just purchased a 2010 250 sd with the 6.4 and it has 355 gears [3j],wondering how it will tow my 12500 lb 5er.took a short trip towing my trailer down the highway and seemed better then my 7.3 did.but wondering abought the tow haul button.when traveling for long distance,will it up and down shift to much and heat the trany up.looking for good advice so i don't tear it up.thanks for any info.

 

My 350 hauls/tows around that (truck camper and trailer) and barely notices it. I have 4.10 axles so you might notice it a bit more with 3.55, but you'll also benefit from a bit better unloaded MPG.

If you're new to the 6.4 here is my standard advice with some important points:

If you have not owned one of the newer emissions controlled diesels previously (any brand), be aware that they are far more dependent on proper maintenance than earlier diesels.

Key 6.4 maintenance items:

* Oil changes every 5,000 miles, with quality oil (synthetic recommended), used oil analysis (Blackstone) for every change. Use only Motorcraft oil filters or the Racor (OEM) equivalent.

* Fuel filter changes every 10,000 miles. Use only Motorcraft FD4617 or the Racor (OEM) equivalent filters.

* Coolant nitrite testing at least every 15,000 miles. I recommend every 5,000 miles at the same time you do the oil change for simplicity, the test strips are inexpensive. Do not be confused by the test directions warning not to sample from an overflow tank, the 6.4 does not have an overflow tank it has a degas bottle. The degas bottle is part of the coolant loop with constant circulation so it is a valid testing point. I do not bother "taking a sample", I simply clip the test strip on the end of a long hemostat and dunk it in the degas bottle to test. If the test is below 800ppm and above 300ppm add two bottles of VC-8 additive. If below 300ppm the entire coolant system must be flushed with VC-9 cleaner, rinsed well and refilled with new coolant.

* Cooling system flush with VC-9 and refill with Ford Gold coolant every 60,000 miles, sooner if you have neglected testing and the nitrite is under 300ppm.

* Use a quality fuel conditioner such as the Ford PM-22a/23a conditioners at every fueling. They add lubricity to the fuel, something that ULSD is lacking in which helps protect the high pressure (up to 26,000 PSI) fuel pump. They also help to reduce soot production which results in less frequent DPF regens and less fuel dilution in the engine oil.

* Drain the HFCM water separator monthly. The fuel drained can be poured back into the tank carefully leaving behind any water at the bottom of the collection jar (normally very little). If the water separator drain does not flow well or at all, it may be clogged with either parafin blobs or with bacterial growth. In either case at a minimum the drain valve cover needs to be removed and the clog cleared. If the clog is significant the HFCM cover needs to be removed for full cleaning. If the clog is white and waxy it's parafin and not a significant issue. If the clog is brown or similar and more slimy it is bacterial growth and the fuel tank should be "shocked" with a biocide such as Power Service Bio-Kleen which should not be confused with their Diesel-Kleen.

* The truck should not be used for all short trips and stop and go traffic. The 6.4 and other emissions controlled diesels need regular longer periods at highway speeds to allow proper DPF regeneration and to get to proper operating temperature to help reduce fuel contamination in the engine oil.

* The latest PCM flash (11B23) does not provide continuous indication of when a DPF regen is taking place, it does however add much improved engine monitoring for developing issues. Over time you will get to recognize the subtle changes, but I recommend adding something like the ScanGauge II which will allow you to monitor the DPF temperature which is a clear indication that a regen is in progress when over ~600F.

* Avoid shutting the truck down with a regen in progress. If you have to, run the engine at high idle for a few minutes in park before shutting down to allow the turbos to cool down to normal temperatures before shutdown. If you are interrupting the regens you will see it in your Blackstone report, otherwise you should see very little fuel dilution, <1%.

You should also absolutely get the Ford ESP extended warranty, any repairs to the 6.4 are expensive and a single big repair can easily cover the cost of the ESP warranty. The coolant nitrite testing that many people overlook *is* in the owner's manual diesel supplement, so if you neglect it Ford can deny warranty coverage for resulting damage.

Other Super Duty maintenance items:

* Change transfer case fluid every 60,000 miles.

* Change rear differential fluid every 50,000 miles on DANA axles (F350 DRW and up).

* Change transmission fluid and filter every 60,000 miles on Torqshift transmissions (100k on manual transmissions). If you have the early Torqshift with the external filter the interval is much shorter.

Resources:

Coolant test strips - Buy the 4pk, not the bottle of 50, the strips have expiration dates and you'll only need <10 per year. Most dealer parts counters should have the test strips, NAPA has them, or order direct from Acustrip.
http://acustrip.com/CTS-3_Retail_Order_Form.pdf

Used oil testing - Blackstone Labs, get the pre-paid 6pk of test kits to save a few bucks. You don't need the TBN option:
Order Now

Ford ESP extended warrantys - You can buy them online from real dealers, or use the online price from a real dealer to negotiate a better price from your local dealer. You absolutely want the ESP, while the 6.4 is not problematic as some claim as long as you maintain it properly, nearly any repair is big $ and one good one will cover the ESP cost:
Ford Extended Warranty - Genuine Ford ESP

DPF, oil, coolant temp monitoring - ScangaugeII, you will need to program the X-gauge commands for the 6.4:
ScanGauge - Trip Computer + Digitial Gauges + ScanTools
Ford Specific XGauges : Linear Logic : Home of the ScanGauge

 

Follow WP's advice.

I tow heavy, around 14K..going to grow another 1K here shortly.

It will tow 12.5 like nothing.

I use tow/haul as it changes the shift points to later shifts...holds the gears longer. This prevents the up and down shifting. It also helps to keep the tranny cool.

You can expect your clutch fan to come on around 220F or so. When it does don't be alarmed...on the high setting it will sound like an airplane under the hood. Normal. Won't last long.

If the temp guage does move...just to the right of center for me is 230F. So that can give you a bit of an idea.

I have never seen the tranny guage move and I have had trans temps as high as 225F for a short time.

Usually those stay around 190-200 for me if pulling some hills.

 

thanks for the info,and i will change my oil at 5000,and filters at 10000.i use amsoil products diesel concentrate for fuel also.

 

I always wondered what other people saw temp wise. I lost a trans once in my 01 F250. Mind you it was entirely my fault. I went to take my race car out of the trailer and found an oil spot. Decided I'd paid to race I was going to race. 4R100 didn't hold up excessive temp and that did it in.
Anyway on my 08 I swore I wouldn't burn another trans up. I added an external filter another cooler in front of the radiator and yet nother fan cooled one under the truck. I have a MagHytec pan for more fluid. My in pan probe is hooked to an AutoMeter gauge and never sees over 150F
My BlackMaxx says in trans temps run around 170-175. My coolant is 190-195. I have an egr delete which brought the temps from 200-210 to where they are now. No dpf no cat. Mt 5th wheel is 14500+/- loaded.

 

You are just where you should be.

 

I hate tow/haul mode! The downshifts feel to harsh for me. I tow over 25k lbs 5 days a week...

 

I never had any issues towing 12-14k with my F350 and 3.55 gears, tow haul mode helped space the shifts out some and offered more aggressive downshift strategies which helped maintain speed or slow down on long grades and off-ramps. I should note that my truck was tuned and I ran a performance exhaust.