6.0 Powerstroke Good-Bad-whatever?
- Thread starter Big Al
- Start date
stamp11127
Seasoned Expediter
Check out what ol' Bill has to say about the 7.3 vs. 6.0
POWERSTROKEHELP.COM - The Information Source for Ford Power Stroke Diesel Owners & Mechanics
Can get expensive in a hurry with or without the mods. It's a gamble.
POWERSTROKEHELP.COM - The Information Source for Ford Power Stroke Diesel Owners & Mechanics
Can get expensive in a hurry with or without the mods. It's a gamble.
gsmacker
Seasoned Expediter
The 7.3L diesel motor is prolly one of the best (if not the best)diesel motors Ford has ever put in their line up. I've known over a dozen people who have ran the 6.0 diesel, and all different driving conditions. All of them had issues and were not happy at the outcomes. I'm a Chevy guy, day in and day out. But I would not hesitate to buy a Ford 7.3 diesel if you can sill find one with a good body and not ragged out with too many miles. I do believe Ford switched motors mid 03. Then again the 7.3 is an International motor. I've heard that that the 6.0 was an International motor built to Ford spects......
In late 2003 - early 04 Ford had some issues with this engine...many of which led to the split and the fact that Ford is now using their new product ( 6.7 ) in the Super Duty series for 2011....
Many of the issues were related to not changing oil often enough ( IMHO ) as Ford had given owners the impression that "heavy duty" usage was in extreme climates ... but in reality city driving constituted the same thing...any way MaxxForce now a Navistar product is out of the Ford lineup...Not sure about the 2011 Econoline E series.....though...Ford had a big problem fitting the 6.0 in the e-350 and e-450 units early on....
I sold well over 100 trucks during the 6.0 years ...and had about 5-8% of the engines that had to be replaced under warranty...again mostly on 2003-2004 and 2005 units...These trucks were mostly used in the Mid-Atlantic region
I would be careful of any units in the early 6.0 years...if in doubt before you buy have the local Ford dealer pull warranty lookup....any Ford dealer can pull it by VIN...
That way you will see if all service recalls were performed....
Hope this helps
Tazman
Many of the issues were related to not changing oil often enough ( IMHO ) as Ford had given owners the impression that "heavy duty" usage was in extreme climates ... but in reality city driving constituted the same thing...any way MaxxForce now a Navistar product is out of the Ford lineup...Not sure about the 2011 Econoline E series.....though...Ford had a big problem fitting the 6.0 in the e-350 and e-450 units early on....
I sold well over 100 trucks during the 6.0 years ...and had about 5-8% of the engines that had to be replaced under warranty...again mostly on 2003-2004 and 2005 units...These trucks were mostly used in the Mid-Atlantic region
I would be careful of any units in the early 6.0 years...if in doubt before you buy have the local Ford dealer pull warranty lookup....any Ford dealer can pull it by VIN...
That way you will see if all service recalls were performed....
Hope this helps
Tazman
Thanks for the info. Everything I've researched concurs with your advice. Seems as though 2006 and newer will be safe.
Too bad they had to get rid of the 7.3. It done us well for almost 600K. I run a 7.3 IDI in my 92 F350 crew cab dually with about 235k. A couple of years ago I thought about getting something newer but decided to put an ATS Turbo on it,not exactly a Powerstroke but close and with the cost of a new dually save a bunch.
Big Al
Forsyth MO (near Branson)
Too bad they had to get rid of the 7.3. It done us well for almost 600K. I run a 7.3 IDI in my 92 F350 crew cab dually with about 235k. A couple of years ago I thought about getting something newer but decided to put an ATS Turbo on it,not exactly a Powerstroke but close and with the cost of a new dually save a bunch.
Big Al
Forsyth MO (near Branson)
Towin2Long
Seasoned Expediter
ya.. the 03.5 -06 were crap... call me crazy but as a wrecker operator I seemed to tow that trash every other day.. lets see... injectors, head gaskets, head bolts, blown turbo's, etc.. and the 6.4's weren't a ton better.. here's a fact jack.. Change the OIL 3000 MILES, not 3001, not 10,000 miles. 3000. It builds up like these sulfur like balls that choke the ever living daylight out of the motor, and that's what usually leads to the things blowing up, and has earned the name of POWERCHOKE... now a v 10 is almost indestructable minus some coil pack issues.. but PM is a big thing.. and some people get it, and a ton more don't.. as for the 5.4 triton.. they tend to shoot plugs out of the block.. i dunno.. I still drive ford.. I got a 96 exploder pusing 200K with no hesitation.. better than a leaky, drippy, chebby. IMHO..
My 7.3 was leaking oil pretty bad so I took it to the local Ford dealer. He advisedthat I needed to replace the rear main seal ($600 to $700). Later I read on the net that the 7.3 rear seal is almost bullet proof but the oil pump was prone to leaking. It did not drip when parked going downhill which told me it was leaking toward the front and pooling on the engine until it was sitting level or uphill. I just had the oil pump seals and hoses replaced ($290)and am now leak free. My only regret is paying the Ford dealer $40 to give me a bad diagnosis.
I have no idea if either of my rigs are 6.0. I have a 1999 F 250 super duty, 6 speed four wheel drive with 300,000 miles. Have replaced a Cam shaft sensor engine wise. A 2002 E 350 with auto & Air. It's only got 242,000 on it. It also had the sensor replaced, but Ford paid for it.I had lost the receipt or they would have paid for the F 250. 8\1\10 got off my butt and looked at owners manuals. Both are 7.3, & I couldn't be happier with them. E 350 22 MPG if kept around 62-64. The Super Duty 4x4 gets 19 MPG with cruise controll set.
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Jack_Berry
Moderator Emeritus
safe bet both are the 7.3.
Sassy here doing research.So far no problems with our F250 Diesel.(2005) But it is maintained on schedule and has low miles.
Was Looking into the Old posts as Hubby was Looking at 2004
an E-350 Diesel, 175,000 miles and all mait records Looks like they will let it go for 8K,However It is over 10,000 GVW.
At 11,500 we would need to run under our own DOT # if I understand correctly and I've not yet studied up on that!
Was Looking into the Old posts as Hubby was Looking at 2004
an E-350 Diesel, 175,000 miles and all mait records Looks like they will let it go for 8K,However It is over 10,000 GVW.
At 11,500 we would need to run under our own DOT # if I understand correctly and I've not yet studied up on that!
guido4475
Not a Member
Stay away from the 6.0, if at all possible.The only problem with a 7.3 is the model year they were last produced, (2003).I bought my 2003 from Ryder in Oak Creek, Wisconsin from Nancy, and it was the best used vehicle I have ever bought. I was there a couple of weeks ago, and she had one in stock, a 03, model, 7.3, and it sounded and drove excellent.The only thing was a little surface rust around the rear wheel wells, but nothing major.Interior like new, real nice.It had 140,000 miles on it.They will most likely negotiate on the price.Single rear wheel drive Fords are rated at 9,400 gvw, spartan bodies are at 9,600 gvw. Dual rear wheel e-350's are rated abouve 10,000 gvw, and require logging and scales, as Greg has said.
While we are on the subject of the 7.3, anybody ever eliminate the plastic box that sits on top of the engine that the air intake connects to, and does nothing but being in the way?
stamp11127
Seasoned Expediter
Do yourself a favor, price the same repair on each engine in the same chassis. Once your heartbeat returns price a valve job on each engine. I'll give you a little insider info: 7.3 has eight valves and the 6.0 has 32. Both require pulling the engine, so do the math. The 6.0 is nice on paper but can be a money pit if repairs aren't done early when the problem starts. Assuming proper maintenance and quality fluids, the 7.3 can be a million mile motor. The 6.0 on the other hand will need head work at around half of that.
I prefer to keep things simple and not live on the edge and over complicate things. Stick with the 7.3.
I prefer to keep things simple and not live on the edge and over complicate things. Stick with the 7.3.
Well said.
Giudo,
on my 2002 E 350 Diesel, the black plastic box you refer to which say's "Turbo Diesel" on top has a pair of Air Filters in it.
on my 2002 E 350 Diesel, the black plastic box you refer to which say's "Turbo Diesel" on top has a pair of Air Filters in it.
guido4475
Not a Member
No, no, no, no. Not that one.I'll explain it a little better. There is a box that sits on top of the radiator that holds the 2 air filters in it, with a hose coming out of the back of it, that has a tee in it. At the tee. the hose that comes out of it and goes towards the passanger side of the van, connects to a plastic box that goes nowhere and does nothing, except being inthe way when changing the fuel filter.Thi box may be around 8 inches square, 2 inches thick.There are no other hoses or wires or nothing coming out of it besides the one going into it, held on with a hose clamp.