Diesel Engine Question

[Marveltone]

Which is probably why they keep them plugged in and warm, so they are hot to trot out of the gate.

Um... Plugging them in doesn't keep them that warm. You still have to warm them up a bit.

Joe

 

[Soundguy]

The dealer claims to have just changed the oil (and what is on the dipstick looks new), I am planning to go to synthetic at the first oil change.

My temperature gauges aren't calibrated, but the transmission temp is starting to move up and the engine coolant is still at the bottom when this happens. I start it at my house and go to the bottom of the driveway which is about 1/2 mile long and about a 10-15% downslope all the way. Next comes a short ~1/8 mile of 7-8% upslope and the truck does not want to go up the hill without really putting my foot into it.

that's odd. I have an 04. I start it and go get the paper from the box and let it warm 30 seconds or a minute before driving.

In cold temps ( florida? ) or if it has sat a week, it might run rough the first few SECONDS.. but never mor ethan 5 seconds till all 8 are hitting fine.. at that point.. she's ready to go.. even though I don't gun her for about a 1/2 mile or so as I'm driving out of my neighborhood with a 40mph speed limit before I hit the hiway at 55mph.

I had been using motorcraft 15w40 powerstroke oil, but switched to valvoline 5w40 premium blue full syn. I run it in both my 99's f350 and f450 with 7.3 powerstrokes. I find it to be a quite superior oil.. at least to my laymans eyes and ears.

have you doesed yer fuel heavy ( double does ) of cleaner.. serviced both filters and the air filter? Mine has the upgrade filter box.

soundguy

 

[Wnc3]

My new to me 2004 F-250 with ~67000 miles runs very well once it has warmed up. But the engine is very sluggish and underpowered when it is cold. It has the 6.0 liter engine.

I have never owned a diesel truck before and need to know if this is normal or is something wrong? I have a 50-50 warranty on it for 30 days after purchase, so I want to be able to get it fixed if there is a problem.

Since this is your first diesel pickup, Please don't judge all the others based on your future experience with the 6.0....I hope you never have any problems.

Hope your feeling lucky. My luck and money ran out.

 

[Soundguy]

Since this is your first diesel pickup, Please don't judge all the others based on your future experience with the 6.0....I hope you never have any problems.

Hope your feeling lucky. My luck and money ran out.

Any vehicle or engine can be bad/go bad, be damaged. sometimes it's use, abuse, act of god or design fault or parts failure, accident damage, sabotage..e tc.

I've got 3 powerstrokes. (2) 99's - 7.3's one with 126k m the other 181k m.. and the 04 6.0 with 120somethingk m on it now.

no engine problems...


soundguy

 

[Wnc3]

Any vehicle or engine can be bad/go bad, be damaged. sometimes it's use, abuse, act of god or design fault or parts failure, accident damage, sabotage..e tc.

I've got 3 powerstrokes. (2) 99's - 7.3's one with 126k m the other 181k m.. and the 04 6.0 with 120somethingk m on it now.

no engine problems...


soundguy

And my 7.3 in a 99 f250 has over 450,000 miles on it. Your luck has not run out on that pos 6.0

 

[Soundguy]

at 120k, I think it's well past 'infant mortality' stages.. like some of the early 6.0's faced.

 

[dynasim]

Dave,

My issue(which sound a lot like yours) would have been found by hooking up the diagnostic computer. The computer diagnostic charges for the first go-around were >200$, though. The specific test is the oil pressure on the high pressure oil pump in the fuel pump assembly.

A friend gets the lend-lease diagnostic equipment from the automotive store, but I have never done that.

Chris

 

[pjbci]

Here is the simple answer to a simple question. Yes, a diesel is more sluggish when cold than the gas engines your used too. Nothing is wrong with your truck.

 

[CurlyDave]

Dave,

My issue(which sound a lot like yours) would have been found by hooking up the diagnostic computer. The computer diagnostic charges for the first go-around were >200$, though. The specific test is the oil pressure on the high pressure oil pump in the fuel pump assembly.

A friend gets the lend-lease diagnostic equipment from the automotive store, but I have never done that.

Chris

Chris:

Did they have to hook it up cold, or can it be diagnosed on a warm engine?

Makes a big difference in whether I have to leave it overnight at a repair facility.

* * * * * *

The big diesels in fire engines and such have injectors which work on an entirely different principal then the way this one does.

 

[tlbuser]

Which is probably why they keep them plugged in and warm, so they are hot to trot out of the gate.

Not sure about everywhere else, but no, ours are plugged in for a trickle charger on the batteries. We've got an assortment ranging from Ford Crown vics to a 100 foot ladder truck.