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Any good 6.0 PSDs

3K views 30 replies 19 participants last post by  Evil Eye 
#1 ·
Anyone out there that hasnt replaced gaskets and studs etc.. and have had a good dependability from the 6.0? All that I read about is the problems and since I havent had any YET do I need to sell or possibly do I have a reliable engine.:icon_ford:
 
#3 ·
Mines been pretty good. Only thing I had wrong was an oil leak.
 
#4 ·
Mines been good so far...122,xxx... original bolts, gaskets, and up until Memorial weekend, original oil cooler... I changed the cooler because of a temp delta of 17 degrees when on the highway... no dealer repair on the oasis other than a couple of recalls and one egr valve cleaning... when I swapped the cooler I also dumped the egr and cleaned the turbo, half the vanes were stuck... runs great!
 
#9 ·
I recently installed an Insight Edge monitor and on a trip last week to Florida (1400 miles round trip) pulling a 16k # 5er, the difference between EOT and ECT was about 15 to 20 degrees higher on EOT.

You noted 17 degrees on yours and you replaced the oil cooler. Did that help? What should the difference be? And lastly, how hard is it to replace the oil cooler?
 
#5 ·
I thoroughly believe that many of the issues with the 6.0 are brought on by owners who don't understand diesels in general and the Powerstroke specifically. Maintenance is critical with these because of the HEUI injection setup, and working the turbo is critical because of the VGT. I can't tell you how many times I see a Powerstroke driver whip into a parking lot and shut the truck off without giving it time for the turbo to cool down. This will give you a very short turbo life. Or babying the truck and trying to eek every last mpg out of it you can. The PS need to be run hard and the turbo needs to see full boost regularly to keep the VGT vanes from sooting up. I think most of us on this forum know what happens if you don't stay on top of your oil/filter and fuel filter changes. You go through injectors. If people monitored their ECT and EOT and replaced the oil cooler when it clogs BEFORE the truck blows EGR coolers and pukes etc. a lot of those failures wouldn't happen either. Personally I think the 6.0 has gotten a bad rap that isn't all it's fault. Yeah some things could have been done better but show me a vehicle that this is not true of. If it breaks fix it right the first time so it doesn't happen again. Stay on top of your maintenance, work the turbo and always give it time to cool down before shutting the truck off and monitor your temps. Do this and you will have a reliable 6.0. Synthetic oil helps a lot too.

That's my opinion and I'm sticking to it lol.
 
#6 ·
Mines been awesome. Only been in the shop for a fuel gauge sending unit. And a turbo replacement.

The turbo replacement was owner inflicted. He parked the truck for almost a year and never had anyone run it. So the vanes rusted tight
 
#7 ·
Ah, the myth of the reliable 6.0 :)

When I bought my '05 two and a half years ago it had 96k miles on it. It now has 146k. In that time the front suspension managed to break to the point that I don't think any part is original anymore, and has been quite costly to repair. On the other hand, the 6.0 motor itself has surprisingly been good to me despite my fears. I did have to have the FICM replaced, but that's it so far, knock on wood.
 
#8 ·
From a parts replacement standpoint, my truck has been a nightmare. Thankfully, I opted for the Motorcraft extended warranty to 100k and my truck has really only stranded me one time. While it hasn't been an easy road, it has helped me understand how these engines work and mine gets used quite a bit. I have also determined where the weak points are and fix them BEFORE they become bigger problems.
 
#10 · (Edited)
in town the delta was 8 to 10 degrees, on the highway it would go to 17 easy without towing... now it's 3-5 in town and 8-12 towing @ 75mph... granted my ski trailer is only about 3k but the truck would go over 20 if I went faster than 65mph...

everyone says any delta over 10 degrees is bad... my case is with a new oil cooler and welded egr, I think the temps I have are perfectly fine as my EOT never goes over 215ish and ECT has never been over 210... my normal temps are ECT 186-192 EOT 190 to 200... no puking, no cooling fan, no smoke... so far...

it's not a hard job to do but it is very time consuming... took me 16hrs to do all of it over the weekend and that's counting parts store runs and tons of water breaks... it's hot down here in Georgia...
 
#16 ·
it's not a hard job to do but it is very time consuming... took me 16hrs to do all of it over the weekend and that's counting parts store runs and tons of water breaks... it's hot down here in Georgia...
So I assume there is LOTS of stuff to remove such as the turbo, etc? I'm very mechanically inclined and have a full shop....that's not the issue. Just gun shy so to speak as it looks as though there is a ton of stuff on the top of the motor that would have to be removed.
 
#11 ·
Have an '05 with 136,000 miles on it. Haven't had any issues, but I bought it used. What happened before 125,000 miles I can't say for sure, but it still has the stock EGR and head bolts (don't know if they are the original stock bolts and EGR though).
 
#12 ·
I had an 07 6.0...only had it for about 50k miles before I sold it because I am going overseas and I really want a 6.4 when I get back. I beat the piss out of that 6.0, kept up with my maintenance though and it did just fine for me. I wouldn't hesitate to buy another 6.0 if the 6.4 doesn't work out. :icon_ford:
 
#13 ·
Thanks, these replies give me a little comfort knowing that I take very good care of my truck and maintaining the engine is something I have always tried to stay on top of with any vehicle that I had and hopefully my 06 will serve me for many years to come. On another note, I also bought my truck used w/47K miles, it now has 52K, 3 times the degas bottle has puked on me while pulling trailers and farm tractors, the first 2 times it took less than 1/2 gallon to fill the bottle to the min mark when the engine was cold, so the after the third time it puked I checked the bottle with the engine hot and it was at the min mark but after it cools it is a little low according to the min mark. I have continued pulling trailers with it this way and it has not puked again, the owners manual says to fill the bottle to the min mark while the engine is cold but I found TSB 06-21-2 that states to check the bottle while hot and it should be at the min mark. Am I chancing a problem by running this way and is the manual or the TSB wrong??????
 
#14 ·
I would believe the TSB. I assume you are referencing this one. 06-3-8***COOLANT DEGAS BOTTLE OVERFLOW - 6.0L I would say that you are doing well as long as the fluid is in the bottle at all when cold. You will just have to keep a closer eye on it because you have less room for error if you develop a leak (had a Mustang that would not hold fluid in the overflow bottle at all, that was a pain in the neck).
 
#17 ·
Keep tabs on the EGR cooler and oil cooler. Once the EGR cooler starts to go delete it and do the oil cooler at the same time. After that your almost eliminating your chance of head gasket failure with the exception of too much tune for the truck.

Change your oil every 5k and put on a oil bypass filter. The injection system will love it. The bypass filter gets changed every other oil change and I will tell you this. You will be surprised on how much crap the stock system does not filter. You will see that when you change the bypass filter.

If it were me doing it all over again. I would do the bypass. When the EGR cooler fails spend the extra 400.00 and do the oil cooler at the same time. It wont cost you twice the labor as it did for me because I chose the wrong shop (my fault). Install an Edge Insight. It will monitor your ECT and EOT (super important). Ten an SCT with a custom tune of your choice for a non-studded 6.0.

So other than the EGR leaking and oil cooler crapping out. A set of injectors because I was a newb and didnt keep up maintenance. The 6.0 is very reliable.

Like PGreenSVT said. It gets a bad rap due to the owner lack of responsibility. I was an example in the beginning of my ownership. Since the injector deal I ponied up for a bypass and never a problem since. Its been 2 years now.
 
#18 ·
I have 140K with no problems. I have been running a custom tune for the last 40k too. I love the 6.0.
 
#19 ·
116,000 miles and the only thing I had go out was ball joints but nothing really major with the motor. I tore out the EGR cooler junk but other then that its been good to me. I also put on a coolant fitler to help save the water pump.

Ever once and a while like everyone says its good to get her loaded up and make er pull, helps the turbo.

I have been on a strick oil change interval, every 3,000 for the first 20,000 using non syn then I switched to syn and have changed it every 5,000 and followed the fuel filter maintaince guide.

Two questions: how much is this Edge insight and how much work is it to hook up to monitor the EOT? I already have 5 mechanical gauges, EGT Boost Trans Fuel & Volt. I would like to get this just to verify that my oil cooler is ok.

Also, How much is this bypass filter when I looked at them they were spendy
 
#20 ·
Not sure what the insight costs. But setting it up to monitor EOT is easy. Plug it in to the OBD II port and set the PID to monitor ECT and EOT
 
#30 ·
Edge insight is right now for what I can find 279.00 w/out the EGT probe which you wont need seeing how you have an EGT gauge already.

I got mine on sale for 239.00 some time in December when everything in the universe is on sale.
 
#21 ·
as for the front end work come on any 8,000 pound truck driving down the road it going to need ball joints tie rods, and if 4x4 you will need axle joints they get bad they are considered a wear item. so don't mind the front end work deal every car alive gets front end work period
 
#23 ·
My EGR went out as soon as I tuned the truck @ 48k. Bought an EGR delete, put it in. 64k, headgaskets blew, put in new oil cooler, gaskets, studs, some other things. Had the heads decked, they were warped ( .007 ) Now she's running pretty good, knock on wood.
 
#24 ·
My 04 has 115,000 on it and the only thing I have done to it is replace tie rod ends. I change oil every 5,000 and rotate tires at same time.
 
#25 ·
went to the Edge website and there are a couple of different models/prices to choose from, to me it looks like you can pick up an insight that plugs into the OBD II port for around 340.00 and right now they have a sale of up to 100 off. could I just borrow this from a buddy and plug it in and see what its doing. I don't want another instrument on the dash, its getting out of hand.

Does the SCT X3 have the capability to monitor this?
 
#27 ·
Yes as long as you have the livelink software on your laptop
 
#31 ·
Yes you can. There have been some reports that not all pids are available and despite numerous complaints, it has fallen on deaf ears at SCT...
 
#29 ·
My '03 6.0 did well up to 199,000 miles when the head bolts finally failed taking the head gaskets with them. But that wasnt it - the bottom of the radiator blew appart - most of the tabs blown out - coolant leaking everywhere. I was on mission and under load in th emountains when it happened - fortunally - what a blessing it was the coolant was being blow out of the engine instead of ingested into it!

Prior to 199,000 - installed a HPOP when that failed (on another trip), replaced a main oil seal under warranty before 100,000. Oil changes and other maintenance.

Since the HG failed - that is when all my bad luck came about - between parts failing and a weak mechanic - good friend - but not a great mechanic.

oh well. Got the truck back, headed out on mission tomorrow - towing back to Webster Springs WVa.
 
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