I have a 2004 X with a 5.4 4x4 xlt no leather 80k miles on it.I'm considering trade+ $$

There's a 2004 ltd diesel 6.0 local to me with super low miles for a good price. I'm afraid of the 6.0 but love the truck.

I'm very mechanical could I do the head studs and egr delete? Are they reliable after those mods?

Also my 5.4 gets 16mpg on hwy in the summer.What does the 6.0 get?

 

From my experience I would not get a 6.0. They have certain issues and can blow up into a can of worms that will cost you thousands to get straightened out! I gave up on mine and ditched it for a gasser 8.1 Sub! I can buy tons and tons of gasoline for the extra money it takes to buy a Diesel and repair or upgrade it! If I could go back and do it again I would have bought a V10 Excursion!! Good luck in your decision, it's a big one with expensive ramifications that COULD POSSIBLY negatively impact your finances as it did mine!

 

Go down to the 6.0L forum and get some advice from the guys with more experience. There is no reason the 6.0L cannot be a very reliable engine. You need to get extreme with the maintenance and learn how to identify problems when they are small ones, before they turn into big ones. If you do your homework on the truck you are looking at, and really learn some of the ins and outs of the 6.0L, it can be a very reliable long lasting engine.

 

Scottman I was just in the 6.0 part of the forum. OMG 20 pages of help or repair threads in 20 days. I understand some failures happen but it's not just hg and hb stretching.It's everthing!

Mt 5.4 is reliable and has alittle punch to it with the programmer and ypipe. But there's diesel all around me at work and I just love the sound of a turbo diesel,. Naturally I'm a locomotive engineer

 

6.0s get way more bad rep then they deserve. Do studs and a EGR delete and oil cooler and your good to go.

 

How do you get away with the EGR delete in CA and our new diesel smog requirement?

 

You've been a member here for 9 months and have 188 replies. By now you

should know to stay as far away from a 6.0L diesel as you can possibly get.

 

After having a 7.3 truck and having a 6.0 I would never go back. They are super easy to work on and very reliable when the proper upgrades are done. I just bought my 2nd 6.0 and love it. It got 17mpg on the way home an 12 here around town in the winter so far. I say go for it.

 

The biggest thing to realize with a 6.0 is that it ain't your daddy's diesel, so to speak. For example, you simply cannot idle a 6.0 for the long periods of time that diesels used to be known for. The 6.0 was the first emissions regulated light duty engine to hit the market. As such, the first people to own them really didn't know that it needed to be handled differently than, say a 7.3 or 5.9 cummins. They simply chipped them, idled them, etc as people used to do with the aforementioned engines, which is absolutely the last thing that should be done.

IMO the 6.0 can be a great engine, and actually now that ALL diesel engines have emissions regulations, the 6.0 will continue to be viewed in a more favorable light. The things that must be done for a 6.0 include:

1) Strict adherence to maintenance schedule including 5k oil changes, 15k fuel filter changes, 50k coolant flushes.
2) Coolant filter
3) Gauges to monitor EOT, ECT, and Fuel Pressue.
4) EGR Delete/Bypass and headstuds.

After these are done, I really feel that 6.0 is every bit the engine the 7.3 was in terms of reliability, and with several added bonuses including hp/torque numbers I have owned a 6.0 and a 7.3, and there is no comparison in drivability and towing between the two.

 

I like how every 6.0 owner says "the 6.0 CAN be a great motor, you just need to replace a bunch of parts to make it good."

 

Both my neighbors have '04 trucks and the only one that had a problem was my neighbor with the '04 Excursion. His problem was that his oil cooler was plugging if not plugged with casting sand, causing his truck to overheat. The mechanics he took it to kept replacing the radiator.

The point I'm trying to make is that the emissions equipment can work on the truck, you just need to install a coolant filter, keep the EGR valve clean, keep up on maintenance and the rest will fall into place. Casting sand plugging the oil cooler is the start of a series of unfortunate events that will cost you a serious amount of money. If you install a coolant filter first, you shouldn't have too much to worry about and it'll buy you time till finances allow for the more permanent mods. Unless the truck was abused or has a troubled past, you shouldn't have anything to worry about.

 

And I love how every 7.3 owner loves to brag on an underpowered motor paired with a turd they call a transmission. I'll bet 7.3 owners have spent just as much money replacing trannies as 6.0 owners have spent replacing oil coolers.

 

True enough; our 4R100 trannies were certainly the weak point in our trucks but I still love the 7.3 anyways. I have an 01 F350 duallie and the John Woods trans cost a mint but I'm happy I did it. And with my mods, I feel that I can run with any 6.0 plus get better mileage.

My wife is driving an 02 Burb with the 6 liter V8 which is pretty strong but we are definitely considering a later model Excursion for her (for the horses!). Guess I will have to learn about the 6.0. Looking forward to it.

 

The 6.0 lq9 in your burb has alot of potential.

I had all the paper work filled out on a 2001 X 7.3 diesel 2wd with 80k miles for 16k before I bought mine.I went home to sleep on it and with alot of friends telling me that I need 4wd in a truck that size I backed out of the deal and went with the gasser 4x4 for $2k less.


Take alook at this!This is the truck on craigslist showing it has 40k miles when trully it has 140k miles


2004 Ford Excursion 4x4 Eddie Bauer


Cars for Sale: 2004 Ford Excursion 4x4 Eddie Bauer in Frankfort, IL 60423: Sport Utility Details - 289040331 - AutoTrader.com

 

Just got rid of my 6.0 Excursion, Hallelujah! Picked up this 8.1 2006 Sub 2500 and it is great! Couldn't be happier! This 8.1 will roast the tires in a blink at WOT! No more freaking 6.0 Diesel upgrades or repairs or $100 dollar oil changes or frequent fuel filter changes! Should have done the gasser thing from the start! Definitely will have more money in my bank account now with this Sub! BTW it tows in stock form much better than my Excursion did with air bags, shocks, and all the other mods I did to it! I was bummed at first but after towing my 11K hauler I am kicking myself for not looking into an 8.1 Sub sooner! Zero wander while towing, no more white knuckle towing with lots of steering input! Night and Day difference, and I aint a GM guy I loved my Excursion!!!