Have some concerns
If you can get access to a scangauge tool or similar diagnostic tool it will help tell the story with what the health of the motor is.
I had an 04 XLT and knew what to look for. Once my oil and water temperature deltas began to creep up to that dreaded 15 degree temp difference I took the plunge and fixed what Ford couldn't.
The 6.0 is an awesome motor, I loved mine. It's weakness is the OEM EGR cooler and oil cooler design. The head studs are the other issue. Also the coolant fluid and casting sand which begins plugging up and scaling the oil cooler. The EGR is just a bad design and is prone to failure.
I Bulletproofed mine and installed the ARP head studs when mine began to show symptoms. Added the coolant filter and took it all over the country without so much as a hiccup.
Find out if the current owner has updated these items. If not, you might be able to negotiate the price of replacing these items down the road off his asking price. That's about the mileage mine began to become ill.
Remember... Ford produced thousands of these trucks. You only hear the bad. Plenty are living long life's. The key is to understand what you're working with to prepare for any possible challenges. Hang out in the 6.0 forum and be a sponge. A wise man once told me that "preparation will make up for a lack of talent!"
If you can get access to a scangauge tool or similar diagnostic tool it will help tell the story with what the health of the motor is.
I had an 04 XLT and knew what to look for. Once my oil and water temperature deltas began to creep up to that dreaded 15 degree temp difference I took the plunge and fixed what Ford couldn't.
The 6.0 is an awesome motor, I loved mine. It's weakness is the OEM EGR cooler and oil cooler design. The head studs are the other issue. Also the coolant fluid and casting sand which begins plugging up and scaling the oil cooler. The EGR is just a bad design and is prone to failure.
I Bulletproofed mine and installed the ARP head studs when mine began to show symptoms. Added the coolant filter and took it all over the country without so much as a hiccup.
Find out if the current owner has updated these items. If not, you might be able to negotiate the price of replacing these items down the road off his asking price. That's about the mileage mine began to become ill.
Remember... Ford produced thousands of these trucks. You only hear the bad. Plenty are living long life's. The key is to understand what you're working with to prepare for any possible challenges. Hang out in the 6.0 forum and be a sponge. A wise man once told me that "preparation will make up for a lack of talent!"
Good luck. They can be great trucks.



