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First, thanks to all for the reply and clarifications and opinions too. Let me give a few more details about me and my situation. Im 67, self-employed as a owner-operator of a dozer service for the past 47 yrs. I have had diesel pickups before, and of course trucks too. I run a Cat D-6N everyday and have done 95% of all service work since I started. I had a 99 ram 250 that had 412K on it when it accidentally burned"my fault" last winter. All I ever done was put a FASS system and gauges on it and drove the *&$% out of it. The 6.0 looked like something that I can maintain myself. Just can't work on it all the time. I have a business to run. Im still looking at it with open eyes. Thanks
the biggest thing is to make sure you have a scanner capable of reading the truck and the various PID's.. dont know about the dodges or the newer chevy's but the regular off the shelf OBD scanners wont read the ford diesels.. (use to work for GM which wasnt an issue with the scanners there but has been a few yrs since then)... youll really need one to diagnose most of this truck. and before buying, hook the scanner up and read this thing on a test drive.. youll learn alot on the health of the engine by the readouts youll get. from the sounds of it you seem pretty knowledgeable with diesels already so im sure that wont be an issue.. prior to getting mine i hadnt really worked on a diesel before except for an oil change on a couple when working at GM.
These guys 'aint lyin'.
Buy what you want.
This forum is like a "Scan Tool" chocked full of knowledge from guys like those that have just responded to what you can expect from ownership.
The real test (for me) has been road miles that have proven to still retain a very enjoyable operator experience, even after this many years of ownership. These trucks are like a fungus, they grow on you, lol.
I bought my Ex with 76,000 miles and it now has 152,000 on it. I am the 3rd owner, the prior owner used it as a car, never pulling anything. I purchased it from my Ford dealer buddy, he and I flew to Charlotte to look at it and he bought it and then sold it to me. I purchased a Ford ESP and used the heck out of it .
I am almost obsessive about repair and maintenance stuff but it has been a reliable truck and I tow heavy with it all of the time. For a 13 year old truck it is very trustworthy and a great road trip vehicle.
Monitor your engine, listen to it, maintain it and respect it but most of all enjoy it.
Im a gluten for punishment. I own two. God hates a coward.
lol 😂😂😂
i come from the 7.3 world and I miss it. I take good care of my truck making sure I keep up with maintenance. I love the way it runs and performs when things are good. But the first thing I do before I start it is to see if any thing is pooled up under the truck.
The best thing you can do is get a OBD ll dongel off eBay and down load Torque Pro or Forscan(I have both) It will cost you a total of 39 bucks and will be the best money you ever spent on the truck.
I know exactly how you feel. I bought my first 6.0 in December, and was not to sure about it. So far, it seems to be working out well. But, I’m at a pivotal point with my truck right now. I bought a 2003 F250 with a mere 280,000 miles on her. She is bone stock! Literally, even has the original head gaskets and head bolts! It truly is a unicorn, after all it has been used to tow heavy loads with and all! So, I’m at the point now where I’m trying to decide if I should spend the $8-12K to have the engine bulletproofed and possibly rebuilt, sell it and make a couple grand off of it and buy a Cummins, or pony up the dough to replace the motor with a Cummins and have myself a fummins. I’ve been trying to decide for weeks now and just don’t know what to do. I really like my Ford better than a Dodge. But, the motor is driving me crazy.
I bought my 05 new. That said, shortly after buying it I started reading the horror stories on this site. It scared the heck out of me. I did have a cracked head many miles ago but I think it was my own fault from using a tuner without studding... I since studded, deleted, blue spring, SCT upgrade, standpipe/dummy plug upgrade and got some gauges (dash boss). I now have just under 150K and in retrospect I have to say that it's really been a good truck. Every time I plan a long trip towing my 33' fifth wheel I get jittery about the horror stories, then just bite the bullet and hit the road. Every time my truck ran flawlessly, with the exception of one time when my alternator went out, which is not an uncommon failure in ANY vehicle. If I had my gauges back then I would have seen the problem coming and fixed it before having it fail 400 miles from home, LOL. I just returned from a 1500 mile 3 state RV trip towing my fiver and the truck ran great! You ask if you should buy a 6.0. Hell, I dunno. Based on horror stories I'd say no. Based on my experience I'd say absolutely YES! When I first started reading up on this site I became worried, then reading further I found modifications that would be a good idea to do and regular maintenance that would both equate to much better chances of trouble free miles. Not sure if it made a difference but I can say that since doing the above my truck has been awesome. Not much more I can say there but good luck with your decision.
I know exactly how you feel. I bought my first 6.0 in December, and was not to sure about it. So far, it seems to be working out well. But, I’m at a pivotal point with my truck right now. I bought a 2003 F250 with a mere 280,000 miles on her. She is bone stock! Literally, even has the original head gaskets and head bolts! It truly is a unicorn, after all it has been used to tow heavy loads with and all! So, I’m at the point now where I’m trying to decide if I should spend the $8-12K to have the engine bulletproofed and possibly rebuilt, sell it and make a couple grand off of it and buy a Cummins, or pony up the dough to replace the motor with a Cummins and have myself a fummins. I’ve been trying to decide for weeks now and just don’t know what to do. I really like my Ford better than a Dodge. But, the motor is driving me crazy.
These trucks are designed to work hard and be used for lengthily trips, rather than a grocery getter. Towing heavy, IMO, will keep the truck happier and keep it more reliable. Just be vigilant with maintenance, invest in gauges and watch EGTs and in my experience they're actually pretty darned good trucks. I use synthetic oil and add diesel kleen at every fill up as well. Still loving my 05, ever since new. The only thing that gives me pause is reading the horror stories on this site, but who really knows how these people are driving and treating their truck or keeping up with maintenance? I do admit, however, that I have done some modifications to the engine, preemptively. I see that yours is stock. But being that yours has made it so many miles, I have to wonder if I even needed to do those preemptive modifications.
Hello New member, but been lurking for a few wks. Im looking, I think, for a 07 f350 to pull a fifth wheel. Im still a yr away from partial retirement. Im having second thoughts on this after reading the last 20 pages of this forum. All I see is dead 6.0's Does anybody have one that starts and runs?? Was going to try to find one in the next 2-3 months and then bullet it over the winter in my shop. Somebody convince me or talk me in to something else. Thanks
Here's my opinion.........the 6.0's are cheap for a reason. There is a reason that a Dodge or Chevy Diesel the same year (04-07) is about $8,000+ more than a Ford with a 6.0 If you are not afraid of turning your own wrenches, and like working on trucks...and have the time, space, and tools......I wouldn't hesitate to buy a truck with a well maintained 6.0 in it.
Let's face it.....the 6.0's have LOTS of issues that at one point or another, will have to be repaired/replaced/improved.....and if you don't have the extra money laying around to do this, don't get one.
I picked up a really nice 05' F250 last December. All stock, 200,000 miles, perfect shape. Got it from an older gentleman that used it to pull his 5th wheeler. Had it checked out by a shop, they said it was all good (they didn't check very well).
Well, a few months later I'm having hot start issues.....so go through it and do the stand pipes, dummy plugs, STC fitting, fuel rail nipple orings, and upper injector orings. I did an EGR delete and oil cooler while I was in there. All is good....
Then a month later.....I'm having turbo issues.....had to pull it and clean in.
Then a month later I noticed coolant around the degas bottle.....checked pressure in the cooling system, crap....Head Gasket leak. I pulled the heads, replaced the gaskets and did ARP studs......
Then a week later, injector issue....had to put a few new ones in.
Luckily I had the time, tools, and experience to do the work myself......if I didn't, all that stuff probably would have cost me $8,000+ to have a shop do all of that work. Do you see now why the 6.0s are cheaper than the Dodges and Fords?
Hopefully my truck is good now for a while, but the more I learn about these 6.0's.....the more it makes me worried about the next thing that's going to die on me. Lots of stuff just designed wrong/bad on these things.
Not trying to scare you, just telling you how it's been for me.
Because I listened to Schaeffers reps and ran the oil longer than I should
Blackstone keeps suggesting that i can extend my oil changes. Especially so after i told them i switched to T6. I was tempted until your experience. Will stick with the 5,000 interval. Good luck on the repair.
If you address the known issues with the engine (Dummy plugs, stand pipes, Blue fuel spring, Heads, EGR etc) change the oil every 5K, use Motorcraft filters and parts, drain and refill the pan on the transmission every 20K, and change the fuel filters every 10K, YOU WILL NOT HAVE A PROBLEM
This is a fairly common thread with some people that have had problems with the 6.0L HEUI engine. I hope people will just change the oil on a regular (and FOMOCO recommended) interval.
HEUI engines are VERY dependent on good clean oil and if you let that oil "wear out" you risk injector (and possibly other) problems.
5000 miles at an average 15mpg will require roughly 333 gallons of fuel........(with $2.00-$3.50 fuel) that's about $667-$1167
(or, about $0.14 to $0.24 per mile)
An oil change will cost (if you do it yourself) using Autozone Prices for for example, T6 (2) 2.5gal @$65 + tax (and you have about 4qts left over for make up ....)
AND a Motorcraft Filter at $22 .......................totals about $152 + tax Or say, .......$165/5000 about $0.03 per mile (3.3 cents per mile)
That makes your 5000 mile cost to operate about ($832 - $1332) Or .....about $0.17-0.27 PER MILE (for fuel and oil changes.......NOT COUNTING other maintenance like fuel filters, air filters etc)
With the entire oil change at about $165........ if you were to go to 7500 miles on the oil, it would be $165/7500= $0.022 PER MILE!
(and 1.65 cents/mile at 10,000 miles etc)
Since the risk of damaging the fuel injection system (injectors, HPOP etc) is greater running extended oil drains, it's simply not worth saving the less than $0.02 per mile to run the oil any longer than recommended!
I know it's a pain to get rid of used oil. (I burn it in my Lanair Furnace!........My neighbors LOVE me because I come over and get it!)
JUST CHANGE YOUR OIL using the FOMOCO recommended interval using (FORD recommended) favorite oil and an OEM (Motorcraft/Racor) filter!!
Here's my opinion.........the 6.0's are cheap for a reason. There is a reason that a Dodge or Chevy Diesel the same year (04-07) is about $8,000+ more than a Ford with a 6.0 If you are not afraid of turning your own wrenches, and like working on trucks...and have the time, space, and tools......I wouldn't hesitate to buy a truck with a well maintained 6.0 in it.
Let's face it.....the 6.0's have LOTS of issues that at one point or another, will have to be repaired/replaced/improved.....and if you don't have the extra money laying around to do this, don't get one.
I picked up a really nice 05' F250 last December. All stock, 200,000 miles, perfect shape. Got it from an older gentleman that used it to pull his 5th wheeler. Had it checked out by a shop, they said it was all good (they didn't check very well).
Well, a few months later I'm having hot start issues.....so go through it and do the stand pipes, dummy plugs, STC fitting, fuel rail nipple orings, and upper injector orings. I did an EGR delete and oil cooler while I was in there. All is good....
Then a month later.....I'm having turbo issues.....had to pull it and clean in.
Then a month later I noticed coolant around the degas bottle.....checked pressure in the cooling system, crap....Head Gasket leak. I pulled the heads, replaced the gaskets and did ARP studs......
Then a week later, injector issue....had to put a few new ones in.
Luckily I had the time, tools, and experience to do the work myself......if I didn't, all that stuff probably would have cost me $8,000+ to have a shop do all of that work. Do you see now why the 6.0s are cheaper than the Dodges and Fords?
Hopefully my truck is good now for a while, but the more I learn about these 6.0's.....the more it makes me worried about the next thing that's going to die on me. Lots of stuff just designed wrong/bad on these things.
Not trying to scare you, just telling you how it's been for me.
Very common experience and with the increasing age of this powertrain, it's only gonna get worse.
If you're going to go with a Ford diesel, a 2015 and up 6.7 is the way to go.
I love my 6.0 for how it drives and pulls but even being babied it’s whole life, and having under 100k miles on the OD, it’s just one repair after another. It’s becoming a real love/hate relationship and it’s costing me work dsys as well. I’m seriously kicking around whether I could stand driving a 6.2 every day.
Depends on your perspective. You are talking about an 11year old vehicle, perhaps 150-200k miles. Regardless of engine type there are bound to be issues.
My son purchased an 04 with 210k miles. It had just been studded, egr delete, starter, oil pan replaced, oil cooler, standpipes too.
In the past 2 years and 50k miles he has, replaced all injectors, glow plugs and module, rebuilt dash cluster, 2 batteries, alternator another starter, brakes & calipers all around, turbo, 2 window motors, had the front seat reupholstered too. Getting an occasional code for cam position sensor that leads to no starts, but may have fixed it now after much wire tracing. Few other things like a/c now works, cruise now works, remote entry now works, overhead console now works.
He he would say it is normal for that age and mileage, others would curse their bad luck.
None of this is specific to the 6.0. He has friends with similar vintage GM trucks and they are not trouble free either. Many an evening as been spent in our garage deep into someone’s engine or electrics.
Well said!
People that think that the Dodge and Duramax diesels are problem free are adding plenty of "spin" to the perspective.
Even the 7.3's have plenty of issues when they are older or "slightly abused".
Lots of used 6.0's that have been mistreated .......... and I will agree that they may not stand up to mis-treatment as well as some other makes/models. That said, taking care of them and fixing the weak links is well documented and this makes them desirable IMO. You just want to do your homework and make sure you aren't buying one from a person that was clueless or didn't care about properly maintaining it. You may have to look for a while, but you can find plenty of them.
Regardless, lets face it 12-15 year old vehicles being bought for the purpose of near 100% reliability is rather unrealistic. It MIGHT HAPPEN, but counting on it is naive.
I definitely agree that a 2015 or up Ford diesel would be nice to have.
06-28-2018, 12:39 PM
