How long before a diesel engine breaks in?

[YC1]

Unfortunately with a big DP we often have a couple of thousand miles on the rv when it is delivered from the factory. But out here in Kalifornia we have plenty of hills to get the temps up and drive em like we stole em.

[SmokeyWren]

Originally Posted by okdallas

If you guys were going to buy a used Diesel with aprox 100,000 mi what would be your chose for a 3/4 ton to pull a 5er or a TT?

For a TT with GVWR less than 10,000 pounds, first choice would be a 2011-up F-250. Second choice would be 2008-2010 F-250. Third choice would be the newest Dodge Cummins 2500 you could find in your price range. Last choice would be anything made by Government Motors.

For a 5er with GVWR less than 12,000 pounds, or a TT with GVWR more than 10,000 pounds, same as above except 350/3500 SRW.

For a 5er with GVWR 12,000 to 16,000 pounds, same as above except 350/3500 DRW.

For a 5er (including toy hauler) with GVWR 16,000 to 20,000 pounds, same as above except 450 pickup or 4500 chassis cab with tow body conversion.

For 5er with GVWR more than 20,000 pounds, same as above except F-450 chassis cab with aftermarket tow body or pickup bed.

The 2011-up Ford engines are great. The 2008-2010 Ford engines are okay, but thirsty. 2003-2007 Ford diesel engines had problems. The Cummins engines are great, but a lot of folks are not excited about the Dodge trucks that are wrapped around the engines. Chrysler/Dodge and GM both went bankrupt and had to be bailed out by the Feds. Chrysler is now owned by FIAT and the labor unions. GM is now owned by the labor unions and the Feds. Ford is still owned by you and me.

[Cumminsfan]

Stay away from the 6.4 Fords and if you get a 6.7 Ford pay attention to the fuel filter. Fords has issues with the new Bosch CP.4 HPFP. Chevy uses the same pump but has better fuel filtration. Ram uses the older CP.3 which has proven to be better at standing up to lower grade diesel. The 6.6 Duramax has been a great motor as has the Cummins. The old Dodge bodies are junk stuff is ridiculous. I came form a 2010 F150 that had more squeaks and rattles than my 12 Ram. Ram has zero.
For a 10,000GVW trailer I would def look at 3/4 tons and up. Best deals out there right now are left over 12 Rams as the new 13's are rollin on to the lots. I picked up my 12 Ram 2500 CTD July of 2012 for $10,000 off MSRP. Best truck I've owned. The things a pullin monster. I'm only towing a 9000lb 5th wheel but it feels like a great combo. 12 mpg towing.

[jesilvas]

What's wrong with 6.4s? Tons of power with a delete tune, just like you're gonna do on a Dmax or Cummins.

[Gemstone]

"Tjhey do need to be run everyday or you will develope problems"...

Has not been my experience....my Cummins powered big truck sits for months at a time, with nothing but a 50 mile exercise once every 3 weeks....until we move locations. Been doing this for 6 years....with no problems.

Regards
Gemstone

[menoble]

Originally Posted by Mr_D

I don't know, never kept one long enough to find out. Only up to 39,000 now on the '02 ISC.

I don't know either, I could never afford a new one. Mine are always broken in when I get them, some more than others.

[okie-dokie]

My cat engine is started every 2 wks. and ran approx. 50 miles. I have encountered no problems. However it is best if you do exercise the drive train as often as you can, so the seals, hoses, belts, tires, etc. can stay alive.

[BCooke]

Originally Posted by SmokeyWren

For 5er with GVWR more than 20,000 pounds, same as above except F-450 chassis cab with aftermarket tow body or pickup bed.

Of course a note on the chassis cab is the derating of the engine (6.7).

[Ray,IN]

I've heard that talk for decades, never saw anything in writing. Son-in-law is maintenance manager for a large OTR trucking company. I asked how they treated brand-new tractors. He said they handed the keys to a senior driver, who got his trailer assignment from dispatch-hooked up and hit the road.

[wandering1]

500,000 miles

[elkhornsun]

For a truck with 100k or more miles the only diesel I would buy would be a Duramax 2006-2007 Classic with the LBZ engine. I researched all the 2009 and earlier diesel trucks from Ford, GM, and Dodge and they all had their problems but the fewest were with the Chevy LBZ trucks. And it is not only the engine but the cooling system, electrical systems, emissions system, fuel system, and other areas that will result in time spent at the shop and big repair bills.

The reliability of all three manufacturers' diesel trucks improved dramatically in 2010-2011. I would be looking for a 2011 truck with high miles on it and avoid any of the older trucks. Overall unless I really need the extra towing capacity I would put my money into a gas powered truck with a 4.10 rear end.

[Barefoot68]

Go with 5th wheel follows you with no whipping back and forth.

[Barefoot68]

Had a 6.0 with 3.73 in Chevy, transmission shifting drove me nuts on any hill big or small

[hjsdds]

Had a Cummins 5.9, International 7.3, now Cummins N-14, kept increasing the "go factor". Bought this truck with Cummins N-14 with 836,000 miles.

I guess it was well "broken in" since it gets 8.4 mpg pulling total weight of 47,000 pounds (trailer weighs 22,500 loaded). Have almost 900,000 miles on it now. Truck either sits for months at a time or goes for thousands of miles, between 5,000-11,000 miles. Doesn't seem to be bothered sitting (I do have batteries charging system on board so they don't go flat).
It's a 2000 Volvo.
Transmission never shits out of the overdrive (10th gear) as long as the speed is, above 55 mph, regardless of hill regardless of load.
These engines are just "catching their stride" at about 1/2 million miles.
If you want to know how good your diesel is you need to find out it's B50 rating, not likely published by the likes of Ford or others. Isuzu did publish it way back in 2005 and the Duramax predecessor had a rating of 310,000 miles and their straight six 7.8 liter which they used in MDTs had a B50 rating of 440,000 miles. The B50 rating signifies that at that mileage 50% of those engines required significant repair, rebuild, or failure, but 50% were still on the road and working. I'm assuming Ford would not want to publish those for their 6.0s, 6.4s, they might be embarrassed.
Incidentally, the B50 for the "big boys", 12, 14, 15, 16 liters Cummins, Detroits, Macks, Volvos, etc is 1,000,000 miles, that's why I was not nervous buying something with 836,000 miles.

hjs