Hey guys I'm looking into a 99 to 07 super duty. 7.3 are rising in price so a 6.0 might be the best option. A lot of them don't come bulletproofed, and it's something id wanna do. I'm good with my hands and love working on cars. How can you tell the motor is too long gone to even be worth bulletproofing. Is there an amount of mileage i should stay away from

 

Moved to 6.0L PSD engine forum.

 

There is no such thing as "bulletproofed" this is a marketing term coined by Bullet Proof Diesel in order to sell their products. I would look for an 05-07 truck with under 150K miles that is in good condition, looks well taken care of inside & out ( given lots of TLC by owner) and has a paper trail proving that all recommended maintenance has been done in accordance with the factory severe service schedule. I would check the records & inspect the truck to verify that all the FORD updates had been completed. I do recommend the bullet proof diesel EGR cooler ( make sure you get or it has the CARB approved one if the truck needs IM inspection) If the truck was significantly modified or tuned in any way I would walk away. I would scan the truck with Forscan to check for codes, IM status, abnormalities, or problems. Loads of good info in the Tech folder. If you are not familiar with these engines and trucks, hire someone who is to inspect the truck before purchase. A few hundreded dollars up front can save you many thousands later. Good Luck, Russ

 

Someone please show me a bullet proof 6.0? There isn't a single one. You can try and make plenty of improvements and reliability upgrades but there is always a potential for failure. It also comes down to the parts and the assembly that go into a 6.0. I can always spot a butcher job when I see broken cowl plastic, torn looms and the wrong coolant level.

These trucks are expensive to work on and maintain and all too often the ones I get to fix were fixed with aftermarket parts or were assembled wrong. Some things you don't ever go aftermarket and thats gaskets and o-rings and this also means don't use a generic RTV in place of the Wacker RTV or use generic filters. I would find a stock 6.0 ( with stock air filter) and build from there.

 

I don't think I would get into a "bulletproofing" job unless I had to, like having a major failure requiring engine tear down. There are a lot of 6.0s out there right now still running stock, still running strong.
I'd look for a truck that passed all the steps in the "buying a 6.0?" post in the tech folder, then do some of the reliability upgrades (larger alternator, improved battery wiring (positive and grounds), 6.4 transmission pan and filter, blue spring upgrade, STC fittings, etc. Then I would start putting some money away to handle a major repair job that would include "bulletproofing" if and when I had an engine failure.

 

Ain't no such thing as bulletproofing.

My term to use is reliability enhancements.

How well they last depend on the quality of the work, the products used, and the impact of other "enhancements." There are many people who "bulletproofed" with OE gaskets and ARP studs only to have them fail again.

 

Good advice, although the chances of finding all the service records as Russ describes is prolly slim for any truck. I wouldn't reject one for not having complete records. He does nail the rest - I look for a combo of low miles/few owners/well maintained appearance, especially the interior as an better indicator of the PO's treatment of the truck. But, I'm not picky about a lot of other stuff, so it's a numbers game for me - look at many to find just one; that one- or two-owner old truck that was someone's "baby" for many years.

Unfortunately, those guys don't part with their babies very often. The best place to find them is auto auctions, with damage from a wreck. The guy didn't give up his baby, it was taken from him by the insurance company of the other driver who hit him. Because it doesn't take much damage to "total" an older, low-value vehicle (80% of book value), you can find babies out there with a little fender bender or damage that doesn't affect its drivetrain/suspension. And, they sell at auction for less to account for repair costs. Buy/fix, and you have a baby.

 

First, I wish you luck on your purchase. There are some great trucks out there and the 6.0 is a good engine when sorted out.

Being good with your hands and willing to work is a great start. The advice you have received thus far is pretty solid.

It seems you're pragmatic and know that these trucks are going to come with some problems, even if the buyer brings you a book of receipts and points out everything thing they did to 'bullet proof', 'dealer proof', or add 'reliability enhancements'. The thing is, these trucks are 14+ years old now and there are going to be things to sort out. There will be unpleasant surprises and some things you can mitigate with maintenance and preventative maintenance.

Here is my quick list of things to do with a 6.0:
Studded Heads: These trucks are notorious for head-gasket issues. As a general rule, a non-studded head will fail. There are those driving exceptions but they are just that, exceptional people with an exceptional machine.
EGR Treatment: With recent changes in administration, you may want to consider something other than an EGR delete but they are still an option and one can always install a new EGR (get a bullet proof one from BPD if you do) later. I chose to go with a welded EGR. It is stock appearing, like my racing days, but it also provides structural support for the exhaust system. Regardless of the direction you decide to go, the stock EGR is a major flaw that needs addressing.
Oil Cooler: These will fail. When they fail, well that's up to you and the previous owner. Learn when the last one was installed. You can do things to prolong their life like address the ERG, get a good coolant filter ( I chose the IPR 100% flow filter ), use better coolant, flush and change it as well and back flushing the system. There are external and re-route options, but they add complication so make your own judgement.
High Pressure Oil Pumps: Many point to a later engine production date largely because of issues with the HPOP of an earlier engine. It is true that these HPOPs do fail much more frequently than a later design however you can address that issue with a good aftermarket HPOP. I just did a major overhaul and because of budget concerns, installed a pressure tested OEM HPOP. If that one fails, I'll be going the aftermarket route.
ICP: Early PSD 6.0 have the ICP on the HPOP cover. There are reroute options, I chose one myself, and I would recommend it if you find yourself having to change the ICP.
Water Pumps: OEM pumps have a plastic impeller. They will fail. Check to see if the owner installed one with a metal impeller. Otherwise, add this to your list of improvements.
FICM: These are known to have issues. There are also voltage options. I stuck with regular 48v and got one with a lifetime warranty.

The best thing about these engines is that the 6.0 has been long stuided and many solutions have been developed over the years. There are plenty of people here willing to try to help you sort out the best ones to try. Once sorted out, there is a both sense of satisfaction of driving an engine most are scared to touch and a bit of impending doom Just have fun.

 

I’ll take exception on the studs. There are plenty of non studded trucks without issue making it to and past 200k.

If you tune, the head will move in the center where the clamping load is minimal, so will the gasket. And if there is tenting in the center and the head surface is not perfect, he issue will reoccurring even when people have studded. Studding is a false god, there are other issues more important, especial since the clamping load increase is only proportioned in the center of the head.

I would take a non studded, non tunes truck in a NY minute.

 

What Jack said. I'll take a stock head-bolt unmolested truck over a studded & tuned truck any day.

Since you say you are looking for a 99-07 SuperDuty let me offer some other insights and definite plusses to a 6.0, particularly an 05-07 model:

-People think 7.3s are the end all be-all of diesels and charge you for it. They have issues as well.
-People are scared of 6.0s and you can usually get a great deal. So long as you know what you're getting into, they can be made very reliable and last just as long as a 7.3.
-6.0s are typically much cheaper than a comparable Dodge or Chevy from that era.
-6.0 has the VGT turbo which is much more responsive off the line. Makes the truck nicer to drive around town.
-6.0 has the far superior 5R110 transmission. I've heard of VERY few rebuilds, especially on stock trucks, unlike the 4R100 which is maybe good for 150k miles.
-The 05-07 trucks have the coil spring front suspension. Better ride and 5ft smaller turning radius which is big plus on these trucks as they are so long.
-05-07 were the best years of the 6.0. Still have issues to fix, but they have a better HPOP, wiring harness improvements, etc.
-05-07 have the updated front grille/headlights, although you can upgrade to the 99-04 trucks.
-No DPF or SCR to deal with. You do have the EGR which isn't really that bad in comparison. Just have to clean the EGR valve periodically and the valve is very easy to remove (on top of the motor). A lot of people just delete