looking at a 09 superduty 6.4L powerstroke

[Builder]

That sounds about right from what I have heard about the 6.4L. It does not get the MPG's the 7.3 and 6.0 did but makes really good power.

How do you like it so far?

Chris

Based on his claims it gets a lot better fuel economy than the 3 7.3L's I owned.
After ~400K miles of ownership, I never averaged more than ~14MPG.

 

[Builder]

Taken from Wikpida.
The TorqShift is advertised as being a 5 speed automatic, when actually it has six forward speeds. On cold engine operation (below 0 degrees) the overdrive clutch is engaged in third gear for a ratio of 1.09 : 1. The transmission will shift directly to sixth from fourth and fifth is skipped. On a warm engine the shift pattern would be 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th (direct drive), 6th.Chris

So very few people would ever get to use that 6th gear. How many actually see regular drops below 0*?

 

[Diamondpilot]

Based on his claims it gets a lot better fuel economy than the 3 7.3L's I owned.
After ~400K miles of ownership, I never averaged more than ~14MPG.

Check my posts. My 7.3L would do no better than 17 mpg on pure highway. It averaged 14 mpg around town and about 10 towing.

Chris

 

[Diamondpilot]

So very few people would ever get to use that 6th gear. How many actually see regular drops below 0*?

Has nothing to do with needing it. Its part of the heating process, getting things up to temp. It is used when in tow haul mode.

Mute point now that they use a different tranny in the current production trucks.

Chris.

 

[Builder]

Has nothing to do with needing it. Its part of the heating process, getting things up to temp. It is used when in tow haul mode.

Mute point now that they use a different tranny in the current production trucks.

Chris.

Chris,

Good job seeing my point rather than attacking me personally. I concur it has nothing to do with needing it. What my point was mainly to say that the other or 6th gear will rarely be seen by anyone except those stationed in the far north and even then, it's just a switch of gears. It doesn't become a 6 speed transmission below zero.

Let me tell you, the 6th gear will do more for the Ford trucks' performance than extra HP. I believe the 6th gear is what kept the 6,6L HD faster than the 6.4L SD.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Chris,

Good job seeing my point rather than attacking me personally. I concur it has nothing to do with needing it. What my point was mainly to say that the other or 6th gear will rarely be seen by anyone except those stationed in the far north and even then, it's just a switch of gears. It doesn't become a 6 speed transmission below zero.

Let me tell you, the 6th gear will do more for the Ford trucks' performance than extra HP. I believe the 6th gear is what kept the 6,6L HD faster than the 6.4L SD.

It will be seen though. It is used any time tow haul mode is selected so it serves two functions.

As for being faster you and I know there are more factors than just gears. I see cars with Power Glides run great speeds at the strip. The GM trucks prior to the 2011's were on average 600 to 800# lighter than a comparable Ford. That has all changed now with the new stronger frame.

Chris

 

[westcliffe01]

Chris, I am finding it more comfortable than I expected (no load) although it is obviously stiffer than a light truck. The ergonomics work out pretty good. I did get a TPMS error after heading about 30 miles down the road from the dealership. Checked and inflated all the tires and still get the error, so there is a problem with some system component.

One other ***** is that the fuse for the cigarette lighter outlet was blown and the ford engineers installed some device above the fusebox which means that to change a fuse in the engine compartment one now needs a toolbox to remove the valve/actuator whatever it is so that the top of the fusebox can be removed... Very very bad for any customer who didn't bring a socket set in his cabin luggage on his plane ride.

I find it pretty easy to stay above 15mpg in any out of town scenario. Not having a truck cap or tonneau can't be helping. The cab is very quiet considering that the navistar engine is not the quietest beast. Wind noise is well muted given the aerodynamics. I do find that it takes a loooong time for the coolant gauge to rise after a start at 17F. I probably need to look at masking off 3/4 of the radiator, I was thinking of slipping a sheet of cardboard in between the intercooler and the radiator. I will take a look at it this weekend.

Other than that, when I bought it the windshield washer fluid tank was full and as it turns out, it is "southern" fluid, like we use in summer, so once I got north of Ft Wayne it froze in the lines leading to the nozzles....

This morning was my first commute to work with it, on account of unplowed roads and my average there and back on the computer was over 16mpg, so if it stays that way I will be beating the economy of my 1500 Ram with its puny 3.7 V6...

One thing I have found on our outings to Colorado is that the aerodynamic drag at altitude must be substantially reduced since the Ram got over 22mpg towing in the rockies compared to 14-16mpg east of them in the plains. Of course, the power is probably reduced by 30% between 8-10k ft of altitude and that may help too...

That sounds about right from what I have heard about the 6.4L. It does not get the MPG's the 7.3 and 6.0 did but makes really good power.

How do you like it so far?

Chris

 

[Builder]

It will be seen though. It is used any time tow haul mode is selected so it serves two functions.

As for being faster you and I know there are more factors than just gears. I see cars with Power Glides run great speeds at the strip. The GM trucks prior to the 2011's were on average 600 to 800# lighter than a comparable Ford. That has all changed now with the new stronger frame.

Chris

It's not in the frame.

You forgot a fully dressed dmax weighs less at 835lbs than a 6.4L Powerstroke which is 1130 lbs. That's 300 lbs less weight right there.
6.6L Duramax LBZ Specs
6.4 L Power Stroke Specs

I bet the front axle differential on the HD being made of aluminum and IFS weighs considerably less than the SFA axle on the Ford, probably hundreds less pounds.

That's where the weight difference comes in, not the frame and the reason the HD doesn't need as high of a GAWR than a comparable SD, it just doesn't need as heavy as a front suspension because engine & front clip weigh less.

Gotta love the low end torque comparison on the 6.6L v. the 6.4L, too.

The more you know, the more you know!

 

[Diamondpilot]

It's not in the frame.

You forgot a fully dressed dmax weighs less at 835lbs than a 6.4L Powerstroke which is 1130 lbs. That's 300 lbs less weight right there.
6.6L Duramax LBZ Specs
6.4 L Power Stroke Specs

I bet the front axle differential on the HD being made of aluminum and IFS weighs considerably less than the SFA axle on the Ford, probably hundreds less pounds.

That's where the weight difference comes in, not the frame and the reason the HD doesn't need as high of a GAWR than a comparable SD, it just doesn't need as heavy as a front suspension because engine & front clip weigh less.

Gotta love the low end torque comparison on the 6.6L v. the 6.4L, too.

The more you know, the more you know!

That may be true but I have had both my 04 F-250 Power Stroke and my 05 3500 Dmax at the same time and parked them side by side and slid back and forth between the two on my creeper and there was no comparison on the frame. I agree it was not the only reason there was a weight difference but that frame on the Ford was considerably heavier. We can argue if that makes it tougher or not but either way it was heavier built.

Chris

 

[jas67]

does it have a 6.0 in it? that's what my 04 f250 does...

soundguy

Yes, it is a 6.0.