2007 Ford E450 diesel. 8000 miles. class c.

klutchdust wrote:

Exactly what reliability concerns do you speak of.

Its a very sensitive motor, kinda like German cars. If anything isn't exactly perfect, it may cause a stall or no-start condition. Worse, any un-corrected problems can lead to cascading sequence of failures which could result in catastrophic engine damage.

Here's a very short list of common problems:
1) The engine oil cooler gets plugged by casting sand or coolant precipitates. If left unchecked this will cause the EGR cooler rupture. If immediately towed, you're only looking at about a $3,000 repair bill. If you try to limp it to the dealer, you'll probably warp the heads. If you turn it off, and try to restart it later, it will be hydro-locked but sometimes the starter can push past that and lift the head off the block

2) The oil system is very sensitive to contaminates (also sometimes it leaks). If non-Ford or non-Raccor filters are used, this allows some oil to bypass. Contaminants that make it by the filters tend to collect in the HPOP (high pressure oil pump) sump screen. Once flow is restricted too much, the screen ruptures. This can damage both the injectors and the HPOP.

3) The FICM (fuel injector control module) is very sensitive to low voltage. Any charging system fault, battery fault, dirty terminals or even low voltage from jump starting can cause the FICM to drop below 45 Volts. It's supposed to operate at 48V. Below 45v it starts taking out injectors. Injectors at $330 a piece and about 7 hours labor to do them all.

4) The injectors can also be damaged by low fuel pressure (45 psi min full load) which can be cause by plugged filters, a plugged water separator, or a weak fuel pressure regulator. This can be prevented by good filter servicing including regular water draining, and installing the "Blue Spring" regulator upgrade.


And... that's just a start. It's also susceptible to turbo problems and bad sensors, many of which can leave you dead on the road. More importantly, its a complex powertrain which is not friendly to roadside repairs. Even just basic diagnostics requires a high-end diagnostics terminal like AutoEngenuity.

Now... for the pluses: It will net about 20% better fuel economy than the V10. It will pull hills at a lower RPM. It's pretty smooth for a diesel. It can make more power if you upgrade all the problem components including head studs.

Also, don't forget that diesel RVs use propane for the genny. If you plan on using the genny a lot, you'll be stopping to refill propane often.

The front axle concern is valid, but its also really easy to upgrade to a 5,000# axle using a new takeoff axle from one of the 4x4 conversion outfits. This also nets you bigger ball joints, much better brakes, and better bushings.