I've been going through the forums (both here and other sites) getting information about the 99-2002 Ford PSD's. I currently drive a 2000 Dodge Dakota with the V8 and an automatic trans. This thing doesn't tow or haul very well and I've decided it's time to get a bigger truck. Since I don't have $40-50,000 to spend on a new truck I'm going to be buying used. I've never owned a diesel but have ridden in and driven a few and know the Diesel is for me. Now here is where it gets tricky.

I see that Ford is coming out with a new 6.0L diesel and hope this will further drive the price down on the current 7.3 generation trucks. My guess is current owners will flood the used market as they go after the new engine/trans combo. My question is does anyone know if the new engine will retain the same bellhousing design as the old? I've read on every single forum that the E40D is good but doesn't handle big power or heavy footed drivers very well... which is bad news for my driving style. I'd like to know if there is any chance that swapping the E4OD for the newer 2003 auto transmission is a possibility. Otherwise I'll just plan on getting the E40D built. Another question would involve the turbo - I "assume" that swapping the turbo from the 6.0 onto a 7.3 is a possibility... does anyone know if Ford has gotten all techno crazy with the new turbo's? I ask this on two levels... one, I'd like to upgrade my 7.3, and two, I help design turbo kits and think this might have a market later on down the road.

My next problem is what truck to buy? I've seen a bunch of used 2000 trucks with 90-120,000 miles and they are a heckuva lot cheaper than something with less miles. My question is this - is a SD with the PSD and an auto transmission with 120,000 miles just a ticking timebomb waiting to go off? If it is I figure I can spend the money saved buying used to have the tranny professionally built. Problem is I have no idea what the engine is going to require in terms of mileage repairs, what does a 120,000 PSD engine need to have done to it to go another 120,000 miles? It seems that the injectors and computer can cause problems and that neither is cheap to fix. Anyone have advice on buying a high mileage PSD? I know that 100,000 miles isn't high mileage to the diesel crowd but you've got to remember I've been driving disposable gas trucks for so many years I've become used to throwing them away at 100,000 miles. I'd just like some positive or negative feedback in regards to purchasing a SuperDuty with 120,000 or so miles - good idea or bad idea? How about the front and rear ends, what is the life span of the transfer case and driveline in a PSD? Should I worry about bearings, chains or gears too?

On to the next used PSD question. I know when I buy a used gas vehicle what to look for. I know that clean fluids in most cases mean nothing as the dealer or person selling it has changed all the fluids in anticipation of selling the vehicle. Are there any secrets or tips that could make finding a good PSD easier? Receipts are always nice but most used dealers don't save that stuff. Any common problems to look for? I know the flashing OD light means watch for fragging tranny... but is there anything else to look for? Like discoloration of components due to excessive heat? Turbo noises to watch out for? Anybody with a higher mileage PSD care to offer any advice? I've searched the site for info like this and couldn't find much. I've got a friend at a Ford dealer that says if I get a VIN I can have the vehicle repair history checked out - any repairs that might hint at future problems to come? If there is a link that has this info just post it and I'll check it out.

Also, does anyone know of a website that contains information to decode the SuperDuty VIN? More precisely, I've found a few that have partial information, but what I am looking for is something that will let me know if a crew cab is a short or long box. I want the short box and most online sites selling trucks include the VIN - does the VIN tell what box length the truck has?

And last but not least... I remember during my searches I came across a guy that worked somewhere within the Powerstroke assembly plant - this guy could run the engine ID and find out if it was a good/bad candidate for high mileage reliability. He was able to help another PSD owner with a cackle problem that was traced back to bad parts from a supplier - anyone know where I might be able to find this guy? I can't for the life of me find the site with his e-mail.

I know this is a bunch of questions but I hope someone takes the time to at least help with one of them. If anyone has suspension or accessory related questions let me know! I'm big into off-road and know my stuff - it's how I make my living.

Thanks!

 

>I see that Ford is coming out with a new 6.0L diesel and
>hope this will further drive the price down on the current
>7.3 generation trucks.

Good thought, but they'll never be cheap. Even the early 90s diesels sell for a good premium over their gas engined counterparts.

>My guess is current owners will flood
>the used market as they go after the new engine/trans combo.

Ain't going to happen. The current generation PSD is an excellent engine, and if you've priced used trucks you'll notice people keep their trucks for a long, long time. Regardless of brand, it's hard to find a good used diesel at a bargain price.

>My question is does anyone know if the new engine will
>retain the same bellhousing design as the old? I've read on
>every single forum that the E40D is good but doesn't handle
>big power or heavy footed drivers very well.

Yes, I've seen that, but you might consider how things go round and round on the internet and get lives of their own without any substiantation. The E4OD, especially the later ones, is an excellent transmission. Don't kid yourself. The one on my '96 F-250 460 works great, shifts tight after 135,000 miles. Both the first owner of the truck and I use it for heavy towing, no 1,500 pound jet-skis, but double-axle horse and and flatbed trailers up to 12,000 pound ratings.

If you look up the Ford TSBs on the E4OD, you'll see the issue is mostly proper maintenance. ATF quality and cleanliness is very important. Ford suggests the use of an add-on external oil filter for them, there is an add-on cannister type available from your friendly Ford parts department. I myself would highly recommend the use of a quality synthetic ATF for severe duty applications. In fact, I think a the superior qualities of a synthetic are of more value than in a transmission where ATF usually burns, oxidized and degrades. I use Red Line D4 ATF in mine, change it once a year, great stuff.

>Otherwise I'll just plan on
>getting the E40D built

See the above, and several companies do make beefed E4ODs and torque converters for them.

> Another question would involve the
>turbo - I "assume" that swapping the turbo from the 6.0 onto
>a 7.3 is a possibility... does anyone know if Ford has
>gotten all techno crazy with the new turbo's?

From what I've read, the new turbo is electronically controlled by the ECU on the 6.0 engines. You'd have to try grafting the ECU for a 6.0 onto a 7.3 engine. Anything's possible, I suppose, but...

>My next problem is what truck to buy? I've seen a bunch of
>used 2000 trucks with 90-120,000 miles and they are a
>heckuva lot cheaper than something with less miles. My
>question is this - is a SD with the PSD and an auto
>transmission with 120,000 miles just a ticking timebomb
>waiting to go off?

I hope you've got your asbestos underwear on! Properly maintained, the older diesels, the PSDs and the big blocks, yer 460s and V-10s can go many hundreds of thousands of miles. If you're worried, look for one with high miles driven per year- those are likely going to be easier highway miles, not an oil field truck or one used for start-stop towing in a city.

> If it is I figure I can spend the money
>saved buying used to have the tranny professionally built.

Look, why not just get a good used truck, before you buy it have it thoroughly inspected by a mechanic that really knows their stuff, take care of it and it'll last you a long time. Why rebuild anything if it's in good working order..?? Don't worry about it!

>Problem is I have no idea what the engine is going to
>require in terms of mileage repairs, what does a 120,000 PSD
>engine need to have done to it to go another 120,000 miles?

Quality oil, maybe synthetic, yer Rotella, Mobil or other good diesel brands, change filters regularly, keep your foot out of it until the engine gets to operating temerature, don't ride it hard then put it up hot and sweaty, let it cool down a few minutes, along with the oil in the turbo bearings. Take care of it.

>It seems that the injectors and computer can cause problems
>and that neither is cheap to fix.

True of any vehicle, gas or diesel.

>Anyone have advice on
>buying a high mileage PSD? I know that 100,000 miles isn't
>high mileage to the diesel crowd but you've got to remember
>I've been driving disposable gas trucks for so many years
>I've become used to throwing them away at 100,000 miles.

Look for highway miles, look at the interior, accessories, evidence of owner care, don't buy a repo, if they couldn't make the payments, they couldn't maintain it, resign yourself to paying $200-$250 for a thorough inspection of the vehicle by a good mechanic, as much as you or I might think we know, you'd be amazed at what a good wrench monkey can find in a used vehicle.

> I'd
>just like some positive or negative feedback in regards to
>purchasing a SuperDuty with 120,000 or so miles - good idea
>or bad idea?

Like I said, they're just getting broken it at 100K.

>On to the next used PSD question. I know when I buy a used
>gas vehicle what to look for. I know that clean fluids in
>most cases mean nothing as the dealer or person selling it
>has changed all the fluids in anticipation of selling the
>vehicle.

How do you know that???
Bad presumption. Dealers usually don't put 3 cents into vehicles if they don't have to. The last time I bought a used truck, I looked at at least 10 before finding the best one for my needs, not one of them had obviously new engine oil or trans fluid in them.

>Are there any secrets or tips that could make
>finding a good PSD easier? Receipts are always nice but most
>used dealers don't save that stuff.

Yes, don't be foolish, pay someone else that really knows their stuff to inspect it and give you a full report in writing. Admittedly, you're a newbie on the vehicles, don't make a newbie mistake.
Have it checked. That's the secret.

The Ford F-2/350s are the best trucks on the street. Don't worry about the design or lifespan, there's nothing better out there, new or used.
Shop carefully, take your time, do VIN record searches on Carfax, and have it inspected by a diesel professional.

>I remember during my searches I
>came across a guy that worked somewhere within the
>Powerstroke assembly plant - this guy could run the engine
>ID and find out if it was a good/bad candidate for high
>mileage reliability.

This is pure BS. Did he do readings of palms and tea leaves, too?
IMO, 90% of how long a vehicle lasts depends on how it was used and maintained by the owner(s), regardless of what day of the week it might have been assembled on. If an engine was built wrong, it's not going to develop a problem at 150,000 instead of 200,000 miles, it's going to have problems early on.

> He was able to help another PSD owner
>with a cackle problem that was traced back to bad parts from
>a supplier

I think you're going WAY overboard with trying to find this Wizard of Oz. Use some common sense, friend! Look for a GOOD *local* Ford diesel mechanic, pay him, listen to him and take his advice about any truck you might be looking at.

>I know this is a bunch of questions but I hope someone takes
>the time to at least help with one of them.

Well, those are my opinions...I'm sure you get others, there's some excellent people hanging here.

Good luck.

Bill in Colorado
Two Easters Ranch

 

Bill-

Thanks for the great reply. I'm not sure if you've spent any time dealing with Southern California dealerships but most of them are a bunch of shysters. They give the vehicle the full detail, make it look like new and send you packing. A mile down the road when it blows up they pretend like they've never met you. I'm most likely going to be buying the vehicle out of state because everyone I've talked to (friends included) could not recommend anyone.

When I said spend the money rebuilding the transmission what I meant was if it blows up later on down the road I'll spend the money saved buying a higher mileage vehicle to get it rebuilt. I've got a tranny guy that built my C6 race trans and I know he does E40D work for other race teams. I know the transmission can be made to work with high loads and know what it takes to make it survive. I'd just rather not spend the money right away if I could avoid it.

It seems like 100,000 miles on a PSD isn't really anything to worry about. I know that every vehicle has its problems - I own a Dodge that was built with typical Dodge craftsmanship. It's been into the dealer more times than I have fingers or toes, and that's no exaggeration. I just don't want to save a penny now and then spend a dollar tomorrow if I can avoid it. I guess all I need now is to ask a few more questions and then buy my plane ticket to Texas. It seems the SD is the official truck of Texas. I've found a few trucks that appear to be exactly what I want and for about $5000 cheaper than in California. I'm looking at a 2000 SD Crew Cab, 4x4 PSD XLT with the short box. The interior and exterior look to be in excellent shape and the asking price is $22,000. That's with about 120,000 miles on it too. I'm also looking at the same truck but with 142,000 miles and the asking price is $20,000. Both are clean and appear to be well cared for. It's only about $100 one way from California to San Antonio and at worst I get a mini-vacation. Since I'll be driving from Texas to California I want to make sure that the thing at least has enough beans left in it to get home under its own power.

Are there any problems with other little things? Like the power windows? My Dakota had a problem on one of the few days it rains in Southern California - it rolled down and wouldn't go back up. Little stuff like that is what will drive me crazy.

If anyone knows a good Ford PSD mechanic in the Southern California area please let me know.

Regarding the guy that works within the PSD engine production line... what he can do is take an engine ID and run it through the computer and find any known problems. I could care less what day it was built, but you can be money I'd be wanting to know if they had a problem with a supplier that created a known problem. The production line keeps track of almost all problems that are reported by Ford and its customers. They take that information and if a certain series of engines have the same problem they flag that series. I know that certain runs of engines do contain known problems that will affect the longevity of the PSD. In most cases when armed with this information you can get the engine fixed even if it's slightly beyond the 100,000 mile warranty. I know this type of data tracking and analyzing is done because friends in other fields have similar computer tracking software in place for their own plants. I have every reason to trust this gentlemens information and absolutely no reason to doubt it.

Thanks again Bill, the information is much appreciated.

 

I'm not sure if the bolt pattern of the new transmission is the same as the current product. I'll see if I can find out. Keep in mind that it is Ford who is saying that this is a better transmission. I'd let them prove it before I spent a ton of money upgrading. Your money may be better spent having a compettent trans shop build a E4OD to suit the task. The 6 speed ZF trans is a very nice setup. It is very sturdy and has its own internal oil pump.
Stay with a 2000 model year or newer because they have the newer style injectors and bigger turbo. The larger turbo blows so much air that upgrading is a waste of effort. Furthermore, the new 6.0L turbo is all computer controlled (which goes for the transmission as well), so unless you can figure out how to make the old computer run the new turbo, you'll be dead in the water. If you think you have anything to gain by upgrading the turbo, you may want to check out Hypermax (that's who we used for our racing engines). Also, the 6.0L turbo will not easily bolt to the 7.3L block -- it may be more trouble than it would be worth even if you could figure out how to make the computer run it.
I can run your engine serial number through our engine tracking system but all it will tell me is if there were any defects or repairs done to your engine before it left the engine plant. I don't have access to any warranty information.
My E-mail address is -removed- if you want to contact me directly

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 05-Aug-02 AT 06:34 PM (EST)]The guy you refer to is -removed- I see also replied to your question.

The Diesel Dude was able to tell me how my engine came to have a leaking high pressure oil reservoir; when it went back for repair, and that it was released without repair, etc etc. But, most importantly, he explained why I had oil dripping under the bell housing, from this leak on top of the engine. As most know, there is a drain in the valley that leads to a little weephole at the bellhousing where the engine oil ends up dripping from.
It was just a knicked O ring that caused the problem. Ford found and fixed it and replaced the oil I had to add to replace what I had lost . In this case, I found the leak within days of picking up the new truck.
I never lost enough oil to cause a warning light or engine miss etc. So I was not upset about it. Had I lost a dangerous amount of oil all at once, the valves would not have operated correctly, and I would have known there was a problem. But, I noticed oil under the truck in the driveway and checked it out, thereby finding the problem before the leak got any worse. I saw the O ring and it was broken. The Diesel Dude said the records showed an oil leak at the factory but couldnt explain why it was not properly repaired. I have had absolutely no other problem with the truck and its the best truck I have had yet. I feel that although the new Ford engine sounds good, "what with Chevy having a new one", I would rather have a proven engine with over a million sold, than try a brand new one before its proven. Esp. since I hope to keep this truck for a very long time.
Since those used trucks are nearly half price, it sounds like a good deal if they were kept up. Ask the owner about how often he added FW16 or another SCA4 type additive to the antifreeze. If he had a dealer do all the upkeep, look at the records, if he did it himself, he best know what you are talking about. If it wasnt done regularly, cavitation problems could set in after 100000 miles or so. If it was taken care of, no reason to worry about buying used.
Happy trucking
Bubbanewf Crossville, TN

 

The bolt pattern for the new trans is not even close to the old one.

 

Well scratch that idea then. I've already talked to my tranny builder and told him my hp/torque goals and he says the E40D will take whatever power the Diesel makes and then some. I know it's more or less a C6 with overdrive... I thought about doing a C6 with a Gear Vendors unit for under/overdrive but he assures me the E40D is up to the task once it gets a new converter and a few other internal upgrades. Now all I need to do is find the right truck - if anyone knows of someone selling a 1999.5 or newer short box crew cab 4x4 with an auto trans let me know!

Thanks again everyone for the help. I feel confident that buying a PSD with 100,000+/- miles is a relatively safe idea.

Jeff @ PLC