I just came back from a Diesel training class and mohle hit it right on the head.


maintenance maintenance maintenance

here is some info that pertains to POWERSTROKE DIESELS so I hope it helps.

more oil changes and using cetane with cut down on a lot of problems.

Ed



Overview
Power Stroke® Diesel engines provide unmatched performance and durability but they also require regularly scheduled maintenance. Power Stroke® Diesel engines and Super Duty® pickups are used in a large variety of demanding applications. Owner's put their vehicles through their paces and keep bringing them back for more. Depending on the application of the vehicles, maintenance intervals may vary.

There are two different types of operating conditions: Normal Service and Severe Service. Normal Service intervals are considered general vehicle usage while Special Service intervals are defined as follows:



Frequent or extended idling
Over 10 minutes per hour of normal driving Frequent low speed operation Sustained heavy traffic less then 25 MPH One hour of idle time, is equal to approximately 25 miles of driving *Note: (If vehicle is operated in sustained ambient temperatures below -10°F or above°F)
Operating in severe dust or off-road conditions
Towing a trailer over 1,000 miles
Sustained, high speed driving at Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (maximum loaded weight for vehicle operation)
Use of Any Bio diesel
B5 is the maximum allowable blend to be used in any Power Stroke™ Diesel



Normal Service Intervals are defined as follows:
7.3L:
Oil Filter: 5,000 miles
Fuel Filter: 15,000 miles
6.0L:
Oil Filter: 7,500 miles
Fuel Filters: 15,000 miles
6.4L:
Oil Filter: 10,000 miles
Fuel Filters: 20,000 miles


Special Service Intervals are defined as follows:
7.3L:
Oil Filter: 3,000 miles
Fuel Filter: 9,000 miles
6.0L:
Oil Filter: 5,000 miles, 200 engine hours or 3 months
Fuel Filters: 10,000 miles, 400 engine hours or 6 months
6.4L:
Oil Filter: 5,000 miles, 200 engine hours or 3 months
Fuel Filters: 10,000 miles, 400 engine hours or 6 months

*Note: All other maintenance intervals can be found in the Diesel Owners Supplement issued with every new Power Stroke ® Diesel powered Super Duty ® pickup.


and if you are not using Cetane start using it.




Fuel and Additives
Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel (ULSD) Fuel:
Part of a multi-tiered effort to reduce tailpipe emissions, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has put in place various emissions requirements for on-road diesel equipped vehicles. Tier 2 was put in place in 2004 and introduced concepts such as Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) to the diesel industry. 2007 and Tier 3 of this emissions requirement will bring about many new changes. The 6.4L Power Stroke Diesel Engine will be equipped with a Two State Turbocharger, enhanced EGR System and Common-Rail Fuel Injection System. It will also feature exhaust aftertreatment devices such as an active Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) and Diesel Oxidation Catalyst (DOC). These new aftertreatment devices, with the help of exhaust gas recircualtion, will help to reduce tailpipe emissions 97% from tier 2 requirements (6.0L Power Stroke).




To help the diesel engine manufacturers meet the 2007 EPA emissions requirements, the Federal Government is issuing new diesel fuel and engine oil standards.



Previous diesel fuels were rated at 500 parts per million (ppm) of sulfur content. Throughout the industry this was denoted as Low Sulfur Diesel (LSD) Fuel. To aid in the reduction of harmful pollutants the new diesel fuel standard will reduce the amount of sulfur to 15 ppm. This new fuel is commonly known as Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel (ULSD) Fuel. Starting on June 1, 2006 all retail diesel pumps had to be labeled with stickers to alert customers what standard of diesel fuel they were about to purchase. The most important thing to remember when buying diesel fuel is that 6.4L Power Stroke engines will require ULSD. All previous Power Stroke engines (6.9L, 7.3L and 6.0L) can run on either LSD or ULSD.



There will also be a new engine oil classification for 2007. This engine oil is called "CJ-4". This classification works in conjunction with ULSD to help reduce tailpipe emissions. This new oil has reduced sulfated ash and phosphorous. It is engineered to help carry the extra soot that is recirculated by the enhanced exhaust EGR system on the 6.4L Power Stroke.







Fuel Quality:
Unlike gasoline, diesel fuel is not federally mandated on a strict quality policy. Diesel fuel quality is measured by its cetane rating. The cetane rating of diesel fuel is similar to that of the octane rating of gasoline. The higher the cetane rating the more efficient the fuel will combust.

The more efficient the combustion process, the fewer emissions in the exhaust gas.



The minimum cetane rating for Power Stroke Diesel engines is 45 cetane. Unfortunately, cetane levels at various fuel sources around North America are very inconsistent. Low cetane levels can lead to lack of power, reduced fuel economy and various driveability concerns. Low cetane diesel fuel can be improved by using fuel additives. Motorcraft Cetane Booster and Performance Improver (PM-22-A - US, PM-22-B - CAN) can improve cetane levels as much as 4-6 points. Motorcraft fuel additives are available at Y2KFORDPARTS or any Ford dealer.(I added me) hehehehe