I have a 2007 F350 King Ranch with a bullet proofed 6.0. Change the all the fluids regularly and have 310,450 miles on it now. How many miles do you think I should get out of it, assuming now wrecks or theft?

 

How long before what? Parts always are wearing out. What some people consider catastrophic is only regular maintenance for others.
Some would think an HPOP and injectors is huge while others come to expect it.

 

How many miles can I get out the truck? 1,000,000? How many should I get?

 

OK - I'll bite ............. no one can answer your question for you.

Some things to consider:
How many engine hours do you have?
Have you ever over-heated the engine?
Running a tune?
Is the oil cooler the original one, or has it ever failed on you?
Are your injectors original?
Do you monitor fuel pressure?
Turbo original?
High pressure oil system updated?
What is your driving style (short trips?, hard accelerations?, excessive idling?, etc)
What kind of maintenance on the transmission do you do?
What do you do to keep from over-boosting?

There are a number of nuisance issues that could bite you for sure - assuming you haven't dealt with them already:
- Fuel pump failure (even components inside the HFCM can fail)
- Fuel pump relay (integral to the CJB) failure
- Fuel pick-up tube failure
- Plastic "Y" under the degas bottle failure
- FICM failure (assuming normal issues of battery and alternator health and maintenance over 310k miles)
- Injectors can fail and dump fuel if they are still original (this could become far MORE than just a nuisance issue)
- Keep an eye on temperatures because that can domino into bigger issues (ie water pumps and radiators can fail in those kinds of miles)

If I were you I would just keep driving it and not worry about it. I'm at 235k, and still love driving it. I'll never make it much past 300k - I just don't drive it that much now.

 

Some things to consider:
How many engine hours do you have? 10,000
Have you ever over-heated the engine? 1 time when I got a bad coolant leak
Running a tune? Yes
Is the oil cooler the original one, or has it ever failed on you? Had the motor bullet-proofed at 126,000 miles
Are your injectors original? No.
Do you monitor fuel pressure? Don't know how.
Turbo original? No.
High pressure oil system updated? Yes
What is your driving style (short trips?, hard accelerations?, excessive idling?, etc) Longer trips, min 75 miles
What kind of maintenance on the transmission do you do? Yearly change the filter and flush the fluid
What do you do to keep from over-boosting? The only time recently I get close is hauling a lull.

 

How bad did you overheat? Were you monitoring actual temperatures or just watching the dash gauge?

Your post on "having the engine Bullet Proofed" still leaves questions.

In other words, I assume you mean that you have an EGR cooler from Bullet Proof Diesel?
And your oil cooler is an External Cooler from Bullet Proof Diesel?
How about your fan clutch? Still original, or a 7.3L fan clutch from Bullet Proof Diesel?
Water pump from Bullet Proof Diesel?
FICM from Bullet Proof Diesel?


You are averaging 31 mph - or "there-abouts". That isn't all that great IMO. I am averaging 48.5 mph (4857.5 engine hours) and I am not using it for highway driving per se'. You have twice the engine hours I do. By that parameter alone, I might convince myself I could get to 470k miles. But hopefully you see all of the variables involved.

Where were the injectors purchased from, and at what mileage?
Who installed the injectors?
What tune are you running?

 

Everything I have had done was at Hurricane Diesel Performance here in Mobile.

Fan Clutch is the next thing I am going to have replaced. As far as bullet proofed, it was not by a certain company. It was about $5,000.00 and I also had to have the turbo replaced. I had 4 injectors replaced within the last 8 months. Water pump been replaced, glow plugs replaced. The bullet-proof term is generic. Took the cab off and they worked on the motor.

 

That does change my perspective anyway. I think highly of Bullet Proof Diesel and their parts. I have no clue as to the kind of shop Hurricane Diesel is! Your longevity will depend highly upon the quality of the work you had done and the parts they used.

The brand of injectors is critical IMO, and so is the place at which they were purchased!

One great thing you have going for you is that you have 174k miles on the engine since the shop did all that engine work. That speaks fairly well for them.

To get the most longevity possible:
Monitor ALL the engine vitals (actual temperature values are critical to watch)! This includes Fuel Pressure, Degas Bottle Pressure, and EGT.
Keep up the maintenance
As much as possible, make sure it never over-heats again
As much as possible, make sure your injectors don't fail and start dumping fuel (or thin out the oil)
Your tune may or may not be hurting you .... you didn't post what tune it is.
Keep a reasonable boost
There are several ways to delete the EGR system. If you still have an EGR cooler, then hopefully it is welded at both ends.
Try to minimize stop-and-go driving or idling.

You can have engine blow-by tested if you want some added assurance (and even have a manual compression test done).

Keep us informed if you can.

 

Just remembered 9999.9 is where the hour meter maxes out isn't it?

This guy got there at around 500k miles:

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...l#post11694450

 

Did they change out the lifters?
They are a wear item and can eventually fail especially at your mileage.

 

That (lifters) is what "bit" run6.0run at 582k miles.

The OP's engine hours (and the one over-heating event), have me wondering just how much more can be expected without significant "proactive" work (lifters, cam inspection/replacement, bearings, etc).

 

"Should" you get out of it? About 250K

"Can" you get out of it? Way too many factors involved there, I'd say keep doing what you're doing.

 

Just get another truck! That's what I did.
When you rotate two or more trucks you put less miles on each of them per truck.
They last longer!

 

Over 11 years ago I wrote up a thread on buying used 6.0L's. I basically expressed my opinion that they can be a good buy and can be made to be reliable. Ever since writing that I had people posting what a POS they were and that my truck was going to grenade at 100k miles, then 150k, then 200k, etc.

I am at 235k and it is running well - a 15 1/2 year old truck. Still enjoying it. My "minimum" goal is 250k, but that will take 2 more years. The truck is just plain old and normal things are showing their age. A new one would be great, but who wants the expense!

I guess the bottom line is that we learned a lot in the first 5 years of the 6.0L. Many thanks to techs that unselfishly helped us learn. When we wisely apply what we have learned, we should have a VERY good chance at a strong reliable truck. That said, now we have to start with a used truck...........who knows how well it was cared for, or what cheap parts were thrown into it.

We have pretty much all seen the forum threads that make us cringe at some of the cheap parts used ..... and the unwise band aids. Then throw in a few cases of poor workmanship.

If I were able to find a reasonably priced "stock" 6.0L at 150k miles or less, I would be very tempted to buy it. IMO 250k miles on a well cared for 6.0L, that has the necessary reliability upgrades, is no problem. IMO 350k shouldn't be a problem. Clearly any make and model can have the rare defect, or the odd case of terrible craftsmanship, that can negate this approach. IMO it is no better or worse than other vehicles in that regard.

Just my 2 cents.

 

Im at 285k miles on mine. It seems like every trip out I have something that has to be repaired, I’ve been thinking of replacing it but truck prices are so stinking high right now. I don’t know if or when that will change I tow 14k lb 5th wheel. When it breaks down I usually have the wife and kiddos with me on a trip far from home. Still haven’t decided what to do yet. She keeps on ticking guess ill stick with her.