Let's not skew the #s or glaze over the statement that the gas engine is going to last for 300K miles and in a American somewhat made vehicle .

Bill is wearing the DSL guys down.

Whether it's DSL or Gas truck there are very few people that actually keep their trucks for 200k miles and I'll go as far to say 100k miles. After 4 or 5 years people start to think about a new one with the improvements or think about the warranty/extended that's about to end.

Spark plugs are cheap and fairly easy to replace, even with beer figured in it's not $600.

Last year 60,152 miles driven.

$42.79 - 1 oil change on the road traveling.
$36.70 - 10 Oil filters @ 3.67 each.(Motorcraft)
$220.71 - 70 Qts (5w20 Motorcraft $2.62 average.)
$40.37 - 3 fuel filters. (15.99/9.39/14.99)
$15.99 - 1 Air filter.
$110.82 - 10 Spark plugs. (Motorcraft)

Total $430.68

 

Even the good plugs are only $10 each. 1-2 hours time to change them. Total cost, about $100. Now lets talk injectors. My last V10 was sold with 150,000 miles and never had a single injector go bad. My ;last diesel, had 4 sets of injectors by the time it had 80,000 miles. It was traded at 91,000 miles because I could not afford to keep it running past warranty. Injectors were just one of it's many problems!

 

My 03 7.3 X has 171000 now and not one injector or glow plug changed. I did change the oil a few days ago though and that cost me $75 for oil and filter. I don't use cheap fram filters, I use at minimum pure one.


What ford trucks was it that needed the cab lifted to change plugs?

 

If it's a gas engine that's new news. Now the 6.4 I believe needs the cab lifted to do work to the engine. I'm sure that depends on the repairs and probably would be the same for most of these trucks now a days the way they stuff the engine in.

 

The reason the cab comes off is to save time.

The engine is "stuffed in".......... compared to GM, ford has done a **** poor job of keeping under the hood organized and neat.

I think they should have utilized under the truck for diesel components, theres lots of extra room and the hood is crammed crazy. Underneath would have been perfect for EGR coolers, and a few other things.

Truth is that every company builds junk compared to what could be done with modern technology.

 

Ahhh come on brother, I'm looking at changing 1 glow plug so don't just leave this with a 1 liner. What's the prerequisites? I need to know. Here's the thing you can change all your sparkplugs cheaper than I can change just 1 glowplug. How I can say this is apparently the wireharness breaks when you disconnect it from the glowplug once its been there for alittle while cause of the heat making it brittle. A wire harness is $55 and a glowplug is $15 for the motorcraft. Like $10 for autolite. I'm still tossed up if I'm going to replace all four or just the 1. So yea sparkplugs are cheaper to change. Your maintance on your engine and the gas you burn has a lot to do w/ how long your plugs last. If you burn good clean gas and keep your filter changed as schudled there won't be as many debris moving around in the combustion chamber. If you pull your plugs every now and again and clean em and replace the ones that show they are wearing. Then look at the wear and if its not normal wear then fix what's wearing them. These trucks are exposed to extrem work cycles and they need the care to match it. Your either going to do alittle work or pay alittle money. That's just the way it is. These are machines with moving parts and fluids. This means maintance and keeping an eye on how the parts are being worn. It doesn't matter if its a diesel or gas burner.
An update on my test runs. Kevin and I have did the same runs loaded and we got the same results. However putting the shift in "D" w/ tow/haul on seems to change some stuff. We haven't got numbers down yet. I noticed this by accident on my way back. We're going to do some runs in tow/haul and in "D".

 

No one doubts that the later 7.3's were good engines. It's the engines following them that are the POS engines. I had a 94 7.3 PSD (first year) that had a lot of issues, and a 2000 7.3 that was awesome. Not one problem besides a couple CPS, and minor things. I traded the 2000 with 112K on it to get a super cab in 05. Big mistake, the 05 was a total POS, and the 6.4's were no better in tow trucks. Even the new 6.7 PSD seems to be having a fair amount of problems in F550's, which is the chassis's I buy. So needless to say, I've switched to the trouble free V10's, and probably won't be going back any time soon. I work my trucks every day & need them to be reliable!

BTW, No Ford truck has ever needed the cab removed to change plugs.

 

Using a diesel in a tow truck is kinda iffy.....A friend has a few tow trucks, they are usually used for short trips so really whats the point? His trucks, one is on propane, and the other is a gas job.

Just remember, there are years that the 6.0 diesel proved more reliable than the v10.

Also remember that while the v10 was offered, diesel trucks outsold them probably 5-10 x as much, so of course theres going to be more horror storied about diesels.

The only major problems I've ever heard about on diesels are the stories I read about on here. I have lots of friends and people I know and work with that have diesels, and other than a few minor issues, the 6.0 and 6.4 have been doing pretty good IMHO. If your 6.0 or 6.4 diesel is having major issues, you probably don't need a diesel and you got it "because". The problem here is that even though these trucks don't suit everyone, ford will obviously sell it to you.

I said it before, and I'll say it again; GM's duramax does a way better job of running as a family vehicle or grocery getter. Ford shines with towing and highway driving.

Also, it seems like the same people that do have problems, usually have problems with everything they buy. I don't want to make accusations, but it's pretty obvious when someone goes through 2-3 diesel trucks, all with issues and problems, that driving habits or maintenance might possibly be part of the problem.

There are plenty of people with trouble free 6.0 and 6.4 diesels, they don't have time to leave messages on FTE because their out driving.

 

I really would like to see a 6.0 that is more reliable than a Ford V10. While we're at it, you might as well locate some chicken lips.....

 

The reason I stayed away from the 6.0 is that you HAVE to do the "Bullet Proofing" to make it reliable: Bulletproof EGR or a Delete, Head Gaskets and Studs, and or New oil cooler if your delta was bad.

With those things done, they will last forever. Just a matter of whether you want to spend the money to do them. THEN throw in some tunes and mods and the thing is an animal.

Personally, i cna justify the $$$ for the "Bullet Proofing" to make it reliable, and I would just assume to stay out of the EPA crap.

Thats why I have the 7.3.

 

Would as reliable be good enough? My brother's truck has over 300k w/ out any problems. His isn't the only either. My truck even though the oil cooler and egr cooler has been replaced hasn't stranded me. Even when the alt went out charging the batts started the truck up. I believe a few alt. Has gone out on 6.8ls.
Some 6.8s has had problems. Thing about it is that diesels always have been more expence to work on. That's just the way it is.

 

The only way to make a 6.4 get that kind of mileage is with a DPF delete thats not street legal.

What year was this?

 

06 and 07? Just a guess.
Aight yall I made some more runs but I was empty and I shifted into 2nd. This test was just to see how long I could stand to be on the pedal without an upshift. Engine was turning 4k top speed was 45 mph. I held this up until my insight alerted me that my eot had reached 215•. I had been paying attention to the rpm and speed. Ect got to 205. Which took all of maybe a minute. So its not true that a diesel's engine fluids isn't going to run a fever if reved out and tranny not pulling. I just wasn't holding long enough. Just goes to show that the sucky gauges on our trucks doesn't show the whole picture.
This has me wondering how any of the other powertrains are pulling hills @ 55+ in 2nd gear.

 

Neither one of those numbers is really that hot.

 

Detroit should dump a boatload of automotive engineers and hire some aircraft engineers instead. Now there are some people that know how to stuff the maximum amount of gear in the least amount of space, and still keep it maintainable.