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What did you BUY FOR your 6.0 today?

282353 Views 3827 Replies 389 Participants Last post by  Treehick
A little off-shoot from the "What did you do to your 6.0 today?" mega thread.
Very simple idea here, show what you bought for your 6.0 today.

Today was an expensive one for me:
-Upper and lower balljoints, both sides
-Center links
-NUC Oil by-pass filter kit
-Couple bottles of Archoil

Looking forward to posting install photos in the "What did you do to your 6.0 today?" thread.
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You can have a friend ship to their place then send to you. Jus sayin idaho is no issue. Factory hot side is good and the cold side is $133 on Amazon with a couple clamps and boots. If u need to get rid of a plastic style.

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I have things shipped to my son in Utah but I'm under a time constraint and didn't want to wait. I have a metal hot side and after an ordeal of popping 3 out of 4 boots off towing my trailer I went with tubes with better designed ends to go with the intercooler.
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Well I received the door strikers and they don’t work on my truck. Installed the driver rear door and it won’t close enough for the interior lights to turn off. Are you guys sure the number is 9L3Z-1522008-A? That’s what I have and it doesn’t seem to work for me.
Got the blue spring kit in and now I'm at 61 PSI at idle. Need to do a WOT check to see how far it drops. I'm also debating on getting the extra ground cable from the engine block to frame ground, but FICMRepair wants $40 for the cable which is reasonable, but then an additional $31 in shipping which is a little insane. I checked my alternator output, and it's at 13.6V at idle after the truck idled for about 20 mins. The additional ground is just to spread load the amp draw during starts a little more evenly between both batteries. (Watched TooManyToys vids on this upgrade/mod)
Wound up ordering 1/0 marine grade cable from batterycablesusa.com, cut to length with ends installed for the engine block to frame grou d and the passenger side cab to frame ground for $27.97 shipped.
There are so many better choices than FICMRepair. Glad you found one.

Now you need an 8ga cable from the driver's negative terminal to the FICM/PCM ground. Some NAPA stores make up cables like that, so do some marine supply stores.

Another option, a little less expensive:

Frame to block (can be 24" too).

Product Rectangle Slope Font Parallel



Ground to FICM/PCM

Slope Rectangle Font Parallel Screenshot



Voltage reading off OBD2 can be up to 0.5v low.

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There are so many better choices than FICMRepair. Glad you found one.

Now you need an 8ga cable from the driver's negative terminal to the FICM/PCM ground. Some NAPA stores make up cables like that, so do some marine supply stores.

Another option, a little less expensive:

Frame to block (can be 24" too).

View attachment 789456


Ground to FICM/PCM

View attachment 789457


Voltage reading off OBD2 can be up to 0.5v low.
The two cables I got. - one was for the passenger side cab to frame. The other will be from the engine block to frame on the driver side. I think thats what you were referring to, correct?
No. What I found was placing an 8ga cable from the drivers battery negative terminal directly to the ground locations for the FICM and PCM (also trans solenoids) has helped some people. Like me, some have seen the as a subjective observation the OBD2 voltage is reported higher.

More important to me, that’s saying voltage supply to the electronics are improved. A moderator on another forum who tried it felt the transmission shifted better. I did not notice that. All of this relatively subjective.

Basically what it does is improve the pathway for the negative side. By the cable, and by reducing the minor resistance of connections by having one each off battery. Resistance in series, is halfed.

It’s an inexpensive modification that can have a benefit. Those who have dual alternators do not need this 8ga addition, nor the drivers frame to engine block. Ford already did that with the dual alternator system by using the same negative battery cable on the passenger side on the drivers side. Although the 8ga wire goes to the body tub, not directly to the FICM/PCM.

Again, some may not see anything, I always see that possibility. And I’m not sell the cable.


The video for that modification.

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No. What I found was placing an 8ga cable from the drivers battery negative terminal directly to the ground locations for the FICM and PCM (also trans solenoids) has helped some people. Like me, some have seen the as a subjective observation the OBD2 voltage is reported higher.

More important to me, that’s saying voltage supply to the electronics are improved. A moderator on another forum who tried it felt the transmission shifted better. I did not notice that. All of this relatively subjective.

Basically what it does is improve the pathway for the negative side. By the cable, and by reducing the minor resistance of connections by having one each off battery. Resistance in series, is halfed.

It’s an inexpensive modification that can have a benefit. Those who have dual alternators do not need this 8ga addition, nor the drivers frame to engine block. Ford already did that with the dual alternator system by using the same negative battery cable on the passenger side on the drivers side. Although the 8ga wire goes to the body tub, not directly to the FICM/PCM.

Again, some may not see anything, I always see that possibility. And I’m not sell the cable.


The video for that modification.

Should ground cables be run from the driver side neg terminal to both the G100 and G101 locations or just the one for the FICM? Also, since I'm going up to a 180A alternator, should I look at additional cables? - i.e. the additional ground point on the alternator to the passenger fenderwell ground point (I think thats what was in the video)
I did the 24” one to the FICM/PCM ground by the strut mount at the inner fender, then continued to the PCM, trans, fuel pump, etc. at the firewall. For one, I did not want different negatives at the two reported PCM ground points. But to me, it was also important to have the other items well grounded.

Some people see the drivers battery as the primary power source during startup for the electronics, and there is some validity to that if you want to dive deep into the current measurements I took on all the cables. It can’t be if there is no direct cable from the battery to the ground plane.

Which brings us to the point of the ground or negative cable from the alternator ground post to the inner fender. As shown in some of my data, that is really a bad idea, especially if the 8ga cable off the passenger battery is the primary connection to the ground plane.

During starter engagement, that hungry beast draws amps from everywhere. The additional ground cable of any significant size from the alternator to the inner fender provides an addition series pathway for the starter, and that additional current flow though the 8ga cable. The more current you throw through the 8ga, the lower the voltage. And since that is the primary for the ground plane, the lower the voltage for the FICM.

It’s just a poorly conceived design, and at one time when Ed and I were havaing a hard disagreement behind the doors, I was insisting he change the layout for the expensive cables he was selling. At the time he said he would alter the instructions to bring that cable to the frame, and would add the short 1/0 cable for the drivers side frame/block. I thought he followed through, but never checked after that from years ago.

This entire system is dependent on a hidden layout, where the “bonding” cables at the back of the engine and under the passenger footwell are integral to the ground plane, but no wher in the Ford diagrams does it show them. Instead we are to believe a 4ga positive cable from the drivers battery to the CJB is balanced with an 8ga negative cable from the passenger battery to the inner fender. And because of the way Ford uses the frame as the connection between the drivers battery and the passenger battery, it gets whacked and things get weird when you start looking at current flows. When I started to measure the flow paths, and how they reverse through the “bonding” cables from starter engagement/battery supply to alternator supply, I had never seen anything like this in my career.

It is a complex layout and you can’t just take pretty, oversized cables and throw them places where they look impressive. Especially if you are trying to project the FICM is better served.
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Sorry, cut my post short as I had to leave for the Christmas tree farm.

To the question of adding a layover cable for the 180 amp alternator, you’re getting to the edge of where it’s needed at full output.

There’s only a short time when high amps are being used by the truck., depending on your setup. Most times the alternator is only in the 25 to 40 amp range. Lights wipers and additional electronics especially the blower motor peak the amps. With all electrics turned on with my truck my total amps is about 100. Excursions with their rear heaters can have a little more. And of course additional amplifiers or other things will add to that.

But, if we want to design to the peak amps and have the lowest amount of voltage loss than a layover cable can be added. It can be added from the alternator post to the passenger battery or to the drivers battery. It doesn’t need to be a large cable although the driver side cable being longer needs to go up a gauge. I don’t have my calculator handy for wire size t a four gauge cable to the passenger battery or a two gauge cable to the drivers battery would be more than sufficient. All cables though should be fused in some manner, either by an actual fuse or by splicing in fusible links. Two 12 gauge 4 inch long fusible links would be fine or something around a 100 amp fuse. You could up that two three 12 gauge fusible links or 200 amp fuse if you were concerned that you would lose the original factory circuit to the battery.

Again this is off the top of my head as I’m in the middle of Christmas tree sales don’t have any of the data with me.

Edited as I see my dictation was mis-read.
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I did the 24” one to the FICM/PCM ground by the strut mount at the inner fender, then continued to the PCM, trans, fuel pump, etc. at the firewall. For one, I did not want different negatives at the two reported PCM ground points. But to me, it was also important to have the other items well grounded.

Some people see the drivers battery as the primary power source during startup for the electronics, and there is some validity to that if you want to dive deep into the current measurements I took on all the cables. It can’t be if there is no direct cable from the battery to the ground plane.

Which brings us to the point of the ground or negative cable from the alternator ground post to the inner fender. As shown in some of my data, that is really a bad idea, especially if the 8ga cable off the passenger battery is the primary connection to the ground plane.

During starter engagement, that hungry beast draws amps from everywhere. The additional ground cable of any significant size from the alternator to the inner fender provides an addition series pathway for the starter, and that additional current flow though the 8ga cable. The more current you throw through the 8ga, the lower the voltage. And since that is the primary for the ground plane, the lower the voltage for the FICM.

It’s just a poorly conceived design, and at one time when Ed and I were havaing a hard disagreement behind the doors, I was insisting he change the layout for the expensive cables he was selling. At the time he said he would alter the instructions to bring that cable to the frame, and would add the short 1/0 cable for the drivers side frame/block. I thought he followed through, but never checked after that from years ago.

This entire system is dependent on a hidden layout, where the “bonding” cables at the back of the engine and under the passenger footwell are integral to the ground plane, but no wher in the Ford diagrams does it show them. Instead we are to believe a 4ga positive cable from the drivers battery to the CJB is balanced with an 8ga negative cable from the passenger battery to the inner fender. And because of the way Ford uses the frame as the connection between the drivers battery and the passenger battery, it gets whacked and things get weird when you start looking at current flows. When I started to measure the flow paths, and how they reverse through the “bonding” cables from starter engagement/battery supply to alternator supply, I had never seen anything like this in my career.

It is a complex layout and you can’t just take pretty, oversized cables and throw them places where they look impressive. Especially if you are trying to project the FICM is better served.
Just so I'm clear on what I'm about to order. A 24" 8 gauge cable for driver side battery negative terminal to FICM, and what was the length from that ground point to the one back on the firewall (8 gauge as well I'm assuming)? Also, will the 1/0 cable I have be ok for the passenger footwell, or should I go with a smaller gauge wire. The short 1/0 wasn't expensive and I want to make sure I'm not over doing it there. Same question about the 1/0 from the engine block on the drivers side to the driver side frame rail point. Is 1/0 ok or should it be a smaller gauge. I watched and rewatched your YT videos, but want to make sure I'm getting this right for the best possible result. I definitely appreciate all the detailed information, even though it's well above my paygrade. (There's a reason why I didn't do aviation electronics in the Marine Corps, I was a mechanical components guy - fuel, engines, flight controls. Lol)
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Bought an oil pressure gauge for the engine. Bothers me that I don’t know what the oil pressure is.
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Just so I'm clear on what I'm about to order. A 24" 8 gauge cable for driver side battery negative terminal to FICM, and what was the length from that ground point to the one back on the firewall (8 gauge as well I'm assuming)? Also, will the 1/0 cable I have be ok for the passenger footwell, or should I go with a smaller gauge wire. The short 1/0 wasn't expensive and I want to make sure I'm not over doing it there. Same question about the 1/0 from the engine block on the drivers side to the driver side frame rail point. Is 1/0 ok or should it be a smaller gauge. I watched and rewatched your YT videos, but want to make sure I'm getting this right for the best possible result. I definitely appreciate all the detailed information, even though it's well above my paygrade. (There's a reason why I didn't do aviation electronics in the Marine Corps, I was a mechanical components guy - fuel, engines, flight controls. Lol)
24” of 8ga drivers batt to FICM ground screw.
18” of 8ga FICM ground screw to firewall ground screw.
12ga braid or normal wire frame to body under pass footwell.
1/0 ga drivers frame to engine block. However, if you are replacing the drivers negative battery cable, you can get a longer 1/0 and go directly to the engine block and skip the frame rail.

A future design of the main cables will change all the major batterycables that are 1/0 and above. What I’ve posted were cables that supplement the factory cables.
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24” of 8ga drivers batt to FICM ground screw.
18” of 8ga FICM ground screw to firewall ground screw.
12ga braid or normal wire frame to body under pass footwell.
1/0 ga drivers frame to engine block. However, if you are replacing the drivers negative battery cable, you can get a longer 1/0 and go directly to the engine block and skip the frame rail.

A future design of the main cables will change all the major batterycables that are 1/0 and above. What I’ve posted were cables that supplement the factory cables.
Would the 1/0 short cable I already have for the passenger footwell cause issues? I'm running down to a local boat shop to have the other cables made today. Alternator just showed up about a half hour ago.
As long as you’re keeping the upper bonding cable firewall to engine it probably won’t but of course, I never tested that. The worst that could happen is probably burning up that 12 gauge wire which would be a cheap repair.

And that’s less likely to happen since you’ve got the 1/0 cable drivers frame to engine block
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As long as you’re keeping the upper bonding cable firewall to engine it probably won’t but of course, I never tested that. The worst that could happen is probably burning up that 12 gauge wire which would be a cheap repair.

And that’s less likely to happen since you’ve got the 1/0 cable drivers frame to engine block
Found a boat store near me today, they have a section to make the cables yourself, cost $20 for both cables - 8ga black Ancor wire, terminals, and heat shrink. Got the alternator swapped out for the DC Power 180A that showed up (early) today. Voltage on a cold start held, at the lowest point, at 14.2V. Oddly enough, my fuel pressure rose a couple PSI as well, from 61 to 63/64. Installing all the additional ground straps and coating the ends with NO-OX tomorrow at some point. @TooManyToys, I really appreciate all the help and direction that you've given me over the past week or so trying to get this thing sorted out.
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Glad to help. Sounds like a good store.

Ancor wire is my favorite, then Belden. All the work I'm going to do with starter cables in the future will be made from Ancor.
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Friday is gonna be a good time. Most recent purchases for the ole 6.0.
Electrical wiring Wire Electrical supply Font Cable
Electrical wiring Gadget Cable Wrist Wire
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Finally added a sub to round off the sound in my truck.

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Bought additional grounds yesterday to try to help alleviate any grounding issues.
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Nothing waiting for snow to disappear so I can break in powerstop pads. Kinda hard to do their routine on snow covered roads.

At least my other Ex is getting some serious driving time.


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An engine harness :cry:, 3 month backorder.
So the harness to 9 months to come in, guess what im working on today...
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