What's the issue with the 6.0?

[Anubis]

the "Old Man" now owns a 2005 Dodge Ram 3500 dually but before that he had a 2003 F350 dually 6.0L power stroke and before that a 2001 Silverado Dually with a duramax.

He has a 22,000lb 39' 5er and the Ford pulled it better and it got better mileage doing it. He has the Dodge now because he got a better price on it and it is getting the same mileage as the ford.

my wrecker (when I drove tow truck) was a F450 roll bed with a 6.0L, it replaced our 2001 durmax.... which spent more than it's fair share of time in the shop.

The 6.0L is a reliable engine, period, but it is poorly understood. that and until Ford lost their minds with the 2008 super duty the Ford looks better.


I seemed to have had this same argument when I bought my 6.5TD. I was told it was junk, that it would crack it's heads if I tried to tow too heavy. I was told the Turbo last only days, I would be lucky to make it out of the dealer's lot before the PMD went out. I was told the injection pump would not last the week........ you know what .... none of those people have owned one.

Keep talking smack about the 6.0L so I can afford one in 5 years.

 

[Max Attitude]

the "Old Man" now owns a 2005 Dodge Ram 3500 dually but before that he had a 2003 F350 dually 6.0L power stroke and before that a 2001 Silverado Dually with a duramax.

He has a 22,000lb 39' 5er and the Ford pulled it better and it got better mileage doing it. He has the Dodge now because he got a better price on it and it is getting the same mileage as the ford.

my wrecker (when I drove tow truck) was a F450 roll bed with a 6.0L, it replaced our 2001 durmax.... which spent more than it's fair share of time in the shop.

The 6.0L is a reliable engine, period, but it is poorly understood. that and until Ford lost their minds with the 2008 super duty the Ford looks better.


I seemed to have had this same argument when I bought my 6.5TD. I was told it was junk, that it would crack it's heads if I tried to tow too heavy. I was told the Turbo last only days, I would be lucky to make it out of the dealer's lot before the PMD went out. I was told the injection pump would not last the week........ you know what .... none of those people have owned one.

Keep talking smack about the 6.0L so I can afford one in 5 years.

Well, w/e. I have friends who own them who wish they never did. :rolleyes5: Countless problems. Die hard Ford fans who never owned anything else...switched to Dodge. You can go out and buy one if you want. Good luck. And btw, you're comparing a first generation Duramax power wise to a newer Ford 6.0.

 

[HeavyAssault]

I love my 6.0, many many other folks love theirs as well. I chuckle every time I run across a thread like this where a bunch of folks with little or no experience with the 6.0 bad mouth it to death. I figure the more crap people talk, the cheaper I can buy my next one.

FIRST- Get an OASIS REPORT from Ford (equivalent to GM's VIN report). Do not buy a 6.0 without one. Look for recurring issues and major repairs on the report.

If you don't program it, and the OASIS doesn't show a history of head gasket issues, then it likely won't have any problems running stock TTY head bolts. I haven't had studs on either of my trucks and neither has had head gasket issues.

Fluids and filters are important to the 6.0, especially the oil. Fresh oil every 5,000 is a must, since the high pressure oil system (used to fire the injectors) shears oil rather quickly. USE NOTHING OTHER THAN MOTORCRAFT/INTERNATIONAL/RACOR FUEL FILTERS AND OIL FILTERS.

The injectors are not nearly as troublesome as the rumors suggest. If you keep the fuel pressure up (as noted below), change fuel filters every 10k, and change the oil every 5k, you will probably not have any more injector issues with a 6.0 than you would have with any other late model diesel.

A coolant filter should be installed immediately to prevent plugging of the oil cooler and the eventual rupture of the EGR cooler.

Fuel pressures need to stay above 45psi (measured in the underhood fuel bowl) to keep the injectors healthy. A healthy stock fuel pump will maintain fuel pressures between 49-53psi under all circumstances.

The Torqueshift trannys on these trucks are as stout as the blessed 4L80E, maybe even more. The trannys they used to have behind the 7.3s are the ones to watch out for.

The variable vein turbos can get sticky if they're not exercised on a regular basis. Not a problem for me, since exercising the turbo is part of the fun of owning a turbo diesel.

The most important parameters on the 6.0 are EGTs, fuel pressure, EOT, and ECT. Keep the fuel pressures over 45 psi at all times. Keep the cruising EGTs under 1250 (short spikes to 1500 won't hurt, but don't make a habit of it) and let them fall below 350 before you shut down. Make sure the oil temps are within 15 degrees of the coolant temps at cruising speeds. If they're not, you need to replace your oil cooler or risk blowing the EGR cooler.

And as far as comparisons to the 7.3 go, the 6.0 will run circles around the 7.3, but the 6.0 will not take abuse nearly as well. When properly taken care of and maintained, the 6.0 will work harder and last just as long as a 7.3.

All of these are VERY good points and excellent recommendations. You not going to convert those that are closed minded and not willing to hear your points.

 

[Anubis]

ford lovers all have the same thing in common,they all bought the cheapest truck,and try to defend it-

I could say the same for the 6.5 TD. I could buy 3 of them for the price of a powerstroke equipped Ford....... when I bought this I had been on the look out for a 1994 7.3 DI Turbo or a 95 Powerstroke... couldn't get them in my price range..... I traded 351 out of a 97 F350 (90,000 miles) and a set of 4.56 gears for a Ford 8.8 and D44 I had bought for my Bronco for my current Silverado 2500 6.5 TD 4x4........ I paid $850 for the engine and $400 for the gears.....

so thats $1250 I have tied up in my rock solid 6.5TD..... couldn't touch a Ford in the same shape/miles with a gasser let alone a diesel for less that $4000.

don't get me wrong .... I am not a chevy hater, I had a 91 2500 Suburban for many years and it never failed till I burned up the transmission and it had more rust on it than it was worth fixing but I am not going to knock the Ford either. it has it's quirks like every other engine... you just need to figure them out and figure out the fixes ....... (6.5 TD any one?)


I know alot of professional RV pullers that swear by the 6.0L (I bet they know all the mods though)

 

[w_huisman]

the "Old Man" now owns a 2005 Dodge Ram 3500 dually but before that he had a 2003 F350 dually 6.0L power stroke and before that a 2001 Silverado Dually with a duramax.

He has a 22,000lb 39' 5er and the Ford pulled it better and it got better mileage doing it. He has the Dodge now because he got a better price on it and it is getting the same mileage as the ford.

my wrecker (when I drove tow truck) was a F450 roll bed with a 6.0L, it replaced our 2001 durmax.... which spent more than it's fair share of time in the shop.

The 6.0L is a reliable engine, period, but it is poorly understood. that and until Ford lost their minds with the 2008 super duty the Ford looks better.


I seemed to have had this same argument when I bought my 6.5TD. I was told it was junk, that it would crack it's heads if I tried to tow too heavy. I was told the Turbo last only days, I would be lucky to make it out of the dealer's lot before the PMD went out. I was told the injection pump would not last the week........ you know what .... none of those people have owned one.

Keep talking smack about the 6.0L so I can afford one in 5 years.

THANK YOU.

All of these are VERY good points and excellent recommendations. You not going to convert those that are closed minded and not willing to hear your points.

THANK YOU.

ford lovers all have the same thing in common,they all bought the cheapest truck,and try to defend it-

Broad generalizations like this are just plain awesome. :rolleyes5:

After I lost my 03 6.0 through the ice, I test drove a couple of LBZ crew cabs and even one Cummins "crew cab". I immediately ruled out the Cummins because there were no used megacabs around, and the other model that they claimed was a crew cab was actually nothing more than a four-door extended cab. The lbz is a beautiful truck with an engine that humms like a sewing machine. Sounds pretty sweet for a diesel, no doubt. The throttle is snappy and it accelerates smooth as silk. However, it was the rest of the truck that made my mind up for me.

The seats are a bit "squishy" for my tastes, although I'm sure I could get used to them if I wanted to. And I realize this is just one man's perception of the interior, but the dash components and door panels just seem lighter/cheaper. Even so, I still could have easily overlooked those (perceived or real) deficiencies to put that smooth running drivetrain in my garage if it weren't for one other issue. The interior of a cc lbz is WAY smaller than the Ford.

I can fit my entire family of 6 (two adults, four kids ages 15, 6, 3 and 1), including two in car seats, in my ford with plenty of leg and hip/shoulder room in both the front and the back seats. After owning one cc 6.0 that didn't give me any trouble, I had a hard time justifying putting a lbz in the garage at the expense of so much less interior room.

Maybe when I get older and a few kids move out of the house, and I'm looking for a diesel pickup that rides like an Oldsmobile, then I'll take another look at a GM. For now, I enjoy cruising in my 6.0.

 

[Acesneights1]

Not to get into this , but my supervisor owns a 6.0 and has been back to Ford for everything mentioned above. I'd buy 10 6.5tds over 1 6.0. I agree that it's wrong to brand something cause of hearsay but my wifes cousin works in a bus garage that had a bunch of them and every one was a nightmare. The local Ambulance company bought one and the thing had so many problems it made the local news about what a lemon it was. Anythig can be fixed usually better with aftermarket parts. The 6.5s have know issues but the difference is the parts are cheap and they are easy to work on. I agree about the trannys. earlier ones suck. My 99 PS tranny puked at 70k. The two 4l80e's in my current trucks both have 170k+ original and still going. Believe me I wieghed this alot because there is an abundant supply of 6.0 equipped trucks cheap but after what I have seen and heard I probably wouldn't take the chance. I still think out of all the light duty diesels the 6.9s were the best. those things lasted well over 350k miles.

 

[w_huisman]

Done. Say 'hi' to Turbine Doc and JD for me. I'm outta here.

 

[BudTX]

I'm done.

People..... see this thread for what it is, which is a bunch of GM guys bashing on the 6.0 based on second hand info.

No wonder you can't get a decent 6.0 following in the "Ford Powerstroke 6.0" section of this site. Mods could just as well delete this section, because no 6.0 people are welcome here anyway. Visit Powerstroke.org, thedieselgarage, thedieselstop, and ford-trucks if you want reputable 6.0 info.

You will find disparate opinions on a multiple brand truck site, so there is no need to be upset when disagreements arise. Sometimes we just have to "agree to disagree", but hopefully will be respectful in our interactions.

My ultimate truck would be a SFA, have the cab an interior of a Ford, the Cummins of a Dodge, and the 6 speed Allison of a Duramax. All makers have something good to contribute, but that too will be subjective to most buyers, hence the popularity of all three makes of domestic trucks.

By the way, unlike some of the sites that you listed, we don't mind you pimping other sites here.

 

[Acesneights1]

People..... see this thread for what it is, which is a bunch of GM guys bashing on the 6.0 based on second hand info.

No wonder you can't get a decent 6.0 following in the "Ford Powerstroke 6.0" section of this site. Mods could just as well delete this section, because 6.0 people aren't welcome here anyway. Visit Powerstroke.org, thedieselgarage, thedieselstop, and ford-trucks if you want reputable 6.0 info.

:irked:

Ist off this thread was started by diesel dan looking for opinions on the 6.0 which is what we gave. If you feel persecuted then by all means move on. I posted what I know. I was thinking about buying one and I looked into this and got alot of pro opinions. I was seriuosly entertaining buying one but did alot of homework and posted my findings here because diesel dan asked for them. If you can't deal with that I don't know what else to say. DD asked and IMHO I would not buy one. Anything can be "made" to b e reliable but at what cost and initial investment is the question a perspective buyer needs to look into. I long savored the Jeep Liberty CRD and talked long and hard with GMCTD on them . They can be made reliable but to me the cost and time wasn't worth it. That is my opinion on the 6.0 as well.

 

[w_huisman]

There isn't a sole who has posted in this thread that has put any significant miles on a 6.0 themselves. Everything said is heresay, my cousin's nephew's roommate's brother-in-law knows a guy who... horseshit.

Ban me. I'm done. I don't know how to delete my membership, or I would do it myself . I don't drive a 6.5 or a duramax, so nobody here wants to hear what I have to say anyway.

Delete my profile and ban me.

 

[BudTX]

The purpose of this site is for respectful collective commentary and the sharing of information. No one is being banned for disagreeing with others, as long as the disagreements do not digress into personal attacks or worse.

Please keep this discussion respectful and on point.

 

[Unit453]

This thread has also been cleaned and any bashing will not be tolerated. If your purpose here is to bash one of the 3 diesels, move on or we'll move you on. This goes for everyone, but a couple in particular, those of which posts have been deleted.

Michael, no more. Let it go and move on.

 

[w_huisman]

The purpose of this site is for respectful collective commentary and the sharing of information. No one is being banned for disagreeing with others, as long as the disagreements do not digress into personal attacks or worse.

Please keep this discussion respectful and on point.

And what is the point?

Seems to me that the point of this thread is to instill fear of the 6.0 (based on second hand info) in everyone who considers owning one, and to smash anyone's opinion who might comment to the contrary.

This should be named the "Bash the Powerstroke 6.0" forum. It would have been more appropriate. It's pretty obvious that 6.0 owners with positive experiences aren't welcome here.

 

[Unit453]

Seems to me that the point of this thread is to instill fear of the 6.0 in everyone who considers owning one based on second hand info, and to smash anyone's opinion who might comment to the contrary.

It is not. Some people are brand biased and thats a fact. My daily driver is a Ford with 127k on it so you wont hear me bashing anything.

I'm half tempted to close this and let it go or try and salvage what we have left. W_huisman, no one is running you off here. Its people like you who make this place diverse. Your knowledge is welcome here.

 

[Acesneights1]

well the reason I took an interest in this thread to begin with it there was a 2007 F350 w/plow for sale locally for 19k. At a price like that you gotta ask hmmm...I want to know more. I asked around including a Service Manager I am freinds with who WORKS AT FORD what he thought of them. His advice was to find a 7.3. I passed on the truck. That is why I posted, not to bash anyone. I have seen many people come into the 6.5 forum with neg opinions but we admit our trucks have faults and discuss them, not deny that the faults exist. I am not bashing the 6.0 but based on the information I have gathered, I have W_Huisman swearing by his saying nothing at all is wrong with them and then many many others saying they do have issues which can be costly to correct. About the only diesel I'll "bash" is the GM 5.7. And there have actually been people who stood up for them
Bottom line IMHO I would not take the chance unless I had time and money to play with. Believe me when I can buy a 2007 decked out for the same price as a 2003 with a 7.3 It makes me ask"well how bad can it be ?"
BTW I Owned a 99 PSD. The trannys ARE JUNK. Truck was never worked and tranny died at 77k, Thank god for exented warranty. I have kept my opinion to the point.

 

[w_huisman]

... I have W_Huisman swearing by his saying nothing at all is wrong with them ....

Incorrect.

In my very first post in this thread, post #14, the first thing I suggest is to get an oasis report. There are lemons out there, and the Oasis report is the single most effective way to find them.

In that same post I then go on to discuss 95% of the typical 6.0 issues.

I NEVER said, or even implied, that "nothing at all is wrong with them".

Did you bother to get an oasis report on the plow truck you looked at, or did you just make an uneducated assumption that it must be junk?

 

[Acesneights1]

BTW if this helps, when I am searching something I have not had expereince before with I usually look at what's for sale and how many miles on them.
Ie:
Not many 2003< for sale and the ones that are well over 100k miles.
Seen alot with close to 200k
.
To me that is a good sign.
MAny Many 6.0s for sale. Alot with less than 60k.
Most people who spend 30-40k for a truck do not sell it that quickly.
The 2007 I looked I'm sure was well over 40k new. It's now sitting for sale at 19k
I paid 23k for my 99 PSD back in 2003. I sold it in 2005 for 16k. They still go for 10-12 k with 100k plus miles.
See where I'm going with this ?
Again JMHO.

 

[Acesneights1]

One of the reasons I sold my 99 PSD was the fear of 4K$ in injectors. I can replace the injector nozzles in my GMC for 250$. Cost of ownership is what I am gettin at.

 

[BudTX]

Everyone has made their point, and the argument is digressing.

If someone wants to reinitiate a cordial discussion in a new thread, please feel free to do so.

This one is done.