Average life expectancy of an IDI???

[Diesel JD]

If you keep the Ford and you want reliable I really think a ZF-5 or a BTS E4OD is what needs to be done to make it reliable. Sure, some folks have had good success with the E4OD, like argve and Old Mister Bill, but so many others have thrashed numerous ones, people that usually maintain their stuff. I think much of the root cause is a mechanical engine trying to communicate with a computerized tranny. GM tried a mechanical motor talking to an electronic injection pump with the DS4 and the 6.5TD.... that one didn't work out too well either.

 

[tbirdfiend281]

if you keep up with the fluid i think they hold out not half bad, plus behind the idi's they seem to last a little bit longer then the stroker guys, but i am no expert

i dont think hes got the dough for a BTS unit, so regular flushes should keep it fresh hopefully

 

[trackspeeder]

Is there a way to skip the electronics on the E4OD?

No. The E4OD needs all the electronic gizmos and gadgets to work. That's the E part of the tranny.

The Bauman set up replaces the electronics with there own stuff.

 

[nicksorenson]

I flushed the fluid a couple days ago. It didn't help any. I think it actually got worse! Youch!

It does seem like theres an electronic issure there. The codes it had before were differential sensor and shifter possition range sensor which were both changed out to the tune of $400 at the dealer! It seemed ok for a week, then now it's giving a code again and the torque converter is locking up. The code it has now says it's slipping but it doesn't feel like it is. The stealership tech said he drove it, cleared the code, and drove it again and it still is giving the code. He also said it started of in 3rd or 4th gear one time. He called after that and said, I'd replace the Trans rather than keep throwing money at it. So, that's how I arrived where I'm at now with the truck.

Should have started with that in the first thread. Sorry about that. Anyways, there's the background.
thanks!
Nick

 

[6 Nebraska IDIs]

Just an example for you.
My grandpas truck (an original 83 6.9) we were still driving a year ago, and it has over 650,000 miles on it. Speedometer broke at 580,000 (5 rotations +80,000) and we drove it another good 5-6 years every day after that, so it has atleast 650k on it. With the original engine, original rotating assembly, original pump and injectors (pump rebuilt once at 250,000) and original glow plugs. We took good care of it and used Archer brand diesel oil in it. Spring last year it started dropping lifters so we put a crate engine with 20K in it, then rolled it 4 months later.

 

[Shadetreemechanic]

Did the dealer say anything about a bad instrument cluster. My 94 (turbo with 318k ) was giving me codes, I went to flush it and found chunks of metal in the pan. OUCH! I replaced it.
It kept giving me codes, started slipping at high speeds, computor said speed sensor, (replaced it), then torque converter and tach sensor. When we replaced the tach sensor my tranny guy told me he suspected the instrument cluster but the speed sensor was cheaper. Once I came back the second time with other codes he got a remanufactured instrument cluster from ford, (about $300) and it has been the best performing automatic I have ever had since then. My tranny guy said that it was not uncommon for the instrument cluster to go bad and cause all kinds of intermittant crazy trouble.
I'd keep the ford.

 

[Agnem]

Dang Shawn, I didn't realize it had racked up that kind of mileage. Most impressive. We don't often find out how long they will last because so many people get tired of having the same truck that long and just move on, then the new owner never knows how many miles are on it.

 

[tbirdfiend281]

ya im not sure how many miles are on my truck, its a **** big time, like 5 owners

 

[ericboutin]

ya im not sure how many miles are on my truck, its a **** big time, like 5 owners

I don't know what mine would be I'm only the third owner...the second one shouldn't even count; he only had it exactly one year. I wish I knew how many miles were on mine. The odometer says 130,000 there abouts but the original owner (a funeral home! yup a funeral home...love to know what they used it for!) Anyway the funeral home put in a new at that time it was called "Dealer's Diesel" motor with the ATS turbo add-on. I just don't know the mileage they did that. As for the tranny; I've not had any problems with mine...aww man I'm knocking on wood as we speak!

 

[Pipeliner_86]

I bought my truck 4 years ago, and the speedo wasn't connected. The seller told me it had at least 250,000 on it. I never put a speedo cable in the truck, so not sure how many miles I've racked up, or how fast I've been driving.

 

[Double-S-Diesel]

one of my last ones run right up until the conecting rod broke, had 150k on the truck, dont know how many on the motor.

 

[Michael Fowler]

Your mileage may vary.
Do NOT let Travis drive it!
( Sorry, Travis, but you have had some "experiences")

 

[subway]

one of my last ones run right up until the conecting rod broke, had 150k on the truck, dont know how many on the motor.

aw come on my gasser 360 kept running with a thrown rod. just had a miss to it

i thought these engines were rated for 500k with all the proper maintanance, of course the real world can trim that number down in a hurry.

 

[RLDSL]

i thought these engines were rated for 500k with all the proper maintanance, of course the real world can trim that number down in a hurry.

Those kind of avarage design ratings are based on commercial usage where the miles get racked up in a shorter period of time. If you're putting 125k miles a year on, it only takes 4 years to hit 500k. At 80k miles a year only about 6.5 years. At 50k miles a year, 10 years ( which , incidently, is the allowable service life for a school bus in many municipalities ) Combine that kind of running with a good fleet maintnence schedule, and 500k is doable, no problem.
In personal use , getting to 500k involves a whole lot more seasonal changes, a few zillion more short trips, and being on the road long enough to have radiators clog and fail etc, so it's pretty much a given that you aren't likely to see that kind of mileage on a personal vehicle without a rebuild, but it happens on occasion.

Way back when these engines were first out, I was maintaining a fleet of school busses with the things in them and quite frankly, we never had to do anything but change the oil , oil filters and the fuel filters and clutches ( and even in that kind of service, clutch jobs were rare ). With 200k on them, they were like brand new

Honestly, We never did much on them, I've had to learn WAY more about these engines since getting this truck.

-------Robert

 

[85hauler]

The ol' 6.9 in my '85 had a little over 445k on it before it had enough. The majority of that was trailer pulling miles. Since I've owned the truck it hardley ever moves without a trailer. The motor would of lasted longer had I not ignored some warning signs while trying to keep bills paid.