HDRider
Well-known member
Playing off a tractor post, What was the most unreliable, worst economy diesel truck you ever had and why was it such a POS? Was it the engine, drive train (tranny, etc), body, whatever??
Worst Diesel Truck I Ever Had
- Thread starter HDRider
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denvermartinfarms
Well-known member
Always had dodge with cummins so never a bad one of them. Dad did have a 91 ford non turbo that we had around for a lot of years and did of did not have a ton of power but for it's time it was good and never had any engine trouble with it. I expect most of the negative diesel comments will be about old 6.5 chevy's and 6.0 fords.
1982vett
Well-known member
Probably anything early 1980's
Mine was a 1980 Chevy Cheyenne 2x4 Diesel.
Beautiful truck but what a POS. Always in the shop. Motor, Transmission and Rear end all failed before 30K.
Finally I got tired of walking and dropped a 455 Olds with matching 400 Transmission. The warranty already rebuilt the rear end. The dealer ask me if I used the truck to irrigate my ranch, I ask him why and he said the rear end was full of water. I drove the He!! outa that chevy for another 100K with no trouble. Ten miles to the gallon loaded or empty. I still miss it.
Beautiful truck but what a POS. Always in the shop. Motor, Transmission and Rear end all failed before 30K.
Finally I got tired of walking and dropped a 455 Olds with matching 400 Transmission. The warranty already rebuilt the rear end. The dealer ask me if I used the truck to irrigate my ranch, I ask him why and he said the rear end was full of water. I drove the He!! outa that chevy for another 100K with no trouble. Ten miles to the gallon loaded or empty. I still miss it.
A.J.
Well-known member
04 F-250 with 6.0 Powerstroke. Truck spent more time in the shop than it did on the road with recalls, EGR valve, and numerous engine and transmission issues. Had a lot of issues with turbo lag and bout got run over a couple of times waiting for it to spool up and take off. I put 24,000 miles on it, and that was all I could take. Replaced it with an 02 Dodge 2500 w/ Cummins, and I've never looked back. Difference with the Cummins and that 6.0 I had is night and day. Not saying all 6.0's are junk, but the one I had sure was. Mine was a 6 speed manual, and the few people I know of that have or had a 6.0 and liked it had automatics. Maybe the auto matched up better with the engine than the manual did.
highgrit
Well-known member
Mine was a 1999 F350 4x4. Everybody drives their trucks different. I pulled a trailer half the time, and it was loaded with 15-25K pounds. And I also towed a 250gal. chopper to clear my pastures. I bent the truck frame a little and destroyed the Reese hitch. I had some problems with the truck, but it was still a fine truck. Bought my first diesel truck in 1985, and I haven't had a lemon yet.
highgrit
Well-known member
I will say it, all 6.0's are junk. If you spend 3k in after market parts for a 6.0 you will have a great engine and a good truck.
denvermartinfarms
Well-known member
After I have thought about it, the worst diesel truck we have owned was a 1995 gmc tri axle dump truck with a 3116 cat 300hp, lots of injecter trouble and ran ruff as a cob, every gm part of the truck was junk and it was terrible to drive. Had a good eaton 8ll and good Rockwell rears but that was about it.
lynnmcmahan
Well-known member
highgrit":233mvi4d said:
Got a 2006 6.0L PowerStroke F-250, 4x4 with 170k miles that I bought new in Oct. '05. I do all the fluids filters and flush. I read Ford truck forums most often and yes there seems to be some real headaches out there. My truck loves NAPA alternators, I'm on my fifth one now and I'm very good at change out. The only after market items that I have is a coolant filter, blue spring fuel mod, & fuel filter drain plug. No chips. I think the oil cooler is getting plugged so I drive with a scan gauge on my lap and I eye ball the EOT, ECT, & VLTS especially if I'm towing. Love my truck. Highway mileage is right at 20 mpg. Hook the 20' gooseneck stock trailer drops to 14. It runs like a scalded ape, but that's not the way I drive it. Thinking about updating the ficm and replacing the oil cooler and egr cooler.
Worst that has happened was the gasoline fill up and the 200 mile ride. Hope I don't do that again.
DLD
Well-known member
I'm on my second Ford 6.0, and have been real happy with them both. I guess maybe I've been lucky, but I try to make my own luck - keeping all the fluids and filters fresh are a big part of keeping these motors happy. All diesels just require more attention than gassers, some more than other's, though. I follow FTE, too - lots of good information there.
My worst was an '89 F250 with the non-turbo 7.3. I bought it used with a little over 100k miles and a "new" rebuilt motor. It was absolute junk - for what it cost me to keep it running I could've been making payments (big payments) on a brand new one. In two years we replaced most of the fuel system and a good part of the electrical system. Even after we got it reliable, it was completely gutless -with an empty 16' gooseneck stock trailer, on flat ground with no wind, foot through the firewall, 55 mph was absolute max, and it took awhile gettin' there. The day I traded that one for a 351 was one of the happiest days of my life.
My worst was an '89 F250 with the non-turbo 7.3. I bought it used with a little over 100k miles and a "new" rebuilt motor. It was absolute junk - for what it cost me to keep it running I could've been making payments (big payments) on a brand new one. In two years we replaced most of the fuel system and a good part of the electrical system. Even after we got it reliable, it was completely gutless -with an empty 16' gooseneck stock trailer, on flat ground with no wind, foot through the firewall, 55 mph was absolute max, and it took awhile gettin' there. The day I traded that one for a 351 was one of the happiest days of my life.
Calhoun Farm
Well-known member
You'll be hard pressed to find anyone complain about a cummins, I'm on my 4th one and I love the engines. The auto transmissions and front ends are the weak links. Die hard Ford guys will always make excuses for the junk 6.0 and they will buy them just because of the blue oval and because grandpa drove Fords. Deep at heart they know they are junk and will cost a war pention to keep running. 7.3 was Fords best motor, the 6.4 and the new 6.7 have issues to. Not as bad as the 6.0 though.
denvermartinfarms
Well-known member
I agree with all if that. Which auto transmissions? We have never owned and don't plan to own a auto as long as there is a manual available, but I have heard the aisin 6 speed they have used since 07 is as good of a auto as there is, but idk.Calhoun Farm":1zs96m2t said:
Calhoun Farm
Well-known member
denvermartinfarms":3hd7fjkz said:
The aisin has only been used since this year, the 68rfe is the trans your taking about. The aisin has been in C&C trucks but came out this year in the 3500 pickups
denvermartinfarms
Well-known member
Aisin has been available in all dodge diesels since 07, my grandpa bought one in 07 and I bought a standard in 07 and the aisin was a option.
Calhoun Farm
Well-known member
denvermartinfarms":3h2lso2g said:
I must have my information messed up then, I thought the Aisin was only an option for the C&C trucks until this year.
C&C = cab/chassis in case you didn't know what I meant. I didn't think you could get it in a "normal" 3500 pickup until 2013 when they put it behind the 385/850 motor.
denvermartinfarms
Well-known member
Yep, you could get it with any 6.7 cummins in any truck 3/4 or 1 ton cab and chassis or with a bed.
