On the Road to Virginia and Back Again

[Ranger_Tim]

We're halfway through our cross country journey to VA from Idaho and back. 2006 F350 hauling a 3000 lb slide-in camper with 185,000 miles on her. We are hoping no issues arise on the trip since we leave to make the run back to Idaho next week. I'll be happy when I get her back in my own garage. Thinking about having a well known dealer in Richmond, VA area do a tranny flush while there. Probably a good time to change the serpentine belt as well, save the old one for an emergency spare. Also have a good friend that owns a rural repair shop near there. Might get him to look at it. I trust him. As long as I can watch...

My oil has always been really clean as I run synthetic 5W-40 and change regularly. When we stopped in Illinois I was horrified that I couldn't find any fuel without bio-diesel added. After one tank it made my oil black as night. Bummed! Should I change it again? Will lose my Archoil in it if I do. Don't have any along with me...

Even though I fret over this truck like a concerned papa, I sure love the power and mileage I get. So far the low was 11 mpg and the best was about 14 mpg. Not too bad hauling 3000+ lbs. mostly into a head wind we seemed to have the whole way! She typically gets around 19-20 hwy around home unloaded. I don't want to get stuck buying a newer truck that uses Def when this one is running so well.

Keeping my fingers crossed, Tim

[Ranger_Tim]

Very cool to hear about little concerns with bio-diesel. We got a special blend delivered to our fleet at work for a while years ago and it was troublesome. Haven't noticed any problems with the current fill-up, and it has had lots of fuel in her since. I replaced fuel filters a couple of months ago and will do so when I get home.

I got here to Virginia and the truck is running better than ever. Thanks for the encouragement and I'll just leave the worry to someone else. No need to do any work on her but I'll just grab a belt to keep as a spare on the road. Oil cleared up quite bit. Our trucks at work get black quickly. I'm not used to seeing that in my truck, it usually stays very clean-- but I'm anal about my truck!

The camper is so nice to live in when I'm on the road visiting relatives. This is the way to travel! I hate flying and can't wait until retirement when I can forego the torture of cramped seats on flights.

Thanks for everyone's responses and feedback. I guess it was just the increased traffic east of the Mississippi that was stressing me out. The east coast is even more crazy. A lot has changed in just 6 years! A lot more texting and driving is evident.

[markchengr]

Returned recently from a round trip to Southern Florida from Seattle in our 2007 GMC 3500 Duramax packing a Northern Lite 10-2 CD SE. It now has 182,000 miles. Averaged about 13 MPG carrying 4,000 lbs. Did an oil change in Florida (I change it every 5,000 miles). No problems on the trip but after getting home did flush of tranny, transfer case, both differentials and cooling system(I do this every 60,000 miles). Changed engine oil. Replaced both front wheel bearings and belt and hoses(they were all originals). I change the fuel filter when indicated by the DIC. I have found only B5 diesel available in some places, never been a problem. Wouldn't hesitate to do the trip again.

[jplante4]

Wardster wrote:
You'll want to grab you a spare fuel filter if you haven't used bio-diesel in your truck. We found out the hard way about it's cleaning properties after it clogged up a couple of fuel filters as it cleaned everything from the tank forward.

I also got into the habit of dumping a few ounces of Howe's Diesel Treatment in the tank at every fillup.

[Grit_dog]

BTW, if you want to worry about something, worry about the known problems, which i appears you've already addressed (bulletproofed), so no need to worry.

I'd worry about doing a trans flush 2000 mi form home with a "rural" mechanic that you trust only if you can watch him work on it??

[Grit_dog]

Sounds like a fun trip.
Why are you picking the halfway point for maintenance items?
IL diesel didn't hurt your truck.
13 year old 180k serpentine belt, could break tomorrow, could last 10 more years...Replace if you wish
Trans? Why does it need flushed? Just time for a maintenance? I'm sure it will go another couple thousand miles. Unless it's been weighing on your mind for the last 5 years and hasn't been changed in forever, in which case, I'd wait until getting home.

[jimh406]

My 2006 PSD 6.0 loved B20. You should only have a problem clogging up if you used fuel that predates ULSD. I’d say that’s unlikely for a ‘06. Still, not a bad idea to carry fuel filters and an oil filter just in case. Fwiw, my fuel filters always looked brand new when I replaced them. A very messy job to replace the bottom one, so it’s worth putting a new one in once you have it apart. Also, I don’t think color of the oil is necessarily an indicator for whether the oil needs to be replaced or not.

[Wardster]

You'll want to grab you a spare fuel filter if you haven't used bio-diesel in your truck. We found out the hard way about it's cleaning properties after it clogged up a couple of fuel filters as it cleaned everything from the tank forward.

[ajriding]

So, what's the concern?
It is a diesel, your trip is nothing for that truck.
Regular maintenance is a must to keep it running of course. You do not need to over-do it, just the regular scheduled things at the correct mileages is enough.
Your trans fluid should be changed out regularly. Not sure what that truck calls for , ever 30k?
Belts should have stated lifespans also.
186k is just getting engine broken in. The truck will start to have more issues than the engine. Wheel bearings, ball joints, linkages, steering etc. I am not sure what the known issues for that truck are, but is easy to find a forum for that truck and see what goes on with them and where to put attention for maintenance.

As for the black oil, it is a diesel and normally the oil will turn black almost as soon as you change it. Two things happen.
1. When you drain old oil there is always oil left in the engine somewhere. Oil is changed this way, typically not flushed out like a tranny. This is fine. That old oil will contribute to turning new oil black.
2. at 186k miles there is some wear on your cylinders and piston rings. The rings are also designed to let some blow-by happen. Pressurized fuel from the combustion chamber will blow past the piston rings and get into the engine oil. These hydrocarbons are what will turn things black. (this blow-by is usually where the rings do not meet themselves. perfectly normal, fine and part of the design).
Black oil is fine, but old, broken-down and dirty oil is not, so keeping it changed every 6-7k (whatever is for that engine) is enough but use a good oil filter, not cheap ones like Fram, and never, never let an oil change place do your oil, they will use a low-level, cheap oil.

Serpentine belts should run long past their due date, but keeping them changed is easy and saves worry. Inspect it and if no big cracks then should be fine for that short trip back.

VA to ID seems like a big trip to you, but is nothing for that truck. Enjoy your trip and don't push too hard up the interstate slopes. Keep boost low as you can to get mpg's. I assume i-80?

its good you like your mileage. I have a Ram, so have never seen your mpg numbers. I have TC and a trailer and worst I have seen into a 35mph crosswind was 13.5. TC is 1,900 dry weight and much more aero shaped also than the typical bricks like yours. I think 16 easy on mine with no winds if speed kept to low 60's, 17 possible with perfect conditions. The inline configuration of Cummins is much more efficient than the V of other engines, though just one factor, but even your over-11 is good for such a big profile, you didnt mention your speeds, but I am guessing low to mid 60's as well?

[Bedlam]

In April, we did a round trip run from WA to NC. We had to watch flooding and late snows in both directions, so plan you trip based on daily forecasts. The roads were pretty bad due to some of the detours we took. We had only one day of rain while traveling but the week in NC had rain almost every day. We traveled with the camper and empty enclosed trailer to NC and returned with the trailer full of items from an estate. About 21k lbs GCW going and 23k lbs on our return.

[RoyB]

I always wanted to go with the truck camper but losing all of my hauling space was the killer.

I would have to haul a util trailer behind the truck for all the things we bring along with us...

My trailer has the front deck and with the truck bed we can haul some serious items and supplies... My truck has the back seat as well and this is where we usually have our clothes and personal things for safe keeping. Usually just the two of us on the trips...

I'm always turning my head when we pass the truck campers on the road...

We lived in Tempe AZ for a few years and that was camper machine of choice... Even for Camper Mike haha...

As it has turned out all of our off-grid POPUP camping has been TEX/OKLA and South East States in the high country..

Have done a lot of TENT camping with my trusty ole Jeep pulling a util trailer when in AZ up on the Apache trail and beyond...

Getting up in years now so I guess I have outlived my PIPE DREAM...

Roy Ken