engine duration driven hard
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Joined: Feb 2008
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engine duration driven hard
I've always wondered if I baby the truck would it last longer. Any insight?
I drive a 1999 F250 with a 5.4 235hp, stick and have to go to 4grand rpm just to get my fricken boat (8000#) up to 30mph up a steep hill in my town. I suppose I should post in the heavy duty forum but I used to also drive a 2000 F150 that I babied and it burned a quart of oil every 3000 miles since new. WTF!!!!!!!! and still does now with 80Kplus miles (my dad drives it now).
I drive a 1999 F250 with a 5.4 235hp, stick and have to go to 4grand rpm just to get my fricken boat (8000#) up to 30mph up a steep hill in my town. I suppose I should post in the heavy duty forum but I used to also drive a 2000 F150 that I babied and it burned a quart of oil every 3000 miles since new. WTF!!!!!!!! and still does now with 80Kplus miles (my dad drives it now).
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Nov 2003
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Well naturally babing you're truck will cause less wear and tear on parts. For me personally as a rule of thumb I never allow my engine to rev over 3,000RPMS. 3,000RPM's is a good point for most engines. You put down enough power to get up to speed with traffic in a timely manner and not use excessive amounts of fuel. And it keeps wear and tear down. However I'm learning that with my new 2011 F-150 and its 5.0L V8 3,000 RPMS is a little to much in most cases. The new 5.0L is by far the most powerful pickup I have ever owned. And I find that letting it shift at 2500RPMS or less is yeilding me substantally better performance than my old trucks did at 3,000.
Truth is most engines will be ok as long as you don't consistantly push them to their limits and most modern engines are designed to revv higher than engines of yesterday. I remember back when 4,000RPMS was insanely high for a stock gas V8 truck engine. Nowadays Diesels can run up to 4,000RPMS without much stress. But yeah for me personally I keep it at 3,000 or below if at all possible. Of course if a situation does arise that I need more ''Which it very very rarely does'' then of course I'll use the extra power.
Truth is most engines will be ok as long as you don't consistantly push them to their limits and most modern engines are designed to revv higher than engines of yesterday. I remember back when 4,000RPMS was insanely high for a stock gas V8 truck engine. Nowadays Diesels can run up to 4,000RPMS without much stress. But yeah for me personally I keep it at 3,000 or below if at all possible. Of course if a situation does arise that I need more ''Which it very very rarely does'' then of course I'll use the extra power.
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