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Thread: Ford 6.0? Yay-Nay?

  1. #1
    Boolit Master .45Cole's Avatar
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    Ford 6.0? Yay-Nay?

    I've been looking into a diesel and it will be a Ford F-350 dually-decided. I've been a little hesitant on the 05-07 6.0, best value over the 6.4/6.7, more power and more conviences than 7.3. I can do most of the work myself, and I've done the research on the common problems (voltages/FICM, coolers). I'm not going to pony up for a 6.4, and I can't afford a 6.7 (or the maintenance). What are your experiences with the 6.0? They're getting more popular as the 6.7's routinely break $100K nowadays.

  2. #2
    Boolit Master

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    Great engine, loads of power.

    When it runs.

    These need to be "bulletproofed" to the tune of 15-20k.

    Injectors, egr, injectors, high pressure oil pump, injectors... Did I mention injectors?

    4-5k job to have the injectors replaced.

    The 6.0 has gobs of power, but I think the designers were on stupid pills...
    "When you can't make them see the light, make them feel the heat." - Ronald Reagan

  3. #3
    Boolit Master corbinace's Avatar
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    We had a slug of them in our fleet. They kept us busy. Ficm , coolers, injector o-ring, egr valves, turboes. Any and everything above the head gasket, all costly.
    They left the fleet early and we were glad to see them gone.

  4. #4
    Boolit Master .45Cole's Avatar
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    I've heard about the injector problem. My neighbor did all 8 injectors in an afternoon in about 4 hours himself, with craftsman tools. He's about 24 and not a mechanic, but can follow directions. I've heard his truck start in -10*F weather consistently and he runs it about 3 blocks to work and parks it. Did this everyday for the winter, which lasts nov-april here.

  5. #5
    Boolit Master
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    Ford-NAY!

  6. #6
    Boolit Master
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    As a former Ford dealership technician......you'll be sorry.
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  7. #7
    Boolit Master

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    If you are going to buy a Ford diesel the old 7.3 is the only game in town in my opinion! That's a REAL truck engine with many years and miles of service to prove itself. The rest are just money pits. The isuzu powered GM products and the Cummins powered Dodges and Nissans are far better choices.

  8. #8
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    I agree with houndog. The 7.3 is by far the best. It would about have to be free for me to buy a 6.0. Son in law is a diesel mechanic and allways said the 6.0 fords fed his family.

  9. #9
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    Stay far far away from the Ford 6.0 engines
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  10. #10
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    i have a 99 F350 with 280.5k on my 7.3. It is hard on battery sets (about 2.5 years max on a set before needing replaced), it is sometimes impossible to get started in the winter if it hasn't been plugged in overnight. That said, it doesn't require $8-15k of bulletproofing, it is very reliable (other than cold weather), it has plenty of power to pull whatever up and down mountain passes. It will not run much above 10,200' altitude. I live at 8500', average 14+ mpg.
    8500' Wet Mountain Valley, Colorado

  11. #11
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Houndog View Post
    If you are going to buy a Ford diesel the old 7.3 is the only game in town in my opinion! That's a REAL truck engine with many years and miles of service to prove itself. The rest are just money pits. The isuzu powered GM products and the Cummins powered Dodges and Nissans are far better choices.
    The Duramax is not an Isuzu built engine. A commonly repeated wives tail that needs to die. It was co designed with Isuzu, a GM owned subsidiary. All of the Duramax V8's are built right here in America.

    Worlds better choice than a 6-leaker. If sticking with Ford, 7.3L is best option.
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  12. #12
    Boolit Master pmer's Avatar
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    I have a '04 F450 with 6.0 and a 6 speed manual. It has about 125,000 miles on it and it's not a daily driver. I bought it used with 114,000 and had it 5 years or so. I did the EGR delete and oil cooler preemptively and had Ford make sure it had a stock engine tune in it. It recently needed a FICM and fan clutch or sensor. It pulls up to 15,000 lbs on a goose neck in the summer.

    It's up to you if you wanna buy one but so far it has worked for me. I let it warm up before I go and cool down before I turn it off and run 5-40 synthetic oil. It seems like a pain to do it this way but it has not stranded me anyways. If it died I'd l think I'd look at putting a 12 valve cummings in it or rebuilding a 6.0 with all the emission stuff removed because the emission equipment is what kills them.
    Oh great, another thread that makes me spend money.

  13. #13
    Boolit Master
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    why would you pay that much for any truck then have to put more money into it to make it run right and reliable?

  14. #14
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    .45cole.

    Definitely, NAY on the 6.0. = It has seemingly every POSSIBLE problem that a diesel engine can have.
    (Here in TX there is a "cottage industry" of "bullet-proofing" the 6.0 trucks, as over 1500.oo each.= That's a "problem" & expense that I can do without.)

    IF you would take my advice (as a longtime Ford diesel guy), find/buy either a 1992-93 IDI or an early Powerstroke truck with the ZF manual transmission.

    The old, "primitive" NAVISTAR-engined trucks, if purchased in low-mileage/excellent condition & even "half-way maintained" will likely outlast YOU.
    (Here in the SW there are plenty of rust-free, low-mileage, ONE owner F250/F350/F450 trucks & that can be purchased for 5,000.oo or less in excellent condition. = I paid 2,750.oo for my one-owner, "extended cab" 1990 F250 with ZF, with 140,000 total miles & then spent <1,000.oo doing upgrades & "routine preventative maintenance items".)

    Note: The old/simple/mechanical IDI engines will happily run on used vegetable oil, filtered used motor oil, ATF & any number of other "alternative fuels", in the event that petro-diesel is unavailable or too expensive for the owner to afford. - Also, the IDI trucks will generally get 18-22MPG on the highway & 16MPG in city/stop & go driving.
    (I drove a well-used 1986 F250 well over 100,000 miles on used vegetable oil, without problems, until the underbody finally "rusted-out" when I was stationed up north/"in the salt".)

    just my OPINIONS, tex
    Last edited by texasnative46; 09-18-2017 at 12:13 PM. Reason: clarity

  15. #15
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    .45cole,

    Btw, the PRE-1997 Powerstroke trucks seem to be nearly as indestructible as the IDI PUs are. = One of our South TX Ford Diesel Truck Club owners has well over 500,000 miles on his 1995 XLT Lariat, that he bought new in OCT 1994. - It shows few signs of being worn-out.
    (He told me on a "club cruise" last fall that, "I've long ago lost count of the number of tires & batteries that I've bought for my truck.")

    yours, tex
    Last edited by texasnative46; 09-18-2017 at 09:15 PM. Reason: addenda

  16. #16
    Boolit Master Handloader109's Avatar
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    My '97 was a really good old truck. I kind of hate getting rid of it. 7.3 engine with Road rear end, and Automatic. Loaded up, not pulling anything I would get 20+mpg, pulling 15k, 10mpg. Couple hundred K mileage and only one issue that I spend much on. Flywheel cracked. Go with 7.3

  17. #17
    Boolit Master
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    I have had a long history of diesel Fords in our family and really liked them. The first being our family owned F-350 Landoll flatbed car hauler. It was a 1991, brick-nose with a 7.3 IDI, ZF5 manual transmission, that we kept in immaculate condition and it looked it, despite the truck having spent its whole life hauling 2 cars around at once. One on top, one on the towbar stinger. Still purring like a kitten when we sold it with 850,000 miles on it. Original engine, trans, etc.

    We also had a very clean 86' F-350 single cab dually with a 6.9L IDI and ZF 4-speed. It pulled our fully laiden 40ft gooseneck race trailer no problem to do 70mph. Between us and a couple friends with IDI Fords, I really love them,such a good engine! An IDI with a turbo is a hard running engine, capable of keeping up quite well. My buddy has a 7.3L IDI with an old ATS turbo kit and a slightly turned up pump and that thing screams! The factory Ford tubo IDI's were detuned to not make the new powerstroke look bad. I personally had a 95' crew cab, long bed, single rear axle, ZF5 and I loved that truck till some idiot ran a red light and totaled it. Today I have an 03' 2500HD Silverado, Duramax/Allison that I adore.
    ~ Chris


    Casting, reloading, shooting, collecting, restoring, smithing, etc, I love it all but most importantly, God, Family, The United States Constitution and Freedom...

    God Bless our Troops, Veterans and First Responders!

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  18. #18
    Boolit Buddy


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    My Son has a 03 F350 with the 6.0 and I now know entirely to much about 6.0's more than I ever wanted to.
    We have bullet proofed it, APR head studs, Tuner, EGR Delete, Hipo Oil Pump, Oil Cooler, coolant filter kit etc....... That thing runs like a scalded ape when it is running right. most cars don't want any part of that truck. but it likes to pop IPR's and that is instant stop
    Personally I would look for a good 7.3 Turbo those things just keep going and with a few upgrades they pull as well as any truck out there

  19. #19
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    Menner,

    EVERYBODY that I know who has a 6.0 has had MAJOR problems with it. = SOME are STILL having "problems" who have spent the $$$$$$$ to get their new truck "bullet-proofed".

    yours, tex

  20. #20
    Boolit Grand Master

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    6.0 or even the 6.4-----Run away. And I'm a ford guy.

    6.7L fords are good as are the 7.3

    Duramax and Cummins before the 6.0 or 6.4

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