who here is savvy to the 6.0l Powerstroke engines? Just got me a '04 F350 XLT crewcab, Torqshift 5R110 trans, 4x4, etc… Sold as a mechanic’s special for a ridiculously low amount (<$3k), the truck has 160k miles, a straight body good rubber overall I think a worthy project to invest a few dollars into.
Problems experienced were lack of power in all ranges but no smoke when cold and did start without difficulty. Told that it was diagnosed as a single bad injector. Also, a certain hesitation in the transmission during up shifts but seems ok downshifting.
So been spending alot of time reading up on the likely problems with 6.0l engines so know about headbolts, oil coolers, EGR coolers and valves, FICMs, HPOS’s. Call me an optimist but I am believing that since the truck is still a good runner whatever problems it has are going to be fixable without spending thousands. However, I am a Powerstroke neophyte and could be walking into a minefield but it is too late since I paid for the truck already. Time to take the jabs from the pointy sticks of my fellow unwashed mariners here…at least those who know these engines and trucks.
I hate to tell you brother but that engine was complete junk and that particular year was the worst. A friend if mine owns an fleet of tow trucks and he has not had a single 6.0 make 100,000 miles with out a catastrophic failure. You may get lucky but that is extremely seldom the case with that engine. The forum will undoubtedly help you to improve upon the engine and learn their most common faults. I may disagree with a lot of the things you say but I honestly wish you the best there.
Yep the 6.0 sucks.
My 7.3 is about to turn 200k miles, just getting broken in. 14 trouble free years, just wish the harsh Maine winters had been kinder to the body.
[QUOTE=Flyer69;143438]Yep the 6.0 sucks.
My 7.3 is about to turn 200k miles, just getting broken in. 14 trouble free years, just wish the harsh Maine winters had been kinder to the body.[/QUOTE]
well I won’t say that I wanted the 6.0l and that I wouldn’t rather have a 7.3l, but the low price I got this rig for made it a very low risk proposition. Worse case, I can part out this truck and make money but I am going to try getting it back to 100%. If I discover some hidden disaster then it will become a tax deduction as my business is buying the truck.
Yeah that engine caused a rift in the long relationship Ford had with with International who built the engine. Ford ended up telling them to fuck off and designed and built their own Power Stroke for the current models. But I’ve read where some guys were able to make those 6.0s last through very high maintenance. There is also a huge aftermarket for parts and kits on those engines and their weak points are well known. You may be able to build it up as you go a little at a time barring any major failure. If you don’t plan on any big mods or tow heavy (5th wheel or gooseneck heavy over 12k) for a while you should be able to build a solid truck. Or you can dump it off on some dumb punk who wants to “roll coal”.
Back before I purchased my DuraMax, I did a lot of research on Diesel Pickup Trucks and here is the best Ford Forum that I found. http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/forum107/
As for the 6.0 Diesel, some say that they can be “Bullet Proofed” for around $5-$6000 and once it is done they can be dependable. The number one thing that thoses that have had that engine say is to make sure that NO Tuners have been used as when the HP is increased bad things can and most likely will happen.
I’ve always been more of a gasoline guy but I own a commercial truck, an old Western Star if you’re interested, and have seen a few things go wrong. The first thing I have to ask is whether or not the turbo is spooling up like it’s supposed to. Apparently the 6.0 is supposed to spool up very quickly. If it’s spooling like it should, I’d check for holes in the air intake line going from the Turbo to to the intercooler in the front back into the throttle body (or whatever that’s called on a diesel). 9 times out of 10 I have had a a problem with one of the boots getting a rip in it with the boot near the turbo going first. The other thing I saw that took a bit to find was a hole in the intercooler caused by road debris. If there are no holes and the turbo is spooling up like it should, check the EGR. If the EGR is all carboned up, bingo. That’s about all I can think of. Hope it helps.
If I was given a gasoline powered truck it would be sold the very same day. I’m on my fourth diesel. I will never go back to gas. As soon as they decide to offer the Suburban in diesel the wife will have one. All that you listed is a good place to start the search.
While I am on my second and about to be third Cummins, that line is getting really old brother. Let it go. I had a DuraMax for a while and it was ok. Still like the Cummins better.
[QUOTE=TrainMan;143467]I’ve always been more of a gasoline guy but I own a commercial truck, an old Western Star if you’re interested, and have seen a few things go wrong. The first thing I have to ask is whether or not the turbo is spooling up like it’s supposed to. Apparently the 6.0 is supposed to spool up very quickly. If it’s spooling like it should, I’d check for holes in the air intake line going from the Turbo to to the intercooler in the front back into the throttle body (or whatever that’s called on a diesel). 9 times out of 10 I have had a a problem with one of the boots getting a rip in it with the boot near the turbo going first. The other thing I saw that took a bit to find was a hole in the intercooler caused by road debris. If there are no holes and the turbo is spooling up like it should, check the EGR. If the EGR is all carboned up, bingo. That’s about all I can think of. Hope it helps.[/QUOTE]
thank you very kindly for this advice friend…it is what I am hoping to get and certainly will be checking all the above before taking out injectors. Save for head gaskets blowing when the 6.0l’s are abused, I believe the majority of their weaknesses lay in the peripheral equipment like the turbo and coolers. I believe the turbo is spooling up correctly but not certain. How noisy are they an the 6.0l because I would say that the one on the truck I am buying was pretty quiet?
Tell me about your Western Star…got the 8v71 in it? I was interested in one once with a crane on it, but it sold before I could go check it out.
[QUOTE=Tugs;143463]The number one thing that thoses that have had that engine say is to make sure that NO Tuners have been used as when the HP is increased bad things can and most likely will happen.[/QUOTE]
this one has definitely not been monkeyed with which is good however I am not sure of the quality of the maintenance it received. A pretty dirty truck overall which is good and bad because it may mean neglect of the important stuff like lube oil but no secrets. The engine did not appear to be leaking oil anywhere but alot of dirt in the engine compartment. The owner told me he has had the truck for 8 years and did the following only: fuel pump, alternator, ball joints.
[QUOTE=c.captain;143476]thank you very kindly for this advice friend…it is what I am hoping to get and certainly will be checking all the above before taking out injectors. Save for head gaskets blowing when the 6.0l’s are abused, I believe the majority of their weaknesses lay in the peripheral equipment like the turbo and coolers. I believe the turbo is spooling up correctly but not certain. How noisy are they an the 6.0l because I would say that the one on the truck I am buying was pretty quiet?
Tell me about your Western Star…got the 8v71 in it? I was interested in one once with a crane on it, but it sold before I could go check it out.[/QUOTE]
No man, my truck is way newer than the 8v71 era, though you are right in guessing Detroit and for that I am highly impressed. It’s a 2001 Western Star 4963ex that me and a couple of guys from my neighborhood got to together on to make something really cool. It’s got a 76 inch sleeper (fairly standard) with a 13 spd and 14l series 60 detroit. We put on all kinds of lights on it along with the most bad ass moose catcher you could ever imagine. One of the guys hauls cattle with it and I mostly run flats. Cattle is just way too complicated for me and since I know somebody at a flatbed outfit, that’s what I do.
However, back to your problem: I really doubt there is an injector problem. With one injector stuck in the closed or mostly closed position, you should notice a misfire type of thing. If it’s stuck in the open or mostly open position, you should notice really shitty mpg and maybe even black smoke, depending on what kind of emissions crap you have in the exhaust. If you don’t know what a misfire sounds like, pull the spark off of any v8. As far as the turbos on the 6.0s and their nose, i’m not sure. I’ve known a few guys who have had them and never really noticed them. Turbos on a truck are not like turbos on a boat in that you cannot get a direct measurement of their speed. Instead you have to rely on an indirect measurement which is normally the manifold pressure. The only way to obtain the manifold airpressure is from a direct reading or from the OBD2 port. Normal scan tools at places like Advanced Auto do not show live and freeze frame data. For this you need expensive scan tools from OTC or Snap On which can cost up to a few thousand dollars.
What I’m saying is try to find other 6.0 diesels that are running well and memorize the way they sound, especially the turbo. If that is not possible, then you need to somehow acquire a scan tool so you can see what the the manifold pressure is. These scan tools are thousands of dollars so if you don’t know anybody then don’t bother.
well I am a noted heavy duty truck man with the F-600 Command and Control Mobile (sold now) and the M54A2 (still at my shop) plus a few Internationals recently (both with DT466s) and a F-800 with the miserable DD 8.2l Thriftmaster (runs but I don’t drive it anywhere since I bought it for the crane it has to use at my shop). Also had a few 7.3l IDI trucks over the years. Still waiting for my first 5.9 Cummins…one day I am sure
However, back to your problem, really doubt there is an injector problem. With one injector stuck in the close or mostly close position, you should notice a misfire type of thing. If it’s stuck in the open or mostly open position, you should notice really shitty and maybe even black smoke, depending on what kind of emissions crap you have in the exhaust.
Yes, I believe sticktion might very well be at play here or carbon buildup. The owner did say he did regular oil changes but never used an antisticktion additive so that is the first thing I will try when I drive it back home at the end of the week. I am hopeful that the problems are going to prove minor and external to the engine. Also glad to know that the Torqpower 5R110 has a good reputation which means the problems there too might not require major intervention to rectify.
The coolant is equally as important in these motors as the oil.
Wrong coolant leads to coolant cavitation. The additives that prevent cavitation also need to be renewed. Or just drain the coolant, back flush, and fill in with the good stuff.
Check out Powerstroke enginuities. Their bread & butter is the 6.0. I have relations with an F550 6.0 which just got its second EGR cooler installed. Low miles but it’s a fire truck so it lives a tough life.