F450 woes

brain55 · Oct 19, 2012

I love my 2008 F450, even though I'm a GM man, but I broke my 6.4l. Last week I was towing my trailer over a little grade like I do, at least a couple times a week when I heard it start knocking. At first I thought it was just a weird echo off the hills, it was only noticeable at an idle. The next morning I got up and started it, it was definitely knocking, I didn't think it was a lower end knock. I took it to the dealer and they found a broken rocker arm. So they ordered new rocker arms and installed them. When they got it running again it was still knocking. Next they pulled the cab and disassembled the top end and found it had wiped a cam lobe, again put it all back together only to have it knock still. At this point they are waiting for the factory rep to give them the ok to pull the motor, they seem to think it spun a rod bearing.

Personally I would have pulled the pan to clean out the metal and inspect the bearings anyway. Luckily it is still under warranty. I have 91,000 on the 100,000 warranty. I really hope they replace the motor.

Brian

tcartwri · Oct 19, 2012

Thank god that was under warranty.

Diamondpilot · Oct 19, 2012

What do you think could have caused this to happen Brian? I know you are a mechanic and very knowledgeable. Do you think it was the load or just a weak or bad part in the engine?

I have had the opportunity to drive a few F-450 and F-350's with the 6.4 motors and they seemed very strong but I was not really impressed with the MPG's when I compared it to the other diesels I have owend and operated. 99 F-350 7.3L, 04 F-250 6.0L, 05 K3500 6.6L, and a 06 F-350 6.0L

Chris

RDrancher · Oct 19, 2012

Wow, sorry to hear about your truck! I've never dealt with a factory rep in the auto industry, but is there a way you could get involved with them one on one? I'd be pushing pretty hard for a new engine.

I guess to be honest...I'm a Ford guy, or maybe I was. They've made it pretty tough for us guys that prefer to purchase lease turn ins and low mileage used trucks with the 6.0 and 6.4. I'm leaning Cummins for my next purchase.

Peacock · Oct 19, 2012

Hate to tell ya but that stuff is just not out of the ordinary for the 6.4. I know of several trucks that have had multiple engines replaced with less than 50k miles.

Ask them if they will do a Cummins swap. lol Atleast you'd have a reliable engine in there. The cab and chassis 6.7 PS seems to be problematic around here also.

Diamondpilot · Oct 19, 2012

Peacock said:
Hate to tell ya but that stuff is just not out of the ordinary for the 6.4. I know of several trucks that have had multiple engines replaced with less than 50k miles.

Ask them if they will do a Cummins swap. lol Atleast you'd have a reliable engine in there. The cab and chassis 6.7 PS seems to be problematic around here also.

His is not a Cab and Chassis, its a pickup F-450.

Chris

Peacock · Oct 19, 2012

Diamondpilot said:
His is not a Cab and Chassis, its a pickup F-450.

Chris

I realize that, just making a statement.

brain55 · Oct 19, 2012

Diamondpilot said:
What do you think could have caused this to happen Brian? I know you are a mechanic and very knowledgeable. Do you think it was the load or just a weak or bad part in the engine?

I have had the opportunity to drive a few F-450 and F-350's with the 6.4 motors and they seemed very strong but I was not really impressed with the MPG's when I compared it to the other diesels I have owend and operated. 99 F-350 7.3L, 04 F-250 6.0L, 05 K3500 6.6L, and a 06 F-350 6.0L

Chris

I would guess the metal from the cam did the damage. The service writer made it sound like cam failures were common, but bottom end failures weren't as common. Hopefully I'll find out more today.

Peacock · Oct 19, 2012

brain55 said:
I would guess the metal from the cam did the damage. The service writer made it sound like cam failures were common, but bottom end failures weren't as common. Hopefully I'll find out more today.

Yes cams are quite common. Even the drive for the high pressure pump will wipe off. Have seen a couple that have had the piston cooling jets fall out too.

Diamondpilot · Oct 19, 2012

Hopefully it will be totally trashed. That way a new Long Block will be installed.

Chris

brain55 · Oct 19, 2012

Diamondpilot said:
Hopefully it will be totally trashed. That way a new Long Block will be installed.

Chris

That's what I'm hoping too. I was figuring on trading it in early next year when the warranty was up, but if they replace the motor I will probably hang on to it for another year.

Bigkrank · Oct 19, 2012

Diamondpilot said:
His is not a Cab and Chassis, its a pickup F-450.

Chris

I think Peacock may have been refering to the issues with the 6.7 non-wastegated engines in the 450/550 cab and chassis models.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyBlm__puoY&feature=plcp

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IJG4xcF1mc&feature=plcp

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcBv6X5Rmas&feature=plcp

Peacock · Oct 19, 2012

Bigkrank said:
I think Peacock may have been refering to the issues with the 6.7 non-wastegated engines in the 450/550 cab and chassis models.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyBlm__puoY&feature=plcp

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IJG4xcF1mc&feature=plcp

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcBv6X5Rmas&feature=plcp

That would be the one.

natem · Oct 19, 2012

Go to powerstrokehelp.com and check this guy out and his videos on YouTube. Has a lot of knowledge seems like. Goes through all the fail points of the 6.4. The emissions system kills these things. I want to delete it on my 450 but worry about being tested by dot. The fine Im sure would be outrageous. You may already know all this but if not check it out.

Soundguy · Oct 19, 2012

just curious.. but what oil were you using.. and what interval?

brain55 · Oct 19, 2012

Soundguy said:
just curious.. but what oil were you using.. and what interval?

I use DELO 400 15/40 like I have for decades, I try to do 5000 miles but I have stretched that at times to 6-7000 I'm putting 3000 miles a month on this truck.

Soundguy · Oct 19, 2012

delo ain't bad oil..

I'm using the valv premium ultra blue 5w40 full syn.

do they think it was a lube failure on that cam issue? or? what?

brain55 · Oct 19, 2012

Soundguy said:
delo ain't bad oil..

I'm using the valv premium ultra blue 5w40 full syn.

do they think it was a lube failure on that cam issue? or? what?

They haven't given any indication yet. I talked to the service writer earlier today they were hoping to have the engine out today and have it apart Monday morning. Considering my dealer has done several cams in 6.4's I'm thinking it is more of a manufacturing (soft cam core) issue. I am thinking the metal from the cam failure caused the bearing/lower-end problem. But it could have gone the other way too. I could have lost a rod bearing, allowing the piston to get up into the valves creating a valvetrain issue since it had a broken rocker arm.

WD40 · Oct 20, 2012

Hope they take good care of you and your truck, the day my 6.0 turned 5 years old I bought another
150.000 mile warrant for it. Anything that you have done to one of these trucks cost $2500.00, so I
thought it was cheap.
Doug

brain55 · Oct 20, 2012

WD40 said:
Hope they take good care of you and your truck, the day my 6.0 turned 5 years old I bought another
150.000 mile warrant for it. Anything that you have done to one of these trucks cost $2500.00, so I
thought it was cheap.
Doug

I'm fairly comfortable that they will, my only apprehension is from stories I have read on the internet. The service writer without prompting essentially told me not to worry that it would be covered under the warranty while handing me a PO to get a rental car at their expense, not Ford's.