Hey Guys, I have a simple question...or at least I think it is. I have a 2005 F350 Dually with the 6.0 PSD. Though I've had only one problem so far (that was the intercooler) what can be done to make this motor a dependable motor? I've owned the truck for two years and it only has 28k miles on it. Darn thing looks brand new in and out. I tow a 5th wheel and every time I leave the house it's always in the back of my mind, will this 6.0 bring me back home. What can be done to improve dependability? What are the things that are prone to break? The truck is by no means abused, in fact I probably drive it to easy. Any thoughts or suggestions are appreciated.Thanks,

P.S. I don't really need any more power though it would be nice, I want dependability!

 

Leave it stock and enjoy. I have had a turbo replaced and a bedplate leak fixed. No prob. since. In fact the bedplate leak was minor but i wanted it taken care of. Been over a year and fix is still good.

 

coolant filter
head studs
CCV oil seperator
EGR removal
replace connector at back of HPOP


Thats my list

 

I know exactly what you are saying. I bought my 2005 6.0 with 38,000 miles on it. It is my first diesel and it now has 59,000 and I have had the HPOP go, a leaking injector, an EGR valve stuck closed, Some type of sending unit for the turbo go bad which caused the turbo to not function, and a valve in the fuel screen boot popped out of place and caused my truck to act like it was out of fuel at 1/4 tank. I wonder all the time whether it will start acting up again. Especially because the HPOP went bad in Tuscaloosa and left me stranded 600 miles from home for 5 days. I love my truck but sometimes I wonder if I should have stuck to gas.

 

I think if you keep stock and do all of the required maintenance on schedule you will be fine for many miles to come. It also wouldn't hurt to use a quality diesel supplement at every fill up to keep the injectors clean and lubricated.
After reading all of the horror stories on this web site I too was worried about making it home. But I have learned to ignore all of the doom and gloom I read here as my 05 just keeps on purring without a beat. Furthermore, everyone I speak with in the real world, that owns the 6.0, seems to have nothing but praise for their trucks. Makes me kind of wonder. Where I hear of all of the problems is right here.

 

I agree with olfordsnstone, run powerservice or Ford's brand of fuel treatment. I would also drive it more. My truck had a few issues when I first got it, but I wasn't driving it a whole lot either. I drive it daily now (since diesel is half the price it was last summer) and I trust it completely. My mileage has increased as well as I think it runs better. I have heard several people in this forum say that sitting is the 6.0's worst enemy. I agree with them now.

 

It seems to be the general concenses that sitting is indeed the the 6.0's worst enemy. A host of problems can be fairly eliminated by simply regularly driving them, (up to operating temp), and gettin on em every now and then to keep the rust and gunk burned out of the VGT turbo vanes. The #1 preventable problem that comes to mind (pro's correct me if i'm wrong), is EGR failure, and the resulting damage it can cause. Even a low level egr blockage, such as a 'sneaky pipe' and using a tuner with a program that shuts the egr valve can greatly reduce the risk of failure, and even if it does fail and leaks coolant, it would be trapped inside the egr cooler, causing no further damage. Or you can go all out and do a full delete, but dealers seem to frown on this in regards to warrenties, plus unless you're doing your own machine work and wrench turning, a full delete can get expensive.
Beyond the egr block off, just do all the regular maint, it's not recommended to go much over 5k on an oil change, (even with synthetic), tranny fluid change or flush every 30k, (make sure they replace the external filter every time, i actually drain the tranny pan and change the ex. filter every 10k). If you're going to play, as before mentioned, head studs, CCV reroute, coolant filter, high idle mod, ect. Oh, and regular fuel filter changes, (using only Motorcraft of Racor filters) is a MUST. The injectors in these trucks are picky about their fuel. I do mine every 10k. Overall, sounds like you're doing great with your truck, and every problem i've had was related to sitting, or the previous owner running too hot of a tune w/out head studs.
If you want to save some money on filters, DieselFiltersOnline has great prices, and if you order in bulk they ship for free.
I don't care what anyone says, as a whole these are great trucks, and i wouldn't trade mine for any other. Good luck!

 

Cowboybootlegger said it right. I don't have any of my emissions equipment blocked or deleted, they are all there. I also only run an economy tune as a daily-driver. I try to keep my RPM's under 2500 for normal use and every now and again 2-3 times per tank of fuel I will show off for some one and run it up to over 3000 rpms. I have studs though so I am not worried about my heads. Just driving it around does it a lot of good. I get between 15-16 mpg as a daily driver. That is more than any of my friends with 7.3's get. I also do better when towing our 13k plus trailers on vacations. These are good trucks, they just are different in how they have to be treated.

 

I'm like you 1/2 my driving is towing our 5th wheel.
I drive empty once a week and exercise the turbo.

So far (previous owner and I) have had 3 warranty... NONE 6.0 related.
My 1 was for a new blue oval, the other 2.. door wouldn't open and a problem with the brakes.

As for as upgrades go.
I'm NOT going to add a tuner!!

I have added a 4" turbo back exhaust and a Accufab elbow... both make a major difference in exhaust temp.

Towing a 5th you do need a EGT gauge mounted in the exhaust manifold.
If you haven't hapooned your tank you should. THIS IS THE VERY best mod for someone who towes!! Plus it's FREE.

I worry more about trailer blow out and axle failure than the TV.
You might want to check out a towing service, Good Sam has it for 100 bucks a yr.

ab

 

I second the EGT gauge recommendation, it amazes me how interactive it is even without a tuner. Especially when you tow alot of weight. Hard to have too many gauges.

 

Desiring rock-solid dependability is why I bought diesel.

I got to thinking about it the other day. Back when I bought the truck new, I couldn't take it anywhere without strangers coming up and heaping compliments on it. It really made you feel good. It's been so long ago now it seems like a dream almost, but there was a time the powerstroke had a sterling street reputation. I miss those days. Now when I tell someone I still own a 6.0, the universal comment will be something on the order of "You need to get rid of that thing." This change in public opinion didn't just happen by coincidence.

Do I think the motor is junk? Not necessarily, but it does have some stuff bolted to it that qualify. Specifically, the EGR cooler. At 28K you should be some ways before your first cooler failure, but don't think it'll never happen if you just leave the motor stock. BTDT, didn't matter.

If you really desire cross-country dependability, seriously consider your options regarding it's removal. If you're only going to do one thing, delete the EGR loop.

 

Thanks guy's for all the info. What is hapooning the fuel tank? Also, how would I find out about someone in my area that will delete the EGR system? I live in Morehead City in eastern NC. If I get it done, I want it done right. The only ones I know that work on these things are the local dealer.

 

"Harpooning" you're tank will give you about 5 more gal cap.
Ford puts the same tank in gas and diesel trucks, diesel doesn't expand as much as gas so you we don't need as much room for expansion.

I did a search on harpoon.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/s...earchid=756113

But look here first, it's long and detailed.
Check post #8

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/2...-the-tank.html


note: it's a lot easier to do than it sounds like.

ab