I love that your doing this.

 

I used to have the major work that has been done on the truck in my signature, but I decided to put links to helpful troubleshooting threads in my signature instead.

The truck is a 2006 model year with commonized heads.

Upgrades and major work:

• Head studs (thanks Scuffy, ie Scott and @npccpartsman) when I tuned it (8000 pound tow tune and Atlas 40 FICM tune). Tuned at the end of the 100k warranty period.
• Several electronic gauge systems (OBDII port) with fuel pressure and coolant pressure gauges.
• Proactively upgraded the HPOP discharge STC fitting with upgraded one-piece fitting, and installed OEM standpipes and dummy plugs when the upgraded ones first came out.
• Upgraded OEM oil cooler when the extra cooling row was first introduced (also proactively).
• Extensive coolant flush and switch to Rotella Ultra ELC coolant.
• Proactive OEM glow plugs and GPCM at 100k miles.
• Aftermarket fluids in the transfer case and both differentials.
• BPD EGR cooler (proactively).
• BPD radiator when the original failed (if ever another radiator is needed, I'll get a high capacity one from KCTurbo).
• BPD water pump
• Snow Plow fan clutch
• Fuel tank sump when pickup tube failed.
• Rebuilt the HFCM.
• Blue regulator spring (OEM) and relocated fuel pump relay.
• Upgraded FICM (thanks Ed at FICMRepair.com).
• Stage 1.5 turbo (thanks KC Turbo) when the OEM original one failed.
• CCV re-route with filter.
• Power steering filter.
• Upgraded ball joints (DynaTrac ProSteer rebuildable), Bilstein shocks.
• All other front end components at one time or another (OEM replacements as much as possible).
• Replaced cab bump stops (maybe an upgrade, maybe not).
• Degas bottle/reservoir cracked and leaked (and completely "clouded up"). Replaced with OEM reservoir. Proactively upgraded to a stainless steel Leader Evaporator (or H2O-Innovations, or Bascom brand) "WYE" under the degas bottle.
• Miscellaneous mods: alternator, batteries, Riff Raff CAC boots (thanks @partyman97_3 ), wiring (thanks TooManyToys), intake elbow, removed cat and also removed the air flow stator, serpentine belt. Replaced miscellaneous (OEM ONLY) sensors proactively, OE, replacement of front hubs/seals.
• Still have the original OEM air filtration system (change filter every 30k miles) and running the original injectors and original Charge-Air-Cooler.
• Rigorous PM on fluids, filters, brakes, etc. Still running Mercon SP transmission fluid.
• Fumoto block drains and oil pan drain
• I used to have two more frame rail batteries and a 3000 watt Power Gate power inverter, but removed them doing other maintenance, just haven't had time to re-install them. Not hunting as much anymore.

I can add approximate dates/miles for the work above if it might have value.

There are probably a few other upgrades worth mentioning, but maybe I'll add those in a future edit.

A labor of love - LOL!

 

I used to have the major work that has been done on the truck in my signature, but I decided to put links to helpful troubleshooting threads in my signature instead.

The truck is a 2006 model year with commonized heads.

Upgrades and major work:

• Head studs (thanks Scuffy, ie Scott and @npccpartsman) when I tuned it (8000 pound tow tune and Atlas 40 FICM tune). Tuned at the end of the 100k warranty period.
• Several electronic gauge systems (OBDII port) with fuel pressure and coolant pressure gauges.
• Proactively upgraded the HPOP discharge STC fitting with upgraded OEM standpipes and dummy plugs when the upgraded ones first came out.
• Upgraded OEM oil cooler when the extra cooling row was first introduced.
• Extensive coolant flush and switch to Rotella Ultra ELC coolant.
• Proactive OEM glow plugs and GPCM.
• Aftermarket fluids in the transfer case and both differentials.
• BPD EGR cooler (proactively).
• BPD radiator when the original failed.
• BPD water pump
• Snow Plow fan clutch
• Fuel tank sump when pickup tube failed.
• Rebuilt the HFCM.
• Blue regulator spring (OEM) and relocated fuel pump relay.
• Upgraded FICM (thanks Ed at FICMRepair.com).
• Stage 1.5 turbo (thanks KC Turbo) when the OEM original one failed.
• CCV re-route with filter.
• Power steering filter.
• Upgraded ball joints (DynaTrac ProSteer rebuildable), Bilstein shocks.
• All other front end components at one time or another (OEM replacements).
• Replaced cab bump stops (maybe an upgrade. maybe not).
• Degas bottle/reservoir cracked and leaked (and completely "clouded up"). Replaced with OEM reservoir. Proactively upgraded to a stainless steel Leader Evaporator (or H2O-Innovations, or Bascom brand) "WYE" under the degas bottle.
• Miscellaneous mods: alternator, batteries, Riff Raff CAC boots (thanks @partyman97_3 ), wiring (thanks TooManyToys), intake elbow, removed cat and also removed the air flow stator, serpentine belt. Replaced miscellaneous (OEM ONLY) sensors proactively, OE, replacement of front hubs/seals.
• Still have the original OEM air filtration system (change filter every 30k miles) and running the original injectors and original Charge-Air-Cooler.
• Rigorous PM on fluids, filters, brakes, etc. Still running Mercon SP transmission fluid.
• Fumoto block drains and oil pan drain
• I used to have two more frame rail batteries and a 3000 watt Power Gate power inverter, but removed them doing other maintenance, just haven't had time to re-install them. Not hunting as much anymore.

I can add approximate dates/miles for the work above if it might have value.

There are probably a few other upgrades worth mentioning, but maybe I'll add those in a future edit.

A labor of love - LOL!

Honestly Id take as much info as I can get, I know a lot of us on here want to learn as much as we can and anyone else's data helps guide us.

One of the reasons I wasn't as afraid of the 6.0 was seeing the passion everyone on these forums has for this truck which makes it a lot more fun...

 

I think it is almost BulletProof now ............

(I have a coolant-to-oil oil cooler from them in the garage - so "almost", not fully, LOL)

 

But you didn't mill the heads ... lol.

 

Well now, actually they were .... lol. I can't recall the numbers though (EDIT: .002 removed). My regret is that they weren't o-ringed! Always sumthin' .................. just a little bit more, almost there, one last mod, well maybe two ..........

 

I'm sorry, Mark. I thought you were the one who didn't have them milled. My bad!

 

Come on Jack, it's only been 15 or so years, lol!

 

The memory is going ... the brain is shrinking.

 

(pulls pin on grenade and drops it)

Just think how good those numbers would look on twice the mileage OCI if you had ran Amsoil lol.

In all seriousness though thank you @bismic for all the real world info you provide to this forum.

 

Amsoil - now that was good @kbnw15 ! Always a regret or two in any "project", lol!

 

Curious where you buy your Delvac 5W-40? I've been wanting to try Delvac but its always hard to find the 5W40 available locally. Everyone has Rotella 5W40 so I've been running that (Tractor Supply, Walmart, Autozone, etc).

 

Dave, I haven't looked for it for several years. I found an incredible sale (and rebates) and picked up a few gallons. Now that I only need to drive around 4-5k miles a year, I will only be doing annual(ish) oil changes (actually have been doing that for a couple of years already).

I'm sure this could generate a bit of discussion on how long unopened engine oil stays good!! So far so good.

I do like the Mobil diesel oil. I have tried a number of different oils over the years (no Amsoil though) and I always seem to come back to the Mobil oils.

Also, except for a couple of oil changes when the truck was new, it has all been 5W40. When new, I used some Motorcraft 15W40 for a couple of oil changes. IMO, 5W40 oil is why my original injectors are still going good (well enough anyway - seeing a bit of fuel economy drop), but I do know that I currently have a bit of an exhaust gas leak - "Y" pipe probably, that is affecting the fuel economy.

EDIT: just two oil changes left in inventory and it is all the TDT (Turbo Diesel Truck 5W40).

 

Reading through the list of mods after typing them is bringing back a memory or two - primarily from another forum. I was posting my opinions on the 6.0L in the early days and saying that it has great potential for being a good engine, but the problem areas are numerous, and they all need to be addressed (the right way) to achieve longevity. Even so, for the vast majority of 6.0L engines, completing the upgrades wasn't terribly onerous (except if it had already been abused). This opinion generated a tad bit of discussion (arguing perhaps, lol), with a few forum members telling me to "Just wait, mine will crater also, regardless of the work/upgrades". I still feel that same way, and there is still a lot of strong disagreement periodically, lol.

Unfortunately, there is a great quantity of abused 6.0L trucks out there, and MANY with knock-off parts, or poor jobs done in the repair process.

I guess that was some of the motivation to list the mods in this thread. Bottom line, I have been very pleased with this whole adventure (and it definitely was an adventure)!! A number of incredible Techs, outstanding mechanics, and several really good automotive engineers really got us started on the right path.

What a different outcome that would have been realized with only a few changes at the factory and at the design desk (starting with coolant, then EGR and oil cooler design, fuel pressure, early HPOPs, and later high pressure oil leaks from seals an o-rings)! Lots of Techs were 100% convinced that the head bolts were fine with the design power level and the other systems working like they should!

Just my 2 cents!!

Edit - just wanted to also say that a bunch of things on the list above were purely elective, ie not a reliability requirement.

No guarantees on reliability and longevity (especially when we know there were some lemons coming out of the factory, but we sure know a lot more now than we did in 2003!!

 

Robot or human?

The Walmart link still may work ....

https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/MOB127863&store=24810?cid=paidsearch_shopping_GOOGLE_dmx-Google+%7C+Shopping+%7C+Core+%7C+Non-Brand+%7C+Promos_ao&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=6478906937&gbraid=0AAAAADzGEwxxf3DTcztniVgRu5i086xlL

 

Found it: 0.002 off of each head (2011 thread here).

 

With the way these things cup, that would have flattened the surface.

 

Yeah, and 2006 was (edit - my memory this time, and the hydrocodone) before Ford changed the head flatness requirements - see below. Point being, IMO, commonized '06 heads should be ok at the .002 milling, unless the heads tented in the years of operation. Of course that is why measurement is important.

 

For those who haven't played along, the original spec stated no more than 0.004" per total surface area.

In Oct 2006, the spec was changed. The lengthwise flatness no longer mattered. And the only check needed was across the narrow, to 0.002" maximum. Below 0.002" was good to go.

I disagree with that spec. A bend or tenting of the head 0.002" means down the center of the block (or head), you will never clamp down on the head gasket as tightly as you will around the bolt holes. In reality, even with a flat head, you still don't; there is always some deflection.

The ways you will have deflection between the bolting locations are by elastic deformation or plastic deformation. Plastic deformation can occur from excessive bending forces or stress relief over time.

But with the spacing between the bolts, there will be elastic deflection with every combustion event. If it's 0.001", and you have an acceptable 0.002", now you have 0.003" deflection at combustion. If the residual (plastic) deflection is 0.002" from bending under the combustion event, how much did the head move to get to that point? Usually, there is springback. So if it's 0.003", and Ford has the tech put the head back on with 0.002", now the combination of plastic and elastic deflection is 0.005", and you are puking.

I could continue, but I'm tired and ready for bed.

Here's the video about my view on the subject. That may put you to sleep, too. At least then you'll play the video to the end, and I'll get credit for it.

https://youtu.be/LYWVp_n5CKw

 

Jack, it was your videos and our many conversations why I chose to spend many, many hours hand lapping my heads absolutely dead flat and smooth. Two years later it runs like a top.

 

Thank you. I never bothered to account for how many hours I spent lapping all four of my surfaces, two heads, and both sides of the block. But it was days, with some rest in between. That was work! The driver's side block took forever to correct the bad milling work Ford's rebuilder did.

That friggin engine should have been sent to a VoTech school to show how many things could be done wrong by a rebuilder. I guess it could have been worse, the plasma weld to restore the cylinder's diameter hasn't peeled out of the block, yet, as it had with some other engines ...

 

It took me probably 2 weeks to do all four surfaces working a couple of hours a day. Would have been much quicker to bring them to a machine shop but my time is free. The factory milling on mine was pathetic as well. It is a miracle that it did not have gasket leaks. I also followed your lead and polished the crank and new cam. I am now also running a 2um bypass oil filtration system so hopefully this motor will outlive me. That is if we can get quality replacement parts in the future with Ford outsourcing more and more stuff and becoming the same junk as aftermarket.

 

Thanks for the call out sir!

 

I've been going 7500 and UOA's are still same or lower than listed averages.
There is some viscosity reduction happening though. It goes from low side of 40w to high side of 30w.
The guys at Scheaffers say it's not a big deal. The truck doesn't seem to care.
I've gone to the 5w40 per this board. The 5w40 is supposed to be on the high side of 40 spec so maybe it will stay inside the 40w spec. I have around 4500 miles on the 5w40 as of today and again, the truck doesn't seem to care one way or another.

 

I agree. I am a mechanic, and so is my best friend. We both own our own shops. We are both convinced that nothing after the 2005-08 timeframe is worth owning if you plan on keeping it long term as I tend to do. This is why I intentionally sought an older generation truck. I was not specific on Ford, but it is what I found the deal on. I rebuilt the engine and plan on keeping it for many years. I also have a 2001 Mercedes I keep maintained very well for the same reasons.

 

2002 Acura MDX, 275,000 miles, but now it is a "leave on the side of the road dead" vehicle when she goes.

I truely don't understand why all the manufacturers have caught up to Jeep.

 

One of my riding buddies has a 2025 F250 Tremor with the 7.3 gasser I was checking out. Cool looking truck, and lots of cool features, but holy moly they have gotten bigger! Longer, taller. And the silly taller bedrails make it so you can't reach the floor of the bed (I'm 6'-0" tall). Granted his was a Tremor with 35s from the factory.

Also for some reason his bed is slightly shorter. I can put in 2 dirt bikes, kick the back tires together and close the tailgate. He cannot.

And the $75k price tag doesn't help...

Snapped a picture of both side by side. You can really see!