Upgrade dilemma
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3rd Gear
Joined: Nov 2025
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Upgrade dilemma
I own a 2004 E350 Itasca Spirit V10 with 72,000 miles on it. I get 8.5mpg and I burn a quart of oil in approximately 1,300 miles. No smoke. No drip.
Several questions…
An educated guess on how many miles left before I hit the 1000 mile per quart Ford minimum.
I read a lot of favorable reports on 5-Star Tuning being installed on unmodified engines. So is the consensus of the group that 5-Star Tuning makes the difference they show on the graph from the dyno? And what about any claims of improved gas mileage.
Recouping the investment through decreased fuel consumption will take a long time. I wonder if this engine is going to last that long?
Several questions…
An educated guess on how many miles left before I hit the 1000 mile per quart Ford minimum.
I read a lot of favorable reports on 5-Star Tuning being installed on unmodified engines. So is the consensus of the group that 5-Star Tuning makes the difference they show on the graph from the dyno? And what about any claims of improved gas mileage.
Recouping the investment through decreased fuel consumption will take a long time. I wonder if this engine is going to last that long?
Logistics Pro
Joined: May 2022
Posts: 4,281
Likes: 2,415
From: Everywhere and nowhere
I would bet there are far more V10s with over 400k original miles than there are 6.7 diesels. Those engines will run forever. You will not get much better fuel economy going to a newer combo.
More Turbo
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 749
Likes: 93
From: Pagosa Springs CO.
I have a 00' 6.8 sd with full time truck camper, a couple years ago It started using a quart every 200 mi. And smoked on start up. I took it to a reputable shop, their opinion was the cylinders and rings were badly carboned (sp) up.
they changed oil to 10w30 semi synthetic and a quart of rislone , drove it normally for two hundred miles.
I changed the oil and added another quart of rislone, no more start up smoking, never burned another drop between oil changes @3000 intervals.
turns out, my problem came about by lugging the engine a lot, 6.8's don't like that..at ALL.
this is just a fwiw..
It's OK to run those engines and make em work.
they changed oil to 10w30 semi synthetic and a quart of rislone , drove it normally for two hundred miles.
I changed the oil and added another quart of rislone, no more start up smoking, never burned another drop between oil changes @3000 intervals.
turns out, my problem came about by lugging the engine a lot, 6.8's don't like that..at ALL.
this is just a fwiw..
It's OK to run those engines and make em work.
Thread Starter
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3rd Gear
Joined: Nov 2025
Posts: 3
Likes: 1
I have a 00' 6.8 sd with full time truck camper, a couple years ago It started using a quart every 200 mi. And smoked on start up. I took it to a reputable shop, their opinion was the cylinders and rings were badly carboned (sp) up.
they changed oil to 10w30 semi synthetic and a quart of rislone , drove it normally for two hundred miles.
I changed the oil and added another quart of rislone, no more start up smoking, never burned another drop between oil changes @3000 intervals.
turns out, my problem came about by lugging the engine a lot, 6.8's don't like that..at ALL.
this is just a fwiw..
It's OK to run those engines and make em work.
they changed oil to 10w30 semi synthetic and a quart of rislone , drove it normally for two hundred miles.
I changed the oil and added another quart of rislone, no more start up smoking, never burned another drop between oil changes @3000 intervals.
turns out, my problem came about by lugging the engine a lot, 6.8's don't like that..at ALL.
this is just a fwiw..
It's OK to run those engines and make em work.
Moderator
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 6,509
Likes: 902
From: Home Base Nebraska
I have a fast way to check the general health of you motor. First take it for a drive to get it warmed up, then remove the oil fill cap and have someone put it in gear and apply the brakes and give it some gas to load the motor, you can block the wheels if you want. Stand to one side and see if there is any oil vapor coming out of the fill cap (blow by). If a small amount comes out no problem but if it comes out with some force it's compression getting past the rings, not a good thing. If it's not blowing by check all the hose on the opposite side valve cover to make sure it's on good shape and the pcv valve hose along with the O ring on the dip stick. Modern motor vapor recovery systems can't have air getting into the crankcase from outside of the motor because it will draw oil vapor through the pcv valve causing oil lose.
Denny
Denny
Thread Starter
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3rd Gear
Joined: Nov 2025
Posts: 3
Likes: 1
I think I have the info I need regarding the oil consumption, but I still need an answer with regard to the benefit of the upgrades.
I read a lot of favorable reports on 5-Star Tuning being installed on unmodified engines. So is the consensus of the group that 5-Star Tuning makes the difference they show on the graph from the dyno? And what about any claims of improved gas mileage? The drastic change they show in the torque curve seems questionable.
I read a lot of favorable reports on 5-Star Tuning being installed on unmodified engines. So is the consensus of the group that 5-Star Tuning makes the difference they show on the graph from the dyno? And what about any claims of improved gas mileage? The drastic change they show in the torque curve seems questionable.
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