Ferd Tow truck question

[DerekW]

Hey my buddy asked me what they can do to their F650 tow trucks to get more out of them (power and econ). I asked him what diesel engines where in the trucks and he was clueless. I did some searching but I only got more confused since it appears ford may have offered several different diesel engine options made by a wide variety of engine manufactures. I found alot with cummins engines, some with Cats and I found some kind of rollback (can't remember F#50) with a powerjoke. Do any of you guys have any idea what engines came in which trucks? Like are they different year to year or what? Can you bolt up the tuners from the picks to the cummins or the powerjoke? I am sorry i have no clue when it comes to fords, I had one for a 1st car (hand me down) and have been a Mopar guy since after many times working on the built backwords ferds. The fleet is equipped with 3 F650 rollbacks, 1 F450 slinger ma-bob, and a F150. Maybe I can talk the owner in buying a dodge medium duty truck when the time comes, but lets try to keep this post about the ferds.

 

[TCluff]

Hey my buddy asked me what they can do to their F650 tow trucks to get more out of them (power and econ). I asked him what diesel engines where in the trucks and he was clueless. I did some searching but I only got more confused since it appears ford may have offered several different diesel engine options made by a wide variety of engine manufactures. I found alot with cummins engines, some with Cats and I found some kind of rollback (can't remember F#50) with a powerjoke. Do any of you guys have any idea what engines came in which trucks? Like are they different year to year or what? Can you bolt up the tuners from the picks to the cummins or the powerjoke? I am sorry i have no clue when it comes to fords, I had one for a 1st car (hand me down) and have been a Mopar guy since after many times working on the built backwords ferds. The fleet is equipped with 3 F650 rollbacks, 1 F450 slinger ma-bob, and a F150. Maybe I can talk the owner in buying a dodge medium duty truck when the time comes, but lets try to keep this post about the ferds.

im not sure, but one thing is for sure, every single ford i have ever owned has hands down been more reliable than any new dodge anything i have owned, i would trust my 1976 ford truck over my 2003 dodge any day

 

[DrDiesel]

Hey my buddy asked me what they can do to their F650 tow trucks to get more out of them (power and econ). I asked him what diesel engines where in the trucks and he was clueless. I did some searching but I only got more confused since it appears ford may have offered several different diesel engine options made by a wide variety of engine manufactures. I found alot with cummins engines, some with Cats and I found some kind of rollback (can't remember F#50) with a powerjoke. Do any of you guys have any idea what engines came in which trucks? Like are they different year to year or what? Can you bolt up the tuners from the picks to the cummins or the powerjoke? I am sorry i have no clue when it comes to fords, I had one for a 1st car (hand me down) and have been a Mopar guy since after many times working on the built backwords ferds. The fleet is equipped with 3 F650 rollbacks, 1 F450 slinger ma-bob, and a F150. Maybe I can talk the owner in buying a dodge medium duty truck when the time comes, but lets try to keep this post about the ferds.

Trade it in on a NEW Dodge 4500/5500 This is a Dodge/Cummins site... . Are you confused

 

[DPKetchum]

Someone needs to raise the hood on them and LOOK to see what powerplants are in them. 1976 things were SIMPLE back then. You know the saying simple is as simple does.

 

[DerekW]

Trade it in on a NEW Dodge 4500/5500 This is a Dodge/Cummins site... . Are you confused

ok not helping me try to figure out what can be done to the ferd trucks. Maybe I should tell you: Its not my towing company, its not my buddies company, its my buddies bosses company. I recently had the honor of riding in one of those under power ferds with my 8K dodge on the back for a $581 tow. My buddy and I have gotten to the old man that owns the company and he wants to hire me as soon as business picks up again and needs extra help. then he will most likely send me to triple-A towing schools as soon as the next clases are open of which AAA pays for and cost me or richard not one cent. The richard is an older guy and has his own way of doing things he won't switch to a dodge anytime soon I will tell you that. Ferds are pretty much the industry standard just like Jerr-Dan is as a ferd upfitter for towing.



I am not confused, I am a mopar guy til I die. But all I want to know is what enginas the F650's came with between 2003-2006. And what parts from the pickups may work in the way of tuners and downloaders. Thats all I need to know i don't want to make this post about selling the ferds for the new dodges (or even GM) which arent even available yet. I understand when typing something people often misunderstand the tone of voice since they cant hear what you say. I am not mad or even frustrated.

 

[DerekW]

Someone needs to raise the hood on them and LOOK to see what powerplants are in them. 1976 things were SIMPLE back then. You know the saying simple is as simple does.

Somebody doesn't work there yet but will be as soon as business picks up, but my buddies (husband and wife) both work there and they came to me with this request. I can't simply go up there and cut the lock on the gate and crawl into the garages just to see what they have. I am really interested in a Ford guy or even tech who knows his stuff and can post any info to help. My buddies want to talk Richard into getting a little bit more out of these trucks in the way of economy and power (for safety reasons). Somebody out there has the answers to my questions I am just trying to find that person. Some of the guys here on TDR don't just own a dodge (some don't even own a dodge from what I have seen here) they work on then or know alot more about all kinds and brands of diesels.

 

[jwilliams3]

If the Ferd has the normal pickup cab then it doesnt have a Cummins.

 

[KWentling]

Could be Cummins 5. 9, Cat C-7, or a 6. 0 Powerstroke. I believe the Cummins was the standard engine. I know the Cummins was downrated below the ratings in our Dodges. I have driven F650s with the Cummins and the Cat with Allison transmissions with service bodys loaded to the max. They are both severly underpowered. Company also has a 650 with the 6. 0 Powerstroke but I have not driven it and it is not loaded as heavy as the other two. Last I knew it (Powerstroke) was in the shop for CEL and low power. The Cat is the oldest ('03) and the Powerstroke the newest. ('06) Seems to me the Allison is part of the problem because it upshifts too soon and downshifts too late. Lugs the crap out of the engines. I'd look to TST or others for upgrades. Not sure what is available but I don't think they use the same upgrades as our little trucks. Also the 6. 4 Powerstroke is not going to be available above a F550.

Kim

 

[DPKetchum]

DerekW. You left some guys holding for you on another thread. The one about the downloader and your truck not running!

 

[LSteiner]

Somebody doesn't work there yet but will be as soon as business picks up, but my buddies (husband and wife) both work there and they came to me with this request. I can't simply go up there and cut the lock on the gate and crawl into the garages just to see what they have. I am really interested in a Ford guy or even tech who knows his stuff and can post any info to help. My buddies want to talk Richard into getting a little bit more out of these trucks in the way of economy and power (for safety reasons). Somebody out there has the answers to my questions I am just trying to find that person. Some of the guys here on TDR don't just own a dodge (some don't even own a dodge from what I have seen here) they work on then or know alot more about all kinds and brands of diesels.

---------

Derek,

KWentling pretty well covered it.



A friend of mine recently purchased a F650 rollback which came with the 5. 9

ISB. I is derated compared to ours on paper but I suspect if you look at the

power curve of OURS and drew a vertical line at 2600 rpm you would have what

he has on his new rollback. Maybe not exactly, but pretty close.



His engine looks different too.

1. Has egr

2. cp3 located about midway towards flywheel hsg.

3. Different sump

4. I think smaller turbo, not sure.

5. Big cylindrical Donaldson air cleaner on top of engine.

6. different oil filter (same place)

7. different fuel filter (spin-on w/water drain)



larry

 

[seemore]

Yea Derek, how 'bout going back and finishing a rant about the downloader before asking a Dodge newsgroup about Fords???

 

[msperos]

He is probrobly to busy with his kitchen table transmission rebuild and coaxing 5000rpm out of his motor to be bothered with going back to that silly rant #@$%! about a vendor who joined this board to help him. :-laf

 

[DerekW]

Hey thanks I finally got most of the answers I needed regarding the fords. I knew somebody here on TDR knew more than I did. I am jumping right to the downloader thread I posted right..... now