Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Diesel Truck - advice requested

Sam, I bet that sucker screams after the delete.

A buddy’s nephew did the full delete on 2015 just like yours and put a tuner and straight 4” exhaust on it. My buddy told him to never turn it past stock as it would go over 1200 degrees lickety split. He figures on stock it’s about 600 hp now.

One of the many mistakes I’ve made. Selling my 07 Duramax. Hasbeen

Buy a new set of injectors, or an oil pump in a diesel, and your fuel savings are negated.

Unless you're planning to tow a lot, a gasser is probably a better option.

Heeler, I had the mechanic leave it on the 'stock' tune. Should be about like factory which is plenty of HP
for what we need. Get too crazy and the engine will eat transmissions. BTDT, expensive!

The guy that services our vehicles is a diesel guy and drives the same '06 Dodge/Cummins I do. I asked him the other day if he were buying a new truck, what would he get. He replied he'd wouldn't own a new diesel - gas only in any newer truck unless he absolutely had to have a diesel for regular heavy towing. He commented that they are just stupid expensive to maintain anymore and a nightmare to work on.

oil pump in my 12 valve was less than 50 bucks if I remember right can get injectors for a couple hundred.I put the oil pump in when i put a new gearcase on it. injectors on it are easy, just have to get a special socket for them, they run about 30 bucks.

7.3 Ford is an amazing powerplant. Mine has a chip, so it's got a little extra grunt. Biggest issue has been the alternator, third one since I started driving it.

This sums it up right here





Bob

It’s hard to beat a 24V 5.9 Cummins . 12V are probably good too.




Bob

Yes, I should have clarified that. I talked my friend into going gmc duramax classic in 07 from his Ford powersmoke by offering him a deal on some of my gm card dollars. He still has the 07 duramax and I doubt he'll get rid of it.

Bb

I have 2 friend who took a Ford 6.0 Diesel to Wyoming on a elk hunt. Ford broke down on dirt road into camp. Had to have towed 40 miles to the nearest Ford

dealer. The owner flew back to pick it up and got a $9000.00 repair bill. He had to get a loan to pay it. Be careful with 6.0 For Diesels.

Thanks for your input guys. I currently drive an '08 Chevy 1500, and up until a year ago I was convinced that I wanted a 3/4 ton gasser. Then I pulled my 20-ft camper on an antelope hunt and it was clearly working the truck too hard. That's what is leading me to think that a diesel would be the best option and since it won't be a daily driver it should last me a LONG time.

The 12v Cummins are very attractive for longevity, but with a kid in tow, I'm afraid we should at least have a quad-cab. Seems like those model years came in regular cab or extended cab, and with the wife and kid along, I think I'd regret that. If was just me, that would be a different story. Right now, I'm thinking a clean (not hot-rodded or monkeyed with) 04-09 Dodge, or an 04.5-07 Chevy, with an increasing preference to the Dodge.

Pre-emissions BS would be good to... what year did that start? 2007?

I think 2007 is correct. I believe that is when we saw the implementation of ultra-low sulfur fuel, DEF, particulate filters...etc.

Generally, I agree...but the VP44 injection pump and more specifically, the Carter designed lift pump are the Achilles heels of that generation. The VP44 isn't strong enough to pull fuel and force it through the injectors so they use a crappy designed lift pump to feed fuel to the VP44. And since the VP44 requires fuel flow to stay cool, once the lift pump goes, the VP44 is toast.

FASS and Pureflow AirDog each offer bolt on replacements for the lift pump providing much better fuel pressure and reliability. These units are only a few hundred dollars versus the big fuel polishing filter / pump assemblies that mount to the frame under the bed (which are still fantastic though).

The 12V use a mechanical pump that is practically bullet proof and grant a lot more reliability and potential if you decide to do any modifications.

PS: if anyone ever thinks about investing in a FASS, I highly recommend you research some of the disputes between FASS and Pureflow. As a result, I chose a Pureflow unit.

My Duramax has 310,000 miles on it without any problems. Most dependable vehicle that I've ever owned. Took it on a long trip last week and did great and most of it at 80mph.
Read all of this and you will see every body loves their Chebbie, Fordge, or Fiat-Ram.
My neighbor has always owned diesels with mixed luck. He just bought a 3/4 ton GMC and opted for the 6.2 gas. Vehicle was cheaper and so was the fuel. He tows an animal trailer and is very happy with the towing ability. At this time he will not go back to a diesel.

They don’t make a 6.2 gas in the 3/4 ton GM platform. Up until 2019 it was a 6.0, now it is a 6.6.

I was at the Ford dealer today and was looking in the shop. Holy crap, I didn't realize they completely lift the entire cab off the trucks. I saw a F150 with the entire crew cab suspended in the air above the chassis. I'm guessing it was maybe major work/repairs I was witnessing. I always heard that they do it, especially with the F250's, but didn't realize it can apply to the F150's too. Was I seeing something wrong? Anyone work in a shop and can comment? What kind of repairs would necessitate removing the cab? No wonder some repairs are so expensive.

It's not always a matter of being necessary to pull the cab, but it can be a lot faster. If you have a lift and proper tools it's often not a major ordeal lift it off the frame.