I would really like to see what the block surface of an assembly line OE 6.0L motor when it comes apart and get a profilometer on it. So far what I've seen on my own and in vids of rework it's really poor to my taste.

It's been 15 years since I've been in an engine assembly plant (usually an SAE event) when they bolt heads, manifolds or base plates, anything that had a wide plane, on the assembly line they were done with multi-spindle nut runners. Other components with separate nut runners. But with ISO9000 or Six Sigma everything was pretty well nailed. I really think there is more variation in the re-work.

This representation video is close to what I saw. There are others on YouTube.

 

Thanks for the suggestions,
I'm trying to stay clear of obviously tuned trucks. I'm just looking for maybe an old fleet truck or a company vehicle for work applications, so definitively well below 10k. I'd hope I'd get a couple years of good use before HG are a reality. I do plan on getting a temp scanner, monitoring temps, cleaning EGR Valve, flushing coolant, etc. Knowledge of when an EGR cooler, oil cooler replacement especially is a good bargaining tip. There are thousands of good running 6.0s, but we generally don't hear about them. The 7.3 and the 6.0 are definitely two different motors.

 

Fleet trucks are a real toss up. Good fleets turn over trucks after 5 years. The last 6.0 I had in mine was in 2013 then it went to auction. So 5 years later the idea of buying a fleet truck doesn't matter because you can't account for the 5 years of maintenance once it wasn't a fleet truck. These trucks are fairly solid and the issues are known! It's how you go about acquiring one wisely and safe guarding your wallet that really matters.

 

You would think it was dialed in, but I have worked under several "six sigma" production programs. It still comes down to keeping everything properly maintained and calibrated and setting proper specs in the first place. You also have to have the right measurement points and measurement frequencies. Then you have to calibrate the measurement devices at the proper intervals and according to proper guidelines. I have seen terrible quality in six sigma programs because of loose specs and tight budgets. Not an easy thing nor a slam dunk.

That said, I really am curious how such a wide range of results from the factory can be explained except for variability - some like FiznUKa, and some that were the basis for such a bad reputation. I know the design changed some between 03 and 07, maybe more than we will ever know, but there are plenty of 2003 model year engines that performed well and lasted lots of miles. Plenty of good Techs that took pride in installing head gaskets and head BOLTS saying that they would fail again.

OP - you really need a fuel pressure gauge also! Injector failure is not cheap.

 

 

There are plenty of other costly issues with this engine besides head gaskets.
I'll say it again, if money is a problem, STAY AWAY!!

 

In my make believe world, I still like the rumor that Ford found unevenly torqued head bolts in the field and took it back to Navistar, who found their head bolt robots out of calibration, and therefor the '06 and '07s, without some other cause, are less likely to blow a gasket (because they started routine QC checks on the head bolt robots starting in '05 ('06MY)). Has been an oft told story, but just as often poo-poo'd as a false story...

It is one I like to believe still... Would love to see a broad enough survey to see if it was true...

Scott

 

I have an 06 and my headgasket blew at 135K in epic fashion with no egr, no tune and good deltas of less than 9 degrees towing in Florida that is flat as flat can be. Its a bad design but fixable if done right.

 

Didn't you buy yours used? Who knows how it was treated before you got it. Many people have very slight head gasket leaks and don't even know it because the leak is small. The puking degas bottle can be due to a single catastrophic event or can be due to a cumulative effect, eventually leaking bad enough to cause puking.

Stuck turbos can blow head gaskets also (not to say that is what caused yours to go).

 

Yes I did, but at 80k. Thats a long time for abuse to show up. Yes I tow and no I dont baby it but I have no tunes and never towed over 12k lbs, but honestly, I expected it way sooner than it happened. I can not complain. Knock on wood, no injector issues, no Hpop issues, No Oil cooler issue even my FICM tests perfect. Now I have studs, the heads surfaced and with the care I take, knock on wood, it should last a long time.

 

Also, the truck in the photo is not my current truck. I just miss my excursion!

 

I had no evidence of puking with my truck for those 75k miles, but the head/block/gasket surfaces all show carbon staining. Maybe it was minor, went between cylinders or my original degassing cap had fatigued and released too early with low volume. I can see how those machining marks didn't "pass gas".

The reason I'm special about the low torque bolts is I worked along side International on brake projects for 25 years. That division was pretty responsible.

 

I had no puking, no signs. No EGR, no bad deltas, I was just towing Across Alligator Ally in Florida and it just let go. No oil intrusion, Just blowing out the Degas cap. New head gaskets, heads milled, and studs, good to go.

 

Jack: the Brake Division, right? Not the Engine plant...?

A neighbor I actually met here on FTE bought a new '06 and threw a 100HP tune on it right away, and he hot-rodded the heck out of that thing, for about 10K miles until the HGs went. He was lucky as Ford covered it under warranty and he immediately sold it when it was fixed...

Unfortunately my ordered-from-the-factory, picked up with 3 miles on it, 5 Oil/Filter changes in the first 10K miles, unmolested, mildly updated, low mile '07, is already spoken for, if I ever decide to sell it...
Hi Mark!

Scott

 

.