Bnt5 , (you can sign out with a real name so we can put a ring on your finger) Welcome aboard this Ford Pirate ship.

When you change your fuel filters, the aft one (pirate term) is located on the frame rail. It has a yellow lever and has a 90 deg sway.

This is the drain that should be done monthly to discharge any accumulation of condensation in your tank to engine system. It by far is probably the most important step aside from regular maintenance you can do. It eradicates any sludge or perverted materials that will enter your fuel system before entering the inj and HPFM which is the costly module and lines/rails/inj etc.

I came up on a 7.3 as a new guy nearly 20 years ago. Still driving it. I have an 08 (future me truck, my wife drives) (Doubt that's going to be a big hit when the 7.3 takes a (^^^&^*)_)

Anyway, I do all the maint and research on the 08 as a baby step. The 08 will run circles around my 7.3. It will outrun, outturn, and is the most capable towing and comfortably driving heavy platform I've encountered including the 6.7 and it's counterparts. I'm in the field where I have the op to use any and all.

I guess what I'm eluding to is if you do your lions share of babysitting the maintenance, you'll enjoy the truck you have.

If you can and are interested in spinning a wrench, DPF delete is dirt cheap for a good kit (which means you have bungs for the EGT sensors. Economy kits with a tune are bungless and you simply strap them to the frame rail and let em ride. I opted for the bungs because I'm a bunghole. (I have the DPF-R)

The EGR is another story. Mine are in place, others say drop, but I'm still on the fence with that.

Keep an eye on your radiator, lower drivers side for a weep. If you see a tear, prep. (easy job). Also if the ends of your rad hoses are black, order the updated hoses (white). (double vs single oring type)

It's a great truck with an engineering mandate to be acceptable. If you can eliminate the mandates, do it.

Denny

 

Well, by golly, you guys have talked me into it. I am keeping the great white whale (the truck is white). I am fully on board with maintanence and now I am working towards the dpf and egr delete. I talked with River City Diesel and they recommended an SCT Live wire with 4 custom tunes, an s&b intake, egr block off kit and down pipe back SS dpf delete pipe. The total is a touch over $1700. I have been researching the deletes and it seems there are a million opinions on the subject. My goal is engine life and fuel economy. I do pull a bass boat on the weekends and a 12' V nose work trailer during the week (maybe 2500-3000lbs?). They seemed pretty knowledgeable at river city but before I pull the trigger is there another company I should contact for delete parts and tuner that knows the 6.4 inside and out? I appreciate all the help, you Ford guys aren't as bad as the Chevy guys said you were!

 

A lot of good advice here. I run the Archoil oil and fuel additives. Run Motorcraft filters. Follow the severe duty maintenance schedule...thats oil/filter every 5k and fuel filters every 10k. Drain fuel/water separator every month. Check oil/coolant levels at least once a week. Learn how to read the dipstick. Delete the DPF asap and tune. I'm still on the plank(pirate term) about removing the EGR coolers or leaving them in. Seems to be pros and cons for full delete vs. leaving them in place but disabled via tune.

I do my own oil changes and filter changes...I just wish I felt comfortable enough to spin the wrenches like some guys on here...like the belt job, pulleys...etc. Peeling back all of those radiators scares me...and I don't want to get stranded in my driveway because I can't get crap back together.