New to diesels and looking where to start

[windmill86]

So i have always wanted a powerstroke for as long as i can remember. After 25 different cars and trucks my wish finally came true! So i bought an 04 F250 6.0 and got a heck of a deal on it. I have done everything from building motors to doing body work and am no rookie to cars but i am a rookie to diesels. So i am a newbie and apologize in advance for any stupid questions lol. I have been doing alot of research on the 6.0 and just the truck in general and after poking around in my engine bay have noticed some changes. Looks like there is a coolant filter and oil charge kit installed, and hard intercooler pipes. Truck has a 4'" turbo back, SCT tuner with DJ diesel custom tunes, EDGE CS monitor, 8" fox 2.0 dual reservoir suspension, 20" WWC Black widows with 37" Pro Comp tires, billet grill, backup sensors, HID headlights and blacked out taillights. And then there is this black switch that revs the engine to 1200 rpm when in neutral as long as the brakes are not applied. So basically im just trying to figure out where i stand and what should be some of my next mods? And also what is the purpose of the black switch? ( i just use it to warm up the truck when its cold in the morning lol). I plan on pulling the rear diff cover this weekend and seeing what gears i have back there as the cover seems to be different then stock. also i was curious is there was a way to tell if the head studs have been done without pulling the heads? Any help or guidance would be greatly appreciated! Sorry for the long drawn out post that probably doesn't make any sense but im just really wanting to just dive into this truck because i am a very fast growing enthusiast.i attached a picture of the truck the day i bought it.

[NYC F-350]

Originally Posted by windmill86

Looks like there is a coolant filter and oil charge kit installed, and hard intercooler pipes.

The 2004 model had metal intercooler pipes from the factory.
That is probably an oil bypass filter. This is a good thing as is the coolant filtration system. Sounds like the previous owner knew a few things about this engine.

Originally Posted by windmill86

Truck has a 4'" turbo back, SCT tuner with DJ diesel custom tunes, EDGE CS monitor, 8" fox 2.0 dual reservoir suspension, 20" WWC Black widows with 37" Pro Comp tires, billet grill, backup sensors, HID headlights and blacked out taillights. And then there is this black switch that revs the engine to 1200 rpm when in neutral as long as the brakes are not applied. So basically im just trying to figure out where i stand and what should be some of my next mods? And also what is the purpose of the black switch? ( i just use it to warm up the truck when its cold in the morning lol).

Your black switch is a "high idle mod." It is used for what you are using it for. It is also used during periods of extended idling to prevent "wets stacking."

Originally Posted by windmill86

I plan on pulling the rear diff cover this weekend and seeing what gears i have back there as the cover seems to be different then stock. also i was curious is there was a way to tell if the head studs have been done without pulling the heads?

Check out the head bolts. If you see a bolt head, they have not been done. If they have a nut on a stud, they have been done.

Originally Posted by windmill86

Any help or guidance would be greatly appreciated! Sorry for the long drawn out post that probably doesn't make any sense but im just really wanting to just dive into this truck because i am a very fast growing enthusiast.i attached a picture of the truck the day i bought it.

On your CS, you should be monitoring your coolant temp and your oil temps. This will allow you to keep an eye on the health of your oil cooler.
To really test it, get the truck (unloaded) up to normal operating temps (190°F coolant temp, give or take a few degrees). Find a flat section of highway, set the cruise for 55-65 MPH. After a few minutes of cruising at that speed on the flat, check the temps and compare them to each other. Your oil temp will be higher than your coolant temp, but it should not reach 15°F in this condition. If/when it does, it is time to replace your oil cooler and replace (or delete) the egr cooler. Always replace as a pair if you decide to keep the egr cooler.

[PGreenSVT]

Sounds like a great truck, congrats. Don't pull the rear cover. Jack it up, turn the tire 1 rev and count the driveshaft turns for gear ratio.

Seems like the basic bolton mods are covered. It gets expensive from here. Turbo, injectors, etc.

[windmill86]

NYC 350: thanks for all the info... i actually drove to work this morning on one of the most flat highways with cruise control set to 55mph which is about 60 because my speedo is off) and the coolant was steady at 188, the oil temp was steady at 192, trans temp around 150, egt around 680 and running a steady 7lbs of boost...... does this seem right? also is there an advantage to deleting the egr vs upgrading?

[NYC F-350]

Those temps are great. It sounds as though you have a great truck there.
The advantages are (IMHO):
Engine is no longer inhaling soot from the egr cooler
no more soot in the intake manifold
gets rid of egr valve related running issues
diminishes the chance of head gaskets getting blown by the egr cooler failure

[windmill86]

awesome! thanks for all your help and knowledge you have passed it has been greatly appreciated! This weekend i will be replacing all the fluids and filters just for good measure and while im at it checking the gear ratio, head studs to see if they are ARP and also looking at the turbo because it spools extremely loud and im thinking the previous owner removed the silencer..... also i am looking into CCV which i heard is a great idea any input on this matter or links to how its done?

[Lilpooh]

The early built '04's have the '03 engines and turbos, this might be why the whistle is loud.