diesel truck, I don't know anything. Help me please

[DoubleJ]

I'm really looking to get a new truck in the next couple of years.  I have decided that I want a diesel heavy duty truck.  I haven't decided on a brand yet but, that's not the purpose of this thread.  I did some thinking and I began to realize, I know nothing about diesel engines.  I can work my way around a gas engine ok but, I have never worked on or maintained a diesel.  I will most likely be getting a brand new truck.  What type of things will I be needing to do for maintanence that is different from a gas engine?

[Woodchuck]

the big thing is just be prepared that any maintenance on a diesel will be more money than a gas truck, if you arent using it for what it was designed it does not pay to go diesel 

[C-Money]

Good luck working on the new turbo diesels of today. You will just need to use your warranty and take it in for repairs. You will be able to do your own oil and light maintenance but not much more. Guess that goes for today's gas engines too. I had a 1986 Ford with the 6.9 non turbo diesel and had it tore apart once. That was not bad at all, but the 6.9 was a very simple motor. I ran that old truck for 12 years before I could not keep her going anymore.

[Pathfinder101]

I'll second what Jim just said.  I just got an 2000 F250 with the 7.3L Powerstroke this summer.  I love it, and I haul a lot of firewood, so it's great.  BUT, everytime I need to fix something it's over $100, and that's usually just for the part.  
Gives you a good feeling when you crawl under the thing and look at it.  Waaaayyyy different than the half-tons and Toyota I have owned.  It's not built like a car, it's built like a piece of "equipment".  Like farm equipment.  Big, HEAVY, sturdy...
They are a pain in the a$$ to work on though.  The heads are like 100 lbs each, and the motor on my F250 is wedged up under the windshield, so to get to anything in the back part of the engine you either have to pull the motor, or remove the cab...  Plan to change your own oil, getting it done at a shop is spendy.  Don't forget to plug in the block heater when it's cold...
Like Jim said, if you don't really "need" one...
If you are getting a new one, you probably won't have to worry about fixing stuff for a while though.

[6x6in6]

Jim's correct.
Fuel filters are your best friend.  Buy good filters that filter down to 2 microns will protect your injectors.  Change them every 10k.
Air filtration is your second best friend.  Using an oiled filter element collects up much more debris than a dry element.  S&B or aFe are two oiled element filters for example.
Oil and filter.  Buy a good quality filter element, not a Fram, and simply just run Delo 400 and your good to go.

What ever you do, run far away from the 6.0l Ford. 
Flame suit on. 

[Pathfinder101]

I'll second what 6x6 said too.  You are done buying stuff at Walmart and Napa for maintenance.  Get to know your local "dealer" for parts, even for routine maintenance.
He's right about the 6.0Liter Ford as well.  Everytime I tell a mechanic that I bought a Superduty, the first thing they ask is "did you get the 7.3L, or the 6.0L?" the 6 L motor has a pretty bad rep.

[6x6in6]

Pulling the cab on Ford to get to the blown head gaskets is kinda spendy. 

[C-Money]

The 6.0 has a horrible reputation. Stay away! We have one 6.0 in an Ambulance at work, and it is a hunk O crap!

[jackelope]

Dodge will no longer warranty repair any engines that the owner can not prove changing the fuel filters in every 15k miles. It's about $100 to do a fuel filter here, and an $89.95 oil change.
There's no spark plugs to change(real trucks don't have spark plugs) so there's a non-expense there.
I think they used to be a lot more worth it before they went to DPF systems and all the other emissions crap that took away all the fuel mileage.

[bearpaw]

I'm taking my chances on a 2003 Ford 350, 7.3 diesel now myself. I've got over 20,000 miles on it since purchase and so far very happy. Everyone told me the same, get the older 7.3 ford or get a 2005 or older dodge, don't get a newer dodge or ford. I heard mixed reports on the Chevy Duramax and was unable to get a clear opinion.

I really like this Ford but I can tell you I do not get as good of mileage as those older dodges get that have a manual tranny. Many of those are getting 20+, I am getting about 15 to 17 all around. I pulled my older dodge flatbed on a trailer from Idaho and got 12.5. That dodge V10 only gets 9 pulling itself...

Good luck.

[MLhunter1]

I got an 07 chevy diesel this summer.  I am pretty good at workin on my older gas chevy but theres not a whole lot I would be willing to do on this motor.  Heck I don't even change my own oil in this one.  Although they are a spendy drive train to fix they should have much less problems and last much longer than any gas motor as long as you buy a chevy.  Plus they tow so much nicer and all the new ones have exhaust brakes on em this year I believe, which is nice for saving your brakes.  I tow a jetsled once a week and will never buy another gas motor, the duramax is just too nice.  And I have learned to only use good parts on these.  I had the fuel filter plug up and crap the truck out with 70% life left on it according to the computer.  It was a 15 buck walmart filter, now I get the 60 buck chevy filters.  Diesels are not that much different maintenance wise though just more spendy but heck when you got 300k miles on your stock motor and tranny and the truck still drives nice they are worth it. As long as diesel doesn't go to 10 bucks a gallon.

[6x6in6]

Dodge will no longer warranty repair any engines that the owner can not prove changing the fuel filters in every 15k miles. It's about $100 to do a fuel filter here, and an $89.95 oil change.
There's no spark plugs to change(real trucks don't have spark plugs) so there's a non-expense there.
I think they used to be a lot more worth it before they went to DPF systems and all the other emissions crap that took away all the fuel mileage.

Yup.
"Proving" meaning receipts for purchases and documented in the maintenance schedule in the owners manual.
Same for oil changes too.

[jackelope]

Right...the fuel filter requirement is new.
Engines and injectors too. If we decide there is more than 1 injector thats bad(it happens) and its a warranty situation, we need maintenance records(fuel filters every 15k miles) and then we pull all 6 injectors, send them to a shop for testing. They verify that some injectors are bad, then we replace them and not until the test shop verifies it. Some of the new policies suck for both sides of the fence. Cummins warranties injectors, for example, for 100k miles so folks need to make sure they take care of their maintenance always...

[Fastass350]

I pretty well agree with what everyone else has been saying.  Stay away from the new stuff, you'll probably be in the shop too much to enjoy your new truck.  Try doing some research on a diesel forum, you can learn a lot there, find out what ailments each particular truck is prone to, and what to stay away from.  
Another huge thing to consider is whether you are getting an automatic or a manual.  To me, that would make my mind up as to which manufacturer to use.  Every make has had it's bad years of trannys, so look for that.

My opinion, I'd go with either the Chev or the Dodge.  If I went brand new, I'd do the Chev, having the option of the Alison which is a proven transmission.  Or It'd be the Dodge with the 6spd, but I don't like the new motor.  Ideally, an 05 or older Dodge with the 6spd and low miles.  I have an 04 Dodge with the auto, which I regret, but I've had no troubles with the truck other than the known weak link of the lift pump, which was warrantied.  I have 76k on it now, and get 20mpg empty, 15mpg loaded with about 8k on the hiway.

[JackOfAllTrades]

I'll reply in short...

LOVE THE 6.0 IN MY 2004 SUPERDUTY 4x4 FORD WITH ZF6spd!  One EGR valve, two ball joints and two front rotors in 130,000 miles. (I'll change the rear rotors and all four Rancho shocks after the first of the year.) Regular oil changes with Dello400 every 5000 miles. Fuel filter changes every 30,000 miles. Air filter changes every 40,000 miles.

Don't just look at the engines.... There are issues with ball joints of the Fords. The front rotors are junk, but there are aftermarket replacements that are great!

Never scrimp on maintenance with a diesel powered truck. Treat them well, and they'll treat you well.

Narrow your choices of brand down by the trucks intended use and your budget.  The GM drives like a car. Erganomics in the interior are the best of the big three. Duramax is Isusu... Tons of good and bad reputation of the Alison transmissions. Ford interiors come in second place. Powerstroke is International Engines. I buy my fuel and oil filters at the local MotorFreight/International parts depot. (cheaper) The 6.0 air/fuel/oil filters are patented. Ford auto transmissions have gotten much better, but I still like the ZF6 in a manual tranny with granny gear. That tranny is used up to 24,000#gvw panel/flat bed trucks. Same tranny used for quite a while in GM too. Max GVW for domestic trucks is reduced for that tranny 'on paper', but don't let that fool ya. I've hauled/towed double the tow rating of my truck without issue. I do not trust an automatic behind a diesel at all. Too many horor stories. The Dodge 'Cummins' is a real inline 6 Diesel engine. Gobs of torque. They're 5spd is a nice shifting tranny. I think most will agree that the Dodge is capable of the best fuel economy, but the older Ford turbo'd 7.3's did quite well in that department. The newer 6.4 Ford not so good on fuel. I have kept a log book of everything done to my truck, fuel economy has averaged 17mpg for the life of the truck. I get 15mpg towing a 29' camp trailer across the passes. Best I've gotten empty is 22mpg from Seattle to Portland on I-5.
 
Stay away from the early 2003 Ford Superduty's with 7.3's, and the late/mid 2003's with 6.0. That was a bad cross-over year for Ford. Some little things like little electronics and such that weren't proven on the 7.3's and the head studs for the 6.0 were troublesome. Up through 2005 the auto tranny had a series of design faults. But, the recalls did well to fix them so anything used, should have been fixed. The tow-haul mode with transmission braking is sweet.

Get on the diesel truck forums.  

(yes, these are commercial forums, but I'm only pointing him toward information, not to make purchases)

http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums  http://www.thedieselstop.com  http://www.duramaxforum.com  http://www.cumminsforum.com

I read a lot of stuff and asked questions for months before I bought my truck.  Inform yourself and you'll most likely end up a happy diesel pickup owner.

-Steve