Lets talk DEF / DPF delete

Phil, will have to ask you do the swap in your shop.

 

wait until you see the 2-post lift that i bought in October set up...

 

I owned a 2003 e350 with the 7.3 as well for about 10 years. 3.55 ratio and on the 80 econo tune the absolute best I saw was 21 and that was over a tank mostly flat, one mountain pass up and down and speed at 60-65 via cruise. That was the best of the best. I haven't had a single deleted full size truck get anywhere close to mid 20s.

I've got a new f150 work truck with the small power stroke and it gets 22-23mpg and it has 7500 miles on it. No it's not loaded down with 50k kbs in tools either but it does have a bed cover.

I deleted my LMM and tuned it when you could still get tuning and picked up an honest 3mpg but the fuel economy prior to deleting was absolutely terrible. In the last 40k miles I'm averaging 17 mpg and I don't drive 90mph and I don't tow at 100mph and I fill the damn thing to the same spot each and every fill. I fill it to the top of the fill neck.

My Ford diesels, GMC diesels, and Dodge diesels have never gotten close to mid 20s and I've tuned every damn one of them.

 

LS in Astro van, screw everything else.

 

i think he got the sprinter because the astro shouldn't have to suffer any more

 

An F150 with a Powerstroke? Are you sure?

 

Yeah. Its a baby diesel. Dodge had the eco diesel in the 1500 and Chevy has the baby duramax.

 

Ah, didn't realize they put a rattler in the F150

 

I just keep buying pre DEF trucks... I just bought a 2002 7.3 with 150K miles and a 2005 LLY with a 138k miles... I will drive both until they are dead and gone...

 

My welder buddies van is a 2011.

Any advice ?

 

Sell it and buy something older and fix it up LOL the new emissions diesels SUCK AS...sure they are quieter, maybe have a better radio and back up camera, but once that DEF stuff starts to crap out good luck its big money to fix it.. is the VAN a ford?

 

Mercedes

It sucks he finally has it pimped out with wire reels and all the cool shit

 

That’s all fixable with minor effort.

 

How do you like that Metris? Gasser? I’m considering one here since I can stuff a bike in it and park it in the garage. Don’t need or want, really, the full-size van. Any problems with that Mercedes?

 

Anybody having better luck with newer trucks? We had a couple 2012’ Duramax that were in the shop for emissions every other month until you finally replaced every part of the system to the tune of $6,000 to $8,000. Those were replaced with 2019 6.7 Alumidutys. They are both in 200k mile range without any emissions issues. They make STUPID power and get 15-16 mpg running around mostly empty but running 75-90 in the West Texas wind.

In my limited knowledge it seems like they are getting better at working with the DEF/DPF BS.

 

Yeah 100%

I had it in on the shop lift at work last week as I figured it needed an oil change. End of day I go to pick it up. Mechanic says it's leaking oil. I've never noticed a drop anywhere. He says it's not dripping. Says truck is under warranty he's not messing with it.

Takes it to Ford. Calls me later and says leak from the oil pan. Ford says they have to pull the motor to fix. Ha I told him to be sure to ask for the extra bucket of bolts. Amazing quality.

I would be so pissed off if I bought that truck and at 7500 miles the motor had to come out.

 

It only has about 10k miles now. As soon I bought it New, I loaded my bike/gears and took to CA from VA and back. You could fit 2 bikes but be tight for extra gears. What I like about Metris and Sprinter is the optional removal of seats (for track days) or for family car. It drives pretty well on road.

It is rated at 19/20 city and 23 hwy...it is close to that. It has 18.5 g tank and range is about 380-400 ish empty. I rather deal with "more" consumption of gas than dealing with DEF ever again...

Good thing about Metris is the towing. It can tow 5000 lbs. I know its not like a truck towing 10k+ but it is highest in its class.

I may get a light trailer for towing when I get back to US.

I will take it to Spain from Belgium to do some track days in Valencia and Aragon in few weeks.

 

I don't think you can ever expect these emissions issues to 'get better'. The design is self deprecating by design.

NOx is one of the biggest pollutants that the EPA tries to curb. NOx is mostly produced as a byproduct of unburned fuel making out of the tail pipe. Higher the combustion temperature and pressure, the worse this becomes. In order to curb this, some of the exhaust gas is recirculated back into the intake to capture this fuel and attempt to burn it again (EGR). Exhaust gas is obviously extremely hot so it must be cooled (EGR cooler) via a water cooled heat exchanger before entering the intake manifold again.

Even after cooling it is much hotter than normal intake charge. When this hot air enters the intake manifold, it hits oil that has been vented into the intake manifolds via positive crankcase ventilation valves and cooks the oil very quickly causing very hard carbon deposits to form in the intake restricting air flow. This choking of the engine causes increased unburned fuel to make it to the exhaust, creating dirtier and dirtier exhaust gasses to be recirculated to the intake continuing the cycle of ever increased pollutants.

DPF and DEF really aren't a huge concern if the engine wasn't required to re-ingest it's own exhaust gasses continuously. Obviously they're extremely expensive parts due to material cost, so if they break they're costly. But the best thing you can do to protect these expensive components is use quality low-ash oil; be diligent about maintaining PCV performance and install a good quality catch can with a filter of sufficient volume.