The internal combustion engine generates a lot of hot exhaust gases after successful combustion takes place in the cylinders. A significant portion of those exhaust gases is redirected back into the engine. If those exhaust gases are not cooled down, then they could damage the internal components of the engine. Then you would have a major problem because your vehicle would no longer run properly.
The EGR (engine gas recirculation) cooler is the component which fixes this problem. Its main function is to cool down those hot exhaust gases before they recirculate back into the engine. Then it can cause the next combustion to happen safely. At the same time, you will conserve some of your existing fuel because the exhaust gases will get burned instead.
Unfortunately, the EGR cooler does not last forever. It will start to deteriorate and break down as times goes on. Sometimes a car accident can cause the cooler to break down prematurely as well. Then you’ll have no choice but to pay money for a replacement cooler.
Some vehicles have a heavy-duty EGR cooler that is called the 6.0 Powerstroke EGR cooler. It is designed for big trucks like the Ford F-250. These types of heavy-duty vehicles depend on a sufficient cooler for their engines to generate the kind of power that is required to move them forward.
Bad Symptoms
Below are the top 4 symptoms of a failing 6.0 Powerstroke EGR cooler.
1) Check Engine Warning Light
You can expect the Check Engine Warning Light to come on whenever the engine control unit detects that your exhaust gases are not flowing sufficiently. Sometimes a bad EGR cooler might have to do with the poor circulation of the exhaust gases. The engine control unit is very sensitive about the exhaust gas circulation, so any abnormalities will cause the warning light to come on.
The Check Engine Warning Light will also come on if the engine control unit detects an above normal temperature coming from the engine. That is what will happen if the exhaust gases are hot as the recirculate back into the engine.
2) Overheated Engine
Whenever you have a bad EGR cooler, the first symptom that you will experience is an overheated engine. The overheating problem can happen for two reasons due to w bad EGR cooler.
First, if there is any restriction in the flow of the cooled exhaust gases, then it means that those gases are not reentering the engine to cool it down as well. That will cause your engine to heat up. Secondly, if the EGR cooler is simply not cooling down the exhaust gases, then you have hot exhaust gases reentering the engine instead. Either way that is going to lead to an overheated engine problem.
3) Exhaust Leak
Sometimes you might have bad gaskets on your EGR cooler. Bad gaskets can lead to an exhaust leak. You’ll know when you have an exhaust leak because it will make a strange hissing sound toward the front. Then your EGR cooler’s efficiency is reduced, and the engine performance is dragged down.
4) Poor Fuel Economy
As indicated above, an exhaust leak can cause your engine performance to weaken. The aftermath of this problem is a poor fuel economy because your engine will need to use more fuel in order to compensate for the missing exhaust gases.
Replacement Cost
The replacement cost of a 6.0 Powerstroke EGR Cooler is anywhere from $600 to $1,100. In most cases, the cost will be toward the upper end of that range. The labor costs will be around $450, while the cost of the parts will be about $700. Most mechanics will give you a 12-month warranty on the parts if you pay about $150 extra. You might want to take the warranty if you purchase a used EGR cooler rather than a new one.
