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Ford 6.0 liter

Npdchief07
Explorer
Explorer
I put a deposit yesterday on a Ford 2006 Super-Duty F-250 with the 6.0 liter/8 cylinder diesel engine. I plan on using this truck as a tow vehicle for a 6500 pound travel trailer. I know next to nothing about vehicles/trucks.

I have read that the Ford 6.0 has a bad reputation (read it online, so it has to be true). My question is does that engine historically have a problem and should I be concerned? The vehicle has 67000 miles on it.
82 REPLIES 82

patriotgrunt
Explorer
Explorer
transamz9 wrote:
patriotgrunt wrote:
transamz9 wrote:
FishOnOne wrote:
transamz9 wrote:
FishOnOne wrote:
I had to drive thru Houston today and couldn't help notice a lot of 05-07 Super Duty trucks still on the road.

I didn't notice a single Dodge/ram cummins with the H.O. or the Blue Tec badge on the tailgate indicating a early 6.7 cummins truck. As a matter of fact I can't remember the last time I've seen one of these trucks.

I would also recommend the OP to research the other brands since they also have some ticking time bombs as well.


Just so you'll know, the HO didn't come out until 2012. Also very few of the early "Bluetec" trucks actually had the badge. All of the DPF trucks were Bluetec. Learn your trucks before you bash them.


I used to see a lot of these trucks around that why I was referencing these two specific types. Today u would have a better chance of winning the lottery than seeing one of these on the wild. Why is that? I think we know the answer!


Yeah, the answer is that they are a part of the million mile club and have moved on.


Yep, mine with the "Bluetec" emblem made it past 50,000 miles before I unloaded it. Too many issues and too much risk once the warranty ran out. The owner after me kept it for only six months before he dumped it to another person. Hopefully FCA bought it back but I doubt it.


Issues or dirty turbos and dpf filter clogging?


DPF clogged twice but the real issues were everything else. Water pump twice, electrical issues with the radio and the blinker/windshield wiper controls, steering problems that couldn't be fixed, and the fan blower motor. It had great power but I didn't trust it for long term ownership. My father's "bluetec" suffered from the dirty turbo issue which is another reason I sold it after the warranty expired.

Early emissions technology just seems to be too problematic for all the brands. Maybe the new administration will roll back some of the regulations but I'm not holding my breath.
2015 Ford F-250, 6.7 PSD
2016 Ford Expedition, 3.5 Eco-Boost
2003 Ford F-150, 4.2 V6
Sandpiper 357 TRIP

Turtle_n_Peeps
Explorer
Explorer
it ran awesome. It ran better than my 08 Duramax with the same work done.


Strange? :h How so?
~ Too many freaks & not enough circuses ~


"Life is not tried ~ it is merely survived ~ if you're standing
outside the fire"

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2001400ex
Explorer
Explorer
Already a ton of info here. I had mine from 90k to 120k miles. The EGR and oil cooler were replaced under warranty at 98k. I did the necessary work to it at 105k abs it ran awesome. It ran better than my 08 Duramax with the same work done. The issues with mine were everything else, from a clogged radiator, broken/welded rims, thermostat, batteries, etc. This mostly had to do with the maintenance by the prior owner.

If you are looking for a cheap diesel and you don't mind doing research and fixing stuff, it's a great engine. Just install a coolant filter first thing along with getting the Oasis report. However being that you don't know much as you stated, I'd probably not buy one.
2017 Forest River Stealth SA2816
2020 GMC Denali 3500 Duramax
Anderson ultimate fifth wheel hitch

The_real_wild1
Explorer
Explorer
I would get something else. I have worked on those engines and they are not cheap. IMO to buy an used one there is too much risk.

transamz9
Explorer
Explorer
patriotgrunt wrote:
transamz9 wrote:
FishOnOne wrote:
transamz9 wrote:
FishOnOne wrote:
I had to drive thru Houston today and couldn't help notice a lot of 05-07 Super Duty trucks still on the road.

I didn't notice a single Dodge/ram cummins with the H.O. or the Blue Tec badge on the tailgate indicating a early 6.7 cummins truck. As a matter of fact I can't remember the last time I've seen one of these trucks.

I would also recommend the OP to research the other brands since they also have some ticking time bombs as well.


Just so you'll know, the HO didn't come out until 2012. Also very few of the early "Bluetec" trucks actually had the badge. All of the DPF trucks were Bluetec. Learn your trucks before you bash them.


I used to see a lot of these trucks around that why I was referencing these two specific types. Today u would have a better chance of winning the lottery than seeing one of these on the wild. Why is that? I think we know the answer!


Yeah, the answer is that they are a part of the million mile club and have moved on.


Yep, mine with the "Bluetec" emblem made it past 50,000 miles before I unloaded it. Too many issues and too much risk once the warranty ran out. The owner after me kept it for only six months before he dumped it to another person. Hopefully FCA bought it back but I doubt it.


Issues or dirty turbos and dpf filter clogging?
2016 Ram 3500 Mega Cab Limited/2013 Ram 3500 SRW Cummins(sold)/2005 RAM 2500 Cummins/2011 Sandpiper 345 RET (sold) 2015 Sanibel 3601/2008 Nitro Z9 Mercury 250 PRO XS the best motor made.

blofgren
Explorer
Explorer
FishOnOne wrote:
transamz9 wrote:
FishOnOne wrote:
I had to drive thru Houston today and couldn't help notice a lot of 05-07 Super Duty trucks still on the road.

I didn't notice a single Dodge/ram cummins with the H.O. or the Blue Tec badge on the tailgate indicating a early 6.7 cummins truck. As a matter of fact I can't remember the last time I've seen one of these trucks.

I would also recommend the OP to research the other brands since they also have some ticking time bombs as well.


Just so you'll know, the HO didn't come out until 2012. Also very few of the early "Bluetec" trucks actually had the badge. All of the DPF trucks were Bluetec. Learn your trucks before you bash them.


I used to see a lot of these trucks around that why I was referencing these two specific types. Today u would have a better chance of winning the lottery than seeing one of these on the wild. Why is that? I think we know the answer!


Fish, you truly live in your own little world..... :R
2013 Ram 3500 Megacab DRW Laramie 4x4, 6.7L Cummins, G56, 3.73, Maximum Steel, black lthr, B&W RVK3670 hitch, Retrax, Linex, and a bunch of options incl. cargo camera
2008 Corsair Excella Platinum 34.5 CKTS fifth wheel with winter package & disc brakes

patriotgrunt
Explorer
Explorer
transamz9 wrote:
FishOnOne wrote:
transamz9 wrote:
FishOnOne wrote:
I had to drive thru Houston today and couldn't help notice a lot of 05-07 Super Duty trucks still on the road.

I didn't notice a single Dodge/ram cummins with the H.O. or the Blue Tec badge on the tailgate indicating a early 6.7 cummins truck. As a matter of fact I can't remember the last time I've seen one of these trucks.

I would also recommend the OP to research the other brands since they also have some ticking time bombs as well.


Just so you'll know, the HO didn't come out until 2012. Also very few of the early "Bluetec" trucks actually had the badge. All of the DPF trucks were Bluetec. Learn your trucks before you bash them.


I used to see a lot of these trucks around that why I was referencing these two specific types. Today u would have a better chance of winning the lottery than seeing one of these on the wild. Why is that? I think we know the answer!


Yeah, the answer is that they are a part of the million mile club and have moved on.


Yep, mine with the "Bluetec" emblem made it past 50,000 miles before I unloaded it. Too many issues and too much risk once the warranty ran out. The owner after me kept it for only six months before he dumped it to another person. Hopefully FCA bought it back but I doubt it.
2015 Ford F-250, 6.7 PSD
2016 Ford Expedition, 3.5 Eco-Boost
2003 Ford F-150, 4.2 V6
Sandpiper 357 TRIP

transamz9
Explorer
Explorer
FishOnOne wrote:
transamz9 wrote:
FishOnOne wrote:
I had to drive thru Houston today and couldn't help notice a lot of 05-07 Super Duty trucks still on the road.

I didn't notice a single Dodge/ram cummins with the H.O. or the Blue Tec badge on the tailgate indicating a early 6.7 cummins truck. As a matter of fact I can't remember the last time I've seen one of these trucks.

I would also recommend the OP to research the other brands since they also have some ticking time bombs as well.


Just so you'll know, the HO didn't come out until 2012. Also very few of the early "Bluetec" trucks actually had the badge. All of the DPF trucks were Bluetec. Learn your trucks before you bash them.


I used to see a lot of these trucks around that why I was referencing these two specific types. Today u would have a better chance of winning the lottery than seeing one of these on the wild. Why is that? I think we know the answer!


Yeah, the answer is that they are a part of the million mile club and have moved on.
2016 Ram 3500 Mega Cab Limited/2013 Ram 3500 SRW Cummins(sold)/2005 RAM 2500 Cummins/2011 Sandpiper 345 RET (sold) 2015 Sanibel 3601/2008 Nitro Z9 Mercury 250 PRO XS the best motor made.

cinrock
Explorer
Explorer
Well, as usual the 6 liter remains a hot topic. I'll add my 2 cents as I've owned one for 5 years and towed with it the whole time.

The 6.0 has a reputation because it was designed by Navistar without emissions (EGR)for medium duty applications like school bus's. Ford applied it to the SuperDutys with an EGR cooler and valve which caused a ton of problems. The Ford gold coolant if not maintained can have its chemicals fall out of suspension and clog the oil cooler which in turn starves the EGR cooler. This created severe heat in the EGR cooler that caused coolant and oil mix together as the internal fins melted. It took a while for Ford to understand this so there was a lot of unhappy owners. Couple all of this with guys 'chipping' the ECM and blowing the heads off and you get a reputation.

My only advice is to get the OASIS report from Ford to determine what upgrades if any have been performed. The STC fitting, stand pipes and dummy plugs should be looked at to determine if they've been upgraded. Get rid of the Ford Gold coolant and replace it with ELC red stuff the big rigs use. Don't chip it unless you want to replace head gaskets and swap the head bolts with studs. I've done all of the above (minus head gaskets and studs) and run it bone stock. Buy a Scan Gage to monitor the oil and coolant temperature differential. Keeping the differential under 20 degrees will verify that your oil and EGR coolers are in good health. I change the oil every 5k and the fuel filters every 10 and clean the EGR valve every other year. I also flush the coolant system at recommended intervals. As a result, I've avoided catastrophic and high $$ problems by doing a little research and making sure its maintained. This is an easy engine to work on and there is a ton of info out there to help you. Diesels can't be treated like a gas engine. They need to run hard and maintained in order to be reliable.
'05 F-350 Lariat DRW 6.0 PSD
'11 831QBSS Flagstaff Classic Signature Series
Held on by a Reese Dual Cam HP

FishOnOne
Explorer III
Explorer III
transamz9 wrote:
FishOnOne wrote:
I had to drive thru Houston today and couldn't help notice a lot of 05-07 Super Duty trucks still on the road.

I didn't notice a single Dodge/ram cummins with the H.O. or the Blue Tec badge on the tailgate indicating a early 6.7 cummins truck. As a matter of fact I can't remember the last time I've seen one of these trucks.

I would also recommend the OP to research the other brands since they also have some ticking time bombs as well.


Just so you'll know, the HO didn't come out until 2012. Also very few of the early "Bluetec" trucks actually had the badge. All of the DPF trucks were Bluetec. Learn your trucks before you bash them.


I used to see a lot of these trucks around that why I was referencing these two specific types. Today u would have a better chance of winning the lottery than seeing one of these on the wild. Why is that? I think we know the answer!
'12 Ford Super Duty FX4 ELD CC 6.7 PSD 400HP 800ft/lbs "270k Miles"
'16 Sprinter 319MKS "Wide Body"

transamz9
Explorer
Explorer
FishOnOne wrote:
I had to drive thru Houston today and couldn't help notice a lot of 05-07 Super Duty trucks still on the road.

I didn't notice a single Dodge/ram cummins with the H.O. or the Blue Tec badge on the tailgate indicating a early 6.7 cummins truck. As a matter of fact I can't remember the last time I've seen one of these trucks.

I would also recommend the OP to research the other brands since they also have some ticking time bombs as well.


Just so you'll know, the HO didn't come out until 2012. Also very few of the early "Bluetec" trucks actually had the badge. All of the DPF trucks were Bluetec. Learn your trucks before you bash them.
2016 Ram 3500 Mega Cab Limited/2013 Ram 3500 SRW Cummins(sold)/2005 RAM 2500 Cummins/2011 Sandpiper 345 RET (sold) 2015 Sanibel 3601/2008 Nitro Z9 Mercury 250 PRO XS the best motor made.

goducks10
Explorer
Explorer
dodge guy wrote:
For a 6500 lb TT a diesel isn't necessary especially a ticking bomb 6.0! you would be better off with a V-10. they are more reliable than the 6.0, get decent mileage if you drive it normally and have the power to move more weight than what you will be towing.


For a 6500 lbs TT I'd be looking at an F150 3.5 Eco. Or any other 1/2 ton with a good payload rating.

dodge_guy
Explorer II
Explorer II
For a 6500 lb TT a diesel isn't necessary especially a ticking bomb 6.0! you would be better off with a V-10. they are more reliable than the 6.0, get decent mileage if you drive it normally and have the power to move more weight than what you will be towing.
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burningman
Explorer II
Explorer II
FishOnOne wrote:
I had to drive thru Houston today and couldn't help notice a lot of 05-07 Super Duty trucks still on the road.

I didn't notice a single Dodge/ram cummins with the H.O. or the Blue Tec badge on the tailgate indicating a early 6.7 cummins truck. As a matter of fact I can't remember the last time I've seen one of these trucks.

I would also recommend the OP to research the other brands since they also have some ticking time bombs as well.


Wait - are you seriously suggesting the Cummins are so much less reliable than the 6.0 Ford that that you don't still see them on the road? I'm gonna suggest an appointment with your optometrist.

My 6.0 experience is a new one in '07 in a work truck, lots of problems from brand new, just like everyone said. We were such "Ford Guys" we tried one anyway. Big mistake. We were going to replace the company flatbed (a 7.3 Ford) with a new one also, and the service manager at the local dealership - a personal friend - said "Don't do it!! Keep your 7.3!".

The only big Cummins problem was with some of the 1998-2001 5.9s, and only the ones that had block casting number 53, which were prone to cracking. Other than that particular thing, there's never been as serious a reliability issue with any pickup truck diesel than there was with the 6.0 Powerstroke, and that's a well proven fact.

It's true, the Powerstroke 6.0 is a heck of an engine after you dump the cash into it to bulletproof it. But if you buy one, you need to go into it knowing what you're getting into, and not just blindly assuming it's fine as-is.
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ib516
Explorer II
Explorer II
You might also want to do some searching on YouTube. Lots of good videos on the 6.0L PSD on there. The RVers "long long honeymoon" have one and they have done a good job at documenting their issues.
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