I am looking to buy a 6L. I am a 7.3 guy, but i love Ford and the 7.3's with under 100K miles are just too expensive. Like everyone, i have only heard bad things about the 6.0. EGR, headgaskets, internal oil cooler, headstuds, turbo.. the list goes on. SO!... to ask my question finally, is there a GOOD year to get? I keep hearing the 06-07's are the best. Help me out guys. PLEASE! Also, if i get one, what should i do to right away to make it really bulletproof? Any other advise is greatly appreciated.

BTW this will be a 4x4, 4 door, automatic, with no less than 70K miles. Prob 06-07.

 

I personally think the 05-07 grille and headlights look the best.

As for engines... both early and late have pros and cons, I would lean towards 05+.

Best thing to do is aquire aftermarket gauges.
Do a full coolant flush and re-fill with EC-1. Coolant filter.
Oil change with 5W40 or at least 10W30.

I wouldn't advise really touching anything else unless you're seeing issues or problems creeping up and then focus on EGR delete, oil coolers etc.

Josh

 

I bought my 05 a couple of years ago and was uninformed when doing so. All I knew about diesels (which wasnt very much other than what I had seen, guys driving them for hundreds of thousands of miles, idling them all day long, simple stuff) got threw out the window when I bought my 6.0. I had an injector blow the orings and hydrolocked it and thats when I found this site. I was totally lost but these guys got me through it. With the 05+, even though there are various updates over the 03-04 models, the later years do have their own set of issues, mainly hpop issues with the stc fitting (mine went out as well). Regardless of what year you get, I would even go so far as saying a higher mileage one, with the information on this site and a good set of guages you can really make a great truck or atleast be able to fix issues before they become more problematic. I wish I had the information I have now before I bought mine but even though its had its issues, I dont regret getting it.In fact, I dont even mind wrenching on it. Best advice, get a scanguage or torque app (if you have an android phone or device) and monitor the vitals. Even a low mileage can be a problem. Sometimes a higher mileage one has had issues corrected, just something to think about. I dont know all the pros and cons of earlier models but across the board seems to be keeping good voltage from the ficm (48v), good fuel pressure, less than 15 degree difference on coolant and oil temps and a good eye on your high pressure oil system and that should keep you mostly in the clear. Good luck with whatever you find.

 

Awesome guys thanks! So far i am going to buy a ScanGauge II tomorrow and it will be hooked to any truck i test drive regardless of mileage. I will monitor the FICM and the Oil/Coolant Temps. As soon as i get it (hopefully before.. maybe i can talk the dlrship into changing it) i will have the coolant changed. i have read that several other places as well. The next thing will be the EGR delete. Then sometime down the road ARP headstuds, stock ford gasket, and oil cooler rebuild. Any/every comment/opinion is greatly appreciated! thanks again fellas!

 

Lotta good information from good people on this site. I have saved a ton of money doing my own work on mine. I have never been a good mechanic, most I had done was change my own oil until I had to replace an engine in my Dodge which me and some friends took the task of doing but I was still scared of wrenches. Now after being deep into my 6.0 changing the stc fitting, reringing injectors or my egr delete, I am pretty confident to do anything on mine, all thanks to the information and people here. Another thing about the 6.0, there is probably more horror stories heard from a friend of a friend than people who actually encountered them first hand. The good thing about this is there are some good deals to be made on the 6.0.

 

This was a good thread on the pre-purchase use of the ScanGauge and some other info that might be helpful to you. https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...age-6-0-a.html

 

05+ has my vote as the HPOP is not prone to failure like the earlier models, yes they have the dreaded STC fitting but that can be addressed before it becomes a problem.

 

that was a really informative thread, thanks. I will def be using that!

 

I'll aged on the later hpop being solid but the stc fitting along with updated standpipes and dummy plugs need to be addressed. DIY parts from tousley ford was about 150 for all and done the work myself in a weekend, also done my dad in laws for him. The scanguage confirmed the issue on both our trucks by being able to monitor the icp, icv and ipr. Also AutoEnginuity is a handy tool to have to diagnose pretty much anything.

 

well i picked up the scangauge2 yesterday, havent hooked it to anything yet. the salesman is supposed to call me today to come test drive this 05 they just got in trade. I have been educating myself a little thru youTube and reading online. there are just too many problems with this engine. i am getting very gun-shy now. not sure i want a 6.0 anymore even if the price is better than right. seems like all the little issues can be fixed decently easy, but you have to disassemble the entire top of the engine bay for almost all of them. to do them all at the same time would be great but i would hate to see that repair bill. I want a diesel that i can drive 100K miles after its got 100K on it without having to worry is my engine going to explode this trip? unfortunately i think i am going to pass. Maybe i will look into getting a Cummins of the same year idk.

 

Don't get gunshy of the 6.0. Two things to remember...1. People come to this site or any site to seek info about a problem, rarely posting "my trucks the most awesome truck ever.
2. There is alot of "I know a guy who knows a guy who knows a guy whose 6.0 is junk" without even having any first hand knowledge or experience with the engine.
That being said, if you read enough about ANY engine or model, dodge, Chevy,etc. they all have issues. Just read some posts on the 7.3 side, they've got their own set of issues and its hailed as "the best ford diesel ever". With the scanguage you can pretty much ballpark if a truck is in good shape. Get an oasis report to see what dealer warranty work has been done. I didn't have this info or any knowledge when I bought mine and have found out since it had head gaskets done before, unfortunately I don't think it's studded but even with the few issues its had since I've owned it, I have had the info to approach the issues before they became costly. Im not scared of mine at all and I've had the etc fitting blow, my egr cooler failed and I had some injector orings blow(got lucky there). My trucks been hydrolocked first from fuel from blown orings then with coolant from the egr cooler. Driving the truck is awesome and they've got PLENTY of power stock. Use the info here to negotiate a good deal on one instead of running from them. Also the 6.0 from what I've heard is the last one that's fairly easy to work on. If issues arrive, you've got a pretty solid base to back you and get you through it. Good luck in whatever you choose but before you turn from the 6.0, read the problems of the others too. They ALL sound scary when all you do is read the problems.

 

I have a 6/0 with egr deleted runs great has 300,000 km on it

 

as these trucks get older im seeing plenty up for sale with 200k+ on the clock so they cant be all bad. i haven't had my 6.0 very long but don't regret buying it. 7.3's have there quarks too. glow plug relays every 6 months, injector problems, cam sensor failure leaving you on the side of the road or with a barely running truck enough times to warrant carrying a spare in the glove box. just sayin.
dodge trucks have there downfalls too. as do the duramax trucks. with diesels these days. seems the newer they get the more headaches they have and only seems to get worse.

when i bought my most recent semi i went way out of my way to find a good older truck even though i could have bought newer.

when egr trucks first came out they were all known as junk. now as everyone keeps having to meet stricter and stricter emissions requirements they keep piling on one failing system after another and now days trucks that only have egr are being more widly accepted as being good trucks compared to plugged dpf and regen problems urea

 

I was in the same boat as you, preferred a 5.9 Cummins, until I looked at used prices and did my research on the 6.0. You can put a LOT of money into a used 6.0 before you get even close to the prices they are going for. I picked mine up for 17k with 100k miles. I saw similar year 5.9s going for $25k with 200k miles on them!

And then you are still stuck with the "subjective" lower build quality on the interior and overall truck. They just don't seem to hold up as well. The HVAC fans seem to last about 3-4 years and require the whole dash to come apart. Sqeaks and rattles, seats aren't as comfortable, etc.

The trannys also do not hold up as well as the Torqshift and aren't nearly as refined.

6.0 is a bit daunting if you read every thread, but a lot of people have just bought them, and put 200k miles on them without doing anything. They just don't come brag about it on the internet.

FYI, being in California you really don't want to go the EGR delete route as you have to smog. I just went with the BPD cooler and clean the EGR valve about once a year.