Diesel GURUs School me

[98cobradan]

Dont know much bout diesels, im in the market for one. Can u guys tell me what to look for as far as wear and tear on an engine, and drive train. I dont wanna buy somthin that looks amazing inside and out, cuz the person detailed the shit outta it, and not known that it has been run to death, meaing off road or somthin to that nature. WInter is coming up, a friend told me they are differcult at times to warm up and run properly??? Im not real familiar with a "glow plug"(shoot me LOL).

i would like to hear from the cummins and powerstroke guys, whats the good bad and the ugly(motor, trans, rear, 4x4, ect)

and info would be great

[Goober]

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/diesel.htm

Read this before you jump headlong into diesels.

[facemelter71]

My dad has 2 F-350's over at the farm in oxford.One is a 99,the other is an 01.Both are 7.3L..........When it gets down in the 20's he will plug them in at night,and they fire right up in the morning.He had a late 94 turbo f-350 that would even start in the cold weather not even being plugged in.You have to look at the miles and suspension just like you would on a regular car or truck.Ive seen 800 THOU on some regular trucks with diesel's.Just have to take care of them.

[Carl]

If your looking at Super Duty trucks, make sure to check out ball joints. Get with Craigles on here, he is a Powerstroke guru.

[PonymanfiveO]

beware of high mileage trucks. You will hear a lot of "diesels will run forever." and "A diesel is just getting broke in at 250,000 miles" lol

truth is, sure a diesel will last a long time but as with anything with high mileage stuff will fall apart. Sensors and electrical parts, Brake lines, fuel lines, ball joints, u-joints, axle bearings, and of course rusty stuff.

I have owned a few high mileage diesels and I loved all of them but I always seemed to be working on them.

What are you looking for out of your diesel truck you want to buy?
How much weight do you plan to tow?
How much power would you like to have out of it?

[thecollector]

www.thedieselstop.com used to be my home away from at home. Try lurking there for a few days...

[ponymom05]

Definately talk to Craigels. My PS has about 230K on it, had 196K when I bought it. Probably one of the best running, hardest working trucks around town.

[craigels]

As far Ford Powerstrokes go there are lots of things to consider... here's af ew to get you started.

94.5-97 trucks are all non intercooled... the F250s featured a very undesirable TTB Dana 50 front axle which were notorious for going bad... the F350s have a very saught after solid axle Dana 60... these trucks came with manual or auto trans, the manual ZF5 came stock with dual mass flywheel - which will come apart eventually, but can be easily remedied with a solid flywheel and clutch conversion... the E4OD automatic is decent until you tow a lot or put any kind of power greater than stock to it... They also did not have a trans cooler outside of the radiator... all of these trucks were available in single, extended, or crew cab - however, there are no rear doors on the extended cab... Alternator, starter, water pump and trans will probably go out at 100,000 miles...

Lots of people swap the Dana 60s into F250s... auxillary trans coolers can be added easily...

There were no 1998 model year heavy Ford pickups...

99-03... These trucks are now intercooled... the turbos on these trucks are smaller than the older ones... a design change makes the 99.5+ trucks more desirable due to turbo changes and PCM changes allowing for better aftermarket tuning options... you can get a ZF6 speed manual trans or a 4R100 auto... the 4R100 is basically a newer version of the E4OD, but has an auxillary trans cooler... the interior of these trucks are nicer and the extended cabs have 4 doors... all 99+ Super Duty 4x4 have a solid front axle...

03.5-07... 6.0 are known for head gasket issues due to EGR... injectors and variable geometry turbos had problems in the early trucks.

With ANY diesel truck... it has probably been worked! BUT, has it been taken care of? Regular maintenance records? The truck will last as long as it has been serviced correctly... does it have a receiver hitch? 5th wheel or gooseneck ball in bed will indicate heavy towing... Has it been modified? Does it have gauges to monitor the upgrades or for towing purposes? Do the modifications look like they have been done right or hacked up? Who owns the truck? Old man who drives it into town or some jackass kid? STAY AWAY FROM TRUCKS WITH K&N or similar type air filters...

Give the truck a good once over as you any used car... look for the usual things in addition to checking the oil (it WILL be black, but see when it was last changed)... check trans fluid (burnt smell? or unusually dark?)... take the intake boot off the turbo and check for wear signs on the wheel... how recent are the glow plugs, glow plug relay and CPS (cam position sensor)...


This is just SOME stuff off the top of my head and its already getting long... feel free to ask questions!


Craig

[98cobradan]

so how will i know if the trans, alternator, starter, water pump, is goin to go out. If i take a test drive with it?

and how do i check for this"how recent are the glow plugs, glow plug relay and CPS (cam position sensor)..." where are they located?

[98cobradan]

oh and lifted trucks with big tires does that make the milieage go down??

[tcorns]

i have an early 99 superduty and i can say that for the most part it is a good truck. i was under the impression that the early 99 had the desireable turbo do to the clearance between the wheel and the housing causing a faster spool? anyway something to be concerned about in the SD is the transmission. mine let go at 150,000 and that seems to be the norm for most. at least for alot of the folks that i know. many go to an aftermaket unit and never have another issue again. i just had mine rebuilt with some minor upgrades and it is doing fine. i have 2.5 inches of lift on mine and run a 35 inch tire, and that causes a good bit of stress on ball joints. mine are so bad right now it isn't safe. if you go 4x4 i prefer to have a manual shift transfer case and manual hubs.

trev

[boosted 98]

BUY A CUMMINS!!!

[mustangboy]

Only problem with the cummins is they come in a dodge truck.

[RACEME]

I have an 01 F350 Crew cab 4x4 psd. It has been a wonderful truck. The trans went out at 170k, and it cost about $3000 to get a good heavy replacement. More if you want a totally indestructable one. The only issues mine has had is the solonoid for the glow plugs $20, and the cam sensor $35 (ford now has a recal for em)

Mine has an old 100 hp superchip as the only performance mod. Sure there are other more powerful trucks, but mine pulls awesome and makes me happy.

[Black Horse]

So do you diesel gurus prefer:

7.3l ?
6.0l ?
6.4l ?

[colz89gt]

7.3's were the best motors international ever made for the fords, in my opinion. they did have some problems with the 01's 02's with the turbo seals leaking and also some head gaskets going bad.. i have heard nothing but bad stuff about the 6.0's and the 6.4's but i have also heard good stuff about them too. seems as if your leaning more towards the powerstorke than any of the others. i have had alot more experience with the cummins's than any of the others, they will generally run forever if they are cared for properly, with very little maintenance. the 2002 cummins were really bad about the injector pumps going out due to the failure of the lift pump, when a friend of mine took his in to get it fixed while still under warranty the dealer ship told him it was because he ran it almost out of fuel, this happened the second time and they told him the same thing finally he ended up gettin them to reemburse him for half of the money of the pump which was 1600 without core charge with core it was about 1200. i dont know much about the newer duramaxes other than i had heard there also bad about blowing head gaskets and turbos if they modified alot (chips and injectors). check around the oil pans for excessive oil and around the back side of the firewall, dodges are prone to leak around the oil pans and the powerstokes if the turbo is about to go out or has before will generally have oil all over the valley below the turbo and on the firewall. hope this helps a little

[Black Horse]

And which gives the best fuel mileage..especially hauling a load?

[colz89gt]

honestly i couldnt tell you about that my 95 12 valve is far from stock and as long as your not dogging it i get about 20-23 MPG with it. its all going to depend on it being a duallie and all to my uncle has a 05 3500 dodge 4 door and it gets about 16 MPG.. alot of it depends on the driver but i would say anywhere from 17-20 MPG depending on what your doing obviously less than that with a load...

[PonymanfiveO]

5.9 12 valve.

if its a Ford you cant beat a 7.3
theres no replacement for displacement. ;)

[69Cobra]

We tow with a 99.5 7.3 4 door dually. I took it on vacation a couple months ago to NC and it got 23.9mpg on the way down with the air on and the cruise set on 65 for the most part. Towing a 36' enclosed gooseneck with car and tools its about 22,000# going down the highway and it get about 14.5 towing. This is all after putting a Edge box " juice with atitude", a cool air intake and a new torque converter with 3 clutches for towing. Before these mods it didn't want anything to do with towing the enclosed trailer and would only get about 12 mpg empty.

[98cobradan]

honestly i couldnt tell you about that my 95 12 valve is far from stock and as long as your not dogging it i get about 20-23 MPG with it. its all going to depend on it being a duallie and all to my uncle has a 05 3500 dodge 4 door and it gets about 16 MPG.. alot of it depends on the driver but i would say anywhere from 17-20 MPG depending on what your doing obviously less than that with a load...

so uv have experience with the cummins, any downfalls to look for?? like craigels said bout the trans, ball joints, ect, ect, with the powerstroke?? and do guys generally replace the ball joints when they lift there truck(any truck for that matter) since it puts so much stress on them??

[tcorns]

i would think that front end parts take a big amount of force not only because of the tires, but you have alot of weight on them also. my truck weighs close to 7500 lbs empty. around me, in farm land, you see alot of ford and dodge's and very few chevy's. personaly i think that no matter what you get... you can't go wrong. diesel trucks need TLC. as long as you take care of them, they will take care of you.

trev

[BigBadStang]

Just an FYI, the Duramax is an Isuzu engine.

[colz89gt]

if you get a cummins dont go with the automatic there shit, as far as the 12 valve cummins you cant hurt that motor...if the truck is lifted the ball joints will wear out easier. the 95 dodge i have has 133,000 miles on it and has had one set of ball joints put in it... its like i have always said if i could build a truck it would be a ford body with a cummins motor and a allison transmission. if you go with the dodge get a manual trans..

[PonymanfiveO]

if you get a cummins dont go with the automatic there shit, as far as the 12 valve cummins you cant hurt that motor...if the truck is lifted the ball joints will wear out easier. the 95 dodge i have has 133,000 miles on it and has had one set of ball joints put in it... its like i have always said if i could build a truck it would be a ford body with a cummins motor and a allison transmission. if you go with the dodge get a manual trans..

Not very true guy.


The auto transmissions in all the big three are pretty weak from the factory.
Ford GM and Dodge just cant afford to put a bulletproof trans behind every truck they crank out. Up the power or tow heavy loads and you will make them all shit on them selves. The Dodge transmissions are far from shit. I have a very strong 12 valve with an auto transmission behind it. It was built by Sun Coast in Florida. It has a tripple disk torque converter and the best of everything you can put in one, including all billet shafts. It sports a 3 year unlimited hp and milage warranty. Who would put a warranty on a shit transmission?
Dont think you are safe with a manual trans behind your diesel. I have seen many a 5th gear nuts back off in dodge manual gear boxes. And with all of the big three, if you tow heavy or add Horse power you will blow right through those stock clutches. And a good replacement aftermarket clutch cost as much as a heavy duty Auto Trans.

You are also misleading in saying "you cant hurt a 12 valve."
I love my 12 valve but they have their weaknesses just like any other diesel engine. I squeezed out a head gasket with a stock turbo.
You have to do your home work and research to find the best truck for you.
Dont make an impulse buy. You will be sorry every time.


Colz is right though. 12 valves are bad ass and the row boat trannys are fun to drive. ;) :bigthumb

[colz89gt]

all i was saying is that the allison is the stronger of the three automatic transmissions.. I had a friend that was pushing over 800horse in a 2003 Chevy 2500 Duramx. the dodges automatic trans is probably the weakest i have seen these blowout easy. my fifth gear nut also did back off and had to pull the transmission and put the new nut in with the lock some people simple tighten the nut an use a punch and frail the threads behind the nut to keep it from backing off. i had a centerforce dual friction clutch and fried it I now have a luke pro gold which was half the price of the centerforce and havent had any problems yet. you are right in saying the motor can be hurt but all motors that have been modified are more at risk of spitting a head gasket, especially under boost.. i meant stock for stock the 12 valve motor is hard to beat the tough and durable. i also spit the head gasket on mine but what can you expect when your pushing 55 lbs of boost. i now have head studs and the heads are oringed.