• Welcome to The Truck Stop! We see you haven't REGISTERED yet.

    Your truck knowledge is missing!
    • Registration is FREE , all we need is your birthday and email. (We don't share ANY data with ANYONE)
    • We have tons of knowledge here for your diesel truck!
    • Post your own topics and reply to existing threads to help others out!
    • NO ADS! The site is fully functional and ad free!
    CLICK HERE TO REGISTER!

    Problems registering? Click here to contact us!

    Already registered, but need a PASSWORD RESET? CLICK HERE TO RESET YOUR PASSWORD!

Semi Retire my 6.5 for a Powerstroke 6.0?

F

fonecop1

New Member
Messages
188
Reaction score
0
Well my 95 is getting a little long in the tooth with 328,000 miles on it. It still has the original motor and transmission and is my daily driver with an 80 mile round trip if I just go to work and back. I don't work it much but haul some firewood only a couple miles from the house as well as pull a small camper. This spring we would like to upgrade the camper and I have been a little bit concerned about working the truck that much harder at this time of it's life. I haven't been looking for a newer truck but I've been thinking about what I would do if this one took a crap, would I want to invest the kind of money we'd be talking about in a truck with that many miles on it. My Father-inlaw called me yesterday and told me that my Wife's Uncle was getting ready to trade in his Powerstroke and if I was interested to call him. For a guy that is 48 and has never owned a Ford in his life and currently has 5 Chevy's, it had to sound like a great deal for me to even make that call. Now about the deal

The truck is a 2004 Super Duty XLT 2 wheel drive Crew Cab Shortbed Powerstroke 6.0 with 99,000 miles on it. It has a brush guard bumper and a camper top on it. I haven't seen the truck in about 4 years (it's in Houston and I'm in STL) but Tony always keeps his stuff in perfect condition.

I can buy the truck for $13,000, maybe cheaper. Blue book is between $17,500 and $18,300. So I'm thinking it's a pretty good deal and started doing some poking around on the internet. I tried looking around on the Powerstroke forum here but there isn't much activity there. I found some other sites that had some more chatter and there is a lot of stuff out there about the 2003 and 2004 6.0 litre having problems. The stuff I have found so far is stuff like "you need to do ARP Studs and EGR Delete and you are good to go". I haven't dug that deep but I don't get the feeling that EGR Delete on one of those is a flat piece of steel bolted on like it is on our trucks.

When I read those posts over there they sound just like some of the posts over here when somebody buys a 6.5 and don't know how to work on it and drops a bunch of money at the dealer and in bolt on parts as they heuristically troubleshoot a problem themselves.

Yesterday I was really thinking I wanted this truck but now I just don't know. Does anybody have any experience with or own a 6.0 Powerstroke? Also what do you think of the deal at $13,000?
Thx,
Bob
 
You are right about the EGR and headstud issues.

The EGR issues will plague a 6.0 even in stock form, and the head gaskets are more of a 'tuned' issue. If you are keeping it stock, you shouldn't have any problems.

At $13000, it is not a bad deal. Get it for $12 500 and pay someone else to block the EGR for you if you are not comfortable.

BTW - not sure about the PS, but when you block the EGR on the DMAX you need a tuner to go with it...
 
Bob -

This is off-topic, because you're specifically asking for info about the 6.0 PS. I don't have what you're asking for, so feel free to bypass my response.

What I DO have is a 16-year-old truck with over 200K on the clock. I'm the third owner. First owner hauled a large fifth wheel live-in horse trailer for his ranch, as well as a heavy dual axle trailer for feed and assorted tractors. The second owner builds steel buildings here in east Texas and used the truck to haul a fifth wheel loaded with steel. The truck was well-maintained, but used hard daily for years. I purchased it after it had sat for several years following some seriously high dollar diagnostic screw-ups. It took a year and about $1400 to get it running again. Today, thanks to members on this this list and another list (Oil Burner's), and Bill Heath and Ian, I have a truck that conservatively has well over 220hp, 450# of torque and gets over 18mpg. All this for the cost of one set of PS injectors. And I did all the work myself. Next summer, I'll replace the tranny and probably do the same for the engine the year after. Right now, the truck is over at a high school body shop program getting a fresh coat of paint. When I get it back, I'll have a 16-year old truck that looks great, runs great and is a hoot to drive! And I can fix it myself.

If you're tired of your ride and looking for a change, then buy the truck. Your uncle is a great source of history; you'll know all there is to know about the vehicle. Sounds like you're getting it for a good price and if you don't like it, you can bail out and come away smiling. Just depends on what you want.
 
you should be talking to my son,he bought a 6 ltr 1 ton ford brandnew in 06 , he wished he never seen it.Theres allways something going wacky,been at the steeler more than he drove it.
He wants me to fix it now the warranty ran out, one look under the hood was enough to say, no, i dont want no part of it.

IMO You'r better of with a cummins
 
I have a 05 PS, crew cab, dually, 4x4, king ranch. I have had no problems since I bought it, BUT before I got it, it had the heads and egr redone. I like the truck alot. Its big! I rarely ever drive it anymore, only has 95K miles on it so I am going to be selling it also.
 
Dave Barbieri said:
Bob -

This is off-topic, because you're specifically asking for info about the 6.0 PS. I don't have what you're asking for, so feel free to bypass my response.

What I DO have is a 16-year-old truck with over 200K on the clock. I'm the third owner. First owner hauled a large fifth wheel live-in horse trailer for his ranch, as well as a heavy dual axle trailer for feed and assorted tractors. The second owner builds steel buildings here in east Texas and used the truck to haul a fifth wheel loaded with steel. The truck was well-maintained, but used hard daily for years. I purchased it after it had sat for several years following some seriously high dollar diagnostic screw-ups. It took a year and about $1400 to get it running again. Today, thanks to members on this this list and another list (Oil Burner's), and Bill Heath and Ian, I have a truck that conservatively has well over 220hp, 450# of torque and gets over 18mpg. All this for the cost of one set of PS injectors. And I did all the work myself. Next summer, I'll replace the tranny and probably do the same for the engine the year after. Right now, the truck is over at a high school body shop program getting a fresh coat of paint. When I get it back, I'll have a 16-year old truck that looks great, runs great and is a hoot to drive! And I can fix it myself.

If you're tired of your ride and looking for a change, then buy the truck. Your uncle is a great source of history; you'll know all there is to know about the vehicle. Sounds like you're getting it for a good price and if you don't like it, you can bail out and come away smiling. Just depends on what you want.
Click to expand...

I hear you. I was kinda looking at it like I can keep my 6.5 for the stuff like cutting wood off of the beaten path and driving to work in the snow since this truck is not 4 wheel drive. And who knows my truck may last another several years and many more miles. I guess what I'm trying to figure out is if it is a great deal I may buy it and have a truck that's 9 years newer. If I wait till the 6.5 dies I will have to decide if I want to get rid of it for a little of nothing or put a reman in it and invest $4K to $5K in a 15 year old truck. Also if I wait till the 6.5 dies my options will be more limited as far as replacing it.

Does the $13,000 or $12,500 sound like a great deal?
 
Ford is different. It is a harsh change for someone who has GM orange blood in them. The interior design is different. Headlight operation from high to low beams, wiper locations etc.

Under the hood Ford is simply worse to work on. GM leans on simple more than Ford.

You could also find a low mile 1995 GM and freshen up the transmission and a lot of other things for $13K. With your miles IF something on your truck went like the trans, $1300 in and out with new OD gears 4L80E, is the truck in good enough condition to justify it?

You already know you have to remove the emissions system on it for reliability. Not anything worse than our PMD per say.

I know Halliburton used them F350 diesels in the oil fields. They were always loaded heavy. Of all of them that were brought in for repairs and oil changes only 1 had a bad engine. They sent it for a new engine. Most had over 100K and some over 200K.

So you are really not doing too bad on a Ford IF you like the truck. Otherwise stay with GM or look at some Dodges.
 
Chris,
From what I read you should not nead a tuner on the 04 with the EGR delete.

Bison,
I think the same way about the Cummins but I don't think I'd get close to it for this price.
 
I know this guy and when he says it's in great condition I know it is, he keeps his stuff up good. Also I bought another car from him and my brother in law bought one from him too with no regrets.
 
If you don't need a tuner to do the delete, you are sitting even better....

You know you want it - buy it.

If you don't like it, sell it for KBB value and make some cash...
 
fonecop1 said:
Does the $13,000 or $12,500 sound like a great deal?
Click to expand...
Sorry, I'm NOT a good resource when it comes to establishing value. 'Specially on vehicles. Buy High, Sell Low. That's my motto. :nonod: Marty (Loving Wife) has always sed that if you took a turd and painted it gold, I'd walk 3miles barefoot in the snow to buy it from you. :D
 
fonecop1 said:
Also what do you think of the deal at $13,000?
Thx,
Bob
Click to expand...

here is what $5,200.00 gets you :

65zoot.gif


all this : http://www.dieseldepot.com/re_65diesel.html PLUS

# Additional Features:

# Balanced Rotating Assembly
# 18.5:1 Compression Ratio
# ARP Head Studs
# Stud Girdle
# Timing Gear Set
# Port Matched Intake & Exhaust
# Ceramic Coated Heads
# Ceramic Coated Piston Tops
 
I have no experience with the 6.0 but have not heard any good things.

One person I know who had one pulled the ass off it, 3 turbos, 14 glow plugs, IIRC 1 tranny, all under warranty. He sold it before the warranty was over.

Edit: not 14 glow plugs, 14 injectors.
 
Last edited:
NVW said:
He sold it before the warranty was over.
Click to expand...
That DOES seem to be the trend. Ford dealers have been loaded with used 6.0s for a few years. Try to find a used Cummins or Dmax at the dealers and it's a different story. There ARE quite a few guys who haven't had trouble with theirs though... Or they're good liars...
 
I have ridden in a stock 6.0 PS and thought my modified 6.5 is much more responsive and gets much better fuel economy at the same time. I have ridden in a tuned DMax and though that was just wicked awesome.

A friend of mine has had to replace crank sensors each year in his PS, I think a common problem.

I just dont like Ford trucks, not comfortable to me. My brothers have them, and Ive driven them plenty.

If you havent changed the exhaust, or intake on the engine to an L65 F code, gotten rid of the EGR and a performance EPROM for the PCM you havent begun to see what your truck can do. Throw an ATT on it and youll have more reliability and pulling power. Put a new timing chain on it if its stock and a Fluidamp balancer on if you think it getting long in the tooth. It will be something you never imagined :)
 
How bad do you want it? Also ,, how is the Body and Int, on Your truck? Being a chevy guy, it'd be hard for me to swallow buying ford. If your body is good, rust free, then I'd take $8000, and do a new Engine, Rebuilt Tranny, all new brakes & shocks, tires if needed, and call it your new truck. The insurance will be cheaper on your older truck, and you'll still be a chevy guy and get to hang out with us!!!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top