Looking at tow rigs... what would you buy?

[Knot 4 Me]

I would not run ATF in a Dmax. Just run a good additive. Plenty of good info on www.dieselplace.com Make sure to drain and refill both diffs. If they have never been done, they are most likely low. GM is notorious for underfilling them. Also make sure to change the external, spin-on tranny filter often. Here's a couple great places to get parts and service items for these trucks:

www.kennedydiesel.com
www.merchant-automotive.com

Stanadyne and Pimrose is what I used to use for additives. Power Service is readily available but not as good a quality an additive.

[fund razor]

Ok.

[fund razor]

I can get Power Service in the neighborhood. Would that be a good start?

[fund razor]

As opposed to nothing?

[fund razor]

I ended up using an STP diesel product today. I'll get some stanadyne asap.

[Expensive Date]

Fund you are going nuts for nothing.The thing has probably been driven without aditives for four years one more week won't hurt.Just run anti-gel and do a full service engine oil, trans, diff ,coolant etc.You should be fine.

[fund razor]

That's cool. Thanks Tim.

I did oil, coolant and power steering yesterday. (And did a quick repair to a broken washer fluid line.) I may sneak the differentials in today. I was just concerned about gelling mostly... because it has been so freaking cold and it lived most of its live in Tennesee. That STP stuff said it serves as an anti-gel.

I'll do a trans filter asap too.

[FULL FORCE]

I have never had a gelling issue, am I lucky? no idea... none of my friends either..we all have diesels..

[BUIZILLA]

Fund... type Fa ATF... don't panic... stick with the Stanadyne... 1/2 pint to 30 gal... i've been doing this diesel injection gig for about 30 years... if you get #1 or winter diesel, you need lubrication... the calibration fluid we use in our common rail test stands kinda mirrors the Fa, but without the red dye.. common rail is ultra high pressure like hyd systems so lubrication is paramount.. we test up to 2,000 bar, which is 28,400 #'s of pressure..

[fund razor]

Fund... type Fa ATF... don't panic... stick with the Stanadyne... 1/2 pint to 30 gal... i've been doing this diesel injection gig for about 30 years... if you get #1 or winter diesel, you need lubrication... the calibration fluid we use in our common rail test stands kinda mirrors the Fa, but without the red dye.. common rail is ultra high pressure like hyd systems so lubrication is paramount.. we test up to 2,000 bar, which is 28,400 #'s of pressure..

So type Fa ATF will burn ok?

No panic. Just my first diesel. Don't want to F anything up.
I thought maybe the ATF advice was old school and something changed or something.

[FULL FORCE]

Poking around at trucks like I always do... this is where I got mine...

What a deal!!

http://houston.craigslist.org/ctd/1560665456.html


I Ohio this would be a 21,000.00 truck...

[sledge]

Awesome truck Fund! Does it have steering wheel controls and the data center? Curious what it shows for MPG if so. My $.02 for protection: your favorite brand of corrosion blocker and marine-grade vinyl/rubber protectant. Might also consider some mud flaps for winter use if they'll reduce the slush kicked up?

[Birdog]

That's cool. Thanks Tim.

I did oil, coolant and power steering yesterday. (And did a quick repair to a broken washer fluid line.) I may sneak the differentials in today. I was just concerned about gelling mostly... because it has been so freaking cold and it lived most of its live in Tennesee. That STP stuff said it serves as an anti-gel.

I'll do a trans filter asap too.

Up there, All the truck stops have anti-gel in the fuel. They dont down here, I found out the hard way last Jan when I came up there with 1/2 tank of Southern fuel..

[fund razor]

Awesome truck Fund! Does it have steering wheel controls and the data center? Curious what it shows for MPG if so. My $.02 for protection: your favorite brand of corrosion blocker and marine-grade vinyl/rubber protectant. Might also consider some mud flaps for winter use if they'll reduce the slush kicked up?

Thanks. Funny you ask. I discovered the data center and the steering wheel controls over the weekend and drove the truck to work today so that I could play with them.

mpg (no drafting, cruise engaged) at:
65 highway was 18.0
70 highway was 17.4
78 highway was 16.5
hills and acceleration had much less impact on mpg than my gassers. Even if I had just reset the mpg, it barely changed when passing.

Mud flaps are a good idea.

I am going to do both differentials today.

[fund razor]

Up there, All the truck stops have anti-gel in the fuel. They dont down here, I found out the hard way last Jan when I came up there with 1/2 tank of Southern fuel..

This was a tenn. truck so I wasn't sure where they would be with that.
I have run a tank through it now... so no question that the old gas is pretty much out.

[BUIZILLA]

... so no question that the old gas is pretty much out.

it's not gas...

[fund razor]

Ah crap. You are the second person to bust me on that today.

Changed the front and rear diff, plus the transfer case today. Synthetic on the diffs and ATF in the transfer case. It seemed like they were not done at 50,000 miles. I am glad that I jumped right on that. Thanks for the advice guys.
So far: Oil change, diesel treatment, power steering fluid top off, washer fluid line repair, front diff, rear diff, transfer case, and double check winterization.
Friday I will have them flush the tranny. Saturday I am having the brakes checked. Then I should be good for now... as far as preventative catch ups go. The DIC says that the fuel filter is at 25% remaining. I'd like to have that changed too.

[fund razor]

And I washed the salt off.

[PatriYacht]

Congrats on the new truck John. You'll like it and it will certainly do the job.

P.S. I've had diesels for 7 years now and I've never put any kind of fuel additive in one yet. No problems. Make sure you change the fuel filter though.

[fund razor]

Congrats on the new truck John. You'll like it and it will certainly do the job.

P.S. I've had diesels for 7 years now and I've never put any kind of fuel additive in one yet. No problems. Make sure you change the fuel filter though.

Thanks Ian. Your advice was a factor in my decision. I'll get that fuel filter taken care of before the week is over.