I’ve heard a lot about bad diesel engines, and the 6.4 Powerstroke comes up a lot. Is it really the worst, or are there others that take the crown? Let me know your thoughts and experiences.
The Oldsmobile 350 diesel. My grandparents had one, and they were part of the class-action lawsuit. Later in life, my grandpa also had to deal with the 6.4 through his work. Rough luck.
Hart said:
The Oldsmobile 350 diesel. My grandparents had one, and they were part of the class-action lawsuit. Later in life, my grandpa also had to deal with the 6.4 through his work. Rough luck.
I’ve still got an Olds 350 diesel running! Put in some head studs and unhooked the EGR valve, and it’s been going strong for years. It doesn’t have a ton of power, but it’s reliable for what I need.
@Mai
Yep, they’re either grenades or marathon runners, depending on how they’re maintained. Mine’s lasted pretty well, but I baby it.
Cass said:
@Mai
Yep, they’re either grenades or marathon runners, depending on how they’re maintained. Mine’s lasted pretty well, but I baby it.
I even got over 30 MPG with one in an ’81 Toronado. The pickup I’m running now gets around 28 MPG. Not bad for something this old!
@Mai
Wow, you’ve still got one going? I had a 1980 Bonneville diesel back in the day, but it didn’t last. Cool engine sound, terrible reliability. Props to you for keeping one alive!
@Mai
Honestly, for the MPG and the era, it’s neat you’ve kept it going. But there are so many better options now. Why stick with it?
Hart said:
The Oldsmobile 350 diesel. My grandparents had one, and they were part of the class-action lawsuit. Later in life, my grandpa also had to deal with the 6.4 through his work. Rough luck.
My parents had one of those. It was a '78 Olds Custom Cruiser wagon. My dad thought it would be like his Mercedes diesel. Spoiler: it wasn’t.
@Keller
Oof, tough lesson for your dad. The comparison didn’t age well, huh?
Hart said:
The Oldsmobile 350 diesel. My grandparents had one, and they were part of the class-action lawsuit. Later in life, my grandpa also had to deal with the 6.4 through his work. Rough luck.
My grandpa was part of that class-action too. He got like 50 bucks out of it and was so mad.
Hart said:
The Oldsmobile 350 diesel. My grandparents had one, and they were part of the class-action lawsuit. Later in life, my grandpa also had to deal with the 6.4 through his work. Rough luck.
How about the GM Duramax 3.0? The belt-driven oil pump setup sounds like a nightmare.
I’ve got a 6.4 with 232,800 miles on it. The worst thing I’ve dealt with was a water pump replacement. So far, it’s been solid.
The 6.4, because Ford saw the mess with the 6.0 and decided to double down with twin turbos. Genius, right?
Arlo said:
The 6.4, because Ford saw the mess with the 6.0 and decided to double down with twin turbos. Genius, right?
Technically, it was Navistar. Ford just slapped their name on it. Both are to blame, though.
Anything by MaxxForce. They’ve made some truly awful engines.
Chevrolet Chevette diesel from the ’80s. Reliable but painfully underpowered at 51 horsepower. Dangerous in traffic, especially in high elevations.
Brice said:
Chevrolet Chevette diesel from the ’80s. Reliable but painfully underpowered at 51 horsepower. Dangerous in traffic, especially in high elevations.
Had one in a Pup truck. Tough little engine, but yeah, removing the A/C was like adding 2 extra horsepower. Still, it got me where I needed to go for years.
Any diesel in a 1500-series truck—Ram EcoDiesel or 3.0 Duramax. They just aren’t built to last.
Pippin said:
Any diesel in a 1500-series truck—Ram EcoDiesel or 3.0 Duramax. They just aren’t built to last.
I’d argue the 3.0 Duramax has been decent so far. No major failures I’ve seen, but the EcoDiesel? Yeah, total mess.
I’ve got an 06 F250 6.0. It broke down constantly when towing a camper. My grandpa wants to give it to me now, but I don’t know if I want the headache.