Best Strategies -Preventative Maint for Diesels ?

[wcbcruzer]

Go with any diesel oil in 15w40 weight. Rotella, Delo 400, Delvac just to name a few. Oil change intervals at at least 5000 miles. Never used Mobil 1, that's for gas engines. Bypass filter is a good idea, I'd go with a Frantz because it filters the best but you have to change it often (3500 miles or so). An exhaust won't give that much of a gain in mpg, if any. Best thing to do for fuel mileage is keep the tires aired up (stock size) and go easy on the throttle. Not sure about the 7.3 but bumping up the timing a degree or two in my truck helps burn the fuel more completely; hence, better fuel economy.

Hope you enjoy your new truck. Looks nice! I really enjoy mine but I'm thinking about selling it now. Just can't justify the added fuel costs, long time it takes to heat up in the cold mornings, and size for city driving.

 

[STG]

Of course you can use Mobil 1. Look for Mobil 1 for Turbo Diesel Trucks. It is Delvac 1 5w-40 with a different label (check Mobil's website). Since Ford is coming out with Motorcraft 5w-40 synthetic oil for diesels, that weight has been back-spec'd for all Ford/International diesels.

I've been using Delvac1 / Mobil 1 Turbo Diesel Truck year around in my 2005 Powerstroke.

Am I missing something, or has the thread starter failed to identify what kind of truck he has?

Experience with and advice for 1989 Cummins or 6.9 or 7.3 Powerstroke diesels is NOT applicable for the most part to newer, emissions-equipped diesels.

For example: Older diesels can be idled for long periods without too much worry. Newer engines, like my 2005 Powerstroke 6.0 will wetstack while never reaching operating temperature. This also contributes to EGR valve fouling. Newer Ford trucks have two built-in high idle circuits, one for power take-off applications (SEIC - constant 1,200 rpm with torque converter lock-up), and BCP - (Battery Charge Protect 1,200 - 2,400 rpm automatic computer controlled, no converter lock-up).

Another example is air filters. Newer Fords are equipped with Donaldson air filters which flow as good or better than any aftermarket filter and filter better than anything else.

Many people have run into problems with non OEM late model Ford Powerstroke oil filters. The oil filter is a canister design situated in the V of the engine. The canister is equipped with an anti-drain valve that stops the oil from draining out of the filter after the engine is stopped. The same valve allows the oil to drain when the canister is partially unscrewed so you don't drop a quart of oil on your engine when removing the filter cartridge.

Some aftermarket filter cartridges (including early Amsoil filters) are a fraction of an inch shorter than OEM. This discrepancy affected the anti-drain valve operation, causing the oil to drain out of the filter when the engine was stopped.

On new diesels it is important that both Ford and Dodge are scrutinizing warranty claims very carefully. Leave your truck stock. Diesel engines are expensive. i am not bout to jeopardize my 5 year/ 100,000 mile warranty.

 

[wcbcruzer]

It's actually not good to idle any diesel, old or new. Newer diesels may be affected sooner, I don't know, but for sure it's not good to leave older diesels idling either. FWIW, if I start and idle my truck on a morning the egt won't go over 350 degrees. Not good. The manual even states not to idle for more than 15 mins.

 

[ottomatic]

UPDATE : 5 yrs later. Still have same glow plugs & still not waiting. Still winding the pi$$ out of them & still not letting em idle or lug. Still using an additive every tank

 

[sdan27]

Regardless of whether you allow the 'wait to start' light to turn off before you start the engine, the glow plugs are still heating up. Even after the 'wait to start' light goes off, the glow plugs are still activated for a predetermined amount of time. By your signature, it looks like you live in Florida so I would imagine its warm enough down there that even if your glow plugs are not working, you might not notice.

 

[bullwinkle]

I saw this post, not realizing it was an old one, and immediately thought "6.0, Ford? Best longevity move would be to sell it right now and buy a Duramax or Cummins!". Seriously, one of the best things for any diesel is to WORK it regularly-don't drive it on short hops empty, get it warmed up and use it for what it was intended to do. After that, keep a decent oil in the engine, preferably a 10W30 or 5W40 in a 6.0 PSD-as Ford NOW recommends, and use a QUALITY ATF in the TorqShift-the factory Mercon SP worked great in the E-350 I had, and EGR delete is a good idea too.

 

[beanoil]

Originally Posted By: wcbcruzer
All that sounds a bit excessive to me. You don't need coolant filters or transmission filters. Transmission filters are actually worse imo. You don't have to stay stock either, you can add some mild hp and still be safe. Just change the fluids on time with the right stuff and you should be good to go. Oh and don't leave it idling for a long time.

On the Ford 6.0, a coolant filter is one of the keys to longevity. Staying stock is the safe route with these engines; chipped engines stretch head bolts and blow head gaskets pretty quickly. Engine oil every 4k with 10w30, and fuel filter every other change. I add PS Diesel Kleen every tank, and don't hesitate to tow, and run it hard.

 

[roadrunner1]

Originally Posted By: beanoil
Originally Posted By: wcbcruzer
All that sounds a bit excessive to me. You don't need coolant filters or transmission filters. Transmission filters are actually worse imo. You don't have to stay stock either, you can add some mild hp and still be safe. Just change the fluids on time with the right stuff and you should be good to go. Oh and don't leave it idling for a long time.

On the Ford 6.0, a coolant filter is one of the keys to longevity. Staying stock is the safe route with these engines; chipped engines stretch head bolts and blow head gaskets pretty quickly. Engine oil every 4k with 10w30, and fuel filter every other change. I add PS Diesel Kleen every tank, and don't hesitate to tow, and run it hard.


10w-30 is what I run also, although I do run it out 7,500 mi., the owners manual recommendation.

The root cause of the head gaskets is attributed to leaking EGR coolers, being coolant starved caused by blocked oil coolers. Coolant filters should have been installed at the factory on these trucks.

The above poster must not be familiar with these trucks, external transmission filters were factory equipment, and the owners manual states it is to be changed at 30,000 mi.

I have over 300,000 mi in the seat(two trucks) in the 6,0, I have heard all of the horror stories but have not experienced any failures in either truck, my current '07 has been absolutely the best truck I have ever owned.

 

[sdan27]

Adding coolant filters was a factory recall for the International trucks that had the 6.0L engine.

 

[Durangoboy]

Friend of mine has a auto shop and does a lot of work on Ford PSs. I hang in his shop a lot helping him with his race car. In what little time I have spent there I have seen quite a few of the most nasty clogged air filters that you could imagine. How the engine got air is beyond my imagination. Every truck that comes in with a turbo failure has a air filter that looks like something from a desert race.

Lots of his repairs are failures due to maintenance neglect. The 6.0 fords need coolant filters,,the oil cooler has small water passages that get clogged up and the filter eliminates this problem.

The 7.3 fords need the 6.0 transmission coolers installed and synthetic oil, such as Amzoil.

 

[bullwinkle]

Forgot to add-head studs are an excellent investment (I had HG failure on the '04 6.0 PSD I had with NO perf. upgrades), and get rid of that junk EGR cooler ASAP-we had several of those fail on the 6.0 van fleet as well. Big $$$ weaknesses in the Ford version of the 6.0!