used truck question

[magothy1]

Hello folks, I was a member for a good while until I sold the 2003 3500. I put 300,000 on it, sure was good to me, but I didn't need that size truck any more and it was into the odds and ends of repairs. Now I'm looking to get a 3500 dually to pull a 5th wheel, looking used 2014 to 2017, under 40,000 miles. Is there any way to tell if the previous owner was good about letting it idle down to cool instead of shutting if off hot, and causing turbo problems ? I'm thinking an oil analysis is the only way.

I'm looking forward to reading on here, I always enjoyed this place. Maybe I can get magothy1 back as my username.

I see folks saying the Tradesman headlights aren't so wonderful. That's disturbing. That was probably my main complaint about ole Red. Gads, they were some sorry headlights.

Steve in SC

 

[Timd32]

I see folks saying the Tradesman headlights aren't so wonderful. That's disturbing. That was probably my main complaint about ole Red. Gads, they were some sorry headlights.

Welcome back.

Yeah have '18 Tradesman.... they really are fine you will get back in the swing of things around here, could have been a post I was in alot of us are always looking for a better mouse trap. Yesterday complain about headlights this and that, but I really enjoy my Tradesman, Work Vinyl, rubber mat, small screen, just wish it had a better selection of the voice to text samples.

My '19 Suburban has the fancy HID with the auto level crap, I complain about those too, I don't think the high beam is HID on those it's a more typical bulb forget really.

Cooldown never really hurts to keep an eye on your gauges, but don't think you will figure that part out for a used truck, will see who jumps in here to see what they think, IMO most folks trading in these in are probably just shutting them down.

 

[magothy1]

Thanks for the help.

Kinda what I was thinking on the cool down. If it's say, a landscaper's truck, unless the owner was driving it, no cool down.

How about the Nexen tires I've read some sad things about them. I'l search around.

 

[Timd32]

In my opinion it's all about tire pressure and rotation schedule. Making the right adjustments for what your hauling, keeping your suspension parts up to par... it's not easy but not impossible to make a bad tire last.

Couple good threads on tire slippage recently that leads to some balance issues, so how they are using them and what issues they are having could be driver related.

You can usually get out of them what they claim in most cases, it's right on the sidewall how good they are compared to the standards.

Michilen has a pretty neat book on all their tires (as do most mfg) it's a decent reference to look over the different makes and models. Called the Michelin Data Book. Also a truck version.

Friend was having issues with some new take offs Firestone would not mount them, they had 18miles on these things, they were brand new date codes were good, softness was good, tread depth was good, I threw more specs at my friend by using the book it's all out there and how to figure it out..

Of course my dad was counter man / specialist in the tire business for over 30 years so I might have a unfair advantage grew up in tire stores and doing wholesale deliveries with him after work and on weekends.

 

[sag2]

I wouldn't worry too much about cool down. I would guess the majority of HD truck owners have never read the manual, or let them cool down.

 

[mfurrh55]

If I'm tooling around town , I don't do cool down, but if I'm towing or on a trip, I always do cool down, turbos cost too much to take for granted, I would probably think more drivers do a cool down than your giving them credit for.

 

[Jim W]

I have an early 2008, 6.7L Cummins/Dodge truck and when I purchase this, an joined the forum in Nov. 2007 there was a lot of discussion on Turbo Cool down. This was do to the early 5.9L trucks and the need for cooling down the turbo also what it is printed in the Diesel supplemental book for the 6.7L engines. Will after I installed a set of gauges with one being a EGT gauge, I have come to the conclusion that I when towing, I do not need to let my turbo cool down. Why?

These are my reasons. When the truck is stock with your current emission program installed, the EGT's will be between 400 and 450F at Idle. In fact you can let the truck idle for an hour and the EGT's will never go below 400F. I have tried to let it idle for 20 min's or so, with no change in EGT'S. My second reason: is after towing my 5th trailer for a two hour stretch, I will head into a rest area (I have to take a walk). When I slow down and drive the 700 to 800 FT. into a rest area my EGT'S will drop below 450F and stay there. To me this is enough time for the turbo to cool down. The boost pressure is around 5PSI on my boost gage so the turbo is not being worked hard at this time in my humble opinion.

 

[jhenderson]

Water cooled center section means less priority for cool down under most conditions.

 

[magothy1]

Interesting. I got my 2003 used, it had 9800 miles. I joined here, tried to read up a bit.

I was a shrimper for 40 years, had the old style 855 Cummins with the turbo mounted on the read of the manifolds. The next generation had the turbo on top of the engines, halfway down. I was told to always always let them idle for a bit before shut down.

Anyway, back to the truck chase. When I changed oil after having my truck for a bit I sent it for analysis, I think it was to Bob the Oil Guy. ( That was a good while ago.) The report came back with turbo bearing material in the oil, and he said to be very particular about the cool down shut down. I followed that advice for 14 years and 300,000 miles, it worked for me, I guess. Obviously as a 2003 it was the 5.9 engine.

The EGT thing is real interesting, thanks for that.

 

[p-Bar]

Be sure you check engine hours to total miles driven to see the average MPH. You don't want anything under 35MPH (grocery getter) hard on the emissions

 

[magothy1]

Hm, how to do get the hours numbers and figure that. Salesman said ( bless his heart ) among other things, the first owners pulled a 5'er but decided to downsize.

I picked the truck up today, 2016 3500 Tradesman DRW, 3.42 rear, 45,500 miles. So far I like it. Been a long time since I had an 8' bed, sure looks funny. Drove about 140 miles back from the dealer, good bit of interstate at 70-72 mph, bit of hiway at 60 or so. Mpg readout said 18.5, I was happily surprised.

Salesman said one thing that I wondered about......that sure sounds funny, well, anyway, he said that the 5 gal tank of DEF would last an oil change interval. Doesn't seem to be what I've read. He did say if it was heavy towing it wouldn't do that, but that's logical, you'll burn more fuel doing that.

I can see I have some studying to do. It's kinda funny, I'm 70+, this is my first 4wd vehicle.

Anyone running full synthetic ? I looked in the manual, might have missed it, but I didn't see an oil weight given for that. Only saw the 15-40 for the regular. I did see where it says no more than 8,000 miles between changes. I was running full syn in my 2003 3500, SO engine, went 10,000 between changes, no heavy lifting, oil analysis came back ok.

 

[R.Taylor]

15/40 full synth for the oil.... 10k is good, Use a good filter like a 20 or 15 micron.

 

[jhenderson]

Follow your manual. There should be a diesel supplement included. If not call FCA and request one, they’re free. Full synthetic usually comes 5w40, not 15-40. That’s what the engine had in it from the factory. Your manual also states 15,000 mile or one year oil changes. No reason to change sooner. That’s the schedule our hotshotter members follow and they have run hundreds of thousands of miles without any oil related trouble.

 

[gsbrockman]

#ad

 

[jhenderson]

I did say usually. Any reason 5-40 is less acceptable?

 

[dieselshadow]

I did say usually. Any reason 5-40 is less acceptable?

Nope.

Valvoline Premium Blue Extreme full synthetic. "Only one endorsed and recommended by Cummins."

 

[Cummins12V98]

Personally run AMZ/OIL 15-40 Signature series at full 15k intervals with great test reports saying I could go even longer after my warranty is up.

 

[jhenderson]

Nope.

Valvoline Premium Blue Extreme full synthetic. "Only one endorsed and recommended by Cummins."

Pretty much the same story as Power Service. More of a financial and marketing agreement than pure endorsement. It does show that Cummins believes it does no harm.

 

[dieselshadow]

Pretty much the same story as Power Service. More of a financial and marketing agreement than pure endorsement. It does show that Cummins believes it does no harm.

So you're butthurt over a quote I used from another website helping support your question? Come on man.....get over it. You're an adult, let's try harder at these adulting things we call respectful conversations. No need to get wound up over it.

If you like PS stuff, good for you. All I was encouraging was making informed decisions. I'm not telling you what to do or not to do. Not all will agree with you or me. That's life. If it wasn't the case we'd all be driving Fords in the same color and options.

 

[AH64ID]

I prefer 15w-40 full synthetic to 5w-40 full synthetic because it usually has a lower NOACK volatility, and is slightly thicker at operating temp. The pour points are plenty low on the oil I run, Amsoil DME, at -40°. Only 5°F is gained by the 5w-40 Amsoil, so I’ll take the better properties of the 15w-40.