bigben55 wrote:

First, thanks for all who have been offering advise in my search for a new truck/TV. The current truck I'm considering is a 2005(build date 4/23/05) Ford F250 4x4 Crew Cab King Ranch with the 6.0L diesel and 33K miles on it. VIN# 1FTSW21P75ED19825. I have read some horror stories(head gasket, turbo, VGT Soleniod, and fuel injectors) here and on various diesel forums. I have read some good stuff as well. I have lots of experience driving Fords with this motor(ambulances and F250's) but no hands on experience with breakdowns or problems because the fire dept I work for has mechanics that take care of all of that.

I test drove this truck and liked it. The Carfax records showed only the truck's change of hands, dealer maintenance and the replacing of the the truck's computer a couple years ago. I got the guy at the used car lot that it's on(nice stuff, mostly VG condition late model US cars and trucks) to get me an OASIS report and the only "Outstanding Field Service Action" is has is "05B32 DE-Gas Bottle Fill Level Label And Fluid Level Adjustment." I also spoke with one of our FD's mechanics and he said he'd still buy a 6.0L Ford in a nice used truck. But he'd get an extended warranty, but he'd get that on any used truck he'd buy. He's the guy who fixes everything we break and we drive our vehicles VERY balls out most of the time.

Given all this data, would you still strongly recommend me NOT considering this truck? And is there any additional "homework" I can or should do before pulling the trigger(sometime next week probably? I can get this truck for $23850, down from $27000.

Ben

Robin1953 wrote:

In other words, if you read long enough at the time that the engines are out, you are going to find horror stories in all of them, including the "rock solid" Duramax.

720Deere wrote:



You are absolutely correct! The 7.3 isn't as rock solid as people would have you believe. With both in stock form I would say the 7.3 and 6.0 are very close as far as reliability. Bump the 7.3 up to the stock hp level of the 6.0 and the tables start to turn.

Even at stock hp levels the 4R100 transmission behind the 7.3 is prone to failure. The 5R110 behind the 6.0 has been known to handle well over 500 rear wheel hp before it becomes unreliable. The beloved Allison behind the Duramax will puke it's guts out at anything above 400 hp.

I've said it before and I'll say it over and over, many of the horror stories that you hear about the 6.0 come from people who tuned or "chipped" them to more than 400 hp and abused them severely. The 03 and early 04 models had more issues stock but not so much for the 05-07s.

Basically it's a pick your poison sort of thing. You can spend $2,000 for a head gasket job on the 6.0 or you can spend $3,000+ for a trans rebuild on the 7.3, Duramax or Cummins. The 6.0 has a 100,000 miles/5 year warranty so basically you have more than 60,000 miles and 2+ years left on that truck. Most likely if it is to become a problem child it will do so before 100K. With your clean OASIS report, I wouldn't sweat it.

720Deere wrote:




......... The beloved Allison behind the Duramax will puke it's guts out at anything above 400 hp.

I'm curious to where you found this information from? Not trying to get into a brand war just have never heard or read this.

I've said it before and I'll say it over and over, many of the horror stories that you hear about the 6.0 come from people who tuned or "chipped" them to more than 400 hp and abused them severely.

I've heard this quite a bit and yes there were troubles with folks tuning and abusing them.... but, how do you explain the issues that the stock trucks had....like for instance...."mine"

Basically it's a pick your poison sort of thing. You can spend $2,000 for a head gasket job.......

I'm no expert but, your labor might get pretty close to $2000 to get to the motor. "Cab Off" design for engine removal.

Robin1953 wrote:



2004 F350 6.0L with almost 68,000 miles and no issues. Mine was a late build '04. On dieselstop.com, I found the date that was when Ford made some changes to the 6.0 that fixed some of the issues in the earlier 6.0L. You are going to be told about how rock solid the 7.3L was and how bad the 6.0L is. Well my first PSD was a 1999 7.3L but it didn't have the infamous "cackle", injector issues. Nor did it have the turbo bolt problems. In other words, if you read long enough at the time that the engines are out, you are going to find horror stories in all of them, including the "rock solid" Duramax.

720Deere wrote:



You are absolutely correct! The 7.3 isn't as rock solid as people would have you believe. With both in stock form I would say the 7.3 and 6.0 are very close as far as reliability. Bump the 7.3 up to the stock hp level of the 6.0 and the tables start to turn.

Even at stock hp levels the 4R100 transmission behind the 7.3 is prone to failure. The 5R110 behind the 6.0 has been known to handle well over 500 rear wheel hp before it becomes unreliable. The beloved Allison behind the Duramax will puke it's guts out at anything above 400 hp.

I've said it before and I'll say it over and over, many of the horror stories that you hear about the 6.0 come from people who tuned or "chipped" them to more than 400 hp and abused them severely. The 03 and early 04 models had more issues stock but not so much for the 05-07s.

Basically it's a pick your poison sort of thing. You can spend $2,000 for a head gasket job on the 6.0 or you can spend $3,000+ for a trans rebuild on the 7.3, Duramax or Cummins. The 6.0 has a 100,000 miles/5 year warranty so basically you have more than 60,000 miles and 2+ years left on that truck. Most likely if it is to become a problem child it will do so before 100K. With your clean OASIS report, I wouldn't sweat it.

720Deere wrote:



You are absolutely correct! The 7.3 isn't as rock solid as people would have you believe. With both in stock form I would say the 7.3 and 6.0 are very close as far as reliability. Bump the 7.3 up to the stock hp level of the 6.0 and the tables start to turn.

Even at stock hp levels the 4R100 transmission behind the 7.3 is prone to failure. The 5R110 behind the 6.0 has been known to handle well over 500 rear wheel hp before it becomes unreliable. The beloved Allison behind the Duramax will puke it's guts out at anything above 400 hp.

I've said it before and I'll say it over and over, many of the horror stories that you hear about the 6.0 come from people who tuned or "chipped" them to more than 400 hp and abused them severely. The 03 and early 04 models had more issues stock but not so much for the 05-07s.

Basically it's a pick your poison sort of thing. You can spend $2,000 for a head gasket job on the 6.0 or you can spend $3,000+ for a trans rebuild on the 7.3, Duramax or Cummins. The 6.0 has a 100,000 miles/5 year warranty so basically you have more than 60,000 miles and 2+ years left on that truck. Most likely if it is to become a problem child it will do so before 100K. With your clean OASIS report, I wouldn't sweat it.