OT Ford Powerjoke 6.0

donjr · Mar 17, 2014

SIL just bought one. Are they any good????

rrlund · Mar 17, 2014

No. Ford mechanics have warned me to STAY AWAY. My son rebuilt one in the engine shop where he works. He said it's no wonder they blow head gaskets. He said at one point there's about 50 thousandth's of gasket between the cylinder and a water port.

sd pete · Mar 17, 2014

My son had a 2005 it was a money pit.

outdoors · Mar 17, 2014

If you get a good Ford cheap with a 6.0, they are a good candidate to swap in a Cummins 5.9. Then you would really have a nice truck with good power, dependability, fuel mileage, and easy to work on. Too bad that it costs so much.

redtom · Mar 17, 2014

The only engine that cost ford 1 Billion$ (yes that's a B) in warranty!

i bleed red · Mar 17, 2014

The egr cooler goes out and its $5000 to fix. When it goes bad it dumps all the water out the exhaust. Once its fixed its good to go. They also have injector and headbolt problems.

David G · Mar 17, 2014

Some had no trouble most had a lot of trouble.

wisbaker · Mar 17, 2014

Don't blame Ford, it was a Navstar engine, don't blame Navstar they jobbed out the engineering to a European Firm because that had more experience with emission compliant Diesels. Also note the same engine in medium duty applications like school buses is reliable and trouble free, it's just to meet the emission requirements in the pick up they got cylinder pressures and temperature a little to high for the design.

Wheat Farmer · Mar 17, 2014

Just looked at a 2005, for a friend, Supper cab, long box, dually, Auto, 4x4. 6.0ci. $17K 92K miles YES I ONLY LOOKED.

Brian806 · Mar 17, 2014

Mine so far no problem! Only have 50000 on a 05

David G · Mar 17, 2014

Here is a good article on the Ford Diesels

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Power_Stroke_engine

Joe Scribner · Mar 17, 2014

I agree with the poor design of the EGR cooler. What happens is they corrode and plug up internally, much like a plugged heater core. The lack of coolant flow allows the exhaust gases to superheat the tube and it will rupture, dumping coolant into the engine oil. The trick to getting them to live is to replace the cooler and add a coolant filter kit. Both are available aftermarket and are beefier than stock parts. There is also an EGR eliminator kit available. I have a very good friend who replaced his EGR cooler in a 2004 F350 4x4 at three years old and added the coolant filter kit. It's still going strong at 600K and runs well. They are a PITA to maintain but they can live a long time if you treat them right. Hope this helps!

Nick m · Mar 17, 2014

Don't know if it's true, the rumer is that's the engine that ended the ford and navistar relationship. I know one more series came out after those, the 6.4, but it makes you wonder. I know 4 different guys that had 6.0. 3 of the 4 hated them and couldn't get rid of them fast enough. My uncle still has his and loves it. I guess 1 out of 4 ain't bad.

David G · Mar 17, 2014

I had one, drove it 120K, no issues and loved it.

I traded the 6.0 for a Checy with a Duramax, hated that truck. The engine was OK but the truck did not handle a trailer well.

I traded the Checy on a 2011 Ford with 6.7 and love it.

oj · Mar 17, 2014

the local mr diesel guy here reckons they'll make 150k miles no problems, but then the head gaskets will fail.... he says replace the bolts with studs, and remove the emissions crap (if you can in the state you live in) and it will all be good... heads require the cab to come off, not a big job, but adds time...

as always it helps if they haven't been chipped to the max and driven like they've been stolen....

Allan in NE · Mar 17, 2014

As long as it's not an '03 he'll be fine.

Allan

redih55 · Mar 17, 2014

I had an 04 Ford Powerstroke and I had nothing but grief with it. Had to replace the engine at 86,000 miles, because the tip from the #1 injector broke off and made like a ball peen hammer inside the piston chamber. Then I had to replace the FICM at 95,000 miles. I wound up trading it off for a 2011 RAM Mega Cab.

Ray · Mar 17, 2014

Magazines are full of 6.0 diesels for sale with under 20000 miles.Can't be good.

Brian Jasper co. Ia · Mar 17, 2014

You"re half right Joe. The coolant for the EGR cooler flows through the oil cooler first. Anything floating in the coolant eventually ends up in the oil cooler and restricts the coolant flow. That lack of flow is what gets the EGR. Only replacing a leaking EGR cooler without replacing the oil cooler and doing an Iron Out Flush, is a short term repair at best.

504 · Mar 17, 2014

I read an article about them in an RV magazine last month. It sounded like, by the time you added all they need to run right you could buy a good truck.

Brian Jasper co. Ia · Mar 17, 2014

I am the diesel specialist at a Ford dealer. I can say most problems are caused by owner's lack of maintenance of the cooling system. The owner's manual states you need to check the anti corrosion strength every 18K miles. Not many do. The owner who meticulously maintains his 6.0 usually has little trouble. Another big one is change the fuel filters regularly. Running with dirty fuel filters is really tough on them.
What I can say is once they're fixed right, then they can be decent. Get rid of the gold coolant, change your oil no more than 7K miles, change your fuel filters no more than 10K miles and you'll have much less trouble.

VicS · Mar 17, 2014

It's not just in Fords. Was in our local Ford Guru's shop, there was a beautiful International tandem, 6L auto with a aluminum bed and hoist. I asked what was the matter with it. Said it was leaking water into the intake ports, and missing. It had all the emissions crap just like a Ford does. Have a tractor pulling buddy has one. Everybody told him to get it seen about. He said his ran perfect. That was last fall. Now he has spent 3000 or so. He was going to trade it but it runs so good now, he can't part with it. Truck has about 150000. He thinks he has spent 5000 on it now. I have a gas Ford I haul with 5.4 Not very spectacular but I have always got to the pulls also. Just not as fast on the hills. Just have to speed a little and catch up on the down hills. I have 170000. I have changed the plugs twice and the fuel filter once. There is another one sitting 1/4 mile south of my house. He is doing the smart thing with his. Lets it sit with a For Sale sign in the windshield. No takers yet 10000. Yes it is also a 4 door Lariat 4X4 shortbed. Vic

Gambles · Mar 17, 2014

Along with all the things noted about this engine, you must also change the radiator cap. The cap was marginal when it was brand new and as they age, they won't hold the pressure that they originally did. If you look at an original Ford radiator cap and compare it to a new Ford radiator cap, you will notice that they changed designs. They did it for a reason. Most of the aftermarket replacement caps have the improved design also. My advice is to replace this cap on a yearly basis.

da.bees · Mar 18, 2014

If Ford had known about what Brian Jasper is saying,it would have cut warranty claims by more than half. If any of you folks already own a 6.0 Powerstroke,have a compitent and informed mechanic test the oil cooler,FICM,fuel pressure and coolant health now and you will have as dependible engine as Ford ever made. I put 300k and 280k on two 6.0 trucks with no major repairs. Both got coolant filters,extended life coolant and beefed up fuel pressure regulators and FICMs within 6 months of when they were bought new. I am now driving another that I bought with 15k on the clock and made the same changes as the other 2 got. This latest truck now has 75k and hasn't needed anything other than a cam position sensor.

RLA · Mar 18, 2014

As a Ford parts Manager view of a 6.0.
Run like you stole it, do as Brian stated
by doing the proper servicing. And by all
mean don"t drive like a car doing short
runs. Run it like a diesel is suppose to be
ran. We have man high mileage 6.0"s that
have performed well, I"d be a liar if I said
were outstanding engines. From what I"ve seen
the Customers who use them, work them as they
were intended without playing with Chips for
more power have the best luck. And when it"s
broke it"s going to cost a lot to fix it..

johndeerefan · Mar 19, 2014

I have an 05. It's had 3 egr coolers, 2 oil coolers, 1 head gasket replacement, and 1 FICM. All under warranty thank God. I haven't had any issues with it the past 50,000 miles except (1) tie rod end and changing the y-pipe due to it leaking exhaust fumes (common problem). Mine has 135,000 miles now. It gets oil changes every 5,000 miles, coolant flush every 50,000 miles, and fuel filters every 10,000 miles.

They can be a money pit. Tell him to put back $2000-$3000 for future repairs as it is more than likely going to happen. A $125 coolant filter really helps. And an EGR delete system with ARP head studs should totally solve any issues.

mkirsch · Mar 19, 2014

Do blame Ford.

The Navistar version of the engine put in International trucks has been exceptionally reliable. It was Ford's messing around with the final product, jacking the HP and torque output to compete with the Cummins and Duramaxes of the time, that caused the issues.

OT Ford Powerjoke 6.0

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