Dr. Diesel has important info about your FORD 6.0L Diesel

[Dr Diesel]

Have you noticed that your 6.0Litre Ford truck is beginning to run with slightly less power or not as smoothly as it did when it was new? Maybe you haven’t noticed a dramatic change, but perhaps there may now be a hesitation on acceleration, exhaust smoke or maybe it just doesn’t start as quickly as it used to. Slight changes in the way the vehicle operates can indicate the possibility of future parts failure. Pre-empting this with preventive maintenance and regular vehicle checks is far less expensive than reactive repair.

Regular maintenance on this engine is crucial to extending the life of its major components. In addition to lubricating the crankshaft, valve train etc., the engine oil is also used to lubricate the turbocharger bearings and operate the fuel injection system. The turbo shaft spins up to 80,000 rpm and at extremely high temperatures. The fuel injection system is hydraulically operated using engine oil pressurized up to 4000psi. What we have found is that by not changing the engine oil at the minimum recommended intervals or before, you begin to get an accumulation of sludge and acidic compounds. The sludge begins to build up on an oil screen that feeds the high pressure oil pump. Once this occurs, the suction from the oil pump can collapse the screen and pull it into the pump causing catastrophic failure of your high pressure oil pump. On top of this, the acidic compounds building up in the oil begin to erode all components it comes in contact with like bearings and o-rings (of which there are many!) to name a couple. This is why we recommend regular oil service intervals of 5000 km or three months, whichever comes first.

The fuel filtering system also requires regular attention. It has been determined that a large majority of injector failures have been caused by low fuel pressure. If fuel filters are left for too long where normal debris can clog them, flow will be reduced thus reducing the injector charging pressure. We recommend primary and secondary fuel filters be changed every 10000 km or 6 months, whichever comes first.

If you maintain a regular service routine with your FORD 6.0L as outlines above you will have the greatest chance of avoiding very costly engine work. If, however, your vehicle begins to exhibit a poor running condition, proper diagnostics, not just parts replacement, will be necessary to prevent further failures of the same components. Our technicians have been trained in Ford 6.0L diagnostic and repair procedures. We also have equipped our shop with the latest Ford specific diagnostic tools and required equipment. This is the same training received by and the same equipment used by the technicians at your local FORD dealership.

Everyone wants to reduce their “Carbon Footprint” on the planet and with a clean running 6.0L diesel engine you can rest assured that you will be doing your part. As an added bonus, you can also reduce your fuel cost, a ‘win – win’ for you, your family and the environment!