Wayne O

After driving 3/4 ton, 4 x 4, big gas engine Suburban's for decades I’m looking at a very low mileage 2010 Ford Super Duty F250, 4x4, crew cab, short bed pickup with the 6.4 liter twin turbo diesel engine. The diesel engine will be great for pulling trailers but the higher cost of diesel fuel is a minor concern. The truck will be somewhat of a daily driver. I don’t know much about Ford diesel engines other than some manufacturing changes occurred over the past several years.

If anyone has experience with recent Ford 4 x4 trucks and in particular with the 6.4 liter twin turbo diesel engine I’d appreciate your input. Thanks in advance for your advice.

John Shiels

http://www.thedieselstop.com/forums/

Wayne O

John...thanks for your direction. Being diesel ignorant I've been checking out various forums...the Ford Truck and the Powerstroke forums to name two. Like anything I see a range of opinions. I'm calling a local, independent shop now that specializes in diesel engine repairs....I figure they work on them all the time so they must have an opinion. I'll keep plodding on. Thanks again for your help and direction!

jawfixer

I have the same truck and have put 26000 miles in the last year with no problems. In my opinion and this is my first Ford vehicle in my 60 years, it has a better ride than GM and is well built. I cant comment about the drive train as I dont have any experience with other trucks. Fuel mileage pulling a 10,000lb trailer is about 9-10 mpg and without trailer on highway at 65 about 17.5 mpg. I could pull in mountains of W, VA and Va at 75-80 mph all day without problems.

0Anthony @ LGMotorsports

97-02 Ford 7.3 powerstrokes were great. Old school.
03-07 6.0L powerstrokes had LOTS of issues with the EGR cooler/Head gaskets
08 Job 1 Ford powerstrokes were OK
09-2010 job 2 powerstrokes are great. Read up on the EGR cooler/delete issues with them as well. We had one come through with a Spartan tune, Air intake, and Catback make 550/1125 rwhp/tq.
2011 6.7 scorpion powerstrokes are powerful, but now use the DEF ( Diesel exhaust fluid) and Ive heard that there are some reliability issues with them, but still overall great.

early 02-04 duramaxes had injector issues, but there was a recall on them

Duramax trucks as they age will have fuel system issues, I truly dont know what/how to fix them, as we were never able to solve ours. typically, its a lift pump, injectors, and a high pressure pump.

06+ Dmax trucks had the Allison A1000 6 speed auto. Its great.

2011 LML Duramax trucks also use Diesel Exhaust Fluid.

Dodge cummins 98.5-2003 gen2 24V were great but rattley.
Dodge cummins 03.5-early 07 Common rail were great
Dodge cummins 07.5+ had EGR/EGR Cooler and DPF problems. The G56 manual trans is great, dont tow uphill in 6th, 5th is 1:1, and strait thru. The 68RFE trans wont take much abuse, but can be upgraded well. The 6.7 is great, lots of torque but keep the tuner set low when towing. The head studs/gaskets are weak at elevated power levels.

The cummins is the only one of the big 3 that doesnt use Diesel exhaust fluid for emissions.

Keep an eye on EGTs and watch your temps, and itll live a long life! Diesels have come a LONG way the last 5 years, we are fortunate to have trucks like these around!

Louis

John Shiels

Cummins is the best engine. I love the noise of my 01

6.0 in Excursion is OK to ah!

Timz06

The cummins can't match the power levels of the new trucks (stock.)

I have an LML and it is a great truck. Very quiet, good fuel economy, 395 hp & 765 ft lbs is enough.

Tim

Wayne O

I value the benefit of everyone's experience....thanks for your help!

That's encouraging. Like you, I've never been a Ford person although I know they make good trucks. I also haven't bought a used vehicle since I was in college. I've pretty much been a GM guy but after test driving a comparable Chevy truck I agree the Ford has a better ride. I've been spoiled with my 2001 Suburban...with its almost 500 cubic inch engine it's a pullin' machine. The 8.1 liter V8 has been bulletproof for over 175,000 miles now. The downside is I get about 10 mpg. Thanks for your input!

John Shiels

and they will never last as long either.

Screamin Z

I have an 08 F250 Job 1 with the spartan tune and (the last) 6spd manual. Plainly said, It hauls ***. Did have to get a south bend clutch to hold up to it, But Ive had no powertrain problems.

Only issue ive had is im on my second radiatior. Apperently these things leak like a spring. I think Job 2's got rid of this issue.

With the tune im getting 11 mpg loaded (20,000 GVW)at 75 MPH and up to 22 mpg at the same speed unloaded.

Operations

I have never ever been a Ford fan, my whole family is die hard chevy.

That said I purchased a F250 new in 2005, loved it, then purchased a 2008, 2009, 2010, and a 2011, all 4X4.
The 2011 is the best of the lot, true you must add DEF fluid. Very powerful, super ride, great A/C.

I will say, every year before I purchase the new F250 I go test drive a Chevy hopping its now got the features I become used to. I end up buying the F250

Im now the black sheep of the family

AU N EGL

Was looking at an 2011 F-450 today. Nice truck The 4.30 rear end and highway mileage gives me a question as to would it still get mid teens on fuel mileage ?

ScaryFast

Not true anymore. The 2011's have 800 ft*lbs.

And seriously, we're all HP junkies, but do you really need that? Trucks 5 years ago had half that and were fine. I have a 2010 6.7L (with "only" 650 lb*ft) and it's a monster towing my 12,500 lb trailer. The only reason they keep escalating these numbers is for Marketing. I've heard rumors that they're going to 1100 ft*lbs in 2013 with a max GCVW over 30,000lbs. That's just stupid, IMO.

The interiors of the Dodges used to be suspect but now they blow Chevy away and are comparable to Ford.

Not needing diesel additive is awesome, but my milage sucks. 12 ish without the trailer. Of course, 12ish with the trailer, too...

Supposedly you can jump this up considerably by unplugging the EGR but I have not tried.

Screamin Z

Id almost gurantee not. I was getting 16 MPG unloaded at highway speed. I think my rear end is a 3.73 Might be 4.10

Unless the transmission is geared diffrent. And I bet not. It would be SCREAMING down the highway. 2400+ RPMs at 80 mph is my guess

L98Terror

WOW, I have a 2006 F-150 that I tow a 28 ft enclosed trailer, I towed form MI to Salt Lake and back, avg 65-70 out and 70-75 back. Avg 10 mpg.. I though diesels were supposed to be an improvement.

28 foot trailer, car, tools, and 36 rims and tires (for two cars) I'd say I had to be at 10,000 lbs.

I don't know what i get going 65 unloaded because I always drive 70-80 at that speed I get about 15 on the highway

AU N EGL

Yah

the F350s have 3.73s for the most part. Can get a 3.73in the F450 but dont come with them.

John Shiels

they should forget HP and work on mileage for diesels. My 01 gets 10-11 with the truck loaded to max and the trailer loaded to 10,000 lb. Empty it get 21 on cruise @ 55 mph. The Excursion gets about the same but has more zip.

Rob's 73

Did you ditch the DPF filter? I have been waiting to purchase a tuner until after the warranty period. I think it's costs me a gallon of fuel every time it decides to clean the exhaust.

2000BSME

There is nothing stupid about giving us trucks with better towing abilities, regardless of what you deem is 'enough' power.

My '06 dmax could have used a lil bit more last summer towing a 13000 lb rig through the hills of tn.

Black89Z51

I have an 06 F250 Lariat FX4 CC with the 6.0L Powerstroke. I love that truck. The only thing that's gone wrong with it was the climate control module and head unit. That was replaced under warranty. I've got a Banks 4" Monster single exhaust on it (soon to have the kitty removed). Before I put larger tires on it, I was getting around 19-20 mpg @ 65 mph. I'm down to about 17 mpg now with 35x12.50 Dick Cepek FCII's. I ordered a Hypertech Max Energy programmer and will be using that when I get home next week. I expect mpg to go back up to around 20 mpg (with an additional 35, 80, or 135 HP, whichever I choose). Towing 10,000 lbs nets between 10-12 mpg at around 65 mph.