Something to think about before purchasing a 6.4 - Diesel Forum

**KINGTUT** · 01-31-2007, 12:09 PM

I don't know about most of you but when I have purchased vehicles in the past I might ask about the general maintainence ect, but never in great detail. When I purchased my 6.0 it was so new that the service department could not even answer basic questions. I think that a potential purchaser of this engine needs to ask a lot of questions about maintainence and the cost of it. There have been posts about 2500 filters for the emmission systems. That is scary. What else is out there? If anyone knows I would like to know.

frobozz · 01-31-2007, 12:45 PM

There was a whole video created by Ford for that exact reason (self-maintainers)! Look back in the forum here a couple of weeks, it had its own thread and a link to the Ford site where it was.

Duncan

George C · 01-31-2007, 12:52 PM

Myself, I wouldn't have a problem buying one. I am going to buy another diesel.. I think....
I would think that any fleet operator may be slightly more wary.
It's now to the point that a diesel engine just isn't a "just for the fun of it" option anymore. I always bought one for fun.

I love the engine sound..
That's gone.

I loved the turbo whine.
That's gone.

I loved the performance capabilities.
That's a risk now.

I love the power.
Gasoline is getting very close.

I loved the resale.
What resale?

I loved the smell of the exhaust. Weird, I know....
That's gone..

I liked the price difference of diesel fuel.
That flip-flopped.

In most cases gasoline engines make a ton more sense and are a lot more user friendly.
They will get better fuel mileage and costs much less to operate.

I'm not quite sure what scraps are left of this modern diesel to enjoy, unless you need the torque for towing long distances....That gap is also closing.

93mastercraft · 01-31-2007, 01:27 PM

George C,

I'm with you there. It now really becomes a question of Gas vs diesel. I really think the last of the "great diesel days" are gone. They are saying that the new V10 has more HP than the new 6.4 and the 6.4 has less fuel milage becuase it has to dump more fuel into the engine to burn off the soot. Hummm. If the latest 6.0s are getting on average 11 to 14 mpg. I bet the new 6.4 will be right there with the milage of the V10! Plus gas is cheaper. I'd have to think real long and hard before buying another diesel.

haul_n_horses2 · 01-31-2007, 01:40 PM

Try pulling 26000# with the V-10 and tell me what your mileage is, if you can?

**KINGTUT** · 01-31-2007, 01:47 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Try pulling 26000# with the V-10 and tell me what your mileage is, if you can?

[/ QUOTE ]

You tow a 26000 pound trailer with a SD? Jeese you are one brave man. How many pounds is that over the specs, 8-10000 pounds?

Diesel Jay · 01-31-2007, 01:52 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Try pulling 26000# with the V-10 and tell me what your mileage is, if you can?

[/ QUOTE ]
My brother-in-law does that several times a week -- 25+5ft deck over trailer hauling his skidsteer and mini-excavator. And he does it with an '04 GMC with the 6.0L gasser and the 4-speed 4R80E trans! Engine runs strong & uses no oil, even with close to 150K on the clock. Mileage is anywhere between 7-8mpg when loaded, depending on terrain.

Obviously, a diesel would get better mileage and the 6.0L is really working to pull the load. However, some folks in the 6.0L forum report diesel MPG around 10MPG, and that's with much lighter loads.

As George noted, gassers are fast closing the gap with diesels, especially when all the maintenance costs are taken into account.

- Jay

v8440 · 01-31-2007, 02:04 PM

Phew, that's pretty good out of a gasser. I wouldn't have expected any gasser to pull that much for that long and not have a bunch of problems.

**KINGTUT** · 01-31-2007, 02:16 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Try pulling 26000# with the V-10 and tell me what your mileage is, if you can?

[/ QUOTE ]
My brother-in-law does that several times a week -- 25+5ft deck over trailer hauling his skidsteer and mini-excavator. And he does it with an '04 GMC with the 6.0L gasser and the 4-speed 4R80E trans! Engine runs strong & uses no oil, even with close to 150K on the clock. Mileage is anywhere between 7-8mpg when loaded, depending on terrain.

Obviously, a diesel would get better mileage and the 6.0L is really working to pull the load. However, some folks in the 6.0L forum report diesel MPG around 10MPG, and that's with much lighter loads.

As George noted, gassers are fast closing the gap with diesels, especially when all the maintenance costs are taken into account.

- Jay

[/ QUOTE ]

Is that safe to haul that many tons over spec? I guess you can do anything, but I think I would want more truck to haul like that.

560TURBO · 01-31-2007, 02:18 PM

DIESEL JAY,

I am in the ag business, was born on a farm and farmed for over 20+ years and right now in transition, but an ag consultant, but also plan to get back into farming. If there is one thing that is constant in this business it is diesel. Yes I have been on farms with the 2500 and 3500 Hd as well as ford v10 f350 and such, but the longevity of a gasser pulling them heavy loads over that stretch is by no means comparable to a diesel. They may do it, but they will be tired and worn at the same comparable miles. I am just stating my real life experiences. Diesel Jay, you state the 6.0 gasser is really working and that is just what I mean. The diesel is still working, but not as hard as the gasser, and over time the realy working part is going to catch up. I am not afraid of gassers one bit. I work with heavy machinery all the time, (including working for an excavating and trenching business), I cannot see a gasser in a dump truck that hauls 9 yards of gravel or top soil, nor can I see a gasser in a bulldozer, or excavator nor a backhoe, nor a 200+HP tractor that is used for chisel plowing, planting, etc, which the grunt(torque) and pulling power that a diesel provides. I know I am not comparing apples to apples here, but even so, in the pick up segment, a diesel is a diesel. Understand it is the consumer that is demanding a more quiet and less pollutant vehichle by majority, and the EPA is demanding a less pollutant and hopefully a more efficient vehicle on top. I will stick with the old technology, because it does me just fine. A plug for the 6.0 diesel, for as many farmers and such I see with these here in my state and what they say about their trucks, I am not one bit afraid of the 6.0, it is for each and every person to make that assumption, and not make that assumption for all. Of all, I have heard only two turbo's and one sensor. These turbos are not isolated only to the 6.0, but to all trucks including the big bores.

Diesel Jay · 01-31-2007, 02:32 PM

Yep, my family runs a farm, as well, so I'm well aware of the benefits of diesel powered equipment. Got some older tractors with 6K+ hours, and some even older grain trucks with their original gas motors still running fine. However, it's foolish to compare today's gas engines with those of yesteryear, and even more so to think that diesels hold as much of an advantage over gassers as they did in the past decades. Gassers are fast closing the gap, especially as diesel fuel economy drops and initial cost/fuel/maintenance rise.

TUT, my brother-in-law lives in an even less populated/more rural area than me. Hauling even heavier loads is really only a risk to the driver and/or whatever fence post he might hit if he goes off the road. I've even been with him when we've grossed 40K+ with the same truck pulling a load of rock, or when we've grossed 30K+ with a full grain wagon. Out in rural areas, I'd venture to guess that more people are overloaded than not. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

- Jay

**KINGTUT** · 01-31-2007, 02:41 PM

I don't think you will get an argument from anybody that if you are going to "work" a truck and I mean "work" a truck, i.e hauling very heavy loads frequently as in 75% of the time it is running a diesel is the way to go. Nothing compares to the pure hauling power of a diesel. I think what George and others, including myself, have said and are saying is that these newfangled diesel's just don't fit the bill for the guy who just wants a big truck and occasionally hauls his boat to the lake or a small TT for a camping trip. The gassers will do a fine job with this. The gassers are less expensive to purchase, arguably more dependable, maintenance is infrequent and inexpensive and the fuel is less. If you need to work and haul with a diesel to make a living or run a farm, who cares about the mileage, you gotta do it anyway.

mlhaynes8302 · 01-31-2007, 05:36 PM

I love my 6.0. I wouldn't trade it for a V10. I love the mileage I get 19-20 on the highway, the power, and that beautiful diesel sound! [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

haul_n_horses2 · 01-31-2007, 05:49 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Try pulling 26000# with the V-10 and tell me what your mileage is, if you can?

[/ QUOTE ]
My brother-in-law does that several times a week -- 25+5ft deck over trailer hauling his skidsteer and mini-excavator. And he does it with an '04 GMC with the 6.0L gasser and the 4-speed 4R80E trans! Engine runs strong & uses no oil, even with close to 150K on the clock. Mileage is anywhere between 7-8mpg when loaded, depending on terrain.

Obviously, a diesel would get better mileage and the 6.0L is really working to pull the load. However, some folks in the 6.0L forum report diesel MPG around 10MPG, and that's with much lighter loads.

As George noted, gassers are fast closing the gap with diesels, especially when all the maintenance costs are taken into account.

- Jay

[/ QUOTE ]Gross Combined Vehicle Weight is 26K# and yes I once pulled more than that with a 7.3L PSD.

560TURBO · 01-31-2007, 07:10 PM

TUT, I am in total agreement with your comment. It is true, I think the liesurist (spelling?) will tend to sway away from the current diesel lineup and opt for the gas. Because in my mind I don't see it fit for someone to buy a diesel to tow an alumacraft boat or your 10' x 7' trailer that can be towed with a minivan. If they want a diesel that is all fine in my book. I just can't hack it when these diesel owners begin to whine about this or that and wish it had what my gasser had and bla bla bla. I want a truck that is a made like a truck. I have a CDL and I drive semi also, haul a lot of grain to the river and such. I want a truck to sound like a truck, smell like a truck, and drive like a truck. I guess I am old school, but I do love the smell of diesel, they should make a cologne for men out of it. I know diesels are kind of like status vehicles now and who ever can afford them, I say go for it, but operate them like a diesel. These 6.4;s look like awesome vehicles, but you know what, too much money for me right now. I buy used and always will. But to reiterate Tuts comments, the gassers would be a better option for most situations. For the farmer, contractor, builder, etc, with high payloads and heavy hauling the diesel is the way to go. I bought diesel to tow a 5th wheel and hual my tractor and equipment.