Page 7 - radiator

Interested in purchasing our 6.4L coolant filter kit? Check out our product page for more information!

Mishimoto Ford 6.4L Powerstroke Coolant Filter Kit

We mentioned in our 6.0L coolant filtration thread that we would be tackling the 6.4L as well. Let's take a look at some of the components our team has been putting together for the 6.4L kit.

Although the 6.4L does not seem to be as susceptible to buildups as is the 6.0L, a coolant filtration setup is certainly still a worthy investment in preventive maintenance.

So let's get started!

Filter Housing

We'll start with the filter housing. As mentioned in our 6.0L thread, we developed a housing with a wide range of adjustability that could be utilized for a variety of kits. This housing is shown below.

Mishimoto coolant filtration housing

Mishimoto coolant filtration housing

Here's a look at the hardware and filter mounted to this housing.

Mishimoto coolant filtration housing and Wix filter

Since we had our housing already, this project should

Interested in picking up our 6.4L Powerstroke coolant hose kit? Check out our product page linked below!

Mishimoto Ford 6.4L Powerstroke Silicone Coolant Hose Kit

Our full prototype unit has arrived and is ready for some final test fitting! Before introducing our final product, let's take one last look at the stock hose setup.

Stock 6.4L radiator hoses

Now, check out the Mishimoto prototype kit!

Mishimoto prototype 6.4L radiator hoses

A few interesting things to note. First, we have replaced several of the bends that were previously plastic with our silicone hose. Instead of incorporating the bends into the quick disconnect fittings, we are using the hose to make all the bends.

Also, the stock hose uses a double O-ring connection on the engine-side quick disconnects. On the radiator side, the stock still uses a single O-ring system. We use double O-ring connections on both ends of our hoses for better protection against leaks and to reduce the chance of air entering the cooling system of

Thanks for taking a look at the process for designing our innovative solution for the Mustang radiator. If you are interested in picking one up for your SN95, check with our vendors for the best available pricing.

Feel free to ask any questions you have about our improved SN95 radiator. I'd love to help out!

Thanks!

Interested in picking up our E36 fan shroud? Check out the full details on this kit on our product page!

Mishimoto BMW E36 Performance Fan Shroud Kit!

E36 M3 test vehicle

Cooling systems on older BMW models have been recognized as a frequent failure point requiring regular replacement to avoid catastrophic failure. This includes anything made of plastic within the system. So far we have a few remedies - an aluminum radiator and a silicone coolant hose kit. The mechanical fan is next on our list to be addressed.

The stock fan setup is certainly efficient in keeping your straight six cool. That said, a fan failure can get quite ugly with shrapnel tossed around the engine bay, often damaging other components. To reduce vehicle downtime and expense, it would be wise to replace this component before failure occurs.

Swapping your antiquated mechanical setup for an efficient electric system is a great way to improve reliability, and even free up some power on your vehicle. Check out the process

Interested in picking up our 6.4L Powerstroke coolant hose kit? Check out our product page linked below!

Mishimoto Ford 6.4L Powerstroke Silicone Coolant Hose Kit

6.4L Engine bay with Mishimoto aluminum radiator

The Project Begins

Looking to pair your 6.4L aluminum radiator with a nice set of silicone hoses? We thought so! After developing a variety of components for the 6.4L Powerstroke, we decided to take a closer look at the radiator hoses on this truck.

After Ford released this truck in 2008, there were numerous complaints about leaking hoses. Ford issued a technical service bulletin (TSB) that offered a fix: a set of replacement hoses with an additional O-ring for better sealing power. This modification was made to the engine-side fitting of the hose, while the radiator-side still retained the single o-ring design. The replacement hoses seemed to solve the problem.

Stock 6.4L Powerstroke radiator hose

That said, the stock hoses still feature plastic quick-connect ends that lock into

Interested in purchasing this Coolant Filter Kit? Check out our product page for more information!

Mishimoto Ford 6.0L Powerstroke Coolant Filter Kit

We are nearing completion of this awesome project! With our bracket and housing finalized, it was time to fill in the gaps for the rest of the necessary components. First up, the filter selection. As mentioned earlier, we were looking for an efficient filter that could easily be purchased at any parts store. We went with the WIX 24070. Of course, any brand that will cross-reference with this filter will also function with our kit.

Filter Selection

Filter

A look at this filter mounted, with the necessary hardware for the bracket.

Filter, filter housing, and mounting hardware

Valves

Our next key components are the valves for the housing and lines. We will use ball-style valves for easy, reliable operation. Check out a couple shots of our plans for this component.

Valve for coolant filtration housing

Coolant filtration housing valve installed

Interested in purchasing this Coolant Filter Kit? Check out our product page for more information!

Mishimoto Ford 6.0L Powerstroke Coolant Filter Kit

Coolant Filter Housing Prototype

Time for some CNC-machined goodies! Last time we left you with a look at our 3D-printed prototype housing. After reviewing the design and making some minor adjustments, we were able to create a CNC-machined aluminum housing. Check out the results below!

3D prototype housing (right) and CNC-machined housing

And a few close-up shots!

CNC-machined coolant filter housing

CNC-machined coolant filter housing

So let's chat about some of the features you see on this housing. First, this component is constructed from billet aluminum and machined into the proper shape. The inlet and outlet ports are both machined and threaded to accept the valves that we will discuss soon. We then use a threaded filter adapter on the base, which accepts the filter we have selected to use for this project.

The top of this unit features

Interested in purchasing this Coolant Filter Kit? Check out our product page for more information!

Mishimoto Ford 6.0L Powerstroke Coolant Filter Kit

Project Introduction

Factory 6.0L engine bay

The Ford/International 6.0L was launched in 2003 in an effort to compete with the high power output from the GM 6.6L Duramax, while still meeting new emissions standards. In factory form, the 6.0L Powerstroke is generally reliable and will perform a majority of the tasks demanded by truck owners. Unfortunately, as many have discovered, increasing the power output on the 6.0L produces increased stress on the cooling system, resulting in serious head gasket and other cooling system failures. The head bolts tend to stress with increased power, resulting in damage to the gasket. This knowledge is quite widespread, and the basic fix includes a head resurface, head gasket replacement, and the install of ARP (Automotive Racing Products) head studs. Once replaced, you are free to load the truck with power

Interested in purchasing this BMW E30/E36 aluminum radiator? Check out the product page for more information!

Mishimoto BMW E30/E36 X-Line Performance Aluminum Radiator

The testing results are in! First, a quick comparison of the fluid capacity improvements the Mishimoto X-line radiator provides.

Stock Radiator Capacity: 0.6 gal (2.27L)

Mishimoto X-Line Radiator Capacity: 1.15 gal (4.35L)

This is an increase in capacity of 91%! This additional fluid, combined with our highly efficient core design, should easily produce great gains in cooling efficiency. Let's evaluate our charts obtained from the testing data. First up, our raw temperature data from both rounds of testing.

Stock radiator testing data

The stock radiator is reasonably efficient, being more than adequate for normal street use and occasional track use. Extended track use, however, could present some issues. Our stock testing showed average inlet temperatures around 212°F (100˚C) and average outlet temperatures around 160°F

Interested in purchasing this BMW E30/E36 aluminum radiator? Check out the product page for more information!

Mishimoto BMW E30/E36 X-Line Performance Aluminum Radiator

Being pleased with our design in comparison to the stock unit, it was time to put this radiator to the test and see how the improvements would impact cooling efficiency. The first true test for this radiator would be fitment. Although this product was designed based off of dimensions from the stock radiator and the engine bay of an E36 M, we still had yet to drop this unit into a vehicle to ensure that all components bolted into position properly. We snagged the keys to our test vehicle from our videographer and easily dropped our prototype into place. Check out a few shots of this radiator installed!

Mishimoto X-line radiator installed

Mishimoto X-line radiator installed

As you can see, everything fit perfectly with this radiator. This vehicle is still utilizing the stock mechanical fan and everything clears as it should