OK Guys...Ive not been following the scoop on the 6.0L engine. I had a 7.3 in 2000. Got a 5.4 in 2004 to present. Im in the market for a truck for pulling a 5th wheel. Cant afford new......so Im torn between going for an older F250-F350 with a 7.3 (which seem to be pretty rare around here except with >300K miles).........or a '04-'06 with a 6.0L. Ive heard alot of bad things about the 6.0.
Give me some opinions (if you've actually owned one)

Even considering jumping ship and going to the duramax/allison.

Thx in advance.

 

Most of the bad stuff that you actually hear about are more then likely from people that don't know the ends and outs of the 6.0 or they did some pretty stupid stuff and didn't realize it. I would have a 6.0 over a 7.3 any day and I have owned both. I would head on down to the 6.0 forum here and absorbed as much info as you can on the engine and then go from there. These later diesels aren't for the faint of heart that's for sure.

 

I have an 04 6.0. I love the truck. I bought it used in 06 with 30k miles on the clock. I've put alittle over 100k miles on it. It had an oilcooler, egr cooler, and an injector replaced. All work was done under warranty. I think you will like it. I would buy the 06 if I was you. Just because it should habe all updates and by 06 ford had all the wrinkles ironed out.

 

I own both the 7.3 and 6.0 now. Hands down the 6.0 wins, in every category it beats the 7.3

 

I rented 6 liter in F550 when my F450 with 7.3 blow the differential.
The 6 liter was not only lousy performance wise, but big fuel guzzler. Some say that rental engines have limiting programs, some say that automatic transmission is bad point, but there is no way I would like to drive that 6 liter on daily basis. Put over 800 miles on it, so this is not just marginal impression.

 

Torqshift being a bad point? I don't think so. Now the auto behind the 7.3 in stock form is a bad point. Mine fried on me in stock form with less then 60k on the odometer.

I have to ask you, how well do you think that the rental maintained that truck? Not how they should have mind you. I know places that don't do crap with upkeep even though the trucks are their bread and butter.

800 miles compared to my over 200k, I would say that your impression are marginal. There might have been something going on with that truck that you weren't aware of, you just have no idea of the history of the vehicle.

 

What? Compared to? Your the only person ive ever read that thought the 6.0 had bad performace. Dude the 6.0 is a beast to the 7.3 in everystat. Hands down it has more torqud more horsepower has a better tranny. As time goes on it might even prove to be as bulletproof. Ya gotta remember the 7.3 didnt have such a good start either. Milage between the 2 is compairable. Ive gotten better than some. Some gets better than me.

 

I am trying to be fair here talking about rental truck, but it had less than 40k on it, while my 7.3 over 200k.
But when the 6 liter coupled to automatic would not move 14k trailer up the motel driveway, I was really pi****. Dropping 2 gears on each freeway overpass was annoying as well. While towing 14,000 lb trailer in Sierra I did not expect good mileage, driving 200 miles empty didn't show it too good neither.
My 7.3 seems to be better than average, so we can talk how much difference can you record between the same engines?

 

I'm willing to bet that there was some EGR issues with only 40k and I'm sure a 450 isn't going to be rented out as much either. I haul ~16k with my truck no problem.

 

What's your mpg?

 

I don't bother with mpg calculations. It is what it is. Plus even if I did it wouldn't do you any good for a comparison as what you get would be different from what I get. Even comparing a 6.0 in a 350 to one in a 550 isn't a fair comparison either.

Also I'm so far from stock it wouldn't be a fair comparison for 95% of the 6.0 owners out there.

 

i started back in 1983 with a car haukin 6.9 idi moved to a 1988 idi (cavititation got me @397,000) miles .got a 97 powerstroke that served me well. till some youngster paid me to much money so he could look as cool as a 1997 extra cab in that electric blue can make a youngster look to betty-lou.went and bought a 2000 7.3 and proceeded to put a banks kit in it. it was a nice truck.now i have an early 03 6.0 which i love.187,000 miles.it is the best of a great bunch of fords i've owned.best power,best mileage and starts the best in the cold,plus it gets the best milage.

 

Dude your not being fair. You don't know what your talking about. I pull 24K behind my truck uphill regularly. I'm not going to indulge in the possibilty that the engine might have had some kind of issue. Simple cause if you do much towing at all you would have known that you was having trouble. Not in a forume putting down an engine cause of your 1ce in a life time experence. You say you wouldn't want to drive one daily. I drive mine daily. I work my daily. The OP asked for thoughts from us that actually own a unit. I've put over 100k miles on my 6.0L in less than 4 yrs. I gained just short of 20k my first and of gained more and more every year since. I know what the engine can do. What kind of milage I get. 20k-20k lbs out back 10-11mpg. That isn't the worest in the world. For the horses over the 7.3L 18 mpg aint to shabby either.

 

Just bought an 03 with the 6.0 and I freakin love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I love my 7.3. Where are you located? I have found many 7.3 trucks with far less than 300K miles.

The 6.0 might be "better", but my 7.3 will be alive long after an equal 6.0.