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The local dealership just got a 2007 f550 with the 6.0 in really good shape. It has 120k miles and the body is clean as a whistle. Would like to use it to pull my livestock trailer and haul bales. I am going to test drive it in a few days and check to see if it’s been studded or not. Salesman I spoke to on the phone had no clue but they have so much turn over I only know a few of the salesman personally. I will check for blow by as well. What else should I be looking for? I’ve never had a 6.0 but it’s priced right and is a sharp truck.
I’m familiar with their shortcomings and have driven several of them. I have just never had to work on one personally. There’s a bunch of them around here and we have some pretty good shops here that work on them. Just want to make sure I’m getting a good one. Gonna have a shop look at it but only if I think it’s worth it
Having good shops around should be all you need (if you actually will ever need anything significant).
The '07's had a lot of great improvements built in. We (well many of us anyway) can help with anything that goes significantly beyond the OEM equipment ....... and yes there are some things.
If the truck was treated well, the concept of "saddling oneself to a new hobby" is not really accurate (even though I admit that I have made mine into a hobby) .............. and that is coming from an '06 owner with 250k successful miles, and still running strong.
Lastly, I would recommend doing a few test drives with gauges before I would simply "look for head studs". Like anything else with the 6.0L, repairs and upgrades need to be done well and with quality parts. A scan tool on the test drive is essential. And personally I would (already have) fabricate up a pressure gauge for the degas bottle - also to use on the test drive.
I have a thread on here on how to buy a used 6.0L. I'll look for it ................... or perhaps a moderator can be of some help and find it.
I’m familiar with their shortcomings and have driven several of them. I have just never had to work on one personally. There’s a bunch of them around here and we have some pretty good shops here that work on them. Just want to make sure I’m getting a good one. Gonna have a shop look at it but only if I think it’s worth it
If you are feeling "so inclined", when you do the test drive take a few pics of the engine compartment and post them.
My tools include the iPhone I used to take the picture with ForScan loaded, then follow Mark's list.
Head studs do not resolve the head gasket issue; they merely indicate that someone has been in it. If the heads had a problem and they were not milled flat or replaced with o-ringed heads, the added studs are no better than the original TTY bolts. The problem was never about the bolts.
With the coolant pressure gauge installed, after burping a hot engine by opening the degas bottle cap and retightening, you do not want more than approximately 12 psi as the maximum reading during hard accelerations. That number can go higher if the volume of coolant in the degas bottom is not minimized.
The other PITA issue is the oil cooler. With a fully hot engine, a steady-state speed of 60-65 mph should not show a temperature differential of more than 15ºƒ between the coolant temperature and the oil temperature. Around 6ºƒ would be best.
