In 2009 I bought a new F350 6.4 Lariat with extended warranty and service plan.

I've used it almost exclusively for highway driving and (about half time towing my small travel trailer). It has only 46,000 miles on it and has had zero mechanical problems. I've run an Edge Insight and closely monitored every detail of the truck's operation. In addition I've taken meticulous care of it (changed oil every 3000 miles, etc.). I've logged every tank of fuel, mileage on every tank, and have records of every service ever done.

I was considering buying a new F350 as I am buying a new camper to do extensive travel after my wife retires. I am familiar with and wanted to avoid any of the potential catastrophic problems 6.4s are known for. But, after discussing with my wife we decided we'd just keep this truck and do everything we could to prevent problems.

I researched via Powerstrokehelp.com, this forum, other forums and every other source I could to determine what I could do to reasonably avoid catastrophic failures. Today I went to a Ford diesel specialty shop here in Anchorage (Different Strokes of Alaska) owned/run by a former Ford diesel mechanic with 30+ years of experience to try to cost out doing the modifications I thought would be useful.

I was basically told the 6.4s are 150,000 throwaway engines and that they'd had a great deal of experience with catastrophic failures despite all that had been done to prevent them. They could do what I wanted for about $10,000 but recommended I NOT do it and instead get rid of the trucks and either get a used 6.0 and do the work on it or buy a 2015 or 2016 6.7. They recommended against a 2017 6.7 because it is too difficult to get value from additional fuel filters because the fuel pump is in the tank and additional filters are essential since we get a lot of water in fuel here.

They advised that the trade-in value of 6.4s is next to nothing and they are hard to sell here. So...I'm depressed as hell and wondering what to do next. Should I just run the truck into the ground and junk it? Should I put the $10,000 or so into it in a (likely worthless) attemp to avoid the inevitable? Should I sell it and take the loss and look for a 2015 or 2016? Or, should I get a Duramax?

I've owned Ford trucks for 40 years and never had this kind of dilemma. These are awfully expensive throwaway toys.

My primary concern is having a reliable vehicle I can use for its intended purpose and enjoy. What would YOU do in my shoes?

 

I wouldn't worry about it. You could go buy a "new" any brand truck with any engine and have a failure tomorrow. You would be better off holding onto the cash instead of trying to prevent a failure.

It sounds like you have been reading/watching powerstrokehelp.com too much. There are plenty of people who think he's full of it. YMMV.

I can only tell you about my truck, but other than the dpf, it has zero issues and was a tow vehicle for a local horse breeder/competitor. I bought it with 95K and now it has 114K. I guess that gives you over double the miles you have now before you can expect a failure.

As I've said before, go read this forum from 3-4 years ago. If you do, you'd think it was a toss up between the 6.7 and 6.4. Again, if it wasn't that way, I would have bought a 6.7 3 years ago instead of a 6.4.

 

What kind of work were you looking at for $10k ? Asking because a used 6.4L motor on the West Coast sells for around $6500.

For $10k I'll drive up there and turn some wrenches for you.... I couLd even bring a spare motor.

Time for a second opinion.

 

Id keep it and run it into the ground. I agree about the 150K throw away manufacturing standard. my recommendations would be




1. for about 50 bucks - Put a coolant pressure gauge on it. This will monitor drops or loss of pressure due to calvitation, egr leaks, coolant pump leaks, head gasket failures, o-ring leaks in the coolant system. If the pressure never rises, drops, or does not hold after you turn off the motor, you have a leak. Some of these leaks could be catestriphic if you keep driving it.
2. for about 125 bucks - Coolant by pass filter.
3. for about 225 bucks - Oil by pass filter
4. this one is pricey, about 600 bucks - Fuel filter such as an air dog
5. bio is the same price or less than #2. opti-lube seasonal blend will run you about 40 bucks a gallon and 4 onuces will treat 10 gallons. - Run b5 biofuel or use a fuel additive such as opti lube. When running b5, change your under chassis filter soon after initially since the biofuel will clean out the junk in your tank. Truck will regen more initially due to the cleaning out of the exhaust system.
6. Make oil weight change decisions based on the temps. Run 5w40 during cold months and 15w40 during hot months.











if you were to only do one of these...I'd go with the 50 dollar coolant pressure guage. it will monitor coolant system oil ring leaks, cavitation leaks, egr leaks, radiator leaks, coolant pump leaks, head gasket leaks. auto zone sells a 0 to 16 psi fuel gage for 35 bucks and near the gauge is the white 1/8 pressure line.

 

Thanks all for your suggestions.

My primary issue is not wanting to be stranded during a remote camping trip. Remote for me is a bit different than for most. I routinely take my truck and camper on trips in Alaska, the Yukon, northern BC etc, camping off of roads such as the Dempster Highway in Yukon Territory - a gravel road that runs from the Klondike Highway a short distance outside Dawson, Yukon Territory to Inuvik, NT just below the Arctic Ocean. Recovery services (or any services really) are almost non-existent and very expensive. I know that catastrophic failure is possible in any vehicle and there is no guarantee I won't someday have a problem. But I want to take every action I can reasonably take to avoid being stranded three or four or five hundred miles from any repair capability, ruining a trip (and pissing off my wife.)

 

Even a brand new truck could end up pissing off the wife, so do what you can to cover the core and drive on. Carry fuel filters and a serpentine belt, I change my oil filter every 3000 miles and oil at 10000. DPF deleted

 

Do you mean oil at 3000 and fuel filter at 10000?

 

Nope, exactly what I posted - I'm changing oil filter every 3000 to 4000 miles and engine oil every 10000. Seems to be working well.