looking at a 09 superduty 6.4L powerstroke

[hemiguy]

Hello,
Looking to upgrade my truck from a 04 Hemi Dodge 4x4 QC. Looking at a nice deal on a 09 F250, (sorry Dodge guys) 4x4, XLT crew cab, 6.4L w/19k miles. The Hemi is a huge gas hog and the truck has NOT been reliable. Drove the 09 Powerstroke and it is a gorgeous, nice driving truck. Would love to have the diesel for towing but honestly, what kind of real world mileage are you guys getting when not towing? Both regular gas and diesel is big $$$ here in upstate NY. My Hemi gets 12mpg (not towing) Any reliability issues with the 09 6.4L Powerstroke? I think the engine has a 5yr/100k warranty including the turbo, correct? Any advice is most appreciated
Thanks

 

[dstig1]

Ask the Ford dealer to show you the OASIS report on it. They may not do it, but you should ask about repair/warranty history. The OASIS report is from the Ford system for tracking repair work on vehicles, so it shows everything done to the vehicle in a Ford dealer. If you are not buying it from a Ford dealer then you will have a hard time getting one anymore as Ford has really clamped down on letting dealers give them out as they are considered Ford property. If you can get a look at it, it will tell you if the PO is ditching a problem truck or not.

 

[jgrreed]

The '08 - 2010's can be REAL lemons. Without chipping it, you should expect 10-11mpg (UK gallons, so more like 8-9 US gallons), and 4-5mpg towing. They are absolute pigs.

If I was looking for a "used/new to me" puller, I'd go for either a broken-in '07 ford 6.0L (ie proven not to be a lemon), or a good old '07 dodge 5.9L. The interiors aren't as pretty, but is a seat warmer worth a 10k engine rebuild??

There was chaos when they brought in the 'clean' technology in '08 - steer clear of it!!! I own a '08, but I consider myself VERY lucky with the reliability that I've had, and I've chipped mine and get 20-22mpg when empty.

-Jer.

 

[scoutcub]

The '08 - 2010's can be REAL lemons. Without chipping it, you should expect 10-11mpg (UK gallons, so more like 8-9 US gallons), and 4-5mpg towing. They are absolute pigs.

If I was looking for a "used/new to me" puller, I'd go for either a broken-in '07 ford 6.0L (ie proven not to be a lemon), or a good old '07 dodge 5.9L. The interiors aren't as pretty, but is a seat warmer worth a 10k engine rebuild??

There was chaos when they brought in the 'clean' technology in '08 - steer clear of it!!! I own a '08, but I consider myself VERY lucky with the reliability that I've had, and I've chipped mine and get 20-22mpg when empty.

-Jer.

I have to question that mileage figure.....4-5 MPG? That seems awfully low, that's what 80,000 lb semis get for mileage!
I do agree the 6.4's get a little worse mileage than the 6.0's.....I have a 06 6.0 dually (4.10) and get 16-17MPG unloaded, 12-13 loaded. The WORST I ever got was 10.5, but pulling 26,000 lbs (shhhh) up and down hills...

I'm sure some 6.4 owners will chime in, but with a 250 & 3.73's I would guesstimate you'd be in the neighborhood of my figures, perhaps a bit lower..

I would definitely check the Oasis report, and ensure the full warranty passes to you. 19K is pretty close to new.

Good luck!

 

[Lt CHEG]

I've been averaging around 14 mpg unloaded with a mix of city and highway driving on my 2010 F250 with the 6.4 liter Powestroke. When keeping the speed to a max of 70 mph I got about 18.5 mpg on the highway. Those are hand calculated mileage numbers too. The engine just hit 1,000 miles so those numbers are likely to improve a little bit after a little more break in. The 6.4 is a real hot rod if you want it to be, but if you drive it like a truck and not a drag racer you can get reasonable fuel economy. Do your best to keep the boost at 10 psi or less when accelerating and you'll probably like the fuel economy numbers.

 

[Diamondpilot]

I've been averaging around 14 mpg unloaded with a mix of city and highway driving on my 2010 F250 with the 6.4 liter Powestroke. When keeping the speed to a max of 70 mph I got about 18.5 mpg on the highway. Those are hand calculated mileage numbers too. The engine just hit 1,000 miles so those numbers are likely to improve a little bit after a little more break in. The 6.4 is a real hot rod if you want it to be, but if you drive it like a truck and not a drag racer you can get reasonable fuel economy. Do your best to keep the boost at 10 psi or less when accelerating and you'll probably like the fuel economy numbers.

Guy I boat with is a professional motor cross rider. He has a heavy foot and has either a 08 or 09 Crew Cab Long Bed 4x4 6.4L F-350 SRW and he averages 14 just like Lt CHEG. His boat is only 5,000# and he drove it like he stole it last summer down to the Knoxville area from Indiana and it got 13 mpg. That at 85mph or so with him.

One thing I have noticed with every diesel truck I have owned, Ford and GMC, is that I got the same mpg getting up to 60 mph quickly versus taking my time. Yes you use more fuel for the few seconds it takes but doing it the other way takes so long the fuel is a wash.
Chris

 

[Builder]

No offense to Lt. Cheg, but unless you get a really good deal, pass on it. I'm sure it's a good truck, but they discontinued that diesel in Fords after only 2 yrs of production. That would give me a bad feeling about parts in the future.

If fuel economy is your priority, I'd look for another Dodge/Cummins. They have traditionally surpassed V-8 diesels for fuel economy. As a bigger truck driver, one of the things I and other truckers do to save fuel is drive by pyro gauge. If I keep my pyrometer at 7-800* or less, I get better fuel economy. A guy who taught me how to drive tri-axles 25 years ago showed me this. I drove Macks & a couple KW's that way and it really works.

 

[JESSE1]

I have an '08 F-450 with a 6.4 and 4.30 axle ratio. So far it's been the best truck I've ever owned. Very powerful, smooth running engine. I'm averaging 12 mpg, can get around 13 mpg interstate driving. I talked to the shop foreman at the dealer I use and he said the biggest problems come from people who idle these trucks for extended periods. If you change the oil on schedule and don't idle for long periods there's no reason to expect any major problems with the engine.

 

[Builder]

I agree with your shop foreman. I just chuckle at the guys with diesel pickups that think they need to leave them idle like big rigs used to while they talk in the store.
I wonder if they know while the alum pistons cool faster than the block and that fuel starts washing down the cylinder walls? :confused2:

 

[hemiguy]

Thanks for the replies so far. 12-13mpg is NOT good enough to get me to go diesel. Around here diesel is way more than 87 regular for at least half the year. The computer in the truck I test drove said 13.1 mpg avg so that backs up what I'm hearing. I only tow about 10-20% of the time during summer and don't really care what the dropoff is for that. I've heard all the diesels have suffered MPG wise from the ultra low sulfur and all the government smog stuff. Oh well, I guess we all gotta breath! Plus it seems like there is a HP war in the diesels...trying to get them on par with gassers for 0-60. I'd just like the old fashion torque. I think the late 90's Cummins was only about 165HP but 450ish lb-ft and probably routinely got 20MPG. I'll bet most owners were pretty happy with that.

Anyway, I'd like to hear more about the Fords but will be still be looking at Chevy, Dodge, and maybe the 5.7 Tundra too(I know it's not a 3/4 ton). I gotta live with my choice for a few years so I'm in no rush.

 

[dstig1]

If you don't plan to use it a lot, or to tow with it a lot, you will probably be much better off with a gas engine. I keep hearing how all these newer diesels don't like to sit around and really need to be working hard some good percentage of the time to remain happy. No cars like to sit around, but gas engines seem to be more tolerant of lighter use than diesels and they are generally a lot cheaper to buy and maintain. Food for thought...

 

[jgrreed]

I have to question that mileage figure.....4-5 MPG? That seems awfully low, that's what 80,000 lb semis get for mileage!

That is EXACTLY what I used to get, EXACTLY what my friends with the same trucks got/get, and EXACTLY what I thought every single time I went to the pumps!!! "You know, if I'm gonna spend 500$ a month on fuel, a Peterbilt is a lot cooler!!!"

-Jer.

ps - I drive very conservatively, so no one can say I'm racing on Hwy 1 (our interstate), and that's why I was getting 10mpg.

 

[VTFireftr]

Go to Diesel Forum - TheDieselStop.com and check ou the posts there on this motor. more information than you know what to with.

It costs nothing to join the site (like this one).

The reason the 6.4 is out of production is due to Ford and International severing their partnership in the production of the Powerstroke motor.

Merry Christmas!

marc

 

[Diamondpilot]

I agree with your towing you do not need a diesel but do not let it being out of production scare you off.

There are very few parts that even interchange in a 2005 Dmax like I had to the one built in 2011 so technically its out of production. Same thing with the 5.9 Cummins, or a GM 350, or a Ford 351, or a Dodge 360. The list goes on and on and finding parts for them is no trouble. If anyone tells you different they simply do not know where to find them or dont know any better.

Chris

 

[Builder]

I agree with your towing you do not need a diesel but do not let it being out of production scare you off.

There are very few parts that even interchange in a 2005 Dmax like I had to the one built in 2011 so technically its out of production. Same thing with the 5.9 Cummins, or a GM 350, or a Ford 351, or a Dodge 360. The list goes on and on and finding parts for them is no trouble. If anyone tells you different they simply do not know where to find them or dont know any better.

Chris

Ever hear of "resale value"?
Think an '09 sooperduty with a 6.4L will suffer a bit with an orphaned engine?? :confused2::confused2:

 

[Lt CHEG]

If you have the space and can afford to keep two trucks on the road I'd recommend having a heavy duty diesel truck and a light duty half ton. If I had the space to keep two trucks I'd have kept my 1/2 ton Chevy Crew Cab and bought a regular cab F350 diesel just for towing. If you don't need to tow more than 10,000 pounds I don't think that I would recommend a 3/4 ton or up truck with the capabilities of today's half tons. Heck Ford's new ecoboost F150 is capable of towing more than 11,000 pounds. For me, when I bought my backhoe it pushed the weight of everything over 13,000 pounds and a half ton just wasn't up to towing that routinely. I have been picking up some extra cash doing things with my tractor so I was towing my tractor with backhoe more often than I thought was a reasonable amount to borrow my uncle's truck so I upgraded. If I had the room with my current situation to keep two trucks I would have had a dedicated heavy tow vehicle but circumstances don't allow for that so I made the best compromise available. The fuel economy difference of 17 mpg around town with my 5.3 L V8 vs 14mpg or so with my Powerstroke isn't significant for me considering the amount of miles I drive (5,000 to 6,000 miles per year) so I wasn't scared away. When this truck is paid off I will be in my new place with more space by then and will probably keep this truck and buy another half ton for its ability to be a truck and still get reasonable fuel economy. Frankly I think with current truck design I think owning two trucks is a very practical approach if you can afford it and have the space to do so.

As for the the 6.4 liter Powerstroke, it certainly isn't for everyone. I wouldn't rate the 2008 to 2010 Duramax or 2008 to 2012 Cummins any better though. I test drove them all and none got any better fuel economy. The thing that I really like about the 6.4 liter though is that like the Duramax and Cummins, it's made by an over the road truck engine producer. I owned a 6.2 liter GM diesel and it was the biggest piece of garbage I've ever driven. It was bad enough to make me not even consider owning a diesel for a long time and I'm still leary of owning any diesel engine that's not produced by an over the road truck engine manufacturer like Cummins, International or Isuzu. Plus because the 6.4 is an International motor that is used in other applications it is likely that one will be able to get parts for it for quite a while. The last possibly most important thing is that it, like the 2008 to 2010 DMax and 2008-2012 Cummins is the last generation of diesel that you will be able to completely remove the emissions equipment from at least at reasonable expense. I don't see how they'll be able to remove all the emissions stuff from the urea injection equipped trucks. If I keep this truck past its warranty I will be removing the DPF as well as all the EGR equipment, and will purchase an appropriate tuner so that the computer will still work properly. In so doing I'll probably get my truck to produce mileage similar to the 5.3 L that it replaced. Still not perfect, but able to safely and efficiently tow any load that I'll ever throw at it.

 

[arsenix2001]

I have an 08 f450 with the 6.4, ive also owned a 2002 7.3 and a 2004 6.0. The 6.0's have so much turbo lag its rediculous... Id had countless issues and mine was considered a good engine wirh no head gasket issues. The 6.4 has been an awesome basically trouble free motor. I was getting 8-10 city and 12-14 towing. I have since added a spartan tuner for 1500 including the dpf delete pipe and now get 12-13 city 17-18 highway with a heavy foot. Its putting down 5O5hp to the wheels with thier 275 tune. Alot of fun to drive. It does such ford ditched the motor because of thier pissing match with navistar... So they arent very inclined to bend over backwards for repairs. The new 6.7 seems cool, but the urea additive needed sucks and the truck contols more and more now, like shutting down after 15 mins of idle or not letting you go over idle if u run out of urea.

 

[Lt CHEG]

No offense to Lt. Cheg, but unless you get a really good deal, pass on it. I'm sure it's a good truck, but they discontinued that diesel in Fords after only 2 yrs of production. That would give me a bad feeling about parts in the future.

No offense taken. different strokes for different folks. I'm happy with mine but not everyone would be. I'm not as concerned about parts and what not for two reasons. First off I rarely keep a vehicle past its warranty period, secondly since the engine is made by International it's likely that parts will be available for quite some time. I've said it before and I'll say it again, buy the truck that you get the best value deal on and be happy. In test driving all of the trucks I didn't feel like there was a ton of difference in any of the areas that are most important and applicable to me, so I went with what I got the best value on. I really think that we're fortunate in owning trucks during a period where we have so many great products to choose from.

 

[westcliffe01]

Its all a question of options. I too have been trying to figure how to solve my towing needs problem in the best way. I also have a current dodge truck, but in my case I have the shortest lightest Ram 1500 with 2wd 3.7 V6, 6 speed manual with 3.55 rear end and... open diff.

My current truck can barely get itself out the driveway if there is a little ice and that is while wearing new bridgestone blizaks. Towing, it is too short and even with an anti sway hitch it requires a lot of attention to stay in a single lane at the best of times. My HiLo trailer has a low center of gravity as well as low drag, but boy, that 5000lb has everything but the semi's passing me in the rockies (and the semis do pass me going downhill !!!)

My Ram has been extremely reliable. Nothing on it has failed or made a hiccup in all the time I have owned it. But the body is already developing rust stains at the bottom of the doors and the tailgate already has bubbling rust at the bottom of the tailgate (2004 truck). The one time I towed a "regular" 22ft camping trailer, I got no better than 10mpg and could barely get over 60mph.

I have looked around, and ruled out the Silverado/GMC's since I can't stand the front end styling nor the interiors. The duramaxes are rare enough that here in the Midwest the prices are above my mantelpiece. I don't care much for the exterior styling of the rams, but the interiors are not too bad, but the quality of the bodywork and the use of unplated steel means I probably will not buy one again. The rams with the Cummins command somewhat of a premium (there were less of them made than any of the others, after all).

I have taken a long hard look at the earlier than 2007 F250/F350's but it is getting very hard to find one with reasonable mileage. With the facelift in 2008, those models just tend to look OLD, so worse for future resale value. In conclusion, I decided to find a 2008 model F250/350 with the kind of specification I was after and it appears that a lot of commercial operators have traded these model years to get the 2011 model with its supposed better mileage (I can believe it). Since my budget will just not stretch to the 2011's, the least expensive is going to be the 2008's.

That was my decision and shortly I will be flying from Lansing to Houston to pick up my truck.

 

[radman1]

I have a job 3, 08 F250. I pull with it 90% of the time, if not, usually driving 70 mph. Fuel mpg is about 11-12. Not what you would call a grocery getter. If I drive it nice at 60 mph, on the highway, it will make 15-16 mgp. Most of my loads are in the 10-12K lb range for trailer weight. Have pulled my dual, tanden axle trailer with 13K wheel loader. Weighed at the scales and total was 28.4K lbs. Into CDL territory but that is another issue. Truck has been great, powerful, and reliable. Had v10 '99 F250 before that and mpg was probably 8-9 with similar loads. The latest Fords diesels are claimed to get much better mpg and even more hp.There were a lot of the 6.4L diesels sold. It was almost a 3 year run because the 08s came out very early in 07. The 6.4L should end up being a more reliable engine than the 6.0L. 6.4L had a few hiccups in the first months with minor fixes that were corrected. The engine itself has been very reliable. Surprisingly, reports on the newest diesel have been a real good for Ford.