Hello all!

Quick intro and I'll move on to my questions. Just picked up a 2008 F-350, 4x4 Ext Cab LB V10. Vehicle has approx 141k miles on it, with 4000 hours on the engine, so 200k or so there. This is going to be my farm/weekend warrior truck, likely only going to see a few hundred miles of use a year. Everything from lumber hauling to pulling a few thousand pound small tractor, or rental equipment. Nothing too large.

My mechanical knowledge is about average I suppose. I've replaced transmissions, pumps, filters, brakes, alternators, plugs blah blah. Nothing too in-depth like a full engine rebuild. With instructions or service manuals I can do just about anything.

That being out of the way, what am I in for with this truck? I'm in the process of giving it a clean up and tune up. The vehicle was previously a fleet truck for a construction company, so it's DIRTY but not wrecked. Body is almost flawless, engine runs well enough even though it has a miss. I suspect the miss to be a COP based on everything I've read online and here. As soon as the previous owner e-mails me service records (if they do) I'll start with fluids and filters for maintenance.

Are there any other major pain points I should be examining? Some items under the hood appear to be much newer or even very recent (no dirt on the parts), but I'm not familiar enough with these engines to confidently say which parts are what just yet.

Lastly, service manuals? Looks like a disc is $30-$40 on ebay. Books range from $150-$300 it seems. Is a place like Alldata just as good or reasonably so? Trying to save the money for parts/repairs.

Thanks!

 

Maybe change the plugs and boots. See what has been done. I am at 110k , and only had to replace 1 02 sensor.

 

I'm hoping the previous owner changed the plugs at some point, if not I'll definitely be doing that.

 

For the miss, it's more likely that the plug hole is wet and dirty, then it being a bad COP.

Get the codes read, and if you can, have a shop (or buy a good scanner) read the misfire counters. This will tell you exactly where to look for the misfire. Better then throwing parts at it.

Check all the fluids yourself. Especially things like the rear gear (and front) and the transfer case. If it looks dirty, just change it, regardless of what maintenance is documented. Check the tranny fluid and make it's bright red and clear, and doesn't smell burnt.

Otherwise, just run it

 

Oh, and WELCOME to FTE! and the home of the V10 BSEG!

 

Pulled the codes last night.

P0174
P0300
P0301 - 303 - 305 - 306 - 307

Now, I don't believe all of those are misfiring on a regular basis, or it certainly wouldn't have the amount of power it feels to have. We'll see.

 

That Bank 2 lean code means something. It's probably why it's misfiring. Look for vacuum leaks, and clean the MAF. Inspect all hoses going from the MAF back to the throttle body. Any air getting into the intake that is not being measured by the MAF will cause lean codes. Although, it's usually both banks. Still, check everything vacuum/intake related.

 

Yeah I'll definitely be inspecting every hose much closer. Do these injectors commonly have issues? I'm sure, being a work truck, they probably have been feeding it the cheapest imaginable fuel for some time.

 

The 3V V10 is a very reliable engine, I have the same mileage on mine. I would replace the plugs, boots, oil change, fuel filter and service the transmission. That would get ya where ya need to be IMO.

 

Okay, I managed to get some things accomplished yesterday.

Replaced fuel filter, the old one was nasty. Air filter looked new, so I left it. I did clean the MAF, and in the process noticed that the entire plastic intake piece was loose and barely holding onto the manifold. Got all that cleaned up and tight. The PCV hoses are both in decent shape. The driver side insulation over the hose looks aged, but the hose itself doesn't look bad.

Two points of concern on the PCV:

The passenger side that mounts to the valve cover seems loose, not the hose, but the fitting the hose attaches to. I couldn't really figure out how to tighten it, and since it appears to be plastic didn't want to risk breaking it.

The driver side PCV fitting on the valve cover was mildly coated with oil. I will attach a picture of this. Is this normal or should this be a concern?

Finally, while I was under the truck looking around I noticed something on the differential housing of each front wheel. Looks like a bearing seal to me but perhaps I'm wrong. Is this an immediate concern? I'll post a pic of this as well. Waiting on uploads.

Remaining CEL Codes are misfires. Codes 300, 305, 306, 307.

I also couldn't get the 4wd to engage last night using the electric switch. Ran out of daylight before I could troubleshoot that one. FUN!

https://imgur.com/U06qMkS

https://imgur.com/xcznlDP

 

The PCV on the 3-valves, I think, is integrated into the valve cover somehow. I wouldn't be too concerned about oil film around it.

I'd start pulling the COPs and checking the boots. They love to suck water and crud as the heads heat-cycle

 

Photos added.

Thanks, I'm hoping COPs are the culprit. Not really in the budget for a 10 plug replacement

 

Update --

Cylinder 5 and 7 have been fixed. One had a brown COP instead of black, the other looked like some chinese knockoff. Cyl 6 is still misfiring after replacing the COP. When removing the old one, there was a moderate amount of water in there. I dried it out by spraying a small amount of WD-40 into it, then vacuuming it dry. I'll change the plug in that cyl next. Making more progress!

On the bright side, plenty of more power now.

Oh and I figured out the 4x4 mechanism, wasn't familiar with how the electronic system worked. On a side note to that, the truck makes a noise while in 4x4 low. The best way I can explain it is that it sounds like the truck is struggling to brake while in 4x4 low. It makes that sound brakes make when you're VERY slowly lurking forward.

I have no idea how much if at all they used the 4x4 system, it probably just needs lubricated/fluids.

 

Nice. I bet the plug is fouled on #6. Or the plug insulator itself is all grimy and no way to clean it off without removing it.

Explain that 4x4 LOW noise a little more. Was this with the brakes on? In LOW, you're getting almost 3 times the torque to the wheels, this can make all sorts of things make strange noises. You need to REALLY press on the brakes just to keep it from rolling when in drive or reverse, for example.

 

I noticed that too, I was pushing the brakes really hard to keep it from lurking. Maybe it was the brakes then? I'll have to inspect them later.

As for the noise, I'm only familiar with it from past experience with my father when he would be towing heavy loads (older super duty trucks) and using his brakes while going very slowly. It just sounds like maybe brake slipping?

Sorry I couldn't find a video of it, if I do later I'll post it up.

Thanks for all the help, I'll update on Cyl 6 over the holidays -- busy busy.