I originally posted this question on a different thread but it was recommended I ask here to get more specific expertise. So please see below:

So long story short, the 99 F350 I bought a year ago, through a series of bad owners, has become a veritable ticking time bomb and looking into the carfax, I have found that is was wrecked and the two previous owners knew and I was not informed. I should have done the research before buying. Anyway, I'm in a better financial situation now than I was a year ago and I'm looking for a newer crew cab truck.

I found a 2011 F350 6.7 PowerStroke that has 1-7K for what I consider a somewhat fair price. I wont buy it at the asking price and will pass if I cannot talk the dealer down a bit. My question is, are there any issues with the 6.7 PowerStroke (particularly in 2011) that I should look out for or consider? If is matters, it has the FX4 package.

Needless to say I ran a carfax this time and it checks out as a single owner that came out of Canada and has no real history other than being bough in for a minor recall like all others that year.

Thank you in advance for any advice.

 

Early build dates had a run of bad valves that could drop and take out the entire engine, and there were some turbo issues.

 

If the truck made it to 107K do you think it may be okay? I checked the carfax and its totally clean.

 

IMHO - I would still avoid a 100k mile plus 6.7... especially a 2011. If you read the forums there are too many people that report blown motors at about that number of miles. Without any kind of warranty, I would just be VERY nervous. But that is me - a person with bad luck with used vehicles and sometimes new ones. At least my new ones have a warranty.

If you really need to have that truck, what is the build date? As I would avoid anything built prior to 2011.

For background - Not that it will effect how that truck runs for you, but I had 3 - 2011 6.7's from a March 2010 build to a Job 2 - January 2011 build. None of them blew up or broke down. I just had a couple of loaners until the truck I ordered (#3) came in. It took them about 6 months to get it right. #1 was a loaner, waiting for a truck en route. It was sold underneath the salesperson... So I had it while #2, which we built online was being built. Unfortuantely, they ordered it wrong... I pointed it out when I reviewed the build sheet, but they said it was ordered correctly... Anyways, I bought it with a guarantee trade in equal to my purchase price towards #3. I put less than 10k miles on #1 and #2, and 40k on #3.

All of them have potential radiator issues. Probably overall a small % of the fleet, but enough people report them. Knock on wood, I never had a radiator issue. Ford won't quote how many replaced under warranty either... So we will never know.

The 2011's also have had some funky transmission shifting issues - but I think that is common across the 2011 - 2014 line. The jury is out on 2015, even though the Ford engineers claimed that there were not any transmission updates. Those of us that went from 2011-2014's to a 2015 notice that the transmission shift points are different. But then again, so is the HP and TQ (and the curves of each).

I hope whatever you decide works out well for you.

 

Thank you for the input.

I have a lot to think about. It is a late 2011 build. If I do proceed, I will do so with a warranty. With as much as it costs to fix these if there are problems, I believe it is foolish to not do so.

Im going to head that way after work tonight with some tools and take a REALLY hard look at the truck before I make a final decision.

 

Dak, the 2015 transmission was changed. They have one less forward clutch. Gotta save that $$$ somewhere.

 

Well I bought a 2011 king ranch 6.7 used before I knew of any of the possible issues. My build date is the dreaded March 2011. When I bought it in march it had 69,000 miles. I have only put 5k on it since I bought it. Has been flawless so far. I have noticed when I pull my travel trailer when it down shifts to 5th it's pretty harsh shifting. But when not in tow haul it shifts great. I did pay good money for the truck. Out the door with a extended warranty was almost 40k. But the original sticker on it is 65k new. But the truck is near showroom condition inside and out. I work on cars for a living so I now what I'm looking at. What is the dealer asking for the truck? Definitely get a extended warranty for a piece of mind

 

I did not know that. Are you serious?

 

The early build 2011's have a worse reputation than necessary. Very small number of trucks experienced the valve problems. Mine is at 130,000 miles and is flawless other than minor, inexpensive repairs (Low pressure fuel pump, fuel pressure sensor and brake vacuum pump seal leak - all repaired myself).

Any year can have an issue. Every vehicle is a crap shoot. Kind of tired of how some of the comments make the early 2011 sound like a "ticking time bomb"! JMO

 

I bought a 2011 with 77K miles on it. I now have 103,000 and have had no problems.

 

Job 1 2011 currently 98,000 miles. Def sensor and radiator replacement. Otherwise she is a s strong as the day I ordered her from Ford.

Don't be scared, they are Ford diesels now.