hey all, just got off the phone with my brother way out in colorado who is about fit to be tied with his 04 6.0...this summer he had a lot of work done on it, and then the turbo started acting up, had something done to it, but almost right after blew a head gasket...
anyways, I was just curious what interchange options are out there for putting a different drivetrain in the truck- he owes too much on it to unload it and dont really need the diesel power, although living at 8000 feet pulling trailers up mountain roads I think it was probably pretty handy

Ive heard a few horror stories about diesels (hear the new SD is incredible though!) and am guessing theres some out there that have swapped back to a 5.4 V8 or V10 drivetrains, just wondered whats 'non-gas' currently on a 2004 350 4x4 6.0 4 door duallie...
guessing the transmission is diesel only, but will the transfer case/yokes/shafts fit up to any gas engines/trannys?
are there any more bulletproof diesel engines that will drop in where the 6.0 is without major fitment issues?

Ive heard removing the engine- even just the turbo- will require pulling the cab(?) for clearance- any options there(pulling tranny/tilting engine back, etc?). Ive got stuff here (cradles/scissor lifts) I cobbled up to pull the body off our old Galaxie, but he's waaaay too far out west to deiver any tools that would make it easy... his garage does have like 15 foot ceilings, IIRC its a steel building with a center hoist beam too- can the cab be hoisted safely by just timbers thru the door openings, or is that running the risk of kinking the cab/popping the glass? on our 65 I made channel-iron cradles that bolted across/lifted full length from the rocker pinchwelds to scissor lifts sitting beside the car...probably was overkill, but I was so afraid of kinking the body...

Anyways, he told me they still owe 12k on the F350, his mechanic is saying another 5k in repairs needed now (he put almost that in it the last few months) and he just wants a reliable truck, currently he's putting a 360 in a old blown up 460 powered truck he'd put out to pasture a couple years ago, just to have something to haul wood... he called me this morning to ask about problems there, but I'll post that in appropriate f250 forum thread...

appreciate any insight as to any innovative ways around cab removal servicing on a 04 model, and especially about economical conversions that a guy could pull off at home - guessing theres some folks out there that have figured a easier way to put a new drivetrain in...thanks in advance for any info!
Tim

 

Best thing to do is swap in a cummins. If he lives in colorado have him check out Destroked - THE Cummins Conversion Company : Home Page Great guys over there from what I have heard. He can swap in any cummins from the old 12v all the way up to the new 6.7 and he can keep his factory transmission. If I had a 6.0 this is the way I would go.

 

thanks- I'll point him that way, but think he's getting soured on the whole diesel service costs...he cant get rid of the truck, kinda why I suggested finding a gas donor- but no idea how much 'non-gas' parts are on a diesel...I see you are in the springs- hes not too far from you, over in Westcliffe- beautiful country out there

 

What problems has he had with the 6.0? IMO he is probably better off getting that 6.0 squared away the right way.

 

Know where youre coming from, but I think at this point hes about broke over it... he'd rattled off a list of things this summer when I was out there- something with the turbo, then a injector/pump problem, he took me for a ride in it a week or two after getting it 'fixed' it acted like a stuck wastegate(guess- i know nothing about diesels) as it would make good power at times, no power/just smoke others...I looked under his hood, and the guy had not hooked the airbox tabs in the housing, so he had been driving a couple weeks with a open intake- told him then I worried as dusty as it was that the motor might have ingested enough dirt to waste it- certainly didnt do it any good...that was august, he JUST got the truck back again a month ago, drove like 30 miles, and it started acting up too bad to drive...towed back to the shop, guy said head gasket blew... Mike said the day he picked it up the intercooler hose blew off- again I think maybe a wastegate issue- wondering if the guy unhooked it or something- seemed like intermittent 'no boost' when I was out there, but Mike said it felt almost too powerful right before the head gasket went...i'm thinking the wastegate(if they even have one) coulda been stuck shut overpressurizing the thing...

for right now, he's just trying to piece together a work truck out of old stuff he has onhand- once he gets making some money instead of throwing it at the newer truck, I think he might get the 6.0 worked on- but he's pretty hardheaded...
I cant say much, I had 81 D150 that kept dying (ignition) replaced everything twice, that darn truck would just up and stall intermittently, and would NOT start again unless the battery dropped below 11 volts...unhooking wouldnt reset, put in 2nd gear and drive it off the road, sit and crank that whiny gear reduction starter for 5 minutes or so it would start/be fine again for months...last time it happened, almost got t-boned in a intersection, took it home, pulled the motor, dropped in a 396 gm w/th400, drove that from '83-93 every day...
there comes a point where we've simply had enough- think hes there on his 6 litre diesel

 

A Cummins swap is not going to be cheap...

 

I would agree, get the 6.0 fixed up the right way. A few mods and it can be just as reliable as any other diesel. I have pretty much no experience with the 6.0, but from what I've read, an EGR delete and head studs pretty much takes care of it. I would hit up the 6.0 forum for more advice from the guys that have more experience with them.

 

Moved to the 6.0L Power Stroke Diesel forum.

 

the short comings of the 6.0L diesel r the oil cooler gets stopped up an it will starve the EGR cooler of coolant an it will pop. the headbolts get weak over time , an if he is running a tuner that just speeds them up. standpipes an dummy plugs can leak an cause a no start when hot.IIRC the 04 has the weaker hi pressure oil pump that will fail. an the STC fitting on the hi pressure oil pump will leak.

i have a 05 F250 CC an i have changed all of the above except the,HPOP=hi pressure oil pump.i have 152,000 miles on my truck an it runs great. once these parts are changed/upgraded then its a good reliable motor.

the 360 will not bolt up to the tranny that was behind the 460 , IIRC. i to have a 65 galaxie 500 with a 352 in mine. an for the record .
I WOULD NEVER EVER SWAP A CUMMINS IN PLACE OF MY 6.0L !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

talked to him last night, he got the clutch out of the 360, wrong disc... on the diesel, told himconcensus seemed to be to get the known issues fixed and the 6.0 might be a great motor- he elaborated on what started it all- tranny leak, the guy helping wnoever worked on it dumped a bunch of atf in the oil, makes the clogged oil cooler/egr sound right on: the egr screwed up right away, he took it back, they changed the oil, put a 'sinister' (?) kit on it, then kept overboosting, blowing intercooler hoses off, finally exhaust manifold pipe blew off, was doing a woof-woof-woof sound on decel, then pop- white antifreese smelling smoke out the pipes...6 grand in work/parts over 4 months, now the head gaskets toast...told him about this site, hopefully he'll hop on board eventually... his mechanic was his biggest problem.
cool to see another galaxie owner...heres the story on ours:
saving a 65 Galaxie (the loooong story...) - Ford Muscle Forums : Ford Muscle Cars Tech Forum my old neighbor/friend that left it to us passed away 7 yrs ago today... anyways, if youre ever needing gal parts/info the fordmuscle galaxie thread has a lot of gal fanatics
Tim

 

Wow! Where to start?....ok, turbo and/or engine can be pulled without lifting the cab. There aren't many swap parts for gas engines because the 6.0 is pretty solid except for a few specific issues. Info is the key and gauges help to stay on top of what's happening under the hood. A ScanGauge or similar digital monitor is a requirement on these trucks. $6k and no head studs sounds like his mechanic bent him over- not the truck. A Cummins swap is for guys who know and love the cummins engines and bought into the trash talk on the 6.0. Driving the truck while suspecting it's overboosting can pop a head gasket. I think that's true for most of engines. As you suspect the 6.0 doesn't have a waste gate, the turbo is a variable geometry type with articulated guide vanes that adjust for throttle position and load. They can stick if they are sooted up. It's a issue that comes up pretty often in this forum *but it not a big or expensive job form most guys who turn their own wrenches. It's important to stay on top of these trucks and keep an eye out for developing problems before they get worse. Even with the known issues, these trucks are not the problem child many people will tell you they are. My '06 has 140k miles, factory head bolts, original EGR/oil coolers, and no major issues so far. Many other guys here with similar stories. Try to get your brother to do some research, sign up here at FTE- lots of smart folks would be happy to help, or find a mechanic that won't screw him and knows how to button up the air filter on a 6.0.
Good luck!

 

FORD4V429. I read your story about your 65 Galaxie. WOW !!!!!!!!! Brought a few tears to my eyes. But a very good story an a VERY VERY nice thing of you to do for ur neighbor/friend. Im sure he enjoyed riding in it again after all those years. Makes me want to pull mine from the pasture an start on it or pull my dads 65 Impala SS from his shed an get him out of the house an me an him start workin on it.

I have to correct my earlier post. I have a 66 Galaxie 500 2 door hardtop with 352 an a crusieomatic transmission.

 

Let's see. The instrument cluster, wiring, GEM, fuel lines, exhaust and driveline parts etc. are all completely different between the gas and diesel versions. That said, the cost of doing a "gas conversion" will set your friend back way more money than fixing up what he has. Worst case scenario, a used 6.0L engine will cost considerably less than swapping in a different drivetrain.

If he owes money on it, the last thing he wants to do, is swap in a different powertrain on a budget. The end result can (and WILL) only be a vehicle that looks like the Sobey's meat department went to town on it, and be even more unreliable.

You can count me in on the camp that favours fixing up the issues he has with it. I would be more than willing to offer technical assistance where needed.

 

Just a thought, bought before dumping $5k in repairs, why not go for something like this ?
Would this be worth it ?
.
6.0 Ford Powerstroke Diesel Engine Reman 03-07