first diesel any suggestions.....

[twitchvoodoo]

Whats up guys.. I just got got my first diesel it is a F250 6.0 powerstroke turbo diesel Fx4.... I was just wondering if you guys could give me some advice on some mods to do to my truck to make it run better and have a longer life..... I will be honest I am a 21 year old truck driver not a millionare so any advice you guys can help me out with would be greatly appreciated.......

[SMKSTAX]

WELCOME TO THE ORG!!

[lifewitlooie]

Lift the ever living crap out of it.

[Blue01F250]

Welcome to the .org bud!!!! Glad to have you here! Basically -- the best basic mods you can do are an Exhaust, Guages, Chip or programmer, Zoodad (its free, just do a quick search and you'll find all ya need to know bout it )

Those will get you some better mileage if you can keep your foot outta it!

make yourself at home !

[DoubleDpsd]

Originally Posted by lifewitlooie

Lift the ever living crap out of it.

x2

There are a lot of things you can do. It all depends on how much money you have to work with. Only use OEM motorcraft filters for fuel and oil!! Personally, I use delo 15w-40 from costco. Have used that since I bought it with 41k on it. now has 76k and all is fine. I don't think the money spent on synthetic is made up in the long run or worth it. You can do the zoodad mod for more airflow and maybe some better mpg's. A 4" turbo back exhaust would help keep your turbo cooler which will prolong it's life. I suggest removing the cat and muffler, you're 21 you'll probably love the way it will sound. And if you're really die hard about doing some good things for your truck you can install arp studs and delete the egr cooler and weld your egr shut. Whatever I missed someone else will pick up. OH yea...and a coolant filter. that should be the first mod.

[LvTitan]

if you plan on doing some horsepower mods there are a few things to consider. what year is your truck/engine ?
the stock headbolts are iffy at best when stock, and if you plan on making more than 400HP you should consider getting ARP headstuds for sure.
but first things first: a good 4" turbo back exhaust w/no cat. you can run a performance muffler it will still sound good and be loud at WOT. this keeps your egt's easier to control.

get a good set of gauges for you EGT and boost, and if you do any towing you should also get a tranny temp gauge as the factory one is not dependable.

if you are going to get a "chip" the only way to go is SCT programmer. there are many different brands offering many different "modules" or programmers, but the one that will make the SAFEST, MOST TUNEABLE power is the SCT. it is the best one for the 6.0

as this is your first turbo diesel please know that the number one way to shorten the lifespan of your engine is to not warm it up properly or cool it down properly. If it gets cold at night, use the block heater. when it's cold, make sure you start it and let it idle for several minutes before taking off, and even then do not "get on it" until everything is up to operating temperature.
at the end of a trip you should always let it cool down before shutting it off. ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE BEEN DRIVING IT HARD, OR JUST GOT DONE WITH HIGHWAY DRIVING. when you have stopped, put it in park and let it idle for several minutes (if you have a pyrometer, you want to wait until the egt's are at 350 or less before you shut off the motor , 400 degrees at most. this will take several minutes, but it will cool down faster if you turn off the a/c, and pop the hood.

your stock intake setup is good for more power than you'll be making anytime soon, and also has the best filter element. an aftermarket intake should be one of your last mods. do the zoodad it's free. high idle mod is free, do a search.

change the oil RELIGIOUSLY at 5000 mile intervals or less. your fuel injection system is powered by engine oil, and it is the life blood of your engine. genuine filters only for oil and fuel and air.

this should at least give you a good base to start feel free to ask more questions as you have them.

[westcoaststrokin]

to the ORG!! Looks like everybody has all ready sent ya down the right path.

[Jay B]

Follow the service schedule in the owners manual. Use only quality oil (I like Rotella) and Ford filters.

Keep it clean. You can see potential problems and catch early leaks and damage if the engine and underneath are clean, and you get a good look at everything while cleaning it.

Warm it up, cool it down. Do not run it hard until the oil and trans temps are up. Let it idle for 3-5 minutes after a hard, fast or heavy run, this will keep your turbo happy.

Check fluid levels and tire pressures frequently.

Do not lend your truck to your brother-in-law.

[shu873]

Be religious about your maintenance schedule. The 2 biggest things a powerstroke needs are fresh clean oil and a properly working air filter...

A 4" turbo back exhaust would be my first "real mod", and of course the freeby zoodad. Next you'll need a full set of gauges, EGT, tranny, boost.

If you feel the need to "chip" it, go SCT w/ custom tunes from anyone of our site vendors. SCT is the safest, most powerful choice for the 6.0...

[eazenutz33]

Originally Posted by Jay B

Do not lend your truck to your brother-in-law.

best advice I've seen yet! lol

zoodad was cake!

have been hearing a few mods on here I haven't heard of before. good replies!