Originally Posted by
Gun Smoke
It's mainly the 6.0 engine and it's not the engine it's a host of things on the engine like injectors and such. This is not a Ford engine. I don't know why they replaced their perfectly good 7.3 International diesel with this but they did.
Replacing the known parts that fail with updated aftermarket parts is referred to as "bullet proofing".
I hear the newer Ford 6.4 is much better but personally I wouldn't buy anyones diesel.
Diesels, no matter how good or bad have diesel inherit problems.
1. Two batteries to maintain and a minimum RPM is required for a diesel to start. So batteries have to always be fresh.
2. Oil changes. Due to all the carbon in diesel fuel the engine oil darkens quickly and changing it is more crucial than gas engines. Diesels hold more oil (probably 8-9 quarts on a small truck engine). Diesels usually take larger filters too so not all "quick lube" places will have them in stock. Also need to use diesel grade oils.
3. Cold weather starting. Diesels fire under their own compression. Cold engines with cold fuel don't like to fire off. Some have glow plugs. Some have engine heaters that have to be plugged in to an AC current source overnight. Simple glow plug technology works well but leave it to Detroit to screw that up too. I know GM uses a computer to control the GP circuitry. These computers constantly malfunction. When they do---no start till the heat of the day warms everything up.
4. It's not so much a problem these days but in the older days diesel could only be purchased at truck stops. Still not all stations carry diesel. If she were traveling this could be a problem.
5. Air in the line. This can be caused by a number of things such as the position of the filter/water separator or if you let your fuel tanks run low. Diesel foams from vibration causing air in the fuel. This is similar to the old cars having vapor lock. On a diesel the fuel pump/injector pump has to be bled of the air and sometimes each injector. Not fun, and remember you can't crank on it a lot because you to maintain a near full charge on those batteries for a diesel to fire under it's on compression (minimum required RPM).
6. Water in the fuel. Small amounts of water in gasoline are mixed due to the ethanol now in most gasoline. Diesels, since they fire under their own compression have super high compression ratio's like 22 to 1 vs 9 to 1 of a gas eng. so the combustion chamber space is tiny. A small amount of water (water doesn't compress) will destroy a diesel engine bending rods, shattering pistons and breaking the starter armature. Most all diesels have water separators that work fairly well but they have their limits and have to be checked and bled off routinely. Something else your daughter may not get "into".
7. All parts unique to diesel's are more expensive.
8. All service unique to a diesel is more expensive and fewer mechanics are qualified for such work.
It use to be that selling points to buying a diesel was the extra engine life and lower cost of the fuel. That's not so much the case any longer.
I've noticed on craigslist and used car listings that while diesels cost way more new they sell for less than their gasoline cousins used with the same milage/condition (especially GM). There's a reason for that.