6.4 for daily driver (short trips)

[WVStroker]

I'm looking to get my first diesel this spring/summer, and looking for a 6.4. However, I plan to use the truck as my daily driver to and from work, only a 10 mile or so trip one way. My reason for getting the diesel (other than just loving these trucks!) is to pull toys on the weekends. I have seen mentioned a couple times that the short trips are hard on these trucks, and can actually contribute to problems with them. After trying to research this a bit, seems like the most mention is about allowing the turbo to cool, but I was thinking it would also probably be worse for the DPF too, as it wouldn't be able to complete a cleaning cycle on such short trips.

Anyone have any insight on this? Anybody use their truck similar to this with or without issues? I'd really like to have the diesel for the extra pulling power, but I want to avoid bringing any problems on myself too. Would I be better off getting a pre-DPF diesel? Or am I going to be stuck with a gasser?

[johnny9r]

I have an 08 F350 and use it as my daily driver, I have an 8 mile commute and have no problems with the truck. I do have a DOC/DPF delete for the truck as I heard lots of bad things about them with the short trips

[grunttorque]

I drive mine maybe once a week to work which is 2 miles each way and I take it on road trips when I want other than that it sits. I think you will be ok.

[cntryboy17]

Originally Posted by grunttorque

I drive mine maybe once a week to work which is 2 miles each way and I take it on road trips when I want other than that it sits. I think you will be ok.

Thats the worst thing u can do to these trucks they need to be driven sitting just leads to problems


Short trips in city are bad for any vehicle because of all the idling but as long as u let the turbo cool down u should be alright

[grunttorque]

Originally Posted by cntryboy17

Thats the worst thing u can do to these trucks they need to be driven sitting just leads to problems

I've got 28k miles on it and had a radiator and a rear end replaced. I do regular maint. on it and I don't keep my trucks very long. I think idling these things is worse than letting them sit less than a week..

[JMart]

mine used to be a daily driver 3 miles each way. Now I drive my company truck home so it sits until the weekends. I too have heard bad things about this but I hope to not have any problems. Haven't had any in the 2 years Ive had it. Now i do take it out on the weekends and run it hard and I have a doc/dpf delete but that doesn't help eliminate the egr issue.

[walkeru08]

I use mine as a daily driver, 20-30 miles a day on average. I usually end up going on 4 or 5 longer drives (100 or so miles) for work per month and for the most part the regenerations occur during the longer drives but I do have several that get cut short. Mine seems to be doing fine. You may want to follow the severe duty maintenance schedule as I do since I have a good bit of stop and go driving. (Oil change every 5k and fuel filters every 10k). Like Cntryboy 17 said, daily driving is rough on any vehicle no matter what you buy so you just have to be willing to accept that it may shave a few thousand miles off the life span and get what you'll be happy driving every day.

[WVStroker]

Thanks for all the quick responses. It's nice to see that some guys are using their trucks the way I plan to without problems. Maybe I should just proceed to get the truck I want.

Glad to see I don't have to sacrifice and get a truck I'm not happy with just because I don't really need a diesel 7 days a week!

[cmac34]

My trip to work is right around 10 miles. I have the common problem of the regen light coming on right as I am pulling into work. I love my truck and it is still stock for the time being, but short trips and the the 6.4s don't mix.

[superdutydixie]

Mine is a DD and I only drive about 10mins each way to work. I've never had a problem, but sometimes I have to cont. to drive to let the cleaning cycle finish.