Guys I'm a chevy guy i have owned fords not dead set against them just had issues with them. My son is wanting to buy him a nice used F250 4x4. I had a 7.3 and know they are good but hear horror stories about the newer 6. Ltr diesel engines. What year models are good and what are bad or which engines are the best? Thanks

2004(and some '05's) was a real problem for the Ford 6.0. Other than that, they are the gold standard.

The whole 6.x family is problematic and expensive to fix, there is a reason they are cheap compared to a used dodge or chevy. If he really needs a diesel, chevy or dodge. I think ford builds a nice truck, but the 6.x diesel has been a goat rope.

I'll have a 2002 1 ton 4X4 dually for sale in the next 30-45 days if you want a seriously large 7.3 that's been exceptionally well maintained ( ok, so the cup holder is broken....... ).

6.0 was good, until they put it in a pickup and all the emissions crap on it. To 'bulletproof' you need head studs, oem headgaskets, egr cooler delete or upgrade to one from Bulletproof Diesel, oil cooler retrofit (if you do it right) and z handful of other things. $2000 in parts and 30-40 hours for the average joe to fix it, assuming heads aren't cracked. Double that for having a shop do it. I've got a 2006 that has had no issues in the 2 years we've had it and 30k miles. It has 90k now. I'm trying to decide if I roll the dice or start buying parts. Love the truck except for the nagging thought of it blowing up eventually.

6.4 puts out more power, but has more EPA crap in it. Mileage is worse. Delete all that crap and they're supposed to be good. Zero experience.

6.7 has most power. I have several acquaintances with them and no issues, but they don't have high mileage either. They've got some known issues based on my readings on the truck forums, but not to the level the 6.0 had.

Powerstroke.org got everything you want to know, as well as a lot of old wives tales to go with it. Have to sort the wheat from the chaff.

All years of the 6.0 should be avoided, not just the '04 & '05. The 7.3 was a decent motor but not really worthy of all the praise that's heaped on it. It's great compared to the 6.0 that followed it, but the youngest 7.3 is still a 12 year old truck with all the problems that brings. The 6.4 was an OK motor but fuel hungry. The 6.7 is really the only Ford diesel that I'd want and they're expensive because they're newer.

If you're really set on a 6.0 at least they can be had pretty cheap. A 6.0 can be bought for thousands less than a comparable year Dodge or Chevy because of the reputation of the engine.

That...

I've never owned a Ford but the guys around here have had lots of problems with the 6 liter motors. Most of them own Duramax's now. The Duramax is a good motor and the Allison transmission has proven to be pretty bulletproof.

And the Duramax is an Isuzu design, made in Ohio.

I've owned a 6.0 liter Ford F250 since buying it new in 2004. The only issue was a turbo replaced under warranty. It has great power and good mileage. I use it for "truck stuff" and plowing snow but not as a daily driver, so it only has about 95,000 miles on it.

Of course, I cannot sell it for what it is supposedly "worth" because it is the Dreaded 6.0. But aside from that it is a great truck with a sturdy chassis, good transmission and it just "feels" good when you drive it.

Last year I decided to do all the bulletproofing and just keep the truck until I die. I did ARP studs, OEM HG's, EGR delete, new oil cooler, coolant flush and switch coolant types, added coolant filter, replaced 2 injectors,added gauges, upgraded several minor parts and did some cosmetic improvements.

Once those things are done the 6.0 is arguably one of the better diesel trucks out there, because it doesn't have all of the emissions crap of the newer engines that have to do regens every so often.

Mine is purring like a kitten and should last as long as I do. It also cost a lot less to upgrade it than it would have to buy a newer truck. A 6.0 CAN be a good truck to own, if you learn about them before you buy, so that you can make an informed purchase, and are prepared to either do some proactive upgrades or search for one that has been already upgraded like mine.

http://www.internationalpowerstroke.com/6.0L-powerstroke-problems.html

Friends don't let friends buy Ford 6.0 diesels. Look at the attachment. I have had every one of these listed issues on my three F250's and F350's (two '06's and one '05......and cracked heads as well...... At about 90,000 miles the roof caves in. Expect to spend $1500 to $5000 for each event.

Just say no.

Thanks guys for the info. My dad and brother both have Duramaxes and love them i had the 7.3 back in 2001 and had issues with it and the tranny. Im trying to talk him out of a diesel all together.

I have an 08 6.4. Real world mileage is 16.5 on the highway. Much, much less around town and towing. But, it sure has a lot of power, plus a pretty intelligent transmission that I'm becoming impressed with

Same thoughts

RUN from the 6.0 Diesel!!!

The 6.7 PowerStroke is the ONLY way to go.

Me too! Gotta love 6 speed manuals....

The 7.3 is rock solid. In these parts the truck is gone long before the engine. I've had 2 6.0s that have been towing machines with nary a problem.

The last 2-3 times I changed the oil in a 2003 6.0 it runs like chit when cold. Cold as in under 150F degrees, the engine has to be warmed all the way up or it runs like an injector is going out.

Power at +2k rpm but shakes and sputters just putting along 55mph down a flat road. Probably an oil pressure sensor or something stupid like that is going out. That or another injector....grin

My 6.0 has 190k. I think I may need to change the front brakes soon.

And a properly 'fixed' 6.0 will take a tremendous amount of abuse/hours and keep on running.

Pretty sweet engine when it's not broke down!

According to the "experts" it was the best diesel engine ever made...AFTER the bugs were ironed out. By then, it was too late.

A good friend of mine asks the dealer to have a salesman come talk to him about trading his 6.0 in on a new truck every time he comes in for service or repair. In the last five years, they haven NEVER given him an offer for trade-in.

They don't even want it on their lot....

That's amazing. Every other dealer loves to get them. You drive an Obama Motor Company vehicle by chance?

Now I wouldn't go that far...



They sold a chitload of them around here 10 years ago.
(and they've all been mostly fixed by now)


One diesel mechanic at our small town dealer and he keeps up fairly easy on repairs.

The only complaint I have with my duramax is the front end eats ball joints.

I work for a company with about 200 Ford diesels from 04 to 12....we'll have one in the shop with the cab off getting a major repair every week. It's bad enough that we went to gas power on the new trucks.

The 7.3 was never "bulletproof" compared to a Cummins in its day, but was the gold standard of reliability for Ford engines. As long as you kept good batteries, glow plugs, timers and relays in it
...it was reliable.

My mechanic refers to them as the Ford 6.Job Security.......