6.O diesal Truck trade or fix

Cummins12V98 wrote:

kirbybear wrote:
I have an 04 with 125K miles. Get a Scan Gage to see if you even have any problems. Not all 6.0 have problems.

Until they do…...

same can be said about anything!

I respect Bryan's (Carringb) knowledge of vehicles a lot. I'm a Ford v-10 fan, and I also owned a 2005 6.0 PSD Excursion. I'd bulletproof the diesel myself. Along with the previously mentioned mods, I'd get the bulletproof EGR Cooler, and I'd get head studs installed. You can do some of this stuff year-by-year and probably make it to South Carolina just fine. No engine is full-proof, so take what you know and start locking it down. BTW, I have a scan gauge and hate it b/c I find it hard to read. Check this out - it is cheaper too.

These questions about the unreliability of a Ford 6 liter PSD and the expensive 'fixes' to maybe keep it going.... come up with some regularity.

I think I would try to unload it and look at replacing it with a used Duramax or Cummins...or a Ford 6.8 liter V 10....one ton truck.

I believe the OP was retired or close to it. I'm retired and as a result try to keep my costs down and not embark on anything that may have a prior history of expensive fixes or costs.

But that's me. Everyone is different.

BTW....I'm not anti Ford. Have had many thousands of miles driving their commercial trucks (years ago) and have positive memories of their durability.

A modded/upgraded 6.0 will run circles around anything else out there and it will be something a future buyer would consider if they know anything about diesel`s...especially a 6.0.

vacuumbed wrote:

Lantley wrote:
If I thought I had to put $6K-$7K into my current truck (any brand) to make it bulletproof or whatever I'd sell it now.
What is the return on the money spent bullet proofing? Does it increase resale value? Does it give you peace of mind? Is this the last truck you will ever need?
In the end all mechanical things are subject to failure. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt that bullet proofed items may not fail . But what about the other typical wear items that are subject to failure failure?
I'd consider bullet proofing "Putting good money after bad"
Put your hard earned money toward a good truck.
If you're 6.0 PSD requires $6K in bulletproofing it is not a good truck!

Again if I need to but $6K into my Duramax just to make it reliable, I will cut my losses and buy a new truck.

It doesn't require 6K in repairs, his truck runs fine. For less than $500 he can do some decent preventative maintenance. Turtle n Peeps had a good suggestion as well that also won't break the bank.

I should have included another simple and easy item.

7. It's called the blue spring upgrade. It's an updated fuel pressure spring. It's easy to install and costs about $60 from Ford.

Those are all very good upgrades, and certainly the first that should be done. However, I disagree that is all that may be needed. Granted, its the best value when you factor money vs improved reliability. But better than terrible is still not good. This time last year, all I was doing was 6.0 repairs, full time. I had a dealer contract so I'd fix one and they'd swap it with the next. I was a BulletProof Diesel and Sinister Diesel dealer. I think I know that motor better than most, and can probably fix most common issues on my own in a parking lot. There's no way I would trust one further than would be practical to tow it home. I'd probably install a tow bar for flat-towing, because its inevitable eventually. I had to do the same to my buddy's 6.2L GM diesel shuttle bus. Since he's owned It, it has spent more miles being towed by my van than it's spent under its own power (plus, I can tow it faster up hills than it can go on its own too).

I don't think I would sink $10k into an '05 truck, no matter what brand or what engine. And I love my 6.0 too. Even so it wouldn't make financial sense to me.

But for the OP, I'm reading between the lines and thinking you don't really know what, if anything, is wrong with your truck. You're just reading all the scary stuff on the internet. It might be that you need a dose of reality.

Getting the scangage and learning how to use it to diagnose your truck is a good start.

Staying far away from any Ford dealer is your second step. That's where $6-$10k quotes come from. It will take some research, but you need to find the real experts in your area on the 6.0. Reach out to places like the state chapters over at ford-trucks.com forums, and they can tell you who to trust.

Hate to say it, but most of the scary stuff comes from dealerships that have high shop rates and don't treat their techs well. The good ones don't stay at dealerships.

You are probably looking at more like a tops of $5k to fix any issues with your 6.0. Chances are you are looking at oil/egr coolers, and high pressure oil leaks. Those two things done together I could get done for about $3k at a trusted shop in my area. Maybe some injectors and those get expensive. They are also commonly misdiagnosed. Don't be talked into doing head studs preventively. It might never need them.

Lantley wrote:
If I thought I had to put $6K-$7K into my current truck (any brand) to make it bulletproof or whatever I'd sell it now.
What is the return on the money spent bullet proofing? Does it increase resale value? Does it give you peace of mind? Is this the last truck you will ever need?
In the end all mechanical things are subject to failure. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt that bullet proofed items may not fail . But what about the other typical wear items that are subject to failure failure?
I'd consider bullet proofing "Putting good money after bad"
Put your hard earned money toward a good truck.
If you're 6.0 PSD requires $6K in bulletproofing it is not a good truck!

Again if I need to but $6K into my Duramax just to make it reliable, I will cut my losses and buy a new truck.

It doesn't require 6K in repairs, his truck runs fine. For less than $500 he can do some decent preventative maintenance. Turtle n Peeps had a good suggestion as well that also won't break the bank.

I should have included another simple and easy item.

7. It's called the blue spring upgrade. It's an updated fuel pressure spring. It's easy to install and costs about $60 from Ford.

Lantley wrote:
If I thought I had to put $6K-$7K into my current truck (any brand) to make it bulletproof or whatever I'd sell it now.
What is the return on the money spent bullet proofing? Does it increase resale value? Does it give you peace of mind? Is this the last truck you will ever need?
In the end all mechanical things are subject to failure. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt that bullet proofed items may not fail . But what about the other typical wear items that are subject to failure failure?
I'd consider bullet proofing "Putting good money after bad"
Put your hard earned money toward a good truck.
If you're 6.0 PSD requires $6K in bulletproofing it is not a good truck!

Again if I need to but $6K into my Duramax just to make it reliable, I will cut my losses and buy a new truck.

That's true. But the OP is in a position where it's going to cost him either way. If he keeps it eventually he will have to put some cash into it. If he trades it in he is going to pay more than 6k difference.

As far as the D-Max is concerns there was a thread on here where D-max owner experienced a head gasket failure. The cost was 5-6k to repair.

5-6 k for a major diesel repair seems to be the MO.

Thanks!

Jeremiah

If I thought I had to put $6K-$7K into my current truck (any brand) to make it bulletproof or whatever I'd sell it now.
What is the return on the money spent bullet proofing? Does it increase resale value? Does it give you peace of mind? Is this the last truck you will ever need?
In the end all mechanical things are subject to failure. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt that bullet proofed items may not fail . But what about the other typical wear items that are subject to failure failure?
I'd consider bullet proofing "Putting good money after bad"
Put your hard earned money toward a good truck.
If you're 6.0 PSD requires $6K in bulletproofing it is not a good truck!

Again if I need to but $6K into my Duramax just to make it reliable, I will cut my losses and buy a new truck.

mccrawwf wrote:
I want to thank all that replied to my question about sale or fix.
Had to keep score but it seems more members suggested to fix instead of sale. Great suggestions. Bill

Hey. What about my fix? ;)

I agree on fixing/bulletproofing it. When all is said and done it will last a long time.