I just purchased a '05 f-350 with a 6.0L. Currently all my trucks are later model 7.3L's which I know are different creatures. What should be some main things too do so I know I am going in the right tract. Oil change? Coolant flush/change?, etc? Any help/suggestions would be appreciated. I plan on keeping the truck stock, will be pulling camper on weekend getaways only for now. Truck has 188k miles curently, with 6spd. Thanks everybody, you are a very well educated bunch of guys/gals here!

 

Spend a good amount of time in the tech folder, and stay on here going through the discussions about this truck. time is worth it

Coolant flush is in the tech folder.

this is a great place to get filters. freshing up your truck is allwayse good.
www.dieselfiltersonline.com

With standard oil, keep the oil changes under 6,000miles, syn under 7,000.

change your fuel filters between 10,000 miles and 15,000 miles.


Trans every 30,000 depending on how you do it.
This is what I do every 30,000 miles.
http://www.powerstroke.org/forum/6-0...-7-quarts.html

DTC safe and California safe egr mod.
http://www.powerstroke.org/forum/gen...7-up-pipe.html


Do you have any coolant pushing out of the degas bottle?

 

VC-9 coolant flush, new hoses

Clean verify EGR valve

Check ECT/EOT spread

New fuel oil etc filters

Start there

 

The 1st thing I would suggest you do is take it to a shop/dealer that has a good reputation w/ working on the 6.0 and have it checked out. If it has to have coolers replaced etc its going to get a flush anyway. This will give you a good idea where you stand and what you need to do next.
Another option is to get a scan/monitor like the scangauge II, or edge insight and lock yourself in the tech folder and see what's going on w/ your engine. After any repairs that are done I would suggest getting gauges.
All that being said, when I buya used trucked I start out at 000 miles maintance. Meaning I change everything. Every filter and fluid.
Have fun and enjoy that 6l.

 

Scangauge II

 

The best advice you can get!!! The tech folder is invaluable.

 

Disregard most people, including your local "diesel" techs and posters who will be more than happy to diagnose every hiccup on your 6.0 as signs of impending meltdown, and then recommend tens of thousands of expensive fixes that inevitably involve buying outrageous priced "upgrades".

Never let a tuner come near your vehicle if you want longevity.

Never allow anyone to tear it apart unless you are absolutely sure it needs it --- because once they do, chances are they are likely to have introduced other problems along the way.

In the time I have been on this site, I have seen people who swear on a stack of bibles (or from the sound of them, a stack of moonshine cases) that their "fix" is the right thing to do, even when Ford issues TSBs that specifically tell them otherwise.

I have seen people who toss in new injectors (most of the ones returned for core tests good), FICMs (many just had corrupted flash, not a electrical fault inside, though there are many that have faults), replace Head Gaskets / head bolts because it is "leaking" when there is no CO detected in the coolant...

Or crap alternators installed, only to cause battery / FICM failure.

EGR deletes that in turn, put vehicle in limp mode.

Or even some simple thing like not knowing that if the instrument cluster "powers off" it does not necessarily mean a cluster failure (emergency power down).



The fact is there are a lot of electronics, software, and non-mechanical issues that causes gremlins that most people don't understand.

So they rely on what they think they know, crude tools like Scangauge, monitoring temps (totally unnecessary if your vehicle is stock and you are not doing heavy towing) and treating the codes as commandments on a stone tablet.

Problem: much of the issues can be caused by simple electronic glitches --- and I have fixed more of them by just resetting the computers.


Or cleaning and greasing connectors, contacts, fixing chafed wiring. Low cost fixes that work.

If the engine codes, don't panic, this kind of early electronic controlled diesel code a lot, often the codes don't mean a thing.

DO NOT TAKE CODES as definite indication of failure of a subsystem --- it can be a code causing more codes causing more codes.

The on board diagnostics is primitive to the point of ridiculous.

Never trust codes --- except for the few drop dead now.

When it codes, unless it is a "drop dead now" code, just log it, log the conditions it happens, then erase it with a $50 code reader and see what comes back.

Over time, the log will tell you plenty.

If you take the truck into a shop with codes, they will gouge you by "fixing" every code rather than the root cause.

Alternative: use the Ford IDS, which really tell you what is going on --- but that is a dealer tool, and not some hack job.



In my time owning a 6.0, I had jokers tell me I got bad EGR / Oil cooler, need Head Gaskets, ARPs, Injectors, HPOP, and what not.

Most of that advice is flat out wrong --- and I have not "repaired" most of the stuff that one person or another claimed is broken.

I run on original injectors, FICM, etc.

The 6.0's known issues are there --- and you want to have a few of them fixed proactively, but the real good fixes are generally cheap, low cost, and easy to do.

Many of the factory update kits are brilliantly engineered, and it works.

If you do everything right, expect the 6.0 to outlast your willingness to own it.

I have 280,000 miles on mine, no major repairs in past 2 years except for an STC fitting upgrade / mod, a turbo cleaning, and a "new" EGR valve.

Expect to see mine go 500,000 miles, or 1 million miles if I am not too lazy to drive it.

--------------

Oh.. have this diagnostics read at a dealer and upgrade to the latest flash:

- ECT/EOT differential (should be within 15 degrees)

If you flash to the latest flash, the wrench light appears if the spread exceed 15 degrees on a 2005 or later model


- FICM voltage --- I would almost tell them to reflash the FICM at same time, to ensure that the flash is good. Voltage should be above 45v

If it is below -- there is an aftermarket FICM coming soon by Bullet Proof Diesel, I recommend it.

- If your EGR cooler is leaking, toss in the BPD part with a new oil cooler after a flush.


- Reflash PCM, BCM , TCM, etc...


- remove and clean out the EGR valve, plenum, and verify its operation before reinstalling.

If it needs replacing, replace with upgraded part (pink dot).

Properly working EGR is key to good operation.


Only use approved filters and oils, and change it ON TIME


Never let a tech work on it unless Ford diesels is all they do --- this is a specialist engine that need a specialist.

Not your car tech that works on every car in the shop.

 

GL - are you really so mad at people here that you are SERIOUSLY saying don't listen to anyone but you???

When you say what you did (and don't even give people a way to sift through bad advice vs good advice), you hang a sign on yourself just asking for the abuse.

Come on - get over it and get real ....... there is LOTS of good advice here and on the other forums. Rarely do folks here say "Just go change out parts".

 

Everytime my truck has had a problem, I came on this fourm and I never replaced a part I didn't need to...Thanks to the very knowledgeable people on this site.

 

Master Mark!

No sir!

There are plenty of good advice here, for instance yours.

The problem is sorting out the good and the not so good.

People jumping to conclusions on a post based diagnostics is a big bug on my radar.

Having said that...

Nothing in my post says, "don't listen to anyone but", but says...


Listen to all, then rule out the simplest / easiest / cheapest fixes first... but do hot jump to the most costly major items first.

Ruling OUT things is not a method I see used on many diagnostic threads --- especially ruling out cheap fixes first.



How else do you explain the piles and piles of reman parts that come back, and test perfectly fine.... and shipped out again?


I am compiling a list of 6.0 "take your time" fixes that do the diagnostics the long way, and spend / fix the short way.

Stay tuned... I am going to post them at some point.


It is going to be about how to run the 6.0 for economy, not for fun.

 

X2........

 

Disregard most people, including your local "diesel" techs and posters who will be more than happy to diagnose every hiccup on your 6.0 as signs of impending meltdown, and then recommend tens of thousands of expensive fixes that inevitably involve buying outrageous priced "upgrades". By Gearloose

I happen to have a very good diesel tech at our dealership. He and the SA are more than willing to work with you if given a chance. Amazing how some people paint a picture with one broad brush and one color!!

 

The wording must have just hit me the wrong way, so my apologies for reading that in to it.

BTW - thanks of removing the previous signature, I must admit that that contributed a little bit to my perspective.

 

Gearloose, I'm not going to argue w/ you. I would however clarify a couple things though.
Do you not think that stock engines have their oil coolers clog up? Does clogged up oil coolers lead to ruptured egr coolers? At what point does the egr cooler bust and will the 15• Delta CEL always catch it in time?
Are you suggesting to just driving the heck out of the truck and not montoring anything on it? Is this not a very risking position to be in expecially since its a used truck with 188k miles and only God knows how it was treated? I dunno bout you but I think stranded stratching my head is alittle to late to find out I have something wrong with my truck.
Have you been given bad advice from these forum? I not asking if someone gave you advice and it tuened out not to be the problem but gave advice that would have nothing to do with whatever is going on. The sad fact is that there is a few things that can cause a few of the simptoms we see often. The guys here try to get to the root of the problem but rely on the data given by the poster. Which leads to another point. How are you going to give the most data possible w/ out somekind of montoring tool? Not trying to be sarcastic but just saying "this morning my truck wouldn't start" just isn't enough info. Neither is "today I hurd a noise". Like you said theees a lot of electronics on these things. It takes tools to monitor em to catch the problems before youe on the side of the road.

 

Its been my luck that its always the most expensive thing that goes wrong.but with the advice and knowledge here I've saved enough in diagnostic charges to make back what I've spent on parts ten fold.the first thing you HAVE TO DO is buy a scangauge or the like.monitor everything and go from there.