We always recommend ARP studs when replacing a head gasket job, stock or chipped. I am not a tech, I learn what I see up in our shop, on the phone and these Forums. I always open to more knowledge, but I am pretty sure the head has to come off to change the gasket, and from what I have seen the cab has to come off to get the back studs/bolts out of the head. I have heard other suggestions of jacking each side of the cab up a bit a time trying to get them out that way?? I was just up at the bay at lunch educating myself, the tech said it is easier to just lift the cab, gives you more room and is not that bad after you've done a few.

 

My honest opinion summed up "in English" and I have nothing to gain as we make a living on selling diesel performance.

A lot of the failures associated with head gaskets and turbos are chip related possibly as much as 60-70%. Its obvious the 6.0L does not take to mods that well and the Diesel Performance market is huge right now thus more failures. Like stated before most non chipped responsible drivers are not seeing problems but there are more than average of those problems trucks that Ford has even offered to buy back.

With that being said I have seen bone stock 6.0L owners lives financially altered with repair claims denied by Ford or out of warranty situations and that's what bothers me!

I don't care what stats are out there I see and hear this on a 9 hour day everyday as you all do your occupations and it is clear that the 6.0L Ford has Turbo and Head Gasket issues. As others diesels have had their share of issues i.e. early Duramax injectors, early dodge transmissions and lift pumps, right up to the fire breathing dragon 6.4L Ford.

Sorry if I have been offending anyone, that is not my intention, I am very honest and like to call things as I view them!

 

No offence taken by me!

 

simple orings and other small parts are around 70 bucks. ours are actually easier to rebuild than the ball bearing type.

 

correct, many people are using the vgt style turbos, and ford is in fact still using them. on the compound turbo 6.4L the smaller high pressure turbo is still a VGT style turbo.
the new duramax as well as numerous other manufacturers still using this design. some are a bit different with the design, but using the same basic concept.

 

Concept yes, design not!

 

it's obvious you guys dont see eye to eye. that's okay, lots of us on here dont.
but head studs are designed to be threaded into the block, and then use a nut to secure the head. you cannot instal them onto the head first.
also, yes this job can be done w/out lifting cab or pulling motor, but you have to remove a lot of stuff that's in the way, and it ends up taking longer actually.

 

According to BowTieHatr there's not enough room to install the heads after the studs are in place, and if you are installing bolts then you do not have to remove the cab. But my question: is it possible to install the head with the studs in there appropriate location on the heads as one asssembly?

If so, then you would not have the clearence issue, and then you could thread the studs to the block by using a jam nut to tighten the studs to the block through the heads. If this can be done it would be a DIY and not an expensive labor intense dealer/aftermarket only operation.

As far as the former comment, I have a lot of time on my hands lately since my job was handed over to a foriegn country, and sorry but I always like a good challenge when I see one, especially after twenty three years in R&D and Management it's hard not to resist.

 

It is what these forums are about and this thread seems to be getting back on track thanks to some good feedback. Hopefully the end result is education for the members.

I am Off till Tuesday, so its miller time, have a great weekend all!!!

 

If I may make a comment Dave, it's not good practice to hurl out comments like these, especially when you are representing a business.

 

I broke the ground wire for the exhaust brake and haven't fixed it yet so I haven't used the exhaust brake in 2 weeks. I really don't use it that much anyhow.

As for turbo replacment I don't even want to bother cleaning it because if something is shot inside it takes forever to get parts. I don't have time for the truck to sit. Buy a reman turbo put it on done deal.

I live in rural B.C. where there is no busses no taxi cabs nothing if you don't have a vehical your not going anywhere. To walk to the grocery store would take 1 hour or more. To walk to the Ford dealer and back would take all day.

If I need something from the Ford dealer and they don't have it which they usually don't I have to order it. For most things if I order it before 4pm I they will have it 1pm the next day. The closest International dealer is Vancouver trying to get parts from them isn't easy either.

My truck is pretty much stock except for a AFE intake which I didn't install and the exhaust brake I didn't install either. The exhaust brake is usefull the AFE intake I don't know if its anygood or not. When I pulled it out to clean the filter it looks like a K&N filter it stops the big chunks but the rest of it flows into the engine.

My 03 F-450 weighs 9100lbs empty so I'am not adding any tuners or other stuff to it to add power. The truck has enough power for what I need. If I climb a 10% grade at 50km/h (31mph) with a loaded truck big deal. Hold the rpms at 2000 untill you get to the top.

Older trucks in B.C. especially on the West Coast are worn out junk. The salt air rusts vehicals the roads shake them apart. I searched for almost a year trying to find a F-450 with a 7.3 I gave up. I didn't want a truck with 200,000 plus kilometers on it. I was trying to replace a truck with 200,000kms that was worn out. I searched all the Alberta classifieds I couldn't find many pre 2003s with 7.3 power.

I wanted a F-450 for its braking power because they have 19.5 wheels and brakes designed to stop a 15,000lb truck. My 95 F-450 had 16 inch wheels the truck could carry a load but trying to stop was next to impossible because the brakes are not big enough.

I will keep driving the truck because I don't have time on this set of days off to do anything.



I won't change brands I like Ford so I'am sticking with Ford.

 

A fellow BC man, nice to see!

Let me know it there is anything I can do for ya, especially if you are having problems getting parts or Vancouver.

 

No problem about getting parts its just hurry up and wait for them. When you do a project you order everything you need because you don't want to wait for a part to arrive half way through the job.

 

that's a good question, as i have pondered myself if it was possible to put in head studs without removing the heads. just taking the stock head bolts and replacing with a head stud, one at a time (in the proper torque sequence of course), but i really dont know how much room there is on the back cylinders if the studs themselves were too long...
i've asked matt this, and he said they still ran into head sealing problems doing it this way, he recomends removing the heads completely that way you can verify the block deck and head surface are completely smooth before wasting your time. if anyone has any luck doing this please feel free to chime in. sorry for the hijacking, i believe this thread was about turbos


and to a former poster : why would brake clean damage the turbo bearings ? they are a simple bearing, like a conrod, i fail to see where the damage could be from using brakleen on them ...

 

It is serviceable to an extent. Will it save someone a lot of money if they can't afford a new turbo? Definately. I understand the thinking of someone that sells them, more money can be made by installing a different unit, then getting the vehicle out of the bay for the next one. Oh, in case you haven't noticed, "you Ford owners" fits me as well as "you Ford techs". Ford has a directive that if its scaled with rust, you aren't supposed to clean it. According to you, I should never try to clean one. I have cleaned several that were rusted severely, for customers that had no warranty and money issues. Was that wrong? On another post, you doubt that head gaskets can be replaced without lifting the cab, yes, they most certainly can. It isn't easy, Ford as a matter of fact has a video that step by step shows how. The environment can be a factor in turbo longevity simply because there is air that makes it into the exhaust stream (ever hear of humidity?). Talk to Ford hotline engineers, More turbo issues are in areas that have weather issues and fuel quality issues. How else can you explain why some areas have numerous 6.0 issues, while some have none. Here, the 6.0 is a very reliable engine.