Looking for a diesel

[gotmudd]

a friend of mine back home has a 1970 F250 that he swapped a cummins motor and allison transmission into not sure how he likes it yet as he is still doing the body work on it

Every diesel put in a 3/4 to 1 ton truck is made by International from the 1980's 6.9 up to the current 6.4.

I would avoid a 7.3 truck with an automatic, but otherwise it would be my truck of choice with a manual. The 6.0 has several issues unless you get a late one (07's being the best) the 6.4 while it is a good engine is lacking in the milage dept until it gets good and broken in. When the 6.0's came out they came with the torqueshift automatic, which is significantly stronger than the one the 7.3's had.

I haven't driven one but that is what my brother (certified Ford Tech) has commented about from them coming into the shop. I pick his brains whenever I run into him about what interesting has come in lately and we are both truck fans.

My dream truck would be a Ford with a Cummins and an Allison transmission though.

 

[hihoslvr]

I don't do any heavy towing. I do a fair amount of highway miles, and a fair amount of logging road miles. I want a diesel due to reliability (especially in the cold), good economy, power and torque from the loins of the Earth, and the fact that I can fill it at work for free. My old Ranger is still a good truck, but its just getting too tired for what I put it through. Its good for at home in the city, but its really getting run through the ringer out here in the oil patch. I need something thats reliable and pretty comfortable to ride in.

Whats your take on the situation?
All good advice and opinions appreciated. Anyone else can bugger off.

Cheers!

I thought diesel had problems in cold weather, fuel gels (but can be treated), and often requires engine block heaters (which is prolly standard up thar).
But what I really want to know, is how do you get away with fuelin' up at work, and are they hire in'?

 

[Roadkill]

My diesels have had problems with fuel gelling once it has hit -30*C or lower. Block heaters are standard since running 15w40 in a high compression engine at that temperature provides almost no proper lubrication for a good minute or so. Besides my 350 only needs about 1~2 hours with the block heater on to start very nicely. The backhoe needs only 1/2 an hour. Main difference is the 350 is a block heater and heats the oil. The backhoe has an in line coolant heater and warms up the entire system. Both do their job and make it easier to start the engines.

 

[Will]

Block heaters don't do anything for the fuel. They help the compressing air start off at a higher initial temperature, which is very important for getting it hot enough to burn the fuel. They also to a lesser extend heat the oil to thin it out and help it crank faster. I also have a built-in battery charger that keeps the batterys warm while it's plugged in--that helps a ton as cold batteries suck.

For the fuel, to keep it from waxing and clogging the filter, you have an electric fuel heater in the system somewhere. Below about 20F the wax will form even with the winter mix. After that fiasco winter run we had some years ago at Wellsville it was about zero and my fuel heater was out (which I didn't know because it doesn't get below 20F very often in Indiana) and I had a hell of a time getting my truck from the parking lot to the hotel I was restarting and idling it to get the block warm--the filter on that truck was mounted on the intake manifold--then whenever I got up to about 40mph the air blowing under the hood was cooling the filter back down. The next day we had to wait until the sun got the air up to about 20F to leave.

A 2-amp automatic underhood charger, red-top Optimas, a block heater and a functioning fuel heater take all of the winter fun out of owning a diesel.

 

[SuperRob]

Well I went out and drove a few different trucks. I drove some early 2000's - 2003 F250's and 350's with 7.3L's in them, one of them was chipped. That truck went like a scared cat for damn sure, but only after 2500 rpm. It was also the only standard that I drove of the Fords.

Then yesterday I went into the Dodge dealership, and sat down with a saleswoman and told her straight up that I dont want to buy a Dodge, that I bleed Ford Blue, and that I'm not going to fall in love with a Dodge, but that the only reason I was there was to make sure and be honest with myself that the Ford was the right truck.

Well this lady takes me out to drive an 06 Automatic 3500 long box, it was nice, then I drove an 04 6 Speed 3500 l/b and it drove nicely, until I had to shift into 3rd to maintain speed up a hill....so after that I went and had a cruise in a 2006 3500 6 spd and it drove like a god damn bullet. I had a hard on like I'd never experienced. That was when they told me it was 35000 bucks and I told them to talk to me about something 20,000 or less, which is what I originally wanted.

Anyway I went back today and drove an 04 quad cab, short box, 5.9L, automatic, with 175000km on it, and they want 21000 CDN. Its a hella nice truck, and it goes good. So I think I"m going to buy it, but the only thing is that they want 3000 down and 587 a month for 60 months....in my math that makes it a 38000 truck, so I'm just talking with my bank to see what they can do so that I'm not spending an extra 15000 on the deal.

I understand the thing with the Dodges now. I didnt want one, and I smack talked them for years, but I'm just that impressed that I have to buy a Dodge.

anyway thats the latest.

And for all those that were talking about a F250 with a Cummins and a Allison, I agree, I'd love that truck.

 

[Will]

I'm looking for a $1,000, 30mpg-town shitbox to daily-drive to replace my 18mpg-town diesel as a daily driver--it gets 5 or 6 better than a similar gasoline powered truck, but it's still a gas hog.

And you're looking for a $21,000 gas hog truck.

I guess I'm losing my testosterone.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

And you're looking for a $21,000 gas hog truck.

It is either a $21k or $38k fuel hog, I don't think it has been determined yet.

Buying a diesel just for the milage doesn't quite pencil out as peachy as it used to unless you do ALOT of hauling.

 

[SuperRob]

yeah I still have to figure all this out. The whole 'almost doubling the price of the truck' with dealership financing is NOT going to work for me. I've been talking with the bank yesterday and will be calling them again in an hour or so today to see what they can do thats hopefully a LOT better than that. Worst case scenario is maybe I talk to mom and dad about co-signing me or something. OR I wait and find a Ford.

I was just SO damn blown away by the Dodge though, I didnt want to be, and I didnt expect to be, but it really KILLED any Ford I've ever driven.

 

[JohnnyU]

Honestly, that sounds a bit sketchy, although that's the price you have to pay for financing. Since you don't have the money to pay cash, the company that is putting up the money for you to buy this truck wants to make something on the deal. For example, I was looking at a $135,000 home, for which I would end up paying almost $212,000 for after 30 years.

For what it's worth, I never finance through a dealership or a "recommended" mortgage company. I like to do things on my own terms, or at least terms that I'm comfortable with.

I told you you'd like the Dodge. (sorry, I couldn't resist )


On edit, I still save money over driving my old gasser truck. Granted, I could maybe get by with a smaller truck or even a car, but the benefit still wont out-weigh the extra costs, at least in my situation.

 

[Will]

My last full-size gasser got about 12 where my diesel gets 18. At the time I switched over, diesel was a good bit cheater than gas--like 50-cents a gallon, so for a year or two I was making out really well. Right now gas is 80% the price of diesel so the gasoline truck adjusts to 15-mpg. So stright across, the diesel still has an advantage. Not all of them though. I think 18mpg town is still remarkable for a diesel pickup. The real difference is in towing where my last gasoline truck only got 8 and my diesel got 16.

I am keeping my diesel because I need a truck, but my $1,000 shitbox beater is going to pay for itself.