What would you do? 05 6.0 questions.

[madcat6183]

I just wanted to get some PS owner's opinions on the following before I jumped to any conclusions or anything;

I picked up an 05 F250 FX4 with the 6.0 at about 79K on the clock, 3 years ago. I immediately had 5 of the 8 injectors go out and had them replaced under warranty. I then lifted it, picked up gauges, SCT, exhaust, intake and Zoodad, EGR delete, spray in liner, tonneau cover, Moto Metal's with MT's, and upgraded my stock wheels to 35's. I still have the blue spring to do this weekend as well.

That takes us to last week, I had it in my family friends shop, he along with most the guys are diesel drivers(Chevy guys), and he was installing new rear rotors, pads, power steering pump, and flushing the brake system. When I went to pick it up Friday night, he recommended that I consider selling it.

Said that the heads are starting to leak oil, and that as it sits now, I could easily make money trading and way more selling it off outright. Also there are a few spots with paint bubbles from some repair work I had done 3 years ago, as I scraped a wall the second month I owned it after midnight mass on Christmas Eve, darn LB.

I owe 10,000 on it, and it has 129K on it now. I just dropped about 1,000 in new shocks, and all the above, along with a few other mods etc.

I was looking at head job prices along with studs and gaskets, and it looks like normal costs is 2-4K, issue is finding a good shop in Ohio, as I only know of 1, and that's Columbus Diesel, that can do this kind of work for less than Ford.

I have a good body guy back home I would use this time, and he usually charges just above costs as he's restored a few of our Classic Fords for us and does all our work.

I guess my question is, what would the majority of you all do? I perform my own maint. on the truck, for the most part, and do love it, but am not 100% sure if having to dish that kind of $$ out is worth it or if trading it is a better option.

FYI If I did sell it or trade it, it would only be for a new F250 with the PS, not sure what year or motor yet, just newer for sure.

[bismic]

Personally, I would be skepical on the "leaking oil from the heads" comment. These engines leak a little oil from multiple places - glow plugs being one of them.

As far as keeping it or not - that depends on a lot more than you have posted IMO.

Since you have been running the SCT, what fuel pressure have you been running all this time? Low fuel pressure can be an issue for injectors (and you have already had injector issues). What have been your oil and fuel filter maintenance practices? What tune have you been running and what is your driving style" Do you tow? Do you tow with a performance tune?

What about coolant maintenance and what is your current EOT/ECT split?

Have you seen any coolant puking or dropping level? What about hooking a gauge up to the degas bottle and seeing what that looks like?

What about transmission maintenance - fluid and filters?

[Tuscany]

Well first off what part of Ohio are you from? Second personally I'm in the same boat only I am keeping my truck and getting everything ready to stud it soon. If I were you I'd keep it and save up and buy all the parts you need and do the work yourself. It's not that bad and it's not hard at all it just takes time and patience and determination. Plus it will save you a ton of money. Also if you aren't willing to do it yourself depending on where you live in Ohio if you brought it to me either I could do it or I have a good buddy of mine who is a senior diesel master tech that can do it at his house. He does a bunch of them for people that don't want to pay what the dealer wants to do the job for. He has his own auto shop at his house and he quoted me $1000 in labor to do it. I also have another buddy more north west of canton Ohio that owns g&r performance diesel and he quoted $1200 to do head gaskets and studs. But I decided to do them myself. Pm me I you want my number to discuss other options. There are many more options than Columbus diesel but they are one of the best shops around this part for sure.

[madcat6183]

Sorry, after the gym I realized I had left out a lot of things some of which were questioned above.

I am in Columbus, but my mechanic and family is in Mansfield.

The Fuel PSI has only been tested by the Ford dealer and the mechanic I had it with last week, and must not have been an issue as I am sure both would have told me to make some $$ on more injectors etc. I was just doing the blue spring mod for a piece of mind really. But did want to test the PSI before and after.

NO coolant leak at all, not issues with that, and no puking anywhere, and yes, I do tow, about 8K in the summer about 3 hours+ each way, multiple times on tow tunes.

My tuner is from Stealth along with his tunes, nothing fancy just their standard tunes.

I change my FF's every 10K to the T if not early, and my oil every 5K if not early. I've only noticed at most 1-2 qts down on oil, so nothing over the top in my mind.

I fly out of canton often, so taking a truck up there on a weekend wouldn't be an issue, especially for that price, heck I'd probably just do it to do it with that costs.

I'll PM you in a few with my info too, thanks!

[PGreenSVT]

Since your poll doesn't have a fix it and keep it option I can't vote on the 3 options presented. I don't recommend taking a Chevy guy's word for what's wrong with your truck.

Is it leaving oil under the truck when you park? It isn't at all uncommon for the motors to weep a small amount of oil. my underside always has a drip or two hanging from the front cross member but never drips on the ground and never needs any oil between changes so I don't worry about it.

Personally I think the 05-07 SuperDuty is the best looking truck Ford has ever made and I wouldn't trade my 6.0 for any of the newer emissions laden engines either. So I'd vote to keep it and fix what is wrong if anything really is.

[bismic]

Without the blue spring, I find it hard to believe a tuned truck is able to keep the fuel pressure above 45 psig at WOT, but I guess it could happen.

Sounds like it is a solid truck to me.

[Tuscany]

I don't know about that Mark. Keep in mind when I say this as I haven't had the regulator housing apart since I bought the truck so I don't know what spring is in it. But my fuel pressure reads at a steady 59-60 psi at WOT and about 63-64 at idle and cruising speeds. I always wondered if mine had the blue spring or not I just never took it apart cause it's always had good fuel pressure. Maybe the previous owner changed it and never said anything I don't know.

[NYC F-350]

Originally Posted by Tuscany

I don't know about that Mark. Keep in mind when I say this as I haven't had the regulator housing apart since I bought the truck so I don't know what spring is in it. But my fuel pressure reads at a steady 59-60 psi at WOT and about 63-64 at idle and cruising speeds. I always wondered if mine had the blue spring or not I just never took it apart cause it's always had good fuel pressure. Maybe the previous owner changed it and never said anything I don't know.

I would assume, given the pressures you quote above, that you already have the blue fuel pressure spring installed. If my memory is correct (which doesn't happen as often as it used to), the stock spring did not set the pressure that high.

To the OP:
I agree with Mitch and Mark. Oil leaking from somewhere on this engine is quite common. Test and verify.

[madcat6183]

Originally Posted by PGreenSVT

Since your poll doesn't have a fix it and keep it option I can't vote on the 3 options presented. I don't recommend taking a Chevy guy's word for what's wrong with your truck.

Is it leaving oil under the truck when you park? It isn't at all uncommon for the motors to weep a small amount of oil. my underside always has a drip or two hanging from the front cross member but never drips on the ground and never needs any oil between changes so I don't worry about it.

Personally I think the 05-07 SuperDuty is the best looking truck Ford has ever made and I wouldn't trade my 6.0 for any of the newer emissions laden engines either. So I'd vote to keep it and fix what is wrong if anything really is.

First option in thread is drive it until it needs fixed, then fix it. Meaning keep it, sorry should have ended with that detail, but yes, then I'd keep it and drive it until the wheels fall off.

There is NO oil at all under the truck, as in not a drip, I just had a big pull off added and its brand new pavement with no oil at all, and I'd definitely see it. I've never had to add oil either, it's always in the good range on the dip stick too. I add 15qts of Motocraft oil at change and let it go, just checking it often.

After reading Tuscany's reply, I'm pretty set on fixing it, I just didn't know about how much a place in OH would costs to do the needed repairs when it's time.

And like I said, it drives fine now, no issues at all, and I don't drive it daily either, I commute too far for work, but do drive it all weekend, and all our local errands through the week.

[Tuscany]

First before you decide to stud the truck I would verify that your head gaskets are in good shape. If they are you can stud the truck with the one stud at a time method and not only save time but save some serious money in machine work and parts. If you decide to do anything with it let me know and we will go from there.