I bought a 04 excursion with the 6.0 After talking to a few diesel Mechanics and checking out this SUV, I bit the bullet. I wanted the 7.3 but also wanted the limited package. The nice thing is I got 20.3 MPG average driving from Ca to NV about 200 miles un and down in the mountains. Since my truck spends more time getting wrenched I needed a backup power house. It strange but I feel the 7.3 has more get up and go.

 

Could be sticky turbo vanes on the 6.0 its an easy free fix but time cosuming. A 6.0 has way more get up and go than the 7.3 in any position of the accelerator.
Oh and congrats on the new rig, be very **** on oil changes no more than 4k between changes and both frame and engine fuel filters changed every 10k with only Motorcraft units

 

Congrats man! I have contemplated getting a 6.0 before. We had one at my brewery job in San Diego and it was deleted and tuned. It ran like a scalded ape and was dependable the 2 years I was there. They don't scare me. Once you know what issues they have and their quirks, it's just having the time to keep them updated and maintained. Keep us posted! I guess we will see you on the 6.0 forum!

 

I like the transmission and low end power of the 6.0. So much nicer to drive.

 

It's not joining the dark side, it's called stepping into the 21st century.
Pretty much everything about the 6.0 are nicer than the old 7.3's.
I have 2 6.0's (well, down to 2 right now) and I love them. I'll always have my '96 7.3, but the newer trucks have good power, get good mpg, ride nice, and on and on.

 

it seems to be going well now. Maybe the veins needed to be worked. It was a girls SUV so who knows. It is my wife's and I'm jealous. LOL 18.5 MPG in the mountains is really nice too. Well, that is what the little readout says. It's going to the diesel shop for an inspection and fluid change as needed. I see an oil leak and hope that is an easy fix.

 

Well said Jim...seems one just has to know how to work on one.

 

 

Maybe for head gaskets if you want studs and don’t want dent the firewall but injectors and turbo are easy to get at with cab on. I replaced the passenger side 4 injectors in about 2 hours the first time i did it. Turbo takes about 30 minutes to remove if you need to. I’d say other than the intercooler piping it’s not much harder than a 7.3l aside from the intake. Oil cooler is a worse job on the 6.0 too.

 

 

I have a lift i still don’t think I’d pull cab for anything short of a headgasket job. I picked one up cheap enough not running and really they aren’t much different than working on a 7.3l. Auto enginuity is a must though.

 

LOL... there ya go!

 

Do you guys (Nick, Shawn) think they HAVE to be bullerproofed or does good maintenance seem to be key? I am guessing if I have been able to do all the work on 7.3, the 6.0 wouldn't be too much of a learning curve? Just wondering and thinking out loud.

 

I have a buddy with a bulletproofed 6.0 in an F350 CCLB and it's been a good truck for him so far. I was a little nervous because he's not at all mechanically inclined, but it's been a great truck for him. We camp together in the summers and are planning an out of state trip this summer, so we'll see who has a hard time keeping up now that my truck isn't stock anymore.

I was just gonna say too that if the 6.0 feels more powerful than the 7.3, maybe you're just driving the wrong 7.3!

Stock versus stock, there's no comparison (6.0 wins for power, 7.3 takes the cake for reliability) but you start tuning a 7.3 and I think you can match them step for step (versus a stock 6.0).

Good for you, though Mike. I would totally rock a diesel Ex. In fact, I've contemplated a gasser a time or two. Cost of purchase versus cost of operation and maintenance seems to be kind of a wash unless you drive it an awful lot or need the diesel for towing.

 

You don't need to pull the cab on a 6.0 for anything but doing head-gaskets properly. Now a 6.4, well, you pull the cab for almost anything.

I bought my '05 6.0 with 70k miles from the original owner. I drove it home and within a few weeks we had the cab off and heads to the machine shop. For no reason other than I knew it needed to be done. We've also had trucks with 60k miles on them, beautifully clean, well maintained 6.0 trucks with popped head gaskets. I'd say any 6.0 should have the heads machined flat and head studs installed, along with some other work, to make them reliable and enjoyable to own.