Thinking About (ok bought) F-350 with PowerStroke 6.0L - Questions

I've heard good things about this F350 you speak of. Mechanically sound.

Yeah, it's 4x4. We'll keep it aviation related...here's a distant shot of her (over the wife's shoulder, from the backseat of my neighbor's aerial applicating (love making up words) R44 which he landed in the yard to take the wife for a birthday ride).

IMG_20151031_100918590_HDR.jpg
 
Looks like a nice truck and a nice property. :)

Even if Grum-man is right about the reduced torque on the current manual transmission variants, I really don't care. There's still more than enough (and more than I had in 2004 with my Dodge, which also had more than enough). A lot of people don't understand liking a manual transmission, so I'll just leave it as "If I have to explain, you wouldn't understand."
 
Grum.Man said:
You do know that the manual transmission diesel is significantly de-rated compared to the auto right? You give up like 240 lb/ft of tq compared to the auto dodge and 340 lb/ft to the Ford and GM. That is like giving up a whole other gas engine to help you pull.
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With all the truck makers in a horsepower and torque war for years now, it almost doesn't matter. The numbers on these pickups are hundreds of HP and torque both above the tractors used on big rigs not that long ago. LOL! It's a bit ridiculous.

Interestingly in real world towing tests (I like the guys from TFL Truck and their "Ike Gauntlet" test here in CO, Silverthorne uphill to the Eisenhower/Johnson tunnel at altitude) all the trucks for a number of years are within a minute of each other at the top of the climb and can do the speed limit pulling their max trailer rating. (At about 3-4 MPG! Haha... you can watch your fuel gauge dropping on that hill towing anything in any truck!)

It's kinda stupid to be impressed by 50 more HP and 75 more ft/lbs of torque every year after the trucks have reached that level.

SaltH2OHokie said:
One, I think you're making a statement that just isn't true without qualifying which engine's you're talking about.
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He's saying in the Dodge, new, the only truck you can get a manual in now... that Dodge purposefully de-rated the manual below the auto. He was specifically talking about the buying new scenario.

The other two don't even give the option of a manual anymore. Not even as work trucks. Whatever you have now, hang on to it if you like manuals. Can't get them anymore.

Ted DuPuis said:
I've had the same thoughts for the same reasons, Bill. I think that Dodge has held out on the manual transmissions basically for the people like me.

...

I agree with you that the Rams will probably lose the manual transmission soon - like you said probably in the next update.

The other option is to find one of those rare low mileage trucks (which comes with a price tag to match) that's been optioned out and has a manual. They're hard to find, but that could be another way. Really if I get a forever truck I'd like some of the nice features that I'd probably talk myself out of if buying new.
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I love my manual, but Karen won't drive it. Makes trips more work for me, not that I mind. Well that and we are in the process of selling the trailer so trips won't be very far anymore... until we replace it or get a bed camper or whatever.

Speaking of features that shouldn't have died... I might spend stupid money on a MegaCab (Dodge should have kept THAT too!) someday. I want that cab. Too bad you couldn't get it with the 8' bed. LOL. It'd be great for the doggies.
 
denverpilot said:
Speaking of features that shouldn't have died... I might spend stupid money on a MegaCab (Dodge should have kept THAT too!) someday. I want that cab. Too bad you couldn't get it with the 8' bed. LOL. It'd be great for the doggies.
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I always thought the lack of an 8' bed option with the MegaCab was the biggest problem with that setup. I only buy long bed pickups.
 
denverpilot said:
With all the truck makers in a horsepower and torque war for years now, it almost doesn't matter. The numbers on these pickups are hundreds of HP and torque both above the tractors used on big rigs not that long ago. LOL! It's a bit ridiculous.

Interestingly in real world towing tests (I like the guys from TFL Truck and their "Ike Gauntlet" test here in CO, Silverthorne uphill to the Eisenhower/Johnson tunnel at altitude) all the trucks for a number of years are within a minute of each other at the top of the climb and can do the speed limit pulling their max trailer rating. (At about 3-4 MPG! Haha... you can watch your fuel gauge dropping on that hill towing anything in any truck!)

It's kinda stupid to be impressed by 50 more HP and 75 more ft/lbs of torque every year after the trucks have reached that level.
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That's true. I guess I just feel like if I am spending the same money and have the choice of 3 trucks I would want to get the most for my money. At 50 lb/ft I probably wouldn't bat an eye, maybe even 100, but 300+ and I am walking to a different dealership with my 45k.
 
I always thought the Mega Cab would go over well.

And I've said it before and I'll say it again, too bad International quit making pickups..... For a short time I had '74 3/4 ton International with a 5 speed manual. It was funny watching others try to drive it. They would bring the stick towards them and down thinking it was 2nd gear. Nope, it was 3rd gear. And the old truck would chatter and almost shake the driver out of the seat, but it would take off in 3rd gear. Driven correctly it would pull anything.

I sure wish I would have kept that truck.
 
Grum.Man said:
That's true. I guess I just feel like if I am spending the same money and have the choice of 3 trucks I would want to get the most for my money. At 50 lb/ft I probably wouldn't bat an eye, maybe even 100, but 300+ and I am walking to a different dealership with my 45k.
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Yeah and in certain model years that happens. But the other company always catches right back up.

Chevy is the holdout right now. The Duramax is behind. But they know they'd better not screw up the longevity and reliability of the Duramax/Allison combo for the bow-tie loyal. If they'd do SOMETHING with their interiors -- Lordy they are the same as the inside of my '04 Yukon. Nothing different in over a decade.

Granted they went bankrupt and haven't really recovered since then, but still. That driver's side seat is still going to have the same hole in it in 100,000 miles as mine does with all the foam showing. Haha.

The numbers have gotten so big all you're doing is deciding which engine will rip the driveshaft out when you do something stupid at this point. Even in the automatics. LOL.

I suspect, besides popularity, that's the other reason the manuals are sedated by Dodge. One clutch dump done wrong and you'll shatter the clutch plate now. Or just look like your truck is on fire as the clutch burns. Haha.

For the record, I've clutch dumped the '01 once at max RPM. It smelled like burnt clutch plate for three days. Hahaha. The Michelins didn't spin much. If they had, the clutch would have been happier. Hahaha.
 
denverpilot said:
Yeah and in certain model years that happens. But the other company always catches right back up.

Chevy is the holdout right now. The Duramax is behind. But they know they'd better not screw up the longevity and reliability of the Duramax/Allison combo for the bow-tie loyal. If they'd do SOMETHING with their interiors -- Lordy they are the same as the inside of my '04 Yukon. Nothing different in over a decade.

Granted they went bankrupt and haven't really recovered since then, but still. That driver's side seat is still going to have the same hole in it in 100,000 miles as mine does with all the foam showing. Haha.

The numbers have gotten so big all you're doing is deciding which engine will rip the driveshaft out when you do something stupid at this point. Even in the automatics. LOL.

I suspect, besides popularity, that's the other reason the manuals are sedated by Dodge. One clutch dump done wrong and you'll shatter the clutch plate now. Or just look like your truck is on fire as the clutch burns. Haha.

For the record, I've clutch dumped the '01 once at max RPM. It smelled like burnt clutch plate for three days. Hahaha. The Michelins didn't spin much. If they had, the clutch would have been happier. Hahaha.
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Have you not looked at a GM in over a decade? The Duramax/Allison is the cream of the crop right now. It out runs, out pulls, and out rides all the other 3/4 and 1 ton trucks. The Duramax/Allison is arguably the most reliable of them all with fewer major reported problems than the powerstroke and about the same as the Cummins. The interiors were all new for 2014 and are very much as good as the Ford, maybe a little behind the Ram.
 
Grum.Man said:
Have you not looked at a GM in over a decade? The Duramax/Allison is the cream of the crop right now. It out runs, out pulls, and out rides all the other 3/4 and 1 ton trucks. The Duramax/Allison is arguably the most reliable of them all with fewer major reported problems than the powerstroke and about the same as the Cummins. The interiors were all new for 2014 and are very much as good as the Ford, maybe a little behind the Ram.
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No doubt the Duramax/Allison is the most reliable currently. It does not meet the HP or Torque numbers the Ford and Dodge do anymore unless they played catch-up in 2017. Great configuration and really they don't need to chase the other two. It's plenty of power. But pure numbers wise, they're now behind.

The interiors are identical to the early 2000s trucks. They changed the plastic and added more painted on chrome to the modular units, but the tech in the dashboard is exactly the same. None of the switches or knobs have even moved. Same locations for almost 15 years.

Same servos driving the same gauges. Only update is a slapped in USB connector and an upgraded touchscreen stereo module.

And they moved the OnStar controls off the mirror where they never should have been in the first place.

Seat tracks and build quality including upholstery are the same. Same left side bolster problem where getting in smashes the foam and wears out the seat. Every Chevy/GMC in used car photos shows the wrinkles or a hole there for the last 15 years.

Don't get me wrong. I like the Chevy product. I have a Yukon. But the current HD interiors are the same thing you got in the Denali and some SLT packages in 2000. Just the styling of the plastic knobs is slightly different.

That stereo is hideous compared to the completion. No Apple Play, no Android play, etc. It's OLD tech. I think you still update the Nav with DVD or something hideous, even?

I don't NEED any of that stuff. I'm just pointing out that if buying NEW it needs a re-engineer badly. For that "forever truck" Ted's talking about. Has Chevy added a modular hitch puck system to their bed yet? Any way to get in it like the Ford steps or the Dodge side steps? I don't know but it doesn't look like it. It's the same slab sided panels with a beefier looking plastic front grill. Same lights as the early 2000s high end trucks and Yukon/Suburbans.

It's not bad. It's just not in any way innovative.

Ford isn't much better. The current Super Duty lineup interiors are identical to our '08 Lincoln LT which is just the "Platinum" Fords of old. Nothing new there but they've integrated the trailer brake control better and hill shifting as well as a much more innovative sound system, and non-afterthought placement of things like the USB charging and sync ports, etc.

Dodge is the only one that has really redesigned the interior almost completely including the driver information screens and what not. Ford is second. Chevy's is only barely past the early 2000's vacuum fluorescent display tech in the higher end trucks back then.

I'm not bothered by any of that. But comparing new to new the Chevy/GMC product uses the oldest tech of the three. In engine and drivetrain, that means they've worked out almost every kink. In interiors, that's not so good. But even in my '04 it's plenty comfy. It just isn't much different in a '17.

I can push the same 4WD button in both in the exact same place and it's actuating the exact same silly electrical encoder that likes to fail underneath the truck. Maybe they made a better one, maybe not... but the buttons and the wiring harness look the same to me.
 
As an aside that rotary gear selector knob in the low end Dodge 1500 truck is HORRID. They shouldn't have done that. Ick.
 
denverpilot said:
No doubt the Duramax/Allison is the most reliable currently. It does not meet the HP or Torque numbers the Ford and Dodge do anymore unless they played catch-up in 2017. Great configuration and really they don't need to chase the other two. It's plenty of power. But pure numbers wise, they're now behind.

The interiors are identical to the early 2000s trucks. They changed the plastic and added more painted on chrome to the modular units, but the tech in the dashboard is exactly the same. None of the switches or knobs have even moved. Same locations for almost 15 years.

Same servos driving the same gauges. Only update is a slapped in USB connector and an upgraded touchscreen stereo module.

And they moved the OnStar controls off the mirror where they never should have been in the first place.

Seat tracks and build quality including upholstery are the same. Same left side bolster problem where getting in smashes the foam and wears out the seat. Every Chevy/GMC in used car photos shows the wrinkles or a hole there for the last 15 years.

Don't get me wrong. I like the Chevy product. I have a Yukon. But the current HD interiors are the same thing you got in the Denali and some SLT packages in 2000. Just the styling of the plastic knobs is slightly different.

That stereo is hideous compared to the completion. No Apple Play, no Android play, etc. It's OLD tech. I think you still update the Nav with DVD or something hideous, even?

I don't NEED any of that stuff. I'm just pointing out that if buying NEW it needs a re-engineer badly. For that "forever truck" Ted's talking about. Has Chevy added a modular hitch puck system to their bed yet? Any way to get in it like the Ford steps or the Dodge side steps? I don't know but it doesn't look like it. It's the same slab sided panels with a beefier looking plastic front grill. Same lights as the early 2000s high end trucks and Yukon/Suburbans.

It's not bad. It's just not in any way innovative.

Ford isn't much better. The current Super Duty lineup interiors are identical to our '08 Lincoln LT which is just the "Platinum" Fords of old. Nothing new there but they've integrated the trailer brake control better and hill shifting as well as a much more innovative sound system, and non-afterthought placement of things like the USB charging and sync ports, etc.

Dodge is the only one that has really redesigned the interior almost completely including the driver information screens and what not. Ford is second. Chevy's is only barely past the early 2000's vacuum fluorescent display tech in the higher end trucks back then.

I'm not bothered by any of that. But comparing new to new the Chevy/GMC product uses the oldest tech of the three. In engine and drivetrain, that means they've worked out almost every kink. In interiors, that's not so good. But even in my '04 it's plenty comfy. It just isn't much different in a '17.

I can push the same 4WD button in both in the exact same place and it's actuating the exact same silly electrical encoder that likes to fail underneath the truck. Maybe they made a better one, maybe not... but the buttons and the wiring harness look the same to me.
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You should stop by your local gm dealer and check out the trucks. None of what you said is true and hasn't been since 2014. I agree the 2013 trucks were the same as the 07 but not the 2014. They share nothing in common. Also the Duramax has the most HP than any other diesel and only trails the powerstroke by a few ft/lbs and leads the dodge by like 100 lb/ft. Despite being down in tq to the Ford it's actually faster and pulls better and both destroy the Cummings HO much less the standard engine in the manual trucks.
 
Grum.Man said:
You should stop by your local gm dealer and check out the trucks. None of what you said is true and hasn't been since 2014. I agree the 2013 trucks were the same as the 07 but not the 2014. They share nothing in common. Also the Duramax has the most HP than any other diesel and only trails the powerstroke by a few ft/lbs and leads the dodge by like 100 lb/ft. Despite being down in tq to the Ford it's actually faster and pulls better and both destroy the Cummings HO much less the standard engine in the manual trucks.
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You keep saying there are manual trucks. You must not be talking about '17 models. They DO NOT EXIST in the Chevy/GMC diesel world anymore. (I don't pay any attention at all to half tons for me. That's Karen's department.)

Granted this is from 2016, but it covers many of the ways Chevy/GMC is behind the others...

http://gmauthority.com/blog/2016/10...pickup-trucks-chevrolet-silverado-gmc-sierra/

They haven't fixed any of that. They MIGHT if they get their new frame design rolled out by 2018.

Notice to even get close to the interior feature set of Ford and Dodge in the GM, you have to go to the High Country interior package. Anything less is even further behind in the tech available.

Chevy/GMC consistently tied in the real world towing tests these guys do until the 2016 and 2017 models. Barely won those years.

(And again we're talking diesel here. The gassers lose that test across all brands by three minutes more up the hill and they can't maintain the speed limit.)

http://www.tfltruck.com/tfltruck-hall-ike-gauntlet/

http://www.tfltruck.com/2016-ike-gauntlet-highway-mpg/

http://www.tfltruck.com/2017-ike-gauntlet-highway-mpg/

They're within 20 seconds of each other this year. They're all incredibly close. In fact, so close in the diesels that it brings price tag and creature comforts back to the forefront on all three as serious things to think about if you're keeping one "forever".

If you like GMC, and I do... I'd wait until Chevy catches up to the others on amenities. If they can. They're not quite there yet.

Besides the items the article mentioned, they really need to partner up and do Android Play and Apple's integration thing also.

Ford got lost in the woods with Microsoft Sync and while it was a long shot better than what they had previously, Microsoft is always the wrong company to partner with for mobile tech. Always. Windows phones are ALWAYS a market and tech disaster.

Dodge is kinda lost on mobile tech too. Most of these companies have better mobile tech in their econoboxes -- to meet the requirements of a younger crowd -- but you'd think they could push the stuff up into a $60,000-$70,000 truck.

Anyway... won't be buying new any time soon. As you drop back into reasonably priced used stuff, you have to avoid the 6.0 and 6.4 in the Ford (sorry Ted!) and the Chevy holds its value making it more expensive with higher miles in the used market, and GM has far less cabin amenities than the Dodge back then -- into the mid-to-late 2000's trucks. Way less.

Like I said, they're catching up from being bankrupt. They're almost back. But not quite yet. Nothing innovative in the interior. The engine and drivetrain is now rock solid. We'll see what they do when they release the new frame.

Ford, probably has taken the most innovative risks of all three. The aluminum stuff is interesting as heck. Not sure I'm sold on that yet. Dodge didn't have too many fits and starts with the 6.7 switchover from the 5.9 and worked those out quite a while ago.

ALL of the modern diesels have DPF system issues and problems galore in all of the forums. Trucks limping around because some sensor says the chicken pee tank is low or the regen didn't work right or whatever... that whole thing is just sad how bad it is. Page after page of people with problems in all three big brands with the emissions crap killing their trucks.
 
denverpilot said:
You keep saying there are manual trucks. You must not be talking about '17 models. They DO NOT EXIST in the Chevy/GMC diesel world anymore. (I don't pay any attention at all to half tons for me. That's Karen's department.)

Granted this is from 2016, but it covers many of the ways Chevy/GMC is behind the others...

http://gmauthority.com/blog/2016/10...pickup-trucks-chevrolet-silverado-gmc-sierra/

They haven't fixed any of that. They MIGHT if they get their new frame design rolled out by 2018.

Notice to even get close to the interior feature set of Ford and Dodge in the GM, you have to go to the High Country interior package. Anything less is even further behind in the tech available.

Chevy/GMC consistently tied in the real world towing tests these guys do until the 2016 and 2017 models. Barely won those years.

(And again we're talking diesel here. The gassers lose that test across all brands by three minutes more up the hill and they can't maintain the speed limit.)

http://www.tfltruck.com/tfltruck-hall-ike-gauntlet/

http://www.tfltruck.com/2016-ike-gauntlet-highway-mpg/

http://www.tfltruck.com/2017-ike-gauntlet-highway-mpg/

They're within 20 seconds of each other this year. They're all incredibly close. In fact, so close in the diesels that it brings price tag and creature comforts back to the forefront on all three as serious things to think about if you're keeping one "forever".

If you like GMC, and I do... I'd wait until Chevy catches up to the others on amenities. If they can. They're not quite there yet.

Besides the items the article mentioned, they really need to partner up and do Android Play and Apple's integration thing also.

Ford got lost in the woods with Microsoft Sync and while it was a long shot better than what they had previously, Microsoft is always the wrong company to partner with for mobile tech. Always. Windows phones are ALWAYS a market and tech disaster.

Dodge is kinda lost on mobile tech too. Most of these companies have better mobile tech in their econoboxes -- to meet the requirements of a younger crowd -- but you'd think they could push the stuff up into a $60,000-$70,000 truck.

Anyway... won't be buying new any time soon. As you drop back into reasonably priced used stuff, you have to avoid the 6.0 and 6.4 in the Ford (sorry Ted!) and the Chevy holds its value making it more expensive with higher miles in the used market, and GM has far less cabin amenities than the Dodge back then -- into the mid-to-late 2000's trucks. Way less.

Like I said, they're catching up from being bankrupt. They're almost back. But not quite yet. Nothing innovative in the interior. The engine and drivetrain is now rock solid. We'll see what they do when they release the new frame.

Ford, probably has taken the most innovative risks of all three. The aluminum stuff is interesting as heck. Not sure I'm sold on that yet. Dodge didn't have too many fits and starts with the 6.7 switchover from the 5.9 and worked those out quite a while ago.

ALL of the modern diesels have DPF system issues and problems galore in all of the forums. Trucks limping around because some sensor says the chicken pee tank is low or the regen didn't work right or whatever... that whole thing is just sad how bad it is. Page after page of people with problems in all three big brands with the emissions crap killing their trucks.
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Since GM doesn't use a Cummings engine I figured it was pretty clear I was referring to the RAM manual trucks. We will agree to disagree on the catching up. GM already has Apple car play, not sure about android. The Duramax has been the best diesel out pretty much since 07. Most of the things that article list are gimmicks and things I'm glad GM hasn't done. Consul mounted shifters are dumb and take up way too much valuable room. While their interiors are nothing like the older trucks I do still think they are boring and not as high a quality as RAM and Ford. Push button start is lame as well, it's not like you don't still need your keys. Either way I refuse to pay for all that stuff and generally seek out base model trucks. Leather these days is just vinyl that they charge a premium for. I don't need help backing a trailer by a little knob like ford has. As long as I have heat, AC, power windows and locks, and chrome bumpers I'm good to go.

There are areas where Ford and Ram are behind the GM trucks as well. WIFI is pretty nice. The GM trucks have been lighter for a long time until Ford switched to Aluminum and even then it's barely lighter. Lower step in and bed heights are a huge benefit of the GM trucks. And straight front axles in 2017?? The only place they have an advantage is rock crawling which these trucks never do. The worst these will see is a muddy job site where the added ground clearance of the ifs is better anyway. IFS is better for plowing as well with the added ground clearance and the ability to turn the torsion bars up to level out the load.
 
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As long as it's got chrome bumpers....lmao.

Remember when pickups never had rear bumpers from the factory? Nobody bought a chrome back bumper then either...except maybe the one rich guy in town.

Anyway, saw a good one in the convenience store parking lot. Dodge pickup with lift kit and clipped front bumper, over sized A/T tires of some sort, parked non-standard for some reason. Guess the guy was uncomfortable backing out of a parking space. Well you guessed it some idiot backed out and hit the guy right on the exposed front tire. Dummy shouldn't have parked there and idiot should have been looking behind as they were backing. Since the front tire was fully exposed it looked like no damage to dummy's pickup. Idiot's plastic bumper locked okay too but I didn't get a real good view of it.
 
Well, I can settle this argument:

My Mercedes is broken. You can start making fun of it, too. ;)
 
I'll add a bit to the GM hate: GM MyLink (their version of Ford's Sync) is definitely not on-par with Ford/Dodge. Seriously, I think it remains as poor as Ford's initial entrance into the mobile-interface world. It has improved some since the late-00's, but it's still pretty un-intuitive and requires several steps to get to basic functions. Hell, using the navigation requires OnStar apps, and is clunky as could be. I haven't ever driven any of the GM HD-trucks, so I can't comment on the interior layout. If the ergonomics are anything like the SS Camaro I'm driving right now as a rental, I'd pity the fool who bought one.
 
Bill Jennings said:
Wow, a gold old fashioned Chevy vs Ford ****ing match. :popcorn:
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Between someone who cares about Chevy, and a Dodge driver who doesn't care at all as long as it's paid off! LOL.

I don't buy car payments anymore. So the chances I'll ever buy a brand new truck ever again are about zero.

Ford, Dodge, AND Chevy can keep their overpriced pickup trucks, honestly. One truck costs about half of my first condo, now. Ridiculous.

I just like discussing what's in them. Not going to be helping any of their company stock prices, probably... ever.
 
denverpilot said:
[snip]
Ford, Dodge, AND Chevy can keep their overpriced pickup trucks, honestly. One truck costs about half of my first condo, now. Ridiculous.
[snip]
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This comment reminds me of my Dad's last few car shopping trips. He'd say "I refuse to pay more for a car than I paid for my house." Problem was, he paid $11,000 for his house. In 1959. So he paid more for a few of them, even used.

John
 
Well good, I (mostly) solved the Ford/Chevy ****ing contest with my Mercedes being broken. ;)

Since towing isn't a drag race, it's really a matter of which truck you like the best since they're all pretty close. Some people care more than others, but like I said, my '04 Dodge never left me wanting for more power.

With any of these newer diesels, the emissions parts seem to be one of the biggest issues. If I got a newer one, I'd plan a DEF/EGR/CAT delete at some point in the not-too-distant future.

The Mercedes has air suspension. It's always seeped a bit, but it either blew out the air pump or the air leak got bad enough that it can't keep up with it. So it'll get a coil spring conversion. Unfortunately, it's 400 miles from home. And my F-350 isn't in a state to do an 800 mile round trip tow. Ain't that ironic?

@jesse has been laughing quite a bit at my misfortune, as I'm sure the rest of you are, too. He's also telling me I shoulda bought a Chevy, so this is a good opportunity for the Chevy/Dodge people to tell me I was an idiot for buying a Ford. ;)

I won't defend the 6.0 yet, but when you talk to people who actually own them and the shops that specialize in them, they'll tend to agree that the motors have their issues, but if kept stock and you take care of the known weak points, they tend to do just fine. The F-350 goes to the dealer tomorrow, and we'll see what they say. My thought is if they tell me it needs an engine (and can give me diagnostics to back it up, not just "We hooked up a computer") then it'll be time to trade it and get something else. If it needs an injector or harness, I'll let them do that, and probably also have them do a bit more preventative work under the valve covers to keep it reliable. At that point it should be good to go, and I bet will drive a hell of a lot better. If they agree that the O-rings and injectors need some attention, then I'll probably just have them do all 8.
 
Ted: Usually one of two failure modes on the MB air pump....Piston seal gets worn and can't keep up and pump overheats and triggers a shutdown. Other mode is one of the magnets in the motor case loses it's bond to the structure and comes loose, and starts rattling on the armature. Same modes as the Audi, since it's almost the exact same pump. Mine started running a lot and I did the seal change and haven't had a problem since. Seal was $25 and about an hour to removed the pump, change it and reinstall the pump and test. If you choose to fix it yourself, verify if the pump is actually running before you yank it. No fun to be set up to change the seal then find out it's a failed motor. BTW, if it's caught in time, the magnet can be glued back in place to save the motor.
 
jsstevens said:
This comment reminds me of my Dad's last few car shopping trips. He'd say "I refuse to pay more for a car than I paid for my house." Problem was, he paid $11,000 for his house. In 1959. So he paid more for a few of them, even used.

John
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Yeah, all old people (including me) always say that, but the rate of inflation sped up quite a bit from my grandfather to my dad to me.

I'm only in my 40s and I'm saying a pickup truck is now half of what my first "house payment" was. In the very macro picture that's not a good sign. But an expected one. We're financing all the loans with devaluation of the dollar and have been for a long time. The Dow at over 20,000 is meaningless unless you're not buying anything and an econobox is over $25,000. It's all ratios.

We've wished multiple times that we could have fiscally held onto that condo when we bought the first "real" house though. If we still owned that thing, it would be a rent cash cow compared to what we paid for it. Thing was built like a brick you-know-what house, and maintenance would have been a piece of cake, even with crappy renters who don't care about damaging *anything* because it isn't theirs.

But that's water 15 years under the bridge so... oh well! We definitely couldn't afford to keep it back then. And we wouldn't buy one in the same complex for what they're going for now as an investment...

Sorry -- off into macroeconomics there for a bit. I LOVE the new trucks of all sorts, but unless I decide to quit flying (fat chance) I'll be driving used ones. Haha. I'm only $20,000 in the hole in CFI training... Hahahaha. Cheap at any price! (I haven't actually counted. Never count. That's just a guess but probably pretty close. Ha. (ROI looks to be about ten years. Haha. IRS will just love me I'm sure. Audit away... yep it's a money loser... yep it has airplanes involved with it... yes I have receipts... have fun with that... want a printout of the mileage to and from the airport? There's an App for that... hahaha. I'm nothing if not a pack rat of fiscal data...)

Hell if I stop flying I could write a check for a new truck. The joys of fighting like hell to be 100% debt free. Karen could probably have a fancy new kitchen, too. :)

But instead... the valve cover gasket kit for the Subaru arrives from Amazon today for the 17 year old inherited airport ****box car... and I'll be changing them myself!

By the way, Ted (and all) the spark plugs and wires must have been truly awful. That swap turned into a solidly measured 2.5 MPG increase on the little beast WITH A/C on, and my annual average year round was about 20. It's a solid 22.5 over many tanks of fuel now, after that work. I should have done that sooner! Haha.

Now I just have to find and stop all the oil leaks! hahaha. Yay, old paid off cars! And a garage. And tools. And happy me whistling and putzing on them out there. Fun.

Going flying in half an hour -- going to have a CFI make sure I don't do anything stupid in the right seat of my 182. Haha. Well, I'll probably do something stupid, but not dangerously stupid is the goal... ;)

No new trucks for me! Just AvGas! :) :) :)
 
I work on my kids cars now. Mine still have warranties. And frankly, I wouldn't touch the Mini. It's just to tight in there. But I only bought one of the two new and won't buy the next one new. And they were both paid off on purchase.

I do enjoy working on them if I don't _have_ to get them back on the road _right_now_.

And I envy having the time to get all those ratings. I'm still on hold for my IR until September. (Or at least when my mom's house goes on the market.) Sigh. And I can't find anybody with a twin around here other than the pilot mills. Last time I checked with them they dropped all interest when they found out I wasn't a zero to hero ATP candidate. I think I'll have to buy a twin to get trained. Or travel.

John
 
Well, the Mercedes is going to get taken care of where it's broken in Liberal KS. There is something about that town and me...

I'm paying a shop to do the work on it - converting it to a coil spring setup. Getting that overnighted. Found a place that it was surprisingly cheap to get the parts, and the shop comes recommended. So Laurie will pick it back up next week when when returns for her next shift. If I had the car here I could probably fix the air suspension for less than what this will cost me, but given the general poor reliability the system is known for, it just doesn't make sense to me to do. Plus Laurie is going to be driving it back and forth to work, and so it needs to be reliable. I'll do some more preventative maintenance I've been putting off when it gets home.

Meanwhile, we'll see what the dealer says about the F-350. I'm thinking if they pull the valve covers, even on one side, I'll probably end up deciding to have them do all 8 injectors and replace all those O-rings, etc. just to shotgun it and not have to worry about that system for a while. My worry is that the tech won't know what he's talking about and I'll get a useless answer.

I agree the costs are staggering. Looking at used trucks, I'd end up spending about what I paid for my new Dodge in 2004 to get a used one now (albeit a relatively lightly used one). Crazy.

"Accept certain inalienable truths. Prices will rise, politicians will philander, you, too, will get old. And when you do, you'll fantasize that when you were young prices were reasonable, politicians were noble, and children respected their elders."
 
At least a good steak can be had in Liberal...and Frontier use to fly there. The old Frontier. Not these lousy new guys...
 
Clark1961 said:
At least a good steak can be had in Liberal...and Frontier use to fly there. The old Frontier. Not these lousy new guys...
Click to expand...

Ted don't fly there no more.
 
Clark1961 said:
I assume Laurie is flying medivac. 'Tis a good location for that service.
Click to expand...

She is, in a C90. I'm extremely happy to see her back in the cockpit. I'd say left seat (since she is captain), but in her previous rotor wing gigs, right seat was captain.
 
The people at the FBO in Liberal love dogs. They wanted to keep the one @murphey was transporting. I was along for the ride.
 
Ted DuPuis said:
She is, in a C90. I'm extremely happy to see her back in the cockpit. I'd say left seat (since she is captain), but in her previous rotor wing gigs, right seat was captain.
Click to expand...

I wanted to ask when I saw her name plus King Air over in another place, but I figured it was none of my business.

Very cool. Hope she likes it!
 
Ted DuPuis said:
Well, the Mercedes is going to get taken care of where it's broken in Liberal KS. There is something about that town and me...

I'm paying a shop to do the work on it - converting it to a coil spring setup. Getting that overnighted. Found a place that it was surprisingly cheap to get the parts, and the shop comes recommended.
Click to expand...

I did the same conversion for my parent's Lincoln a few years back, which had the same airbag failure(s). They were happy with the end results.

Edit - Is "a dozen" the same as "a few"? Guess it was a long time ago, not just "a few years"
 
denverpilot said:
I wanted to ask when I saw her name plus King Air over in another place, but I figured it was none of my business.

Very cool. Hope she likes it!
Click to expand...

Thanks! I think she will.

gkainz said:
I did the same conversion for my parent's Lincoln a few years back, which had the same airbag failure(s). They were happy with the end results.

Edit - Is "a dozen" the same as "a few"? Guess it was a long time ago, not just "a few years"
Click to expand...

Ha - it's been about a dozen years since I bought my Lincoln Town Car, which also had air rear suspension. In my case, the system worked perfectly, but I would've done the coil spring conversion if it broke. Air suspension is nice for the person who buys the car new and sells/trades it in a few years later. It's a pain for everyone else.

Dropped off the F-350 at the dealer. Explained that if they said it needed an engine, I was going to buy a Dodge.
 
Ted DuPuis said:
Thanks! I think she will.



Ha - it's been about a dozen years since I bought my Lincoln Town Car, which also had air rear suspension. In my case, the system worked perfectly, but I would've done the coil spring conversion if it broke. Air suspension is nice for the person who buys the car new and sells/trades it in a few years later. It's a pain for everyone else.

Dropped off the F-350 at the dealer. Explained that if they said it needed an engine, I was going to buy a Dodge.
Click to expand...

Great, now you're getting a Cummins conversion done, and you though a new 6.0L was going to be expensive . . .
 
SoonerAviator said:
Great, now you're getting a Cummins conversion done, and you though a new 6.0L was going to be expensive . . .
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No, this wouldn't be a Cummins conversion, it'd be a different truck. ;)
 
Regarding @Grum.Man 's statement about the torque ratings, I found this:

http://www.cumminshub.com/67.html

Pretty interesting. Shows that you have three separate tunes based entirely on the transmission. While the difference between 660 and 900 lb-ft torque is substantial, no doubt, it's still a boost of 25 HP and 60 lb-ft vs. my 2004, which never left me wanting for more power.
 
SoonerAviator said:
Great, now you're getting a Cummins conversion done, and you though a new 6.0L was going to be expensive . . .
Click to expand...

I saw a video of a Yukon with a Cummins in it... now I want one... LOL. That's a nice way to replace a 5.3L in the Chevy when/if they die... hahah.
 
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Ted DuPuis said:
Regarding @Grum.Man 's statement about the torque ratings, I found this:

http://www.cumminshub.com/67.html

Pretty interesting. Shows that you have three separate tunes based entirely on the transmission. While the difference between 660 and 900 lb-ft torque is substantial, no doubt, it's still a boost of 25 HP and 60 lb-ft vs. my 2004, which never left me wanting for more power.
Click to expand...

They're definitely protecting a few weak components in the transmissions / clutches.
 
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