I'm looking at a 2006 F-350 with the 6.0L. it's a crew cab, 6-3/4ft bed sitting on 35s with 181k on the clock and about +/- 4585 hours.
It is a one owner truck with a Carfax service record, including head gaskets done in 2009. From what I can tell, it has head bolts not studs, it does have a coolant filter system and no EGR delete. Also, it has 5th wheel hitch bed rails.
It runs and drives really well.
It's being sold for $14,990.
It's a very clean truck.
I'm hesitant to purchase it, because, well, ita a 6.0L and with them being notoriously "bad"motors, I don't want to get it and end up having to dump a bunch of mony into it. With that being said, it is a ONE OWNER truck with that many miles, and the fact that it was probably used to tow, it seems like a really solid truck, and he owner took care of it, as far as maintenance.
I'm looking for some input for current owners and people that know more about these motors than I do.
I don't want to miss an opportunity but also don't want get a money pit.
If it were me (and I did it when I bought mine), get an OASIS report on the truck to see how much work was done under warranty (i'm suspecting your head gaskets were). I would also have a reputable diesel shop in the area do a pre purchase inspection on the truck. A lot of people don't want to pay the $100 for one, but if you happen to buy a problem child, that $100 pales in comparison to what you will dish out!!
The OASIS report can be pulled by the Ford dealer. Call them or go see a service advisor and give them the VIN, they'll pull it for you. It will only show work done by Ford, not by independent shops or individuals.
The Ford dealer may or may not give you a better inspection, that depends on the technicians. Call each place and ask for the scope of work done on the inspection, and don't be afraid to ask them about their experience with the 6.0.
If the head gaskets were done under warranty it's VERY likely they installed new TTY bolts with the gaskets, as originally installed on the 6.0. They are a one-time use bolt. It's possible (but unlikely) that head studs were installed instead of the TTY bolts. If you aren't sure what you're looking for, ask the shop that does the inspection to confirm.
Had an OASIS report ran and there were no repairs made to the truck under warranty. all the diesel shops are a good week out before I could even get in.
You get into it and HG's are blown, $2500.00, oil cooler stopped up, 300+ labor, EGR clogged, 500+ labor. These can all be present with no obvious symptoms, but all should be able to be spotted by a good mechanic that knows these motors.
You should still expect to do head studs at some point. Also, I would be hesitant about it with the SCT sticker because that means it had a tuner with no studs. They are right, take it to a shop that knows 6.0's and can get a good look at all parameters and perform the HG pressure test.
Unfortunately, the dealership would only give me 3 days. to get all this done. It may be a truck I have to walk away from. The price seems right, especially for how clean it is, but it may be to big of a gamble.
I bought an '07 F350 XLT w/ ~160k that has almost everything done already (ARP studs, OEM Ford gaskets, upgraded oil cooler, EGR delete, blue spring kit, STC fitting, turbo-back exhaust, and more.) I was scared to death of buying a "virgin"...I've had lots of vehicles and always ended up having to spend lots of money playing whack-a-mole, so I knew I didn't want to take a chance on the 6.0 PSD...which is almost guaranteed to present you with issue after issue if certain things aren't taken care of right away.
First thing to do is get something to monitor your ECT Δ EOT...Edge Insight or Scangauge II...if the temps are more than 14 degrees or so apart, upgrade your oil cooler and either upgrade your EGR cooler or delete it. If on the other hand the temp delta is normal, I'd just get a coolant filter kit thrown on there and keep monitoring the temps...
It already has a coolant filter, and I think the EGR system has already been deleted. I know what the EGR system looks like on a 351w, well, what it looked like, and I'd imagine it's pretty similar on these, but I can't find an EGR tube anywhere.
The EGR cooler would be sitting recessed within and parallel to the intake manifold toward the passenger side. If it is a true EGR delete, the tube will be small and J-shaped and not very obvious...set within/below the intake manifold. It took me a couple tries to locate it and then the "a-ha" moment happened.
I think bottom line for you is to keep looking. I've passed up a couple really nice 6.0 trucks but I'm glad I waited. Just type "bulletproofed" into craigslist or autotrader and you should be able to find one eventually. I was about to give up and then found my truck!
so the dealership "gave you" 3 days to do this? lmao, walk away bro. ill be damned if a dealership is gonna give me a time limit or any kind of limit on what i need to do to feel comfortable buying a used truck.
The ball is in your court. You don't HAVE to buy their truck. I'd make an appt with the diesel shop since they are a week or so out, and if the truck is still at the dealership then, go from there. If you don't end up buying the truck, please call and cancel the appointment though.
This is not one of those things you jump into without knowing what you're getting. And even then...have a nest egg saved up because something will eventually go wrong
When I was shopping for my 6.0, I took my CTS with me. Before I test drove anything I hooked it up. Edge is kinda a PITA for this if your driving a few different truck,but worth the time
in my opinion a 6.0 is a dynamite platform but it has ..."quirks" that must be addressed.
maintenance is a must, a monitor is a must head gaskets and studs are a must at some point thought lots of us have gotten away with putting it off longer than is smart for various reasons. elc coolant is a must at least to me
I dont have time to deal with g05 coolant with everything else the world has to throw at you
this has been tossed around but could be no less true
a 6.0 is like a woman
if you listen to her and are attentive she can make you the happiest man alive
ignore her...you do so at your own peril
she will give you hints you must be attuned to
if that fails
she will tell you in increasingly uncertain terms
if that fails
she will take you for everything you have...
but again done and treated right she can be a constant source of purest joy.
if you decide you want a 6.0 read up in the sticky section of this forum.
learn about bulletproofing and monitoring and decide and buy the monitor you want.
then take it on every test drive you do, until you find your one true love :rofl:
I'll be honest, since I turned the truck back to the dealership, I miss it. After driving it for two days, then going back to my Tacoma, it's definently a different experience.
I can still get it if I want, and like I said originally it does give me some peice of mind knowing that one person owned it since new. Theres obvious signs that he towed with it.
The price is the main thing that attracts me to it.
I miss having a full size truck.
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