TECHIES: Rare, Very Rare, Unexplained, 6.4 Engine Implosions Theory....

[Lone Ranger]

Hello Friends,

Look, on reading for years, it seems there is a VERY small number of total engine failures in the 6.4... I mean rare, maybe 1 in 200-300 or more.. But, it seems to fall hand in hand with injector issues.....

I hear of injectors over fueling and plugging up the DPF (again rare)
I also hear of injectors bleed down and expanding the oil with diesel solvents (again rare)....
And even oil expanded til it comes out of the dipstick tube...

Is this just poor maintenance? I mean there could be a few bad batches of injectors, but a little water in the fuel could blow the tip on the injector. And I cannot even imagine not checking the oil in so long that the diesel expanded the oil volume to overflow out the bloody dipstick???? Are these the contributing factors to the rare (but happens) 6.4 engine failures??????? Just poor fuel and poor maintenance?

I check my oil now and then just for fun... I like to even pre-filter my diesel, and since these engines are a bit fussy, I am thinking of a 240 litre bed tank and auto shut off bowser... I will fill it, and pre-filter with a water separator, out of that tank into the F-450 KR, instead of out of the Station Pump...

Am I on to something here, or am I just imagining a connection... What do you Techies think...

Poor fuel, lack of maintenance, injector problems would sure explain a lot of premature engine failures....

Tell me, IT IS OK TO SHOOT ME DOWN...
lone Ranger in Oz... Old School Diesel Nut and Ford Fan....

[jlynch799]

the only engines <6.4l> ive seen blow are from the radiator popping at the seem then over heating and the owner not paying attention, then having the oil filter stand pipe turn to liquid and plug every oil galley.

[forddieseldoctor]

I saw one that flaked a section off of the cam lobe and broke a rocker arm. But only one that I've seen that was replaced.

[Big Angry Hillbilly]

When the oil level rises, from fuel in the oil, it will force oil into the charge air cooler. When enough oil builds up there, it will ingest into the motor and cause things to melt.

[Big Angry Hillbilly]

Originally Posted by Lone Ranger

I hear of injectors over fueling and plugging up the DPF (again rare)
I also hear of injectors bleed down and expanding the oil with diesel solvents (again rare)....
And even oil expanded til it comes out of the dipstick tube...

Is this just poor maintenance? I mean there could be a few bad batches of injectors, but a little water in the fuel could blow the tip on the injector. And I cannot even imagine not checking the oil in so long that the diesel expanded the oil volume to overflow out the bloody dipstick???? Are these the contributing factors to the rare (but happens) 6.4 engine failures??????? Just poor fuel and poor maintenance?

Not shooting you down, just stating some facts.

As of late: Injector failures ruining DPFs are becoming commonplace, as well as fuel in the crankcase. I have never seen oil coming out of a dipstick, however I have seen the oil level rise to the point where the oil leaks out of the O-ring around the dipstick seal in the block.

And it doesn't take long. My own personal truck will gain about a quart in the crankcase after 3000mi/5000km of driving.

[Cumminspower11]

I like the idea of prefiltering your fuel in an aux tank, then pumping it to your main tank. Ive been to some pretty shady fuel stations out in the think of it and who knows what kind of maintenance/filtering laws there are that stations just dont do...

There was one fuel station in my hometown that had to stop selling fuel until they replaced their underground tank and pumping systems because every drop of diesel that came out of the nozzle was contaminated.

[Lone Ranger]

Originally Posted by Big Angry Hillbilly

As of late: Injector failures ruining DPFs are becoming commonplace, as well as fuel in the crankcase. .

Hello Hillbilly,

Is that from the early 6.4's that had a few problems, say the 07-08s???? Or are you saying the later edition ones have injector problems 09 and MY10?
What are you seeing in the Shop?

I would not be happy seeing my oil grow a quart in between oil changes... Should you be changing out injectors on your own...???

Regards from another little outpost... Australia

[jlynch799]

ford allows a quart between oil changes, they say its normal for the vehicle

[Lone Ranger]

I guess with that big of an oil sump, like a Big Rig, a quart dilution is not that big of a deal...

I am actually greatly heartened by all of the good reports on this engine... And I really like the Dually look of this last model.

The glued on sliced doughnut fenders of the 6.7 Dually are going to REALLY take some getting used to.

I may just stick with this last of the good ole F-450 heavy running gear, old 6.4 motor, until the 6.7 has been run into the ground good and hard...
Somehow the new 6.7 engine being built in Mexico with all of their social problems is not encouraging...

I am starting to like the 6.4 more and more, and I won't even hear mine run for another four weeks...... This DPF plugging issue is a worry though, I have ask the Dealer/Importer if they will allow a Spartan tune/DPF and maybe EGR Delete as that seems to be most of the issue on that particular one.

Any other engine failure experience with Techies? Since this F-450 is the last of the big running gear in a King Ranch, and I don't like the 6.7 look necessarily, I am thinking of digging in for the long haul with this motor.... At least until the Mexican 6.7 track record stabilizes... if it does...

[dmwmdklrw]

Personal anecdote from a non-techie.... Towing a 9000# horse trailer on a 900 mi. trip in my 2008 250 6.4 with only 7000 miles......no problems for 800 miles.... cel came on steady...still running flawlessly... then wouldn't restart at a fuel stop. My code reader (Superchips Cortex programmer...running stock program at the time, BTW) said crankshaft sensor failure. Got it towed. This is what I was told happened... They said the camshaft gear is permanently affixed to the camshaft by a heat fusion process. Mine supposedly failed, throwing everything off and chewing up the engine. They talked about repair, but ended up replacing the engine. The total bill was $14000. No cost to me. Comments?