Community Forums

Homeby5 · 03-18-2023, 08:14 AM

I have a 2022 F350 6.7 Diesel. Right now I have about 19K mile on it. I have a total of 16K miles towing. About 15K miles are from towing a 26ft TT across the country at speeds around 60mph for long distances. But this towing mileage is mainly limited to about 3-4months of the year. Another 1000 miles or so is pulling my 22ft boat a couple miles to the boat ramp a couple times a month. The rest of the time my truck sits or simply drives a few miles in the Keys going to the store or what not and never going over 50mph or driving over 20 minutes at a time.
I plan on continuing this routine every year as I bought my truck mainly for towing my camper across the country a few months out of year. So this routine should continue.
I have been told that it is necessary to drive these newer diesels at least once a month on the highway. I don't do that. But I assume that even in these few months, since 75% of my mileage is towing long distances, it doesn't matter and its OK if I only put 1000 miles on it around town the rest of the year and not reaching high speeds?
What say you? Are my habits OK for my engine? Should I change something?
Thanks

DutchmenSpor · 03-18-2023, 08:27 AM

Um... "that's" a new one for me. Never heard of anything like this. What, or who, was the source of your information?

I do know, with any vehicle (gas or diesel), if they sit for a long time (meaning a year or so), the parts of the vehicle rust up, dry rot, corrode, and rust up. So, it's always healthy for any vehicle to start it up, run it, "blow out the cob webs" and keep it operational.

I don't see where towing anything for any length of time will be detrimental to the tow vehicle, if it's designed to do so and the item being towed is not over the weights limit of the tow vehicle. Granted, when towing the engine's RPM's will rev higher. But the design of the engine (any engine) should be built to withstand, as long as the trailer is within acceptable weights.

I think you are over-thinking. Not sure where you got your info, but this sounds really weird to me. I'm not a Ford owner, so maybe what you are saying is accurate. But it just doesn't sound right to me.

tuffr2 · 03-18-2023, 08:40 AM

I am opposite Dutchmen - you are a great example of a person that should own a Ford 7.3 Gas engine.

You will be a good case study to see what happens. Most likely your DPF will get clogged from not doing a good Regen.

I have heard, like you, it is best to use your diesel truck. Using it to tow long distance is good. Towing to boat a few miles is not good. I am reading to do a good Regen it takes 30 to 60 minutes. A Regen will burn the soot off the DPF. It needs to get hot to burn the soot and turn it into ash.

I had a 2012 F-450 that I used to tow a heavy 5th wheel. As soon as I sold the 5th wheel I sold the truck and bought a gas F-250 to tow whatever I wanted.

Again you will be a good case study.

bigb56 · 03-18-2023, 09:03 AM

The reason it is recommended to drive once a month on the freeway is to ensure any pending exhaust regen completes. If you are driving short trips and a regen is due, it won't ever complete and will eventually lead to problems. If you are not driving or starting it at all, this does not apply, it can be stored for months then driven on the highway with no problems to the SCR/DPF system provided the DEF is not allowed to get too old or stored at hot temps which will age the DEF quickly.
As an alternative you could set up engine monitoring software on a smartphone or tablet and be aware of your regens which I do on both my SCR/DPF diesels and by knowing when the regens are coming I can prevent interrupting them. You can complete a regen in town, you don't have to go to the highway to do so. I just use the gears to keep the RPMs up while it completes.

TB673 · 03-18-2023, 09:12 AM

The issue with the newer DPF equipped diesels are that short trips around town and low RPM driving have a tendency to create more soot in your Diesel Particulate Filter. When the soot gets to a certain level, the Engine Computer starts a regeneration cycle to burn off the excess soot in the DPF.
This generally gets done without any indication (other than a drop in MPG), but this procedure generally needs to be completed once started.
The time that this Regeneration process takes (I've observed usually 30 to 45 minutes) depends on many variables.
So, to sum up, If your boat isn't heavy, it's probably good to run your diesel at Higher RPMs 1800 or so (I just run my truck in 5th gear on my 6 speed transmission) on the interstate once in a while to give some heat to the DPF.
If your boat is heavy, don't worry about doing anything different.
These trucks were made to haul heavy loads and are at their best doing just that.

Here is a topic regarding a Dodge with DPF issues:
https://www.irv2.com/forums/f45/ram-...ge-607003.html

Tim

tinkerreknit · 03-18-2023, 09:29 AM

I've heard many times that these beasts need to be run. I use mine for local trips most of the time, and tow on trips totaling several thousand miles a year. I think there is lots of wisdom here concerning DEF aging and DPF cycle not completing. But I have come to rely on the computer system to dictate problems and potential problems. I keep an eye on mileage as far as service items, but I won't change oil until I need to, etc.
So, my take is that the ideal conditions for my truck are just that, and in practice it's a different story. I take very good care of the truck but I'm not going to worry about things. I enjoy driving it a few city miles a week as the norm. When I hit the highway, the truck can do its thing. With all the sensors and driving habit information the computer collects, I think all is fine.

CecilD · 03-18-2023, 09:59 AM

19,000 miles is a pretty large sample size. Your concerns would be more valid after just 5,000 miles. If you aren't noticing CELs or drivability problems with your rig, then I'm guessing your driving regimen is fine. The new engines are finely engineered to adjust to variables. The salt water and salt air are most likely doing more damage to your truck.

Homeby5 · 03-18-2023, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigb56

The reason it is recommended to drive once a month on the freeway is to ensure any pending exhaust regen completes. If you are driving short trips and a regen is due, it won't ever complete and will eventually lead to problems. If you are not driving or starting it at all, this does not apply, it can be stored for months then driven on the highway with no problems to the SCR/DPF system provided the DEF is not allowed to get too old or stored at hot temps which will age the DEF quickly.
As an alternative you could set up engine monitoring software on a smartphone or tablet and be aware of your regens which I do on both my SCR/DPF diesels and by knowing when the regens are coming I can prevent interrupting them. You can complete a regen in town, you don't have to go to the highway to do so. I just use the gears to keep the RPMs up while it completes.

What engine monitoring software are you referring too? Never knew about that?

Homeby5 · 03-18-2023, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tinkerreknit

I've heard many times that these beasts need to be run. I use mine for local trips most of the time, and tow on trips totaling several thousand miles a year. I think there is lots of wisdom here concerning DEF aging and DPF cycle not completing. But I have come to rely on the computer system to dictate problems and potential problems. I keep an eye on mileage as far as service items, but I won't change oil until I need to, etc.
So, my take is that the ideal conditions for my truck are just that, and in practice it's a different story. I take very good care of the truck but I'm not going to worry about things. I enjoy driving it a few city miles a week as the norm. When I hit the highway, the truck can do its thing. With all the sensors and driving habit information the computer collects, I think all is fine.

Yeah...I hear ya. Living in the Keys, i don't have an interstate to run on. But I have only put about 100 miles a month since I came back from Alaska the first week of Sept. Not sure if the Regen mode kicks in every few hundred miles of city driving? I haven't noticed any problems at all though.

Homeby5 · 03-18-2023, 10:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tuffr2

I am opposite Dutchmen - you are a great example of a person that should own a Ford 7.3 Gas engine.

You will be a good case study to see what happens. Most likely your DPF will get clogged from not doing a good Regen.

I have heard, like you, it is best to use your diesel truck. Using it to tow long distance is good. Towing to boat a few miles is not good. I am reading to do a good Regen it takes 30 to 60 minutes. A Regen will burn the soot off the DPF. It needs to get hot to burn the soot and turn it into ash.

I had a 2012 F-450 that I used to tow a heavy 5th wheel. As soon as I sold the 5th wheel I sold the truck and bought a gas F-250 to tow whatever I wanted.

Again you will be a good case study.

How often do you think the truck goes into regen mode from city driving? I would assume it's more than every 1000 miles or so? If so, hopefully I'm good as I will take off on another camping trip before 1000 miles from last time.
Thanks for your insight but I really don't want to turn this thread into a Gas/Diesel debate. I bought the diesel because I mainly tow in mountains (so far at least and hopefully in the future) and wanted a diesel for the obvious reasons mentioned on this board over and over.

Old-Biscuit · 03-18-2023, 10:43 AM

Diesel Particulate Filter

Read up on it/auto regen--manual regen...warnings

Pgs 212 -216
https://www.fordservicecontent.com/F...US_04_2021.pdf

bigb56 · 03-18-2023, 11:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Homeby5

What engine monitoring software are you referring too? Never knew about that?

Torque Pro, Scanguage III

tuffr2 · 03-18-2023, 06:56 PM

Old-Biscuit does it yet again. If you read the pages OB points out you will see what Ford recommends.

Homeby5 · 03-19-2023, 06:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Old-Biscuit

Diesel Particulate Filter

Read up on it/auto regen--manual regen...warnings

Pgs 212 -216
https://www.fordservicecontent.com/F...US_04_2021.pdf

Thanks OB. Well...reading this, I never have received any warnings or anything so I guess I can assume I am fine. BTW...I don't have the manual regen option.