[bobthebiker]

Oh right, this isn't AA....... Anyways, I'm Bob, I love doing welding work whenever we get jobs in at the shop, 95% of what I work on is broken equipment, trailers, or utility trucks for the my county. They pay me to fix stuff, and supply several welding machines, a plasma cutter (my favorite removal tool for anything involving metal cutting) and a healthy supply of scrap metal. I can't complain, the county bought a brand new Miller Millermatic 252 MIG with a spool gun as well for aluminum, as well as supplying us a nice Synchrowave unit with stick and TIG functionality, as well as gas. All I need to provide myself is appropriate PPE.

So, a little background on me, I come from a family of tradesmen including my grandfather who made a career with US Steel as a welding safety instructor in the 60's and 70's. I'm an ASE certified master automotive tech, working on EVT and truck certifications next (mostly for the challenge of them) Most of my life I've been into either repairing stuff, or creating things, so this career path just fell into place ideally for me. Plus I like making parts for my motorcycles, and doing whatever I need to do to make something work. I was taught to use it, wear it out, make it do, AND do without. Safe to say, I live by that mindset and keep fixing things until there's nothing left to fix in an era where people just discard broken things instead (that's another discussion entirely, but I've gotten some nice free stuff that way)

[cj737]

Nice. Where's home and what bikes are you tinkering with and riding?

[bobthebiker]

So, the Tampa bay area is my home, I ride a 96 CBR600F3, and a 97 CBR900RR. I've probably owned more bikes than most people's list of cars or boot replacements in a lifetime.

[cj737]

Might want to swap your handle to HondaBoy I had the same 900 for a b it back when they were new. Switched to BMWs and Ducatis and never went back (except for helping several folks with CB Four vintage restomods.

[bobthebiker]

Nah, I've always been a Honda man with motorcycles, always will be. My first love was the 87 Hurricane 600 in black with the red stripes. The 900 is purely a stuntbike now. I'm actually saving for an MC22 CBR250RR to play with, since they're gear drive cam inline 4 cylinder bikes that redline at 18000rpm, and make about 40hp from that little 250cc engine. I may be slightly obsessed with older Japanese motorcycles. I've got a laundry list of old stuff I would love to get ahold of, but money, and a wife that says hell no seem to be a bit of a limiting factor.

I'm absolutely not a fan of ANY German vehicle, I used to work on cars for a living, and developed a pure hatred for VW/Audi, and the BMW people who can't just say they have a 2003 325i. Don't get me started on those people. I don't miss that job one bit.

[cj737]

Shame. If you haven’t ridden a BMW bike you really can’t understand the devotion people have to them. I’ve had lots of them, and some Hondas, all great bikes.

But the cars are Benz, Porsche, Audi and Fords. I’ve had a Benz with 600k on the odometer and never a lick of engine trouble. My current sled has over 350k and same story- runs like a Swiss watch. They’re as trouble free as the Miller Dynasty on my cart I’ve had since 2005.

But I digress…

[bobthebiker]

Preference, we all have our tastes don't we? My F250 has over 373k on her, and while she's not the prettiest supermodel on the block, she DOES work reliably, and hauls pretty much whatever I ask her to.

I have a bunch of different vehicles, but really, I always come back to Ford pickups and Honda motorcycles. At the end of the day, I'm a simple man with old school taste. I prefer minimal bells and whistles, but all the reliability I can get.

That reminds me, If I can't find a bumper I like, I'm contemplating building something for my truck. With how bad drivers get, I'm somewhere in between Mad Max and Marv Heemeyer for how I want the bumper constructed.

[cj737]

My ‘04 6.0 has 373k on it, so we are in synch on what a truck is! Two of my boys have F-150s (3.5 ecoboosts) and the other has a 2015 XLT 6.2. Just a bunch of country boys with good taste and a garage full of motorcycles.

[bobthebiker]

That's for sure. What have you done with your 6.0 in terms of care and repairs?

[cj737]

I swapped in Amsoil after the first 10k miles. Trans fluid, engine oil, differentials, transfer case, and brake fluid. Upgraded the cooling with an ally radiator, ally expansion tank, and coolant bypass filter. Welded in a plug on the EGR to eliminate that nonsense.

That held me together for about 350k with no issues. Then I pulled the motor to reseal, re-gasket the entire thing. While I had it out and pulled down, I replaced the low and high pressure oil pumps, ARP studs, crank bearings, pushrods, lifters, and an entire new harness. Cylinders were like new so left them alone.

Runs great (still) and I'm expecting another 300k+ out of it.

(Just a bit of TLC here and there, huh?)

[bobthebiker]

I would certainly say you've put a little love into your truck. I bought mine second hand with 357k, but the original owner took it to the dealer every 5k, and carfax showed service records dating to just 2 years after it was sold, so I was absolutely sold since there was so much history on her. Since I got the truck, I've basically changed oil every 5k, done preventative stuff, replaced a radiator, IPR solenoid, and I'll be doing a transmission fluid and filter change soon. And a rear pinion seal, I know that leaks a little, I just don't WANT to dive into another differential. I can, but that's something I'd rather not do on a day off, even though I have the stuff to do it.

I was actually sitting down and realized today I'm just like my grandfather, very multitalented, and pretty good at my job. I just wish he and my dad could be here to share the happiness.

[cj737]

Switch to AMSOIL Marine Diesel oil and you can run for 25k between changes. 5k is just wasting money and creating waste oil. I do recommend using the Motorcraft filters though.

I ran my prior Benz on the same regimen, AMSOIL for 25k (gas engine) between changes. It never used a drop, ran for 600k before I gifted it to my mechanic when I replaced it.

[bobthebiker]

25k is a bit too far for my comfort. I throw Rotella T6 in it. For filters, the WIX is actually just as good for filtration, I found a solid deal on those at around $35 for a 12 pack, which is ideal. I don't mind the waste oil, it just goes in the fuel tank as black diesel. When I worked on the public's junk I always told people maintenance is cheaper than repairs. Especially when the auto maker says you can run 10k on the oil in a gas car. That's something I strongly distrust in newer cars considering how many are known for oil consumption issues, and the lack of regular checks by owners. That influences my 5k mile limits, since I also don't ALWAYS remember to check the oil, but I do periodically make sure there is enough.

[cj737]

The big reason the Benz motor tolerates that mileage interval is twofold: 1. AMSOIL is a true, full synthetic so it doesn’t breakdown under usage. And 2. Their engines are nikasil lined bores. So you don’t get cylinder wear or ring wear or blow-by.

My best mate owned a heavy equipment company for decades. About 25 years ago now, rpthey ran a test on half their equipment and vehicles between AMSOIL, and other brands. Ran the test for 6 months, then swapped the loser out, then ran another 6 months, etc for a span of 2 years. Their results?

AMSOIL equipment ran more hours with fewer repairs.
AMSOIL motors got better fuel mileage.
Oil change intervals were increased.
Far less component wear with AMSOIL (think diffs, gear cases, hydraulics, diesel motors).
They sent oil samples from each oil for a variety of machines during the span and still AMSOIL outperformed all others.

That sold me on trying it and my experience has exceeded theirs.

As for Wix vs Motorcraft in my 6.0, I have found some brand filters are the incorrect length for the oil filter housing and get crushed when installed. You don’t realize it until the next change. Never has happened with the Motorcraft. Mostly I avoid Ford brand parts and seek upgraded options. But their filter still runs in my truck.

[bobthebiker]

The 6.0 is a different beast in regards to filters, You have to run OEM if you want things to work correctly. The 7.3 is a lot less finnicky. Spin on oil filter, but still that cartridge up top for fuel. At least it's accessible, and simple to do. For sensors? OEM from International or Ford parts counters, absolutely no others will suffice if you intend it to be functional.

I've heard a lot about Amsoil, I just can't really get over the high cost of it, and the fact that I prefer shorter intervals. It gives me more frequent opportunities to inspect the truck for problems, and fix them immediately. That's just my style though. Keeping a vehicle SAFE and reliable are my top priorities. Money is of no concern in that regard. I want it to simply function as designed as reliably as possible.

In any event, I absolutely need to get up and start working on some household projects soon. I simply lack the drive to do so, as it's Saturday and after a solid week of working on stuff, I need a break.