Ford 6.0 Diesel

[TUNDRA1]

Ok...looking at a 05 f250 to buy with the 6.0....DOES THIS ENGINE SUCK!? I have heard different things. Talk to me people.:confused:

[JEFFRPM]

Don't chip it or install a programmer. Do not ever let it run out of fuel this will eat $400 a piece injectors. watch the coolant level if the top of the tank and the bottom of the hood have a white chalky look to it SELL IT the head gaskets are going away. If the one your looking at has gages,airbox,large exaust or god forbid a chip on it now move on to another truck. I myself have blown up 4 of these turds stick with the dodge you can do anything you want with it. I have 140k on my 2007 with a manual trans with every aftermarket trick you can get installed.

[Prerunin554]

Don't chip it or install a programmer. Do not ever let it run out of fuel this will eat $400 a piece injectors. watch the coolant level if the top of the tank and the bottom of the hood have a white chalky look to it SELL IT the head gaskets are going away. If the one your looking at has gages,airbox,large exaust or god forbid a chip on it now move on to another truck. I myself have blown up 4 of these turds stick with the dodge you can do anything you want with it. I have 140k on my 2007 with a manual trans with every aftermarket trick you can get installed.

Yup, he is just about right! Actually, the 2005 version of the 6.0 isn't that bad, but then again, i am comparing it to the earlier 6.0's. Usually the person selling the truck will attempt to clean the white chalk off of the coolant recovery tank. Make sure you take the cap off and check the threads of the tank and the cap, this is a better way of inspecting it. I would make sure to get one with the factory air filter, as they can pass just as much air as the intake kits and they filter a hell of alot better. I've never had to replace the injectors just because you ran out of fuel though, but when/if you do, it takes a bit to prime them (all i ever needed to do is cycle the key a S-load of times). A 2005 could still be under the diesel extended service program which covers anything with the engine (some restrictions apply to this) for 5 years and 100k miles. I've replaced engines with 99k miles on them before, all the customer had to pay was $100 deductable. If you are looking for performance, definately get the dodge though, the cummins ISB (thats what comes in it, right?) has been around FOREVER!

[Camperdave]

If it's not under warranty, don't buy it. The engine itself performs well, BUT common failures include oil and EGR coolers. Injectors fail often. If ever run low on fuel, expect to replace an injector or two.. Also, earlier models have fuel supply pump issues causing mulitple injector failures. Replacement pump is available with updated wiring harness and computer has to be reprogrammed. Aftermarket power programmers and such can cause head bolt stretch issues, among other things, which in turn causes blown head gaskets. Turbo intercooler can not handle upgrades such as more boost and often blow the side tanks off. Banks has a cooler to correct this issue if the head bolts don't stretch first. I have one in the shop now - 39,000miles, some water in the fuel while traveling down interstate. Water caused an injector tip to blow off. Tip took out a piston. Damaged cylinder wall. $15k later he's back on the road. Three months out of warranty...... I do like the Cummins - not too problematic, but the truck sucks. Duramax is great, but buy a 2004 and 1/2 or newer to avoid the horrible injector issues with the first edition. Hope this helps.

[22REKid]

I'll second the warranty comment. The 6.0 is plagued with turbo problems. My dad has an 05 with 10K miles and it is on it's 3rd turbo and it also is on it's second fuel pump. When it runs, it runs good and it is quiet. That's really about the only positive thing I can really say about them. Working in the Automotive Repair industry and also recently for Ford, I have seen a ton of them come through with the same problems. I have never seen more Lemon Law vehicles than 6.0 Super Duties. I have talked to some who say they are great, so I guess it's kind of hit or miss, but the engine had a horrible reputation and I think it's well deserved. Sorry if that comes across as harsh, but I have seen too many pass through the doors.

[Prerunin554]

Another thing, that is if you do get one. Drive the hell out of it, do not drive with an egg on the pedal. These things were designed to be mashed down on, which is why some of the turbo problems came to be (build up of carbon deposits).

[TUNDRA1]

Thanks for all the feedback. Checking on warranty.

[Newman]

I have a 05 6LEAKER. For the abuse I have put it through I can't complain but it has had the head gaskets replaced under warranty with ARP studs installed and a fitting on the HPOP started leaking which is common on 05s and cause a "no start" issue. The truck does have 88K on it and I drive WOT most of the time. It has been tuned(SCT Programmer) since 10K. If I was to do it again I would do almost everything exactly the same except get a 6 speed(personal preference never had a problem with the auto)

Newman

[RocketMan]

Luv my '03 no problems and 90k miles,Just leave it alone don't mess with chips ,exhaust etc. my buddy did all that on his '04 and burned a piston but then he was trying to tow 10k @ 80+ over the grape vine...

[Robb V]

I had some EGR issues during the first 6 months with my 04, but "knock on wood", it's been trouble free and a great truck since then. I'm at over 80,000 currently and I do work it hard when towing. It's all stock but can still pass many a rig on the hills pulling a 37 ft 5th wheel.

[Tony_Barraza]

Thanks for all the feedback. Checking on warranty.

Tundra -

Get the VIN # (or at least the last 5 digits of the VIN) and contact any Ford dealership and ask for an Oasis Report. This will tell any and all work that has been performed by any dealership.

BTW -

I've had great luck with my '03 6.0. I currently have 75K miles and only had a weak turbo replaced at 36K. Not one issue since. Best truck I've ever owned.

Good luck!

[TUNDRA1]

Thanks Tony!! I have a few reports getting pulled as we speak.

[manicmechanic]

We have half a dozen in our fleet. Some head gasket problems on the early ones. A few turbos not all. the 6.0s in the fleet are just running out of the 3yr 100,000 warrenty. So we will be fixing em in house for the next 100k. Easy to work on if you have seen the new 6.4. We run about 18,000 pounds on our trucks so I agree these engines seem to like a load. The new 5sp trans has been holding up very well, only one failure, no reverse broken snap ring.

[promaxmarine]

i work for ford and can gladly get you any info with a vin #. the 6.0 is a great truck when running right, most problems are lack of maint. people have a hard time dropping 106.00 for and oil change and 160.00 for fuel filters every 15k miles. but yes some of them do have issues, if the one you are looking at has under 5 years or 100k mile i can gladly extend the warranty to 7yr/200k mile warranty(fords new program), i am a service writer so i deal with them all day. good luck with the buy

[jsallenbach]

We have a 2005 supercrew f250 6.0L and overall is a great truck. We have put 90,000 miles on it and have towed alot with this truck . We haul steel with this truck and does the job just find. We did put stiffer tires on it to haul a little more. But overall no big problems and its fun to drive. Plus we like Fords, F150, expedition and f250, and remember Ford stands for First On Race Day.

[cusico]

Do not by a 6.0l if you can. Look for a 7.3 and upgade the exterior bits, SHE'LL never know it's not an 07.

[43mod]

our 97 4x4 has 350k mi and never so much as leaked.from 99 up we have 4 trucks that did not add up to 350k before we stopped spending $ on the turds.
the 97 is still going.next stop is the dodge dealer.i hope the trannys last better than they used to.good luck

[manicmechanic]

Somebody ought to hoard those 7.3s the last of the good diesel engines.
If I were to put together my final truck thats what I would use.

[ErikShallbetter]

Somebody ought to hoard those 7.3s the last of the good diesel engines.
If I were to put together my final truck thats what I would use.

Thats funny you say that. I just bought a 2002 F350 ( I wouldn't get anything but the 7.3) From what I saw the 02's were typically going for 1,000.00 or so MORE than the 03 and even some 04's.

[bajabird]

Last night I bought a 2005 gmc sierra 2500 diesel just for towing the race cars ($25,000). F the fords, and the dealers that lie about them. Google "6.0 ford diesel problems" and the list won't stop. Get a Dodge or GMC. Great deals right now on the used stuff. autotrader.com

[hammer down racing]

I have an 04 with 58,000 miles that hauls a 40 5th wheel with almost no problems. Coming home from the BAP race it was a dog. Got it to the dealership and had a intercooler and EGR valve put in it. Other than my recent problem and some wiring harnesses before 10,000 miles it's been clear sailing.

I love Fords and probably will always own one, but dealing with our local dealership is a PITA. The service department is a joke and dealing with them is getting rediculous. When I had wiring harnesses go bad early on I asked the service writer if Ford was having a problem with them. The moron told me "We have problems with all of our vehicles, that's why we have a service department." I couldn't believe that came out of her mouth.

[manicmechanic]

Yea, I dont think the 6.0 is to bad, seems gm had a rough go early on with the duramax, head gaskets and such same as ford. Ford needs to decide what engine they are going to use!!!!! As the emissions laws tighten up I expect cummins to loose alot of reliabilty to. EGR coolers, particulate filters, 5 minute idle shutdown timers, low sulfer diesel. International is having breakdowns related to emissions components on there heavy truck engines, unheard of in the past. Detroit diesel, well they just threw in the towel rather than try make there bullet proof engines meet the new standards.
Cat, well they are going off highway for now though there are noises from them about on highway engines. They have little choice since the laws in cal dont care were, when, or how far it is operated it is still a smoky stinky deisel engine.
And those laws have been adopted by Oregon, Washington, Alaska and probably many other states.
Sooo if california falls into the sea the laws with be safe and mechanics will be busy. GRIN.
P/S anyone who owns a dodge with a cummins be careful!!! some day that engine will shake the dodge off its back and keep going.

[wheezy]

What do you guys think of the NEWER 6.4L??

I'm about to pull the trigger on an 08 with 11,000 miles for 36K

4x4 fully loaded

[manicmechanic]

So far with the 4 we have running at GVW at about 14000 miles only a few oil leaks taken care of first visit to our struggling not long for this world dealer. All have been run through for the latest recall for the regen system for the patriculate filter and some had rhe crimp fail on the radiator.
One gripe I have is ford buried the fuel filters and made them a real pain!!!!!!
Apparently no intank pump like the 7.3 and 6.0 so prime with compressed air or burn down the starter after changing the primary filter.
Under the hood is intimidating but not bad to work on after you remove the cab im told. Be aware ford is already talking about going to yet another deisel engine in a couple years.
I do like the easy starting and quite running of the 6.4 "sound cannot escape" and you will see why when you look under the hood. Great power! and good trans.
This may be the last IHC engine you will see in a ford. I wouldnt dare buy their first experiment in the next few years.
Driving these trucks is nice I like it.
Buy it with a warrenty, extend the warrenty and sell it with some left.

[GHAcompanies1596]

buy a DMAX... nough said

[wheezy]

buy a DMAX... nough said

The whole chevy ford dodge things is pretty funny. Go to ANY dealer and check out the LACK of parking space in the service department. A good friend runs the service department at a LARGE GM dealer.... I could tell you some stories about the "DMAX" engines.

I'd take the Dodge Cummins over just about anything engine wise, with the Chevy body, and the Ford interior.

Pretty happy with the purchase though. 2008 4x4 6.4L Twin Turbo diesel crew cab lariat... REALLY nice vehicle!

Whoever said money can't buy happiness didn't have enough! :D

[CANIDAERACING]

YES BUY A DMAX!!! i personally have 1 DURAMAX AND 6 ford diesels; 1- 08 350 6.4, 1- 08 450 6.4, 2- 03 350'S 7.3, 1- 02 550 7.3, AND 1- 03 25OOHD DURMAX. THE DURAMAX SMOKES ALL OF THEM HANDS DOWN ON EVERY LEVEL. BUT IF YOU HAD TO GO WITH A FORD UNLESS YOU ARE GOING TO GET A DELETE KIT FROM SPARTAN OR SCT FOR YOUR 6.4 GO WITH THE 7.3. I HAVE THREE 7.3'S AND I WILL NEVER SELL THEM! THE 7.3 550 HAS 150,000 MILES AND THE ONLY THING IVE EVER REPLACED IS A $25 DOLLAR CAM POSITION SENSOR!!! IM VERY INTO DIESELS AND DIESEL PERFORMANCE. ON A SIDE NOTE THE CUMMINS MAY BE A SOMEWHAT GOOD MOTOR BUT THE ANNOYING SOUND IT MAKES AND THE WORTHLESS TRUCK AROUND THE MOTOR MAKE THEM OBSOLETE! IF YOU WANT 560 RWHP WITH A TUNER ALONE BUY A 6.4 BUT THAT ALSO COMES AT A PRICE IM ON MY THIRD MOTOR IN MY 08 450 AND MY SECOND MOTOR IN MY 08 350..... ITS UP TO YOU TO DECIDE FOR YOURSELF THOUGH...

[CANIDAERACING]

And for those that are talking trash about the early dmax's the only real issue they had was the injectors. They have an awesome super extended warranty on the trucks that had the injectors. They will replace them for free if they haven't already been replaced which they most likely have been. my 2003 dmax 4x4 with an 8 inch lift and 37's with stock gears will burn my stock 08's no problem all while getting 20-22 mpg on the freeway. My 08 350 gets 10-12 mpg on the freeway and my 08 450 gets 7-10 mpg on the freeway unloaded on both!!!! i find that soooo funny the newer stuff is the less efficient it becomes??? huh

[wheezy]

Like I said, I went with the FERD.... it's killer, and I only tow 8500 lbs - nothings really going to "smoke" me in the Chevy lineup.... especially in the interior comfort department!

7 year, 200,000 mile engine warranty!

DONE

[Next-Gen]

My brother has an '04 DMAX gets around 24 mpg. Used to tow our USAC trailer with it and got around 16 mpg. He has had 2 problems so far. Something in the exhaust system rattles at around 60 mph no matter what gear your in. Cant figure it out for the life of me. Replaced the down pipe welded the piss out of the exhaust at any possible rattle points. The injectors went out last week and were replaced n/c. He has about a 120,000 miles on it. Motor and tranny run as good as new.

[nan2270]

DO NOT GET A FORD.I agree 7.3 great motor butt trans is horrible,4r100 trans overheat and blow up.I have an 04 f250 6.0 love the truck and trans.and motor when its not in the shop.I have only 61,000 miles,engines been pulled for oil leaks,2 turbos,1 egr,several injectors,injector module,harnesses,the list goes on.lucky no head gaskets yet.cant chip it,trans cant handle it and head gaskets will blow.dealer ship experiences are a nightmare.main problem with 6.0s is oil gets to hot,oil cooler plugs which creates the problem with injectors so on and so fourth.if the vehicle is still under 5yr 100,000 mile warrenty you can by 7yr 200,000 mile warrenty just on the engine and replaces most parts that go wrong,butt cost $2000.00.ford should give this to you sense they sold you the piece of crap and made the consumer do there R and D.6.4 IS A BIGGER PIECE OF CRAP DO NOT BUY.major law suits between ford and international.BUY A CHEVY several frenz have gmc or chevys chipped,lifted and no major problems.i have a friend with an 02 chevy tows 40 ft trailer chipped and abused first tranny @ 110,000 miles,injectors replaced up to 200,000.i have frenz tahat work at chevy and ford buy a chevy or gmc hd.DONT BUY A DODGE great motor rest of truck crap and no room unless you buy a megacrap.good luck

[amr126]

I know it's kind of unrelated to the direct post, but lots of people on this post make light duty deisels sound like piles. If I didn't get 200K out of my gas motor/rest of truck without any issues I'd be pissed. Just my 2 cents.

[GHAcompanies1596]

The whole chevy ford dodge things is pretty funny. Go to ANY dealer and check out the LACK of parking space in the service department. A good friend runs the service department at a LARGE GM dealer.... I could tell you some stories about the "DMAX" engines.

I'd take the Dodge Cummins over just about anything engine wise, with the Chevy body, and the Ford interior.

Pretty happy with the purchase though. 2008 4x4 6.4L Twin Turbo diesel crew cab lariat... REALLY nice vehicle!

Whoever said money can't buy happiness didn't have enough! :D

the only way in hell id consider a ford is if i wanted to custom order in with the cummins in it. dont get me wrong the trucks are beautiful, and the interior is awesome. but all the ford drivetrain issues are not worth it, i guess if you want to leave it stock and drive a terd around ( a TT terd at that ) thats fine.

the new cummins are a nice piece, except if you start throwing power at it the tranny's dont hold for shat. and a built trans for a dodge is a huge expense, compared to a fully built allison.

when your truck is in for a faulty radiator, a bad harness or a bad turbo let us know how happy you are :D haha jk, hopefully you dont have issues. but good luck

[wheezy]

You should talk to my buddy over at the dirtmob that is a SERVICE MANAGER at a rather large GM dealer about your precious DMAX engines. LOL, okay, nuff said.... You like yours, I like mine, everybody is happy. By the way, that service manager at a GM dealer drives an F250. LOL, NOW THAT SAYS SOMETHING HUH?




the only way in hell id consider a ford is if i wanted to custom order in with the cummins in it. dont get me wrong the trucks are beautiful, and the interior is awesome. but all the ford drivetrain issues are not worth it, i guess if you want to leave it stock and drive a terd around ( a TT terd at that ) thats fine.

the new cummins are a nice piece, except if you start throwing power at it the tranny's dont hold for shat. and a built trans for a dodge is a huge expense, compared to a fully built allison.

when your truck is in for a faulty radiator, a bad harness or a bad turbo let us know how happy you are :D haha jk, hopefully you dont have issues. but good luck

[murphco]

i had the first year of the 6.0 as a repo truck.it was faster,and pulled easier than the dodge and the earlier powerstroke we had before it.i was totally happy,until one of the injectors went out at 6,000 miles.fixed under warranty.then it had no power at 8,000 miles,another injector and a new pcm.at 9,500 it got 2 injectors and a new engine harness along with a new turbo.by the time i had put 100,000 on it the truck had been in the shop 31 times.ford would not buy it back.even after 3 turbos and all of the injectors being replaced at least once.my buddy bought the same truck 2 months after and has had not a single problem with it even with different exhaust chip and intake.i did more scheduled maintenance than he did and with the exception of one time all the oil changes were on time.we bought a dodge for the next truck and have had way better luck even if they dont pull as good,which is hard for me to say as our whole family has driven ford products for the past 70 years.one of the dodges even went 196,000 on the trans without a fluid change before it came apart(the shop that was doing the work was saying they changed it and never did it once!).and half of the mileage on these trucks is towing.so good luck,you may or may not need it.side note my girls f350 with the 7.3 is allmost perfect,everything thats being done to it now is stuff that wears out normally in the drivetrain.

[GHAcompanies1596]

You should talk to my buddy over at the dirtmob that is a SERVICE MANAGER at a rather large GM dealer about your precious DMAX engines. LOL, okay, nuff said.... You like yours, I like mine, everybody is happy. By the way, that service manager at a GM dealer drives an F250. LOL, NOW THAT SAYS SOMETHING HUH?

and he either drives like a pussay or its bone stock... :rolleyes:

[CANIDAERACING]

bottom line is buy a d-max or buy a 7.3 ford and put a Dp tuner and some other bolts on it and your set for at least 350,000 miles under normal conditions! and who would even consider a dodge? really the motor will go a million miles but the truck around will go 100,000! and ford trannys are right below dodge trannys on the pos list. and by this im talking about there auto's. the 6 speed alison is a miracle tranny even in its stock form.

[GHAcompanies1596]

buy a ford- dp tuner is the way to go (jody is a good tuner)
buy a dmax- efi live is the ONLY way to go. (if you need tuning, pm me)

[Ryan_P]

buy a ford- dp tuner is the way to go (jody is a good tuner)
buy a dmax- efi live is the ONLY way to go. (if you need tuning, pm me)

What's so great about EFI Live? Just curious. We have a full Banks system on our Duramax, wouldn't trade it for the world.

The problem with any diesel is most dealerships can't diagnose $hit, all they can do is pull codes and read a book; their worthless!

Best truck ever - Dodge(Cummins) motor, Chevy cab w/ Allison trans, Ford chassis. Where can I order one of these!? ha.

[Chris Tobin]

What's so great about EFI Live? Just curious. We have a full Banks system on our Duramax, wouldn't trade it for the world.

The problem with any diesel is most dealerships can't diagnose , all they can do is pull codes and read a book; their worthless!

Best truck ever - Dodge(Cummins) motor, Chevy cab w/ Allison trans, Ford chassis. Where can I order one of these!? ha.

There are a lot of guys doing the Cummins conversion... but it typically is a Cummins into a Ford with a Dodge or Ford trans. I don't think I have seen a Cummins in a Chevy yet. I am actually working on the next issue of DIESEL BUILDER right now and we have quite a few swap features in it. Pretty cool to see guys put a diesel where there wasn't one or put a different one in.

[GHAcompanies1596]

What's so great about EFI Live? Just curious. We have a full Banks system on our Duramax, wouldn't trade it for the world.

The problem with any diesel is most dealerships can't diagnose , all they can do is pull codes and read a book; their worthless!

Best truck ever - Dodge(Cummins) motor, Chevy cab w/ Allison trans, Ford chassis. Where can I order one of these!? ha.

EFI live allows you to adjust just about any paramiter you could imagine, now if your a good tuner and know how each table effects the truck it could make for an amazing tune/great running truck for your driving style. some people get off on spending hours and hours tuning.

there is nothing wrong with banks and im sure your trucks run good, they are a little more user freindly/plug and play type deal. its cool if your content on what it gives you and nothing more.

i guess its whatever your into.

[nan2270]

ryan p you are right about dealerships not knowwing what there doing.(although i did finally find one good d-tech at adealer)i took my 04 in for injector,i asked the service writer if they ran diag. for oil cooler plugged or oil overheating,he told me that has nothing to do with the injectors,code read injector so we replaced the one injector(my truck has had all of them replaced one at a time)..oil temp has alot to do with the injectors,turbo,etc,MORONS, i am so sick of dealing with service writers.i have frenz that work at gmc and chevy,best connection to have....BUY CHEVY,sorry ford fans.

[Camperdave]

A note about Duramax - buy 04' 1/2 or newer. Early editions had internal injectors which are PRONE to repeated failures. $4k repair. O4' 1/2 and newer are the redesign with external injectors - problem solved. Also, if you finally pop an early edition engine, the newer design is a drop in replacement. GM sells a $400 wiring harness to mate with the external injectors. A computer reprogram is recommended, but not necessary.
Something else to consider when buying any diesel = Feds have mandated EGR and/or particulate filters on all new diesels. The filter is a super expensive catalytic converter of sorts. Most all light duty diesels from 09' on have these components (some as early as 05'). The trucks with the converter have a destinctly different tailpipe. The pipe looks like some sort of afterburner device. Very important no one just hacks this pipe off to add custom tips - will cause premature particulate filter failure and/or check engine light constantly coming on. Only buy a complete aftermarket exhaust from someone like Banks if available. All of these emission devices are already proving to be problematic. May be a good idea to wait a year or two more until the big three work through the "bugs". Better yet, stick with older models while prices are down. Less taxes and insurance on an older model mean more money for upgrades!

[GHAcompanies1596]

or........ you can buy a full exhaust and delete the dpf all together. you should see all the bs emissions crap/plugs and lines that came off with my factory exhaust.

[wheezy]

Out of curiosity, how many of you guys claiming this or that have EVER kept a truck past 200K miles?

Just wondering... seems most of you have NEWER trucks. Me, I run em till they start to die, and with a 200K mile warranty I think I'm covered for the next 7 years at a minimum. Does Chevy or Dodge have an extended warranty that long?

[Goober]

Dumb question but why doesn't Ford put the 7.3 back in? And is the new 6.4 having just as many problems?

[manicmechanic]

The state of califonia leads the way in vehicle emissions standards. The rest of the nation follows regardless of air quality in the area.
The 7.3 could not be brought to LA standards.
Same reason maryann dumped me in 72 "cause im stinky noisy and I smoke"

[CANIDAERACING]

www.dieselgarage.com
www.duramaxforum.com
www.duramaxdiesels.com

just a few good sited to visit!

DURAMAX!!! all the way! nasty girl is making 1004 rwhp on #2 ONLY RIGHT NOW!! NO FORDS ARE MAKING OVER 1000 RWHP EVEN WITH NITROUS!

[j10-401]

Dont buy a 6.0 I worked on these piles for too long at the ford dealer. The 6.4 is not much better gets terrible gas milage, your better off trying to find a 7.3 with somewhat low miles there out there. After all what 100k on a diesel? all you have to worry about is the junk trans if someone towed in overdrive all the time.