Powerstroke Survival Guide

[Andy]

Hello again!

We've all heard it, somebody's sensor fails them when they are out of town, and they end up losing hours, maybe days while they wait for a new sensor to arrive.

WELL!! I have an idea, and I will need your help! I want to put together a "Survival Guide". A list of things that people should keep with them. A list of common things that go out on the truck, and things to have on hand in case they do.

What do you guys think?

If you like the idea, please reply with what you think should be in the survival guide.

[Ramsmoker]

Hey, I'm all for it. After having my truck tied up at the dealer I'm ready to learn what items I can fix myself and what parts and tools I need to have with me.

[Mike OB]

I believe one of the most important items you can carry (AND I DO) is the hoses that connect the intercooler to the turbo. They get soft and blow off - then "you" can pull more then the truck. They run about 35 dollars each and one of each will do fine. Anything else needs a scanner to test and take some care to replace.

[Ramsmoker]

I've had time to think what has happened in the past to me on the side of the road. I agree with the previous post here but with hose clamps to go with it. A Piece of 5/8 tube and hose clamps for heater hose leak. Duct tape, electrical tape, test light and a small assortment of fuses mini and maxi size. If you use a programmer, keep it in the truck and hope you don't need it.

[Mike OB]

Sorry I didn't think about hoses or fuses, Your absolutely correct about fuses, but hoses are a matter of maintainance! I am 62 years old and started this trade in my brothers shop when I was 13 in Mill Valley. Today I am a certified Master Mechanic with ASE and have owned my own shop for over 20 years, don't prob your injectors with a test light as they use over 110 volts to fire them = it could get real shocking! Hoses and belts are a normal service item and should be changed when they get hard or cracked, it would be like driving on a bald tire not to change them. Another good hint is to put Mac13 in your radiator, it is soluable oil and lubs the water pump and stops rust and other build ups in the cooling system. Another tip is to poor hot water over your batterys once a mounth, that removes the acid and stops acid drain of the battery and prolongs battery life. You are right about taking a few thing along, but it is my belife a good maintance program is better than a parts store.

[Rodslinger]

Welcome Mike and thanks for the great info!

These aren't "parts" per say but along with a good selection of tools, I recommend bungee's and/or straps. I'll tell you why I mention that;
Just this past weekend my wife and I were driving back from our ranch and a young GI, his wife and two little ones were in front of us and hit a deer. They were on their way from Arizona to Ft. Hood for his new duty assignment. ANYWAY after I check to make sure the deer was dead, I drove up to where they had pulled over. Luckily I had tools to disassemble most of his front clip and was able to bungee up all the undercarriage pieces that were flapping around, or would causing rubbing. I followed them for the next hour and got them to Ft. Hood safely - told him sorry for the rough howdy but things get better in Texas.
Don't' forget a small fire extinguisher and especially a first aid kit.

[purduefarmboy460]

Don't forget and leave your owners manual at home in the garage/shop. You start having fuse trouble its like pulling teeth in the dark hoping you get the right one!

[Ramsmoker]

Hey Mike, I agree with a good maintanance program and I to am a certified heavy diesel mechanic, retired. This might sound funny to some of you, but did you know that diesels have completely different water parameters than gas engines. I still have my test kit but if you go to a class 8 truck dealer you can get a bottle of test strips to check the ph level in your radiator. Even todays longlife coolants won't keep the ph correct for very long. If you don't keep the ph level down, tiny bubbles form around your hot cylinder liners and cling to them. Each time the cylinder fires the bubbles implode, now explode. This erodes the cylinder wall from the coolant side. If this continues it will turn into a pinhole leak and you will start finding water in the oil. I live in the northwest so I can't say what the water is like in your area. Another thing to look at here is the anticorrosive chemicals in your coolant. I have found that diesels will develop tan deposits that look like barnicles. Not a good sign. Changing your coolant everyother year will curb this. All the manufacters are useing longlife coolants now days. This summer I was looking over my sons KW and drained the rad. Ugly coolant came out. They keep ther ability not to freeze but there isn't a lifetime anti corrosive.