Instead of Mile High, how about High Mile Club?

[RadarRider]

Since the advent of diesel technology and probably decades before, the diesel engine has outlasted gas engines as far as performance, reliability, and overall capability. Do you think inventing a Hall of Fame for all the high-mileage diesels in the video/movie or even just a picture thread be something? Believe me, I love hearing and seeing how performance parts for our diesel engines have knocked the socks off the stereotypical gas community, but what of the high-mileage diesel work horses(or performers) that have their odometers far beyond 200k? Or 300K? 400K? Maybe? It's incredible how a semi travels an average of over 400k miles a year! That's from New York to California and almost about halfway back a week! What about our members? I'm sure few travel such great distances, but there are definitely some that have some serious mileage on their clocks! We need to give respect where respect is due to the Power Stroke or Navistar owners who've taken care of their rigs for so long to actually see a 2, 3, or 4 as the 1st digit on their odo's. Do I have a legitimate gripe? I think it would be pretty cool! thanx!

[Eric]

No pics but my dad had an 88 F350 N/A 7.3, 4x4 flat bed dually. He gave it to me and I sold it to buy my truck. It had over 500,000 miles on it when I sold it. It had never been rebuilt and still ran pretty good. (Got $3800 out of it 2 years ago which I thought was good) It was nothing to look at but it's still on the road, I see it every now and again.

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Last edited by Eric : 01-06-2008 at 02:41 PM.

[RadarRider]

Originally Posted by whitelongbed

No pics but my dad had an 88 F350 N/A 7.3, 4x4 flat bed dually. He gave it to me and I sold it to buy my truck. It had over 500,000 miles on it when I sold it. It had never been rebuilt and still ran pretty good. (Got $3800 out of it 2 years ago which I thought was good) It was nothing to look at but it's still on the road, I see it every now and again.

See? That's what I'm talking about! Those old diesels were really something! The rig your dad gave you probably had a long story to tell. 500,000 miles w/ no rebuild...incredible! You just wonder what that trucks life was like between it's 1st mile to it's 500k+ mile! The places it's seen & the crap it's been through. Every ol', high-mileage Ford has a cool story to tell. Thanks, man!

[bigwhite7.3stroker]

Talked to a guy the other day that had a 2001 F-350 with 404,000 on it and the truck was still running great and he pulls goosenecks all the time.

[RadarRider]

Originally Posted by bigwhite7.3stroker

Talked to a guy the other day that had a 2001 F-350 with 404,000 on it and the truck was still running great and he pulls goosenecks all the time.

Unbelievable! 404k! Another rig with a legend. These are the trucks that still rule the road! If I were a betting man, I'd say this thread will get more replies with stories of a few Ford diesels with high-mileage war stories & battle wounds! Let's see who else can tell us sumpthin'!

[French_Toast]

My Dad ran an early 99 for 5 years, towing yatchs up and down the eastern seaboard. It had 650k on it before it was stolen and dumped in a harbour. Only work it had done was a tranny at 500k and the turbo just before 600k.

[RadarRider]

Originally Posted by French_Toast

My Dad ran an early 99 for 5 years, towing yatchs up and down the eastern seaboard. It had 650k on it before it was stolen and dumped in a harbour. Only work it had done was a tranny at 500k and the turbo just before 600k.

650k! Very cool! My condolences, though, on it's demise. But up and down the eastern seaboard, you know that bad boy's seen some action! I drove my company's F-550 from E.Providence, R.I. to Orlando, FL for a drill rig convention. It was my first long-distance trip in a bigger F-Series maintenence truck. I got to see so much from state to state and had a couple of adventures before I reached my destination and ditto on the ride home. That was only a 22hr. trip one way. I can only imagine the fun your dad had with his truck in the 5 years he was hauling yachts! And the only things it needed was a tranny & turbo! That's something! C'mon, people, there's gotta be some more rigs who've spent some time on the beaten path...anyone else?

[powerstrokes only]

I like this thread! I own 2 old IDI's that have some miles. I have an '89 F250 4x4 Supercab 7.3 with just under 300,000 miles. It has been a ranch truck from day 1. The guy who bought it new lived wayyyy out on a ranch in western NM, I think it is close to 75 miles of dirt to get into his ranch. Now I have it and our ranch is 28 miles of dirt to get to. There are hardly any rattles and the motor uses no oil and has never been re-built! Runs GREAT, still pull trailers every day with it! I also own a '94 F250 IDI 7.3 with 290,350 miles. This truck still has original motor and has never been re-built. It too uses no oil, and runs awesome!!!! I have it turned up with a better exhaust, and air intake and it pulls right with my '08 6.4, maybe better, and uses half the fuel doing it!! I have pictures on my profile of it pulling my 40' flatbed with over 20,000lbs of pipe on it!! I love these trucks! I had a business partner that had a '93 IDI turbo that he abused for 500,000 plus miles and never replaced the injector pump! It still runs! I have a friend in Tenn. who knew a guy with 900,000 on a Powerstroke. A guy in Alb. NM had a Stroke van he went to Santa Fe in everyday that had 750,000 miles, he said he replaced a few injectors, some glow-plugs, and of course some tranny's. My Family and I have logged nearly 2,000,000 miles on all our Ford diesels since 1987 when we bought our first 6.9. I had an '86 6.9 that one of my friends now owns that is still running with close to 500,000 miles on it, it does use some oil, but he says it is still the most reliable vehicle they have ever owned. I have always been passionate about my Ford diesels, I have never owned a truck that was not a Ford Diesel and I never will.

[RadarRider]

Originally Posted by powerstrokes only

I like this thread! I own 2 old IDI's that have some miles. I have an '89 F250 4x4 Supercab 7.3 with just under 300,000 miles. It has been a ranch truck from day 1. The guy who bought it new lived wayyyy out on a ranch in western NM, I think it is close to 75 miles of dirt to get into his ranch. Now I have it and our ranch is 28 miles of dirt to get to. There are hardly any rattles and the motor uses no oil and has never been re-built! Runs GREAT, still pull trailers every day with it! I also own a '94 F250 IDI 7.3 with 290,350 miles. This truck still has original motor and has never been re-built. It too uses no oil, and runs awesome!!!! I have it turned up with a better exhaust, and air intake and it pulls right with my '08 6.4, maybe better, and uses half the fuel doing it!! I have pictures on my profile of it pulling my 40' flatbed with over 20,000lbs of pipe on it!! I love these trucks! I had a business partner that had a '93 IDI turbo that he abused for 500,000 plus miles and never replaced the injector pump! It still runs! I have a friend in Tenn. who knew a guy with 900,000 on a Powerstroke. A guy in Alb. NM had a Stroke van he went to Santa Fe in everyday that had 750,000 miles, he said he replaced a few injectors, some glow-plugs, and of course some tranny's. My Family and I have logged nearly 2,000,000 miles on all our Ford diesels since 1987 when we bought our first 6.9. I had an '86 6.9 that one of my friends now owns that is still running with close to 500,000 miles on it, it does use some oil, but he says it is still the most reliable vehicle they have ever owned. I have always been passionate about my Ford diesels, I have never owned a truck that was not a Ford Diesel and I never will.

Now here we are: a legacy of high-mile workhorses! I checked your pics out on your profile, and I was VERY impressed! I especially liked the one of your 6.9 pulling the generator and the backhoe! These trucks weren't used for "stylin' & profilin'", they got the job done! 2mil mi. combined on all of your family's rigs is also very impressive! I can tell you're all big-time workaholics and not worried about a dent or a ding when it comes to pushing your rigs far beyond unimaginable "work miles". Keep them Fords movin'! I hope they continue to be the most reliable trucks you own and still never have to replace a drop of oil! Nice story! Do we have any other travellers?

[powerstrokes only]

The picture with the backhoe and welder on it was a trip from Phoenix Az. to NM, about 400 miles. Hooked up to the same load when I got to NM with my Dads '06 6.0 and found out just how heavy it was, could'nt get over 75 with his and it is a pullin dude!! I really like that old '94! I remember a winter when we had over 3 feet of snow and had to still get our cattle taken care of. We had an '85 6.9 that we put chains on the front and went to the mountains where the snow was more like 4 feet. It pushed snow up over the hood and kept on going! Those old diesels are really great mountain trucks, tons of low-end torque! That first old 6.9 got me hooked on diesels and I have never considered owning anything but a Ford diesel ever since. I have enjoyed all the other stories on this thread, really impressive, just proves how tough these trucks are. Every time I here of a 7.3 blowing up or going bad I wonder to myself if it was maintaned well, because my experience is if you take care of them they just keep on going! Great thread!