Tundra vs F350: how I made my choice

[texasjohn]

skyco, flywheel is unknown... and, I dunno if there is a way to tell which one I have...

was surprised to find that it gave problems... I guess that if you build enough of anything (trucks), something (flywheels, sensors) is going to go wrong with a bunch of them ...

Message I've now gotten is that even when conventional wisdom is that a particular vehicle is "rock solid," even a rock breaks sometimes, particularly if used long enough.... just hope that my particular truck has a lot of life left in it... I'd be happy with 20,000 miles... that will be about 5 years of use for me around the ranch and making a few cattle/dump trailer hauls.

Dargo, I guess I should have said something about "quality of responses for your particular vehicle of intrest may vary" Yours is the second comment regarding crazy complaints for a particular vehicle. When I looked up the 97 F350, I found 95% of the comments to be cogent and informative... even if about 50% were regarding FIRESTONE tires that blew out...I agree, long before FIRESTONE was exposed as making trashy tires, my f350 gasser went thru ALL 5 of its factory installed tires with a near catastrophic failure on each..... but there were also comments re other legitimate mechanical failures that either were or might relaistically been catastropic.

 

[Skyco]

texasjohn- you have a good truck based on many others owning them, like I said I love mine, overall it has probably been the best vehicle I've ever owned and it gets worked hard. No vehicle is without problems. The guy that had 10 CPS's in 75k miles is either exaggerating or someone doesn't know how to troubleshoot a problem, while the CPS has been an issue for some I've never heard of anyone going through even half that many in many more miles. There was an issue with some trucks having the cam walk out some and not read the CPS, again if 10 were gone through then like I said someone wasn't troubleshooting properly, the claim there is no fix just isn't correct

 

[LBrown59]

That site is rather odd. Most of the "complaints" I read are completely unrelated to the vehicle and, in my opinion, completely irrelevant. For example, the bottom listing on the front page is for a 1988 Honda where the complaint is about a valve stem on a set of tires. Uh, I don't really think the site should even bother to allow such 'complaints' to be posted. I looked up a vehicle I own and about the only complaints were about trailer tires failing when towed with their vehicle. Again, the complaint has absolutely nothing to do with the vehicle. I'm not complaining about you at all, but I'm rather disappointed in a site that allows bogus complaints to be listed. In tractor terms it would be like complaining about the rear tires on your 8N being worn out.

That thing is a worthless joke !

 

[RobJ]

No glow plugs on a Cummins

I'm corrected on the Cummins, a glow plug heater in the intake.

 

[skargo]

I'm corrected on the Cummins, a glow plug heater in the intake.

Almost. It's an intake grid heater, like a toaster element.

 

[Dargo]

Almost. It's an intake grid heater, like a toaster element.

You know, in ten years of ownership I never even used mine; even in the coldest winter mornings. I've had some tractors where I never even knew how to operate the glow plugs and never needed them and on others, no matter what, the engine wouldn't start without using them. It doesn't matter if it's 105 degrees in the shade, if I don't first use the glow plugs for about 5-10 seconds, they won't start. The F350 I have falls under the "must use" category for the glow plugs. The engine runs great, but it flat won't start if I don't wait for the little automatic glow plug light to go off first.

 

[RobJ]

Almost. It's an intake grid heater, like a toaster element.

hehe, you win in the long run, I've always considered the Cummins the far and above better diesel than the Ford or Chevy. Marketing HP and torque numbers aside. KISS method.

 

[skargo]

hehe, you win in the long run, I've always considered the Cummins the far and above better diesel than the Ford or Chevy. Marketing HP and torque numbers aside. KISS method.

I never knew they didn't have glow plugs until I bought one and started taking it apart

 

[skargo]

You know, in ten years of ownership I never even used mine; even in the coldest winter mornings. I've had some tractors where I never even knew how to operate the glow plugs and never needed them and on others, no matter what, the engine wouldn't start without using them. It doesn't matter if it's 105 degrees in the shade, if I don't first use the glow plugs for about 5-10 seconds, they won't start. The F350 I have falls under the "must use" category for the glow plugs. The engine runs great, but it flat won't start if I don't wait for the little automatic glow plug light to go off first.

I run a bodyshop for a Dodge dealership, and all their trucks sit on the lot when it's 10ｰ they all start right up, to be moved so we can plow the lot. They are never plugged in.

That being said, I plug my personal truck in when it's 32ｰ or below, it is easier on the engine and the cab heats up a little quicker too.

 

[dmccarty]

TexasJohn,

I tried to find my receipts but could not for some reason. I can find lots of other receipts but not the ones I'm looking for.

I have been buying parts and such from Ford Parts and Ford Diesel Parts at Powerstroke Shop.

For fuel and oil filters I get them from my JD dealer. They have filters made by Fleetguard so I just sent them a note and they send me the filters. Usually I get the filters a day after ordering. I always had problems getting filters in the part stores since they always seemed to be sold out.

I know for sure I got my last CPS from them. Mine went out around 60-70K miles. It went gradually. I drove alot on cruise control and I thought the cruise had a problem. Every once in awhile the truck would drop out of cruise control. After a few times of this I noticed the RPM's dropped and that was causing the cruise control to turn off. This would have been easy to miss in city driving.

Anywho, the CPS needed to be changed and I was going to do it when it failed and caused the truck to stall making a right turn. Trying to turn a 7,500 pound truck that suddenly lost power steering taint no fun. The truck did start right back up.

As soon as I bought the truck I had gone to IH and bought a CPS so I just had to get out the wrench when I got home and put in the replacement. I bought a new CPS for $100ish replace the replacement. A month or so later Ford dropped the price to $25.

Not sure about your truck but on my the fuel filter is a PITA to get off. A large cresent wrench kinda works as does a strap wrench. But its not easy. On my truck there are two bolts sticking up in the air that hold a plastic decrative piece. One of those bolts cut my palm real bad once trying to get the cap off the fuel filter. Did not require stiches but it was close.

The web site I mentioned should have a special tool to get the fuel cap off. I think it was $15. If your fuel cap is black plastic with a grid like structure on top do yourself a favor and get the fuel cap wrench. It makes the fuel filter change effortless. Here is what info I have on the wrench. 99/03 POWERSTROKE FUEL FILTER WRENCH

Searching the site is not always easy. You might have to call them to get the part.

Later,
Dan