesel truck to drive around town in. It really hurts the bottom line in many business that rely on these types of trucks for daily use, and makes everything more expensive.

There is no reason to reinvent the wheel. It does not get much better.

 

[dogememe]

A big part of the issue, other than of course the underlying EPA emissions reduction illusion......is the power of these things. They have way to much power, way more than anyone could ever need in a vehicle. More power = more fuel and air.....there is no getting around it.

I suppose that way of thinking is a bit communist, but..... so be it. Every Tom **** and Harry does not need a 500HP diesel truck to drive around town in. It really hurts the bottom line in many business that rely on these types of trucks for daily use, and makes everything more expensive.

There is no reason to reinvent the wheel. It does not get much better.

Yes, but the most profitable customers for the dealers and OEMs are individuals buying $100K diesel trucks to tow their trailers and toys. These people would not stand for a lower power rating. If their buddy with a Chevy has X HP/TQ, they don't want their Ford to have less than that.

Fleet buyers would be more tolerant of lower numbers with a lower cost of ownership. BUT, now you're making more different engines, so your cost per engine goes up, so you are basically making the same amount of money with more effort. This would not make any sense for a company to do, their board, shareholders, etc. would much rather every truck have the same thousand horsepower engine as long as it meant they had "class leading" "competitive" power numbers.

And since most of the expensive components that fail early are emissions components, those components would be similar on all power levels of the engine. Again, whether these trucks have 300HP or 800HP matters not.

 

[burbguy82]

Again, whether these trucks have 300HP or 800HP matters not.

So you are saying that power output is not commensurate in a ICE to emissions? And further, the higher power output it not commensurate to a higher demand on the emission equipment and all other systems of the vehicle?

 

[BrendanC]

Modern diesels are great - quiet, oodles of torque - If you lease it and get a fresh one every 3 years and are never out of warranty.

you have more money to burn than i do.

 

[CKN]

you have more money to burn than i do.

This forum is where "old cars come to die"!!