Hey guys,

You all seem very helpful here so I decided to join and ask. So any help would be appreciated and thank you in advance.

I am planning on purchasing a 45' gooseneck trailer and currently own a 2006 F350 6.0L Dually. I was wondering what do I need to do to just make the truck reliable. I dont need crazy power or looks. Just to get me from point A to B during the summer safely and problem free.

-Stefan

 

Contrary to popular opinion, you may not need anything else to get from Point A to Point B that doesn't come with the truck stock.

Just depends on what the weight of the trailer is going to be and your gearing would be the first things that I would look at.

 

from A to B, nothing.

For longevity.
Seal off the egr system.
Look up unplugging the egr valve. You can weld a plug to close off the egr cooler from the exhaust.

 

Not to sure about that. 508 ponies and not only do I have a working EGR cooler, but I have the one the same one that it had when I got the truck with 20 miles on the odometer. ~200k on it now.

 

This is dangerous advice.The EGR system functioning on a 05-07 is a must without a tuner.It has been shown that these model years have a PCM that can alter engine management and cause overheating issues (ie cooling fan not running as it should).If he is working the motor and does not have adequate cooling he will have steep repair/tow bills.Cheezit has a post going on in here somewhere on that topic.

 

I thought that was only the case when the EGR valve is unplugged. When the EGR valve is unplugged it does mess with the operations of the motor, but the EGR cooler can be blocked with the valve in place and functioning.

Here's what it comes down to, if you ask 100 different people what you should do to your truck for reliability you will get 100 different answers and combinations. The old "delete it all" has proved not so true and some techs on here even have their reservations about headstuds. The best thing to do is read a ton, ask specific questions, and figure out which way you want to go, otherwise you will end up spending a ton of money for useless mods that you don't really need.

LOL like me!

 

To add to my last post, just about every mod out there has been debated on this sight, if you want a straight forward and universal answer You won't get one.

Headstuds- headstuds had a big following there for a while, but lately there have been more and more people questioning the need for them.
I have them.

EGR delete- The latest and greatest on the EGR delete is that if the EGR valve is deleted with the cooler it could cause the fan to malfunction and lead to overheating or the motor running in limp mode without a tuner to adjust for it. I believe that you can delete or block off the the cooler and leave the valve in place and have no problems (except with the EPA). Others may disagree.
I deleted the egr cooler and left the valve plugged in and in place.

Downpipe- Some used to claim the bigger the better, now we are finding out that we are losing bottom end with a bigger downpipe.
I have a 4" and noticed significant low end loss but am going to use an adaptor to hook my stock 3" DP back up to the 4" system.

Oil- some guys run 15-40 some run 5-40 and some swear by 10-30. All different brands and change intervals. The best thing is to figure out what your truck likes and run it.
I personally run Rotella T-6 5-40, but after doing a ton of research I have learned that it gets sheared to 30 weight very quickly and then it levels out. I am thinking of trying Rotella T-5 10-30 on my next change after studying a ton of UOA's on other forums.

For every mod on here there is a following and a group who appose it. It's very hard to figure out what you should actually do. The only thing I have seen everyone agree on in meticulous maintainance and a coolant filter.

 

Thank you everyone for your input!!

My main concern is that I hear about fuel injector issue's and upgrading the heads. The truck has 55,000 miles. Just wondering if there is any perventative maintence for the fuel injectors so I am not stranded on the highway while hauling to a race track.

Sorry im a new guy to the whole ford truck scene.

 

My Op. Do the, blue spring, fuel press. regulator upgrade. Your injectors will thank you.

 

1. Check the temp differential between the egr/oil cooler.
2. If its ok, flush the cooling system (see the correct procedure here at fte)
3. Get some gauges, egt, eot, ect, fuel psi, trans temp, boost
4. Change fuel filters
5. Change the oil
6. Cross your fingers and hope for the best!

The coolant system seems to be the thing that can get you in a bad place especially when towing. Having the oil and egr cooler working properly will keep you more reliable while towing!