I'm thinking about getting a PSD, and since I haven't had a turbo diesel before, how will I know if I've got a good one, or a bad one? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

'81 F-150 Flareside
300/4spd
Stock for now, with upgrades coming.
Previously known as Baitboy, then Flareside guy, now Flrsdgy.
(It's a long story.)

 

Engines are like people...there are good ones and bad ones and most all of them have their good and bad qualities (Man, I must need coffee!!!) In my experience with the PSD i've come to realize that Navistar hasn't made too many bad ones. About the only variability I've seen from one to another is in fuel mileage. While I get 20-21mpg out of mine if I drive it sensibly, I've seen other folks complain about getting as low as 12-13mpg. Some of this has to do with the particular truck, its rear differential, weight, options, etc. And some of it is probably due to differences in the engines. I'm a gun nut and have been a competitive shooter for a bunch of years, and with guns it's the same thing. Sometimes with two identical firearms, one will just outshoot the other, plain and simple. So too with engines. Your PSD will likely outlast the truck it's sitting in, should pull most anything you need to pull, will have ample power to pass(and then some!!), and that fine diesel rattling sound will lull you to sleep if you're not careful! I don't think you can go wrong!

rotorhead

 

Thanks, rotorhead, for the response. I went out today and got myself a '95 Crew Cab PSD, 4X4. I'll have to change my signature, and probably my pen name, since I'm no longer "Flaresideguy". I'd better get caught up on my reading of the previous posts, to find out what I need to know to take care of this beautiful beast. Does anyone have any words of advice to get me off on the right foot? Any definite do's and don't's? Thanks in advance.

'81 F-150 Flareside
300/4spd
Stock for now, with upgrades coming.
Previously known as Baitboy, then Flareside guy, now Flrsdgy.
(It's a long story.)

 

Congratulations! You've picked a winner in my opinion. Mine's a '97 crew cab and I truly love it (well, okay, I like it an awful lot anyway!!) First thing's first: Oil changes...Owners manual says change it every 5,000mi in normal driving conditions, 3,000 in severe driving conditions. Note, however, that they consider towing, and even in-town stop-and-go driving "severe". I compromise and change mine about every 4,000 miles. Figure that's close enough. Change your oil filter every time you change the oil. Some may argue with me, but I figure if ten more bucks is gonna hurt me, then I should sell the truck anyway!! As for oil, you'll get lots of different opinions about what's best. Just make sure it's an oil specifically formulated for diesel (compression) engines. I use Shell Rotella 15W40 myself. It's gonna take about 14 1/2 quarts to do a change, so you'll get to know the stuff really well! Finally, there's an additive available from your Ford dealer called FW16. It' goes in the radiator, and serves to prevent cavitation (a nasty occurence that happens to our high compression engines that can literally cut holes in your block). Immediately if not sooner, drain your coolant, flush your radiator, then refill with 2 to 2 1/2 gals of antifreeze, the rest with water, then add a whole bottle (16 oz) of FW16. I think I paid about $8 for the last bottle I bought. This is VERY IMPORTANT! This engine has the potential to go 500,000 miles for you, even when you work the fire out of it, so give it what it needs!! I'm sorry I'm so long-winded. Seems like I'm leaving something out, and it's early, and my coffee hasn't hit my brain yet. But let me know if you have any more questions and I'll either answer 'em or tell you if I can't!
Now you're ready to go! Drive it like you stole it!!!!!

 

Rotorhead, you're great. If you don't mind, I do have a few questions, mostly clarifying what might be myths. (If someone else wants to jump in and answer these questions, I'd love to hear from you.)
1) I've heard that diesels need to get fully warmed up when you drive them, and that 10 miles is the minimum you need to get them warmed up. Since it's 10 miles to work, do I need to take the long way, just to be safe?
2) What does this thing weigh? I used to have a Suburban, (until I came to my senses and started driving Fords), and that weighed 6000lbs. I'll bet this is more. Could you take a ballpark guess?
3) How big are the gas tanks? I have two tanks, but don't know how much capacity I have.
4) Since I don't have an owners manual, and won't be able to get to the local Ford store for a little while to get one, how do you engage and disengage the 4wd? I'm pretty sure I can get it engaged, but don't know the drill for unlocking the hubs.
I can't tell you how much I appreciate your help, as well as anyone else that wants to jump in and answer the questions of a rookie.

'95 F350 Crew Cab 4X4 PSD.
35" tires
(Thank God for a wife that likes big trucks.)

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 28-Jan-02 AT 04:16 PM (EST)]

 

I'm happy I can help. Most of what I've learned about Ford trucks and the PSD I've learned right here on this site from people who know far more than I do. I can tell you that I spent 8 years riding ground ambulances before I traded in the PSDs for helicopters, and any engine that can take the abuse those PSDs in those ambulances take and still run 300, 400, even 500,000 miles is one heck of a feat of engineering!
Now, to your questions: Diesels DO like to be warm. Just take it easy on her until she's perking and the temp gauge rises and she should be fine. My commute is about 30 miles, and for the first 5 miles or so, I keep the RPMs low, ease into her a bit. Within that 5 miles, I can tell she smoothes out and starts wanting to stretch her legs!! I wouldn't go the long way to work unless you really want to. Just don't pull out of the driveway and start trying to smoke the tires and it'll be fine. My truck's an F250 supercab and weighs somewhere in the neighborhood of 7,200lbs so I'm told. I haven't weighed it, but that's what others tell me. I'd bet you're a tad heavier! I also have dual tanks, and, if memory serves, the front tank's in the neighborhood of 19 gals and the rear tank holds something like 17. I know that I get an average of 18 to 19 mpg on the interstate unloaded at 70-75mph and I'll go between 500 and 550 miles on both tanks. I've been 600 between fuel-ups once, just to say I did it, but I drove it 600 miles like my grandmother would drive it!!!
As for the 4X4, I'm afraid I can't help you there. Mine's a 4X2. Somebody else on here is bound to be able to help you out though. Listen, I've got my owner's manual, and they should be fairly similar, since I think my manual states it's for the 250 and 350. If you think of something else you want to know that might be in the manual, lemme know in here and i'll look it up for you. or email me at
clcampbell@emergmed.umsmed.edu. Happy truckin!!!

 

I'm pretty sure I can help with your 4X4 engage/ disengage question, since I'm from one of the coldest and blizzard like areas.I own the same truck as yours and its quite simple to put it in 4x4. Put the truck in park or neutral(if in neutral, use your E-brake) get out and turn your hubsto engage(I think thats whats written on them), get back in your rig, move your 4x4 lever to 4High, and go! To be in4 low, you must be stopped moving and in neytral to engage it. Hope this is helpful and if anyone thinks I'm wrong please inform us.

 

Thanks for all the information, but now another question comes up. I'm doing an oil change this weekend, and will try to work in getting the coolant changed, too. Would it be acceptable to just add some of the radiator additive to what I've already got, or is it possible to OD on that stuff, in case it's already in there? Once I get the coolant squared away one way or the other, do I need to add the additive again at some interval, or is it good for the life of the antifreeze? Sorry I'm asking so many questions, but I want to get off on the right foot with the truck.

'95 F350 Crew Cab 4X4 PSD.
35" tires
(Thank God for a wife that likes big trucks.)

 

I've been told that you can get too much of a good thing. There's a way to test your coolant with test strips, but I don't know much about it, or where to get them, or how to do it. Anybody else wanna help us out??? At any rate, what I was told was to add the whole bottle when you first change/flush, then every 15,000 miles after, add 8 oz. I haven't gotten that far yet, and would love for somebody to clarify for us how/when to check the coolant and where to get the strips! See, flrsdgy, I'm still learnin' too!!!

rotorhead

 

Thanks for your response, Rotorhead. Since I'm so **** about maintenance, and want to know what happened when, I'm going to flush and start fresh. I don't want to be like my neighbor, who has a '99 PSD, and in talking to him yesterday, I found out that he had just taken his truck in for the 30,000 mile service, and that was only the third oil change since he'd gotten the truck new!! He hasn't done anything about maintaining the coolant, and when I mentioned water separator, he said, "water separator, I've got a water separator?"
I don't know much about the history of my rig, but I do know that it'll be getting good maintenance from now on. I'm sitting on 125K on the odometer now, so I figure I've got about 300K to go, even if it wasn't maintained properly.
Thanks again for your help. I'm looking forward to when I can log on and answer questions, rather than merely ask all the time. Thanks for your patience.

'95 F350 Crew Cab 4X4 PSD.
35" tires
(Thank God for a wife that likes big trucks.)

 

WWW.FORDDIESEL.COM HAS ALL THE INFO THAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE TEST STIPS AND THE COOLANT ADDITIVES. SOME PRETTY INTERESTING ARTICLES TOO HOPE THIS IS A HELP.

2002 BLACK F350 4X4 PSD SUPERCHIP ETC:P

 

I had a 95 PSD crew cab F250 (company truck) for several years. Here are some of the things that might help you.
If you have auto hubs on the truck to lock in stop the truck (you can leave it in gear) and pull transfer case lever into 4 hi or lo and go.
To unlock the auto hubs stop the truck put transfer case into 2WD, and backup about twenty feet or so to unlock the hubs. Warning, if you are stuck and trying to rock the truck out every time you go from forward to reverse the hubs have to lock again so make sure that you let the front wheels spin a bit before hitting the throttle or you will tear the dogs off the hubs.
Change the coolant once a year on the truck, that is the safest way to do things on a diesel. I never added any additives to the coolant due to the fact that I changed the coolant every year.
There is a drain by the fuel filter (Yellow lever) that you slide to drain water from the fuel system. It will drain on to the ground so put a pan under the truck before opening the drain with the truck not running.
I drove about 2000 to 4000 miles per week on the highway and changed my oil about every 4000 to 6000 miles. If I was sitting on site with the engine running (sometimes 8 to 10 hours a day) I would change the oil at about the 3000 mile mark.
200,000 miles plus on the truck and no major problems.

Hope some of this will help you and good luck,
Cyberbyrd