I am getting ready to buy a new to me truck. I am seriously looking at the F250. The truck that I get needs to be 4x4, and also stick shift (This is just personal preference). It will be used for hauling trailers and a mobile home at least a couple times a week. I have always worked on gas engines and do all the maintenance myself. The company that I used to work for had V10 F450s with crazy amounts of miles on them like 700k+. However, I am starting to really warm up to the idea of getting a diesel. I have kind of fallen down the worm hole reading about all the different flaws regarding the 7.3, 6.0, and 6.4. I am looking for a truck I can put at least 150k on after I buy it. So my question to you guys is what mileage should I try to stay under and what motor would be most likely to hold up to reach that goal. I am new to diesels, so this is kind of out of my comfort zone. Especially because of the horror stories about diesels having catastrophic failures that are extremely expensive. I am also okay with the idea of getting a 5.4, but that motor feels sluggish even in the F150s that I have driven, and I want a bit more power than that. Like I said I am new to diesels, so any advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

buy a bullet proofed 6.0

dont buy a 6.4l unless the goal is to learn how to be a diesel mechanic.

I would buy a 6.7 if the money was there.

we all are at a bad time in the history of diesel ownership....all the emmissions controls and limitations and associated gagetry has made the day of the million mile truck a thing of the past.


please google

ford 6.0 issues problems
ford 6.4 issues problems
ford 6.7 issues problems

before bying a diesel truck.

check the youtube vidoes as well.

 

Also, I believe Ford stopped offering a manual trans in 2010 so that will limit most of your low mileage options.

 

Seems like you would be looking for a v10...no?

 

Depending on how much you are planning to spend, I'd look for a 6.7 first, then the 7.3. We had 6.0s and 6.4s in our F550s at work and constantly had problems, many blown turbos, injectors failing, coolant leaks, cracked blocks. I don't know what a "bullet-proofed" 6.0 means, but personally i'd go for a 7.3 before going 6.0.

I personally had an F250 w/ the International Harvester 6.9L (the 7.3 older brother) and put 270,000 miles on it before blowing a head gasket. It would have gone to 500K plus, but in my youthful wisdom I dropped a Banks Turbo on the 6.9L at 200K and that was too much for the old engine. I replaced it with a Jasper remanufactured 6.9 and put another 50K on it w/ turbo before selling it for my current pickup.

I wouldn't be scared of high miles on a 7.3 (less than 500K). The main difference with a diesel is that you get your max torque at just over 1000-1200 rpm so if you're used to the power curve of a gas engine, you could easily accelerate right past the max torque band. Ease into the pedal when pulling heavy loads, and you'll see the wonder and power of a diesel engine in a pickup. it's a beautiful thing.

 

I am very comfortable with the V10, but that does not seem to be as available as the Diesels in my area. Which is why I am looking to see if they are a viable option for me. Plus the gas mileage on the V10 is insane.

 

That is true, I think the year may be a little earlier. Regardless, you are correct it is very hard to find one with anything under 100k miles.

 

I agree..the later model v10s are hard to find.
The diesel will cost you more all around. I found and bought a 99 cclb with the 6 spd manuel...in very good condition. But they're just expensive to work on and maintain.

 

The v10 is definitely the rarest of the engine choices no matter where you live or in any year but the mileage isn't any worse than the 5.4 for whats its worth. If you want a reliable truck that will last just pretend there were no ford diesels trucks between 08-10 because the 6.4 is not that engine. Good luck finding one with a manual trans thats a pretty rare find for any engine choice too but the 5 speed torque shift trans is a solid unit that was mated to all 6.0's as the auto and the gas engines as well 05-10.

 

MPG of a V10 nooooooooooo

 

Disagree a little. Trucks I have owned, 1995 F250, cc, 460 v8, sold for 2004 F250 cc v10 with 4.30 gears, traded for a 2014 F250 cc 4X4 6.2 gas with 3.73 gears, then quickly traded for 2015 F250 cc 4X4 6.7 power stroke. The 6.2 gasser got the absolute worst mileage of them all when towing. Both my V10 and the 460 stayed around 11-12, towing or not.

 

What's your budget? That will certainly help identify or eliminate possible choices. I can only speak for the 7.3l diesel. It is considered amongst the best diesels ever built and put into a Ford truck. However, they are getting long in the tooth, require regularly scheduled maintenance (they all do) and the auto tranny is considered it's Achilles heel if pushed too hard. Ford's newer 6.7l diesels are proving to be the modern age replacement to the 7.3l in terms of reliability, power etc. There are one strong motor.

The "bullet proofing" speakerfritz referred to is what is done to take a questionable or potentially sick 6.0l diesel and make it into a reliable, powerful beast of a motor. Head over to each of the individual engine forums, search on problems/issues and start reading. Tons of expertise here on FTE ... you want to make an informed decision. Popular wisdom (based on experience) suggests avoiding the 6.4l diesel.

 

I would say $25k is my absolute maximum that I could pay. Do you have a ballpark for what it costs to bulletproof a 7.3 or 6.0?

 

Just judging by this question and not trying to be a jerk here but you obviously don't know much about diesels you don't say what your going to be towing is going to weigh or whether you plan on moving it down the road or across the country but I would recommend a few things as being an uneducated diesel owner can and will get expensive so either go gas or do your research about the 6.0 and the 7.3 the trans in the 7.3 is considered a weak link and alot of them now are getting to the point of needing or getting close to injectors but the newest ones are a 2003 so there is going to be some maintenance that's coming due there is no such thing as bulletproofing a 7.3 and the term as it applies to a 6.0 is stupid it doesn't mean that you can stud it and delete the egr and ignore it like some people like to think if you do or that once you do it it will last forever and not give you a lick of trouble again not true. As for how much it cost it all depends on the truck you find and what it really needs done and if you want it done or done right obviously done right is gonna cost more but you could also get a healthy one that doesn't need much or anything done contrary to popular belief on the old internet the 6.0 is capable of running along time without studs and head gaskets if its taken care of.
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