What is exactly wrong with the 6.0?

[Catfish_Man]

Man the symptoms and problems and fixes (and guesses at fixes) run more than just rampant on this board.

I bought a late 2004, and am doing a whole lot better than most it seems.
Based on this forum in mid 2004 all of the issues with the 6.0 were minor and already addressed by Ford and the platform looked solid. (So I plunged in on a late 2004 6.0.)

But everybody now has me really scared about hanging onto my truck.

I only have about 40,000 miles on it and most is just puttering around, but about 10,000 towing 6,000 to 12,000 pounds.

All of my issues including new turbo, egr replacement, and some various TSB's came early in life, but I've not towed heavy in more than ten months. And based on these threads, I have little confidence in the truck to hook it back to the fifth wheel (12,000 lbs) and go down the road a considerable way.

I'd appreciate opinions on my alternatives and my outlook.

I'm getting negative on Ford diesels as a whole and I am considering a gasser 4x4 with a granny gear to get my big boat up the ramp and thinking of selling the 5er.

I can't deal with $4 diesel because at 11 MPG with the fiver I can almost make another house payment after a 500 mile round trip for a vacation...just for fuel!!!

What I think I need is a gasser that can occasisionally pull a 10,000 pound boat on the hitch for short distances or very occaisionally 300 highway miles.

I've see nothing less than 3/4 ton 4x4 that can do this?

I think we're getting away from the 5er and the '04 diesel beginning today.

Did I talk myself into that?

[doubledee715]

hell, almost talked me into it. what do you sell during the day!? lol

[UGA33]

good luck trying to sell a used diesel right now. I have mine for sell trying to go to an 08and havent had one call in the two weeks its been advertised.

[diesel_dan]

Originally Posted by Catfish_Man

Man the symptoms and problems and fixes (and guesses at fixes) run more than just rampant on this board.

I bought a late 2004, and am doing a whole lot better than most it seems.
Based on this forum in mid 2004 all of the issues with the 6.0 were minor and already addressed by Ford and the platform looked solid. (So I plunged in on a late 2004 6.0.)

But everybody now has me really scared about hanging onto my truck.

I only have about 40,000 miles on it and most is just puttering around, but about 10,000 towing 6,000 to 12,000 pounds.

All of my issues including new turbo, egr replacement, and some various TSB's came early in life, but I've not towed heavy in more than ten months. And based on these threads, I have little confidence in the truck to hook it back to the fifth wheel (12,000 lbs) and go down the road a considerable way.

I'd appreciate opinions on my alternatives and my outlook.

I'm getting negative on Ford diesels as a whole and I am considering a gasser 4x4 with a granny gear to get my big boat up the ramp and thinking of selling the 5er.

I can't deal with $4 diesel because at 11 MPG with the fiver I can almost make another house payment after a 500 mile round trip for a vacation...just for fuel!!!

What I think I need is a gasser that can occasisionally pull a 10,000 pound boat on the hitch for short distances or very occaisionally 300 highway miles.

I've see nothing less than 3/4 ton 4x4 that can do this?

I think we're getting away from the 5er and the '04 diesel beginning today.

Did I talk myself into that?

Do you personally know anyone that has had major problems with their 6.0? I know I don't... Just had breakfast with a friend that tows a 34' Alpenlite that combined weighs right at max GCVWR (23k) -- he has 67,xxx miles and most of that towing that 5er around the country. He gets 12-13mpg in the more flat lands and 10 if there's hills/wind. He's had not one single problem with the truck...

This is a huge site and Ford sold tons of 6.0s -- I don't know the numbers but I'm pretty sure they out sold the competition like 2 to one, having about 50+% of the light truck diesel market. More engines in total numbers means more complaints in total numbers (with a given percent of reported problems being the same). I had a dmax that was a pos, in fact the whole series of LLYs ('04.5 through '05 my) had underdesigned cooling systems -- so the dmax is far short of a perfect history too...

Anyway, I've done the numbers on my rig, and besides the superior towing power, until the difference in diesel vs. regular hits about a 1/3 premium (not even close at $.50 or so and most times it's less of a margin) -- you're well ahead in cost with the diesel over a gasser (it'd just be a "feel good" thing, not a truth).

Good luck with whatever you decide to do...

[Kep4]

Based on this forum in mid 2004 all of the issues with the 6.0 were minor and already addressed by Ford and the platform looked solid.

And that still holds true.

All of my issues including new turbo, egr replacement, and some various TSB's came early in life, but I've not towed heavy in more than ten months. And based on these threads, I have little confidence in the truck to hook it back to the fifth wheel (12,000 lbs) and go down the road a considerable way.

Has the truck let you down? Stranded you? Are you basing your lack of confidence on people coming to FTE to ask for answers about their 6.0 issues?

I'm getting negative on Ford diesels as a whole and I am considering a gasser 4x4 with a granny gear to get my big boat up the ramp and thinking of selling the 5er.

Should be no problem for a Diesel or gasser with factory gears. If you get a 4x4 just put the transfer case in low and off you go!

I can't deal with $4 diesel because at 11 MPG with the fiver I can almost make another house payment after a 500 mile round trip for a vacation...just for fuel!!!

You cannot be serious. If gasoline was 50 cents more per gallon than Diesel, then 60 gallons of Diesel would cost $30.00 more so I don't follow this.
11mpg + 60 gallons = 660 miles.

BTW, great post Dan!

[bismic]

ditto for Dan - my rep points went his way!

[diesel_dan]

Thanks, guys...

one big thing I missed on my post to Catfish_Man, was my friend I mentioned also has an '04, if that helps with his confidence in his '04 any...

[origcharger]

We have had such good luck with our 100,000 mile 2004 E-450 6.0 that we are strongly considering buying an April build 2008 school bus with the VT365.

[EZ-Ford]

Also Ditto to Dan..
I have an 06 had not a problem. Everyone has to remember that on a forum like this you will only get the bad news. Of all the Diesels sold, and only 1% had problems, but that was the only ones you heard from you would think they were all bad even though they are not representative of the whole base. They are just the ones you hear...

[SICKS-O]

you know 6.0 owners are their own worst enemy, we wonder why our engines get such a bad name and it is because of posts like this. every engine of every type and design ever produced has had problems. if manufactures made things that didnt have defects or wore out there would be no service department at every dealership. i know of so many 6.0s that are virtually trouble free, mine included and with what a lot of these trucks are put threw we should have more posts about how much of a beating they take. mine has 38k of hard driving on it 5 pairs of rear tires, tons of 4wd launchs, a bunch of 130mph runs down the highway and she runs perfect!

[EZ-Ford]

I was talking to my neighbor a few weeks ago. He has an F350 DRW 6.0 that he uses to pull his 5er. He has more miles on his than I do, but not a lot. He uses it almost exclusively for pulling. It rarely moves without the trailer on. He has had lots of problems (all injectors replaced, head gaskets, etc). If I were to listen to him, I also would never buy one. However after putting a few other things together, it all makes since.

- His rig is about 1 and a half times OVER the GCRW rating of the truck.
- He drives with a very heavy foot, even when towing.
- He has not tried to learn anything about the truck. Just drives it until it needs service or breaks then takes it in.

What other truck could you do that to an not have issues?
As stated earlier, every truck (for that matter all products) has its good and bad. There are lemons in every group. There are also the shinning apples. Then there are those that are broken because of how they are used. If you notice this forum has a lot of people modding their trucks, so they will show up any weakness or limitation that much earlier. As I said in my earlier post, take what is on this forum with a grain of salt. These are just a few people out of the hunderds of thousands that have them running.

[sbrou14]

My big plan is as follows:
When my horrid, never had a problem, gets good gas mileage for an 8k truck, most expensive fuel, still cheaper then running a V10, POS 6.0L finally falls out the bottom of my truck; I am going to slap a new rebuilt 6.0L right back in the damn thing.

[bismic]

It is my opinion that used 6.0L trucks are about the best buy out there right now. This is because lots of folks are unsure of their reliability and yes - THEY DO CONSUME FUEL (but not much for 8000 lbs that can tow a house). It is true that buying a used 6.0L may cause you to rebuild or replace expensive engine components; EVEN SO - get a good deal on a used truck, MAYBE spend the repair $$'s (and be sure to include head studs) and be well on your way to a bullet proof truck. You can do all this for a lot less than I paid for a new truck.

The only downside is you have to have enough cash to pay for the rebuild. You still get an incredible truck for a lot less than the competition.

[spence13e]

yes, i've had a few issues, but they're all the "normal" issues for my 04's build date by what i see here. would i buy another one? yup, sure would. this one's never left me stranded and i took a look at an 03 w/ 137K on it today (need another for the other half before too much longer ) true, i'd rather pick up an 05, or even a late 04, but i considered it none the less.

[mrcobra350]

I almost didnt buy a new truck after reading this forum myself. But I decided to anyway took delivery of my 04 on January 2nd 2004 and it now has 71,000 miles on it and other than 2 reflashes while in for service have not had a single problem with it. My 5th wheel is about 12K and it gets 12mpg towing and about 18-19 not towing.