So I reluctantly purchased this 2003 6.0 EX. 129,000 miles. It was listed as a 7.3 at a car lot in Vegas. I know the weak points of the 6.0 and i was looking for a 7.3 but this truck was immaculate and i love the black with gray leather and price was right so i dove in. Oasis report is clean pretty much clean, 2 ficm and harness and that's it.On the scanner all looks perfect. EOT and ECT temps are identical. ficm main power stays 48v all the time. No leaks, no shakes, no squeaks. There's no visible major repairs done recently and I'm sure Oasis report would show repairs inside the 100k warranty. Does the 6.0 curse pick and choose which trucks to torment? Or did ford build some correct? The only problems so far, the pickup screen in tank was missing so i ran out of fuel when tank read 1/4, and frame mounted pump went out twice. (first one aftermarket crap)

 

I think if you adreess the weak points of the 6.0 and maintain it properly it will be a great rig for you.

That being said, head over to the 6.0L forum and you will get a lot more info than here in the Excursion Forum.

 

^ yeah you might find one or two guys there with over 100K that haven't had any trouble yet.

 

They are VERY hit and miss. a few get lucky but many more have the list of 6.0 problems occur. I would definitely fix the known weaknesses before doing any performance upgrades. Late 2005 have a lot of the issues fixed but an 03 is the worst year

 

There is a thread in the 6.0 forum on the same topic with dozens of 6.0s over 300k in the linked posts.Some have had very few issues others had the usual HGs injectors and EGR issues.

 

I don't need no stinkin' hg's and egr's !!!!!

75k on an 03 6.oh when I traded to get the last one and put 119k on a tuned 05 (so far )

sounds like your 'new to u' one is more broken in than mine !

 

As soutthpaw put it, they are indeed very hit and miss. You could end up with a good, trouble free engine, then again you could also have one that hasn't seen a good day in it's life.

There are some things you can do to make sure your 6.0 runs good and stays that way:

1. Always use motorcraft and ONLY motorcraft filters! Although they may be cheaper, the aftermarket filters (from Autozone, Napa, O'reilly, etc) don't meet the requirements set forth by Ford and can damage the engine, costing you money.

2. Always run a fuel conditioner to keep diesel fresh, clean, and well lubricated. Powerservice Diesel Kleen (found easily at walmart) will keep things lubricated and the fuel system at it's best.

3. If you can, be sure to run some Synthetic oil (5w40) as the 6.0 loves synthetic oil. It helps with starts (hot and cold), overall performance, and keeping the oil system well lubricated.

4. Adding and air intke isn't recommended unless you plan tuning and exceeding 500hp. The stock air filtration system is one of the best available and does an amazing job keeping dust and dirt out of the engine.

5. If you're looking for a little more mileage and power without tuning, adding a Walker BTM (big truck muffler) is great way to open up the exhaust without breaking the bank. Once the muffler is installed, you'll want to perform the VGT relearn strategy outlined here: Ford Truck Enthusiasts Forums - View Single Post - Diablosport Predator Update for 04 Truck This will allow the engine to see the freer flowing exhaust and adjust accordingly. Had to do this on a buddy's '05 and anothers '03 and it made all the difference on both trucks.

6. Make sure you have a clean EGR valve, instructions here: https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/4...egr-valve.html

From the sound of things, you have yourself a good one and don't have much to worry about. You'll love your new to you 6.0, just take care of it and it'll take care of you.

 

my 04 has popped 2 egr coolers so i deleted and no trouble since, my buddy had an 04 and now has an 07 has put 100k on both and neither ever went to the shop for anything, and other than change his oil he does not do his maintenance like he should.. he also pulls a big backhoe on a 35 foot tandem dual trailer that has to weigh close to 20k every once in a while..

 

More then likely, I'm willing to bet that your oil cooler crapped out which caused the first EGR cooler to go bad, but the oil cooler wasn't dealt with so the second EGR cooler crapped out as well.

I have never used a fuel additive or oil additive and not neary an issue with regard to that.

With the 6.0s, knowledge is very much the key. Not throwing stuff at it or taking stuff out of it.

More often then not I'm willing to bet that there was something a tech did or didn't do, or the owner did/didn't do that caused an issue. There are some that were just plain bad out of the box, but with as many that I have found that a strong case could be shown that it was caused by owner or tech, I really do doubt the validity of the numbers as being as high as they are.

Oh, pushing past 500HP and I still have the original coolers that came on my truck. Either I'm a lucky SOB or there is something to this knowledge thing.

 

9 times out of 10, that's just what it is, negligence on someone's part be it the owner or tech. This is where the whole knowledge thing comes into play. It's almost like preventative maintenance

 

Had a F-250 cc 6.0 2003 that had alot of problems the first year (2003) then fix went trouble free til 2010 so it was on my dime so I sold it bought F-250 2011 6.2 and never looked back.

 

I have an 04 with 203,000 miles. I replaces the egr. Still have original hoses and belt on it. Do ya think it is time to change em. I was planning on getting a new truck soon, but I have changed my mind. I'm getting a new harley instead. So I guess some TLC is in order.

 

the first egr cooler popped at 35k, they only replaced the egr cooler, then about 10k later i noticed my fan coming on when i would pull small loads and then read on here about the oil cooler problem, took it to the dealer and sure enough the temp difference was enough to replace the oil cooler which they did, but they did not replace the egr cooler again.. then at 53k the egr cooler popped again.. at this point i was out of warranty and was not about the put another egr cooler on it.. so i had the oil cooler replaced and deleted the egr cooler and it has run great ever since.. i have not had any other trouble with my truck

 

I have a 2006 6.0with just over 93,000 on it. The only problem I have had was it would not start. took it to Mercury Dealer in Alton, Illinois (They are better with diesels that the Ford Dearler) and found out there were leaks in the fuel system not allowing the fuel pressure to come up enough to let the poor thing start. About $250.00 later it was doing just fine. Don't know if you call that SERIOUS, but I don't. other that that, put in diesel, put in anti gel when it gets cold, change the oil and drive it. I generally pull my travel triler behind it, and it LIKES that!

 

i have an 03 with 118,000 on it bought it with 50,000 and the only thing that i have had fail is the radio, the block heater cord (backed away with it plugged in too many times) and ball joints. i am 20 years old drive and pull the truck hard for work and fun. chipped and intake installed. i feel like you have to stick to a very strickt service plan.