Service trucks

[Noon-Air]

Diesels got spark plugs?!?!?

[Vicki Szaszvari]

[Vicki Szaszvari]

[Scott McDaniel]

I drive a 91 Ford E350 van-chassis with a heavy Stahl work body, gets about

9 miles to the gallon if I'm lucky and eats the hell out of front tires. Had to put a motor in it around 75k miles, but that's the fault of a FORMER employee who decided to buy beer instead of using the $25.00 to pay for an oil change each month (yeah, I found out about it). I can't blame that on Ford, of course, but it still leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Had to put a starter and battery on it, replace once injector about a year ago, but other than routine maintenance, it's been pretty reliable. It's the Triton V8, not a heckuva lot of power with that heavy work body. It's got the automatic, no troubles with it.

I also drive a 91 F350 crew cab turbo diesel dually and tow a 44' gooseneck trailer that weighs in around 14k lbs. I drive all over the Southeast and Midwest to barbecue competitions ... I'm at about 75k miles on it and had not problems except one sensor (about $35.00) and regular maintenance. No engine mods, the truck is strong as can be and drags that big gooseneck down the road just fine ... only problem I've got is getting around those Chevy's and Dodge's lumbering up the hills . I get around 12 mpg around town, around 15 on the highway, and around 11 towing that big trailer on the interstate. My next service truck will definitely be a diesel (just remember to plug it in if the temp gets down around freezing). The dually also has the standard Ford automatic transmission, which I was a bit leery of with the big trailer. After speaking with a number of people who work on the trucks, however, I added an external transmission filter and cooler and haven't had a minutes trouble with the tranny.

I change my oil every 5000 miles. First thing I did when I got it (bought it used with about 18k on it) was change to synthetic everything (oil, tranny fluid, rearend dope, brake fluid, etc). Fuel/air filters about every 7k miles, Tranny filter (I installed an external filter) every 10k. I run a good diesel fuel conditioner through about every other tankful, supposed to keep the injectors clean.

[Joseph]

Learned to drive in a 60 Ford Falcon, 2 dr Coupe, 3 on the column, It was a babe magnet... NOT! My second car made up for it though, a 67 Ford Mustang Fastback, four on the floor... (think Steve McQueen) fun to drive...

Joseph

[Jim Malone]

[American Mechanical]

I ordered a Knapheide KUV from/through Ford last week - delivery should be within a month. I know, I know, it's a van style but 10' utility bed WITH out of the weather almost standing room? I've gotta give them a try! BTW, I've had great luck with trucks and Knapheide utility bodies but this looks like a great alternative between knee crawling in a van and digging your step ladder out of the snow.

- Robert