6.0 Powerstroke?

[blackcows]

I currently have an 09 Cummins with 95,000...I have had the turbo replaced once and I have no doubt that it will need to be replaced again soon.  Great motor but the front end seems to go through ball joints faster than I would like.  The warranty is good until 100,000 miles so the pickup still  has some good value to it.  In all fairness to the Cummins I probably don't drive it like it needs to be driven.  In the summer it's hooked to either the horse trailer or the stock trailer a good bit of the time but in the winter there are far too many 5 minute trips or it sits at idle while I am doing something outside...not good for a diesel. 

What I have decided to do is trade the Dodge and get two pickups, a half ton to drive and a 3/4 or ton pickup to use only for pulling the trailer.  The Cummins and Duramax still fetch at fairly good premium.  I would like to spend about $15,000 and for that money you can get a Dodge or Chevy with 200,000 miles or a loaded Power Stroke with 125,000...beautiful pickups for a bargain.  The 6.0 have a poor reputation, you can read about lots of issues people have had but it's my opinion that with Ford sales out numbering other pickup sales 5 to 1 you are going to hear more horror stories.  Also people don't get on the net to post good stories so you only read the bad.  I am currently looking at an 06 F-350 Crew Cab Dully Lariat with 120,000 miles.  It's loaded; sunroof, leather, navigation, custom paint, new tires, a new flatbed.  The pickup is really clean and I think I can buy it for under $15k. 

Anyone have any 6.0 experience good, bad, or indifferent?

 

[V-H]

i have a 03 with 90  on it and so far so good just one icp sensor go out on it . but have lots of aftermarket upgrades on it

 

[rackranch]

Worst motor ever built..I had the same truck you are looking to buy...over 10,000 in repairs in less than a year

I sold it to a mechanic, felt like he would be the only person who could keep it on the road.

I paid 18,000 for mine three years ago and put 13,000 in repairs in it total.

I now have the new 6.7 Ford and love it.            Don't Buy It

 

[twc77]

Any 6.0 after mid year 05 should be ok, they worked all the bugs out by then. not my favorite powerstroke,but a decent motor and great truck.I have a 99 and a 10, had a 06 and out of all of em the 7.3 is my pick.

 

[bbsf]

I purchased a 2006 F - 350 single wheel 4x4 new in early 06.  Had the 6 liter diesel.  Nice ride, made well, motor was not acceptable.  Three new turbos before 88,000 miles and head gasket was going out.  I used the truck to pull a trailer about half of its miles.  Did regular maintainence and followed every recommendation by the book.  Talked with guys that work on all brands of diesels and his comment was "if you do not own one, do not own one".  My opinion is if after everything you read about the problems the 6 liter have and still buy one, you will have no one but yourself to blame when you spend $$ to maintain it.  Really like Ford trucks, but not the 6 liter diesel.

 

[DLD]

I'm on my second 6.0, and I've been very happy with 'em.  My first was an 05 F250 longbed supercab 4x4 that I bought with 50K miles on it, put nearly another 100K on in 4 1/2 years.  Had to rebuild (put new o-rings in) the high pressure oil pump, and they put a new EGR valve in it when they did that, plus a sensor on the tranny (caused the trans temp gauge to do strange things - no other issues) - all that was at about 95000 miles. Guy that bought it from me a year and a half ago has put on another 30K, and says it's been trouble free.  The one I have now is an 06 F350 crewcab dually 4x4 - it had about 60K when I bought it, 80K now - no trouble so far.  You do have to be careful to keep up with maintenance.  I change oil and filters every 5K miles, fuel filters every 20K, full coolant flush every 50K.  Let 'em get warmed up before you take off and cool down before you kill 'em, and resist the urge to modify it unless you do aftermarket head studs and an egr delete first.

Just my experiences - yours may be different...

 

[Tallcool1]

I always love these kind of posts......they are kind of like asking what's the best breed of cattle?

I am not certain where you live, but I do know that most agricultural heavy areas have some type of a "Diesel Specialty Shop".  By that I mean and independent repair facility that specializes in the repair and customization of diesel equipped vehicles WITH NO REGARD for name badge.  Typically these shops are owned by a couple of guys that came out of auto dealerships, and were the Best of the Best.  They decided to go out on their own.  They understand these engines, and they have all of the technical skills to know what it takes to keep them on the road.  They know MORE than the dealership knows.

Personally, I would just not play around with one.  I know that some people get along good with them and that is great.  My own father has one that has almost 300,000 miles on it and has been relatively trouble free.  If I were to make a list of every 6.0 that I have any experience with, and then add up all of the money that they have cost me, it makes me sick to my stomach.

I am a car dealer, and I promise you that they average $2500 in (repair/reconditioning/after-the-sale-adjustments) costs for me.  And that is at MY COST.

If you decide to buy one, take it to your local Diesel Specialty Shop before you do, and have them scope it and check it out.  There is a reason that the truck you are looking at seems like such a great deal!

It is free advice...you got what you paid for!  100% discount, that's the best I can do.

 

[Davis Shorthorns]

JUNK!!! stay away just remember if it was anywhere close to the Cummins or Duramax they would be bringing that kind of money. 

 

[coal_creek]

Don't buy one. Had an '06 F350 went through 2 EGR coolers, 1 turbo, and one complete motor replacement (cracked block). All within 10,000 miles of each other at about 130,000 . Either spend a little more and get a 6.4 or do some research and looking and find a 7.3. In my opinion the 7.3 is still the best diesel motor ever made. I have one with 280k and still rolling with not one thing ever touched on the motor. Had a 6.4 after the 6.0 and it was a good truck, did do a EGR valve on it but it was still on warranty. Have a 6.7 now and love it so far. Hopefully it gets back to the level of the 7.3.

 

[Cow Chaser]

We have two 03 6.0 Fords at work and I wouldn't p*** on them if they were on fire.  Two of the worst trucks I have ever been around.  By the time they had 100,000 miles on them they had a total of 5 turbo's and 8 injectors between them.  And the best part is that neither one of them pulls anything, one is a 350 single wheel and the other is a 450 with a dump bed that never gets more than a 1000 pounds on it.  My suggestion is to stay away but the choice is yours.

 

[oakview]

I do not personally know anyone that has had a good experience with the 6.0.  My 2006 has had turbo problems, twice, and injector issues.  Two customers have had nothing but troubles with theirs.  One has an 06 and said he spent $3,500/year just to keep it on the road.  Another had an 04 and has spent more than it's worth on injector problems.  I've been told Ford reached a settlement with the manufacturer, but obviously hasn't spread the wealth to their customers.  A good diesel mechanic I know said that the Ford dealer's mechanics don't even know how to fix the new ones.  With diesel running 70 cents a gallon more than gas in our area added to the additional $$$ for the diesel engine, maybe my next pickup will be a gas.

 

[Doc]

I do not personally know anyone that has had a good experience with the 6.0.  My 2006 has had turbo problems, twice, and injector issues.  Two customers have had nothing but troubles with theirs.  One has an 06 and said he spent $3,500/year just to keep it on the road.  Another had an 04 and has spent more than it's worth on injector problems.  I've been told Ford reached a settlement with the manufacturer, but obviously hasn't spread the wealth to their customers.  A good diesel mechanic I know said that the Ford dealer's mechanics don't even know how to fix the new ones.  With diesel running 70 cents a gallon more than gas in our area added to the additional $$$ for the diesel engine, maybe my next pickup will be a gas.

Lonnie, I'm hearing more and more people saying that. If it wasn't for fact that my 7.3 is paid for and only has 125k miles on it , I might be thinking the same way.

 

[ADG]

Stay away from the 06 with that many miles on it.  Injectors get expensive, look for at least an 07 or newer, but the 6.7 is a dream!

 

[jason]

I would do the v10 gasser before I would ever get a 6.0.  I had a couple 7.3s and they only needed glow plugs every 100k or so.

 

[CWshorthorns]

I HAVE A 2003 6.0 POWERSTROKE AND IT HAS 260,000 MILE ON IT WE DID HAVE HEAD GASKET AND BOLTS REPL AT 190,000 BUT THAT IS ALL WE HAVE DONE SO FAR TO IT OTHER THAN NORMAL REPAIRS.