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2004 Ford 6.0 powerstroke??

O
Jan 14, 2008
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MN
I have always driven chevy, and gas.. I'm thinking about looking at a 2004 6.0 Powerstroke and am wondering what you guys think of them?
 

Calvin42

Well-known member
Premium Member
Oct 14, 2008
1,375
833
113
58
Cantonment, FL
When they first came out they had some injector issues that were covered under warranty. Don't think it has been an issue since. I do know they pull like a freight train. Friend had a new one and pulled harder than my duramax and I thought that pulled hard. I think most guys will tell you the 7.3 is a better more reliable motor but if the bugs are worked out of the 6.0 I don't think you can go wrong.
 
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827revdog

Well-known member
Jun 18, 2008
779
49
28
michigan
buy a 7.3 truck or buy a dura max. im ford thru and thru. the 6.0 is a pos. not reliable. oil leaks, injector issues, big turbo failures, egr cooler,egr vavles, head gaskets. does not pull big loads as well as a duramax or 7.3. crap miliage 14 best empty, loaded 10 maybe. but it does have a great trans. my 06 with 70,000 has been in service for over 35 days in three years. all of the listed items have been replaced once and some twice. imo it the best looking truch out there, but beware
 
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jthussey

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Lifetime Membership
Sep 3, 2008
781
128
43
Minot, ND Big Sky, MT
I own a 2005 F-250 6.0. I bought it with 112k and at 115k I had 2 injectors go bad(mechanic told me that 15-40w oil was way to thick for the injectors @-20.) I ruined the plungers and did all 8 since the 2 where on different sides. 5k later i had to do head gaskets. I put the ARP stud kit and then blocked of the EGR. I have 140k on it now with not a problem. Stock for stock the truck pulls like a freight train. I now have the SCT tuner and 4" magnaflow SS turbo back exhaust. I love the truck now that I have the bugs worked out. 75 mph and depending on wind i will get around 18.5-16. In town arond 11. YOu will need to do head gaskets and stud kit no matter what. Once there in, have some fun.
 
O
Jan 14, 2008
669
26
28
37
MN
is there like a mileage range they start having trouble or is it all over? The one I'm looking at has 60,000...
 

jthussey

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Sep 3, 2008
781
128
43
Minot, ND Big Sky, MT
My dads 04 went out @ 80k. I would check the history of the vehicle. It all depends on how hard the truck was put to work. He pulls a 34ft 5th wheel. Its only a matter of time before you will have to do it. The bolts expand due to heat and from boiling of the egr. I believe the stock head bolts torque @ 74ft lbs and the ARP studs are @ 275ft lbs. A big difference.
 
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76FOMOCO

Well-known member
Apr 18, 2007
4,446
1,235
113
Nampa, Idaho
on my 3rd 6.0 and only lost one turbo at 60K other than this just minor stuff but all my trucks have had 0- 75K miles. the turbo crapped out at 60k on an 03 and the two 07 i have are chipped. the best i get for mileage is 19 highway on one and 17 on the other. around town is 14 and towing is 12-15 depending on load and conditions. the trucks as very nice inside and out with the auto trans being the start of the show, but the 6.0 is a fair motor IMO, with the 7.3 the motor to have but the trans on the 7.3 is the deal breaker and the 5 speed on the 6.0 will be the must have. good luck and put a tuner or chip on it and keep the boost under 33 lb and the head gaskets might stay in check.(the 04-05 are famous for bad head bolts due to the now bankrupt supplier.)
 
G
Dec 20, 2007
1,941
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Three Forks, MT
Run away!

Those things are walking time bombs.

If you like Fords, get a 7.3 without hesitation.

Either 02-04 LB7, 06-07 LBZ Duramaxes, or 03-07 Cummins are way, way better choices.

Just my 2 cents.
 

off road rider

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Premium Member
Jan 2, 2008
1,729
354
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Kent Wa
Run like hell... I own a POS FORD 04 6.0 motors been apart with head issues a few times.Turbo also. bottom line. I really cant rely on it.
 
M

merlin2569

Well-known member
Jan 13, 2008
252
46
28
Clarkfield, MN
7.3

I have a 2001 7.3 with 180,000 on it and it is as reliable as can be. I looked at trading it last winter for a 6.0. I went and talked to one of the mechanics at the dealership before i traded and he told me to stay away from the 6.0's. So i walked away from the 6.0 and kept my 7.3 and have no plans of getting rid of it anytime soon. Just my opinion
 
A
Nov 27, 2007
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Grand Marais, MN
23k mile boat anchor

Just had a newer 05 (23,000 miles) come through the shop a bad EGR cooler and a stuck egr. They opted to take it to ford to see if it could be warranteed. The truck is still there, and still using coolant. If you see a 6.0 for sale, hand your checkbook to your wife and tell her to go shopping, then run far, far away so that you have absolutely no chance of slipping and falling and signing for the worst thing that could ever happen to anyone....buying a 6.0. Wew, sorry, i got a little carried away. On a side note, I own both a '00 7.3 and a 01 24v 5.9 and both are excellent trucks.
 

Summitseeker

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Dec 3, 2001
1,092
446
83
British Columbia
I have a 2005 6.0 and almost over $35000.00 worth of repairs in the last 18 months. Head gasket twice, EGR Cooler three times, EGR valve once, 2 turbos, all 8 injectors, fuel injector control module twice, power steering pump, recently I had both cylinder heads replaced and naturally another head gasket. This was all covered under warranty but now the warranty has just expired so I am VERY afraid to put my foot into it or tow anything heavy. Ford even told me that if I tow my 10,000 pound travel trailer over the Coquihalla the EGR cooler or head gasket will go again.

They say the only fix is to go with the ARP head studs which cost about $800.00 aand about an additional $3000.00 worth of labor to install them and either do the EGR delete kit which is actually illegal due to emissions or you can buy an aftermarket EGR cooler for about $450.00.

Bottom line is.....STAY AWAY! I had a 7.3L prior to the 05 and had over 250K on it and not a problem. It was bulletproof!

Ford is definitely nice to drive but if you want reliability go with the 2004.5 to the 2007 5.9 Cummins. There are a couple of companies out there that are doing the cummins swap into the Ford but it is expensive.
 
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B
Jan 20, 2009
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I'm a ford guy 100% and I wont even touch a 6.0. Turbo and head issues are very common. Go 7.3 powerstroke, cummins, or duramax
 
C

crestview

New member
Dec 3, 2007
72
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6
Kimberly Id
I ran an 03 for a work truck and it sucked. Pulling a 22 foot gooseneck with cattle weigh around 18,000 pounds total weight driving 70 miles an hour I got 7.8 miles a gallon. Our duramaxes that pull the same trailers with the same weight get 11-13 and the dodges do 11-14. Not towing it was kind of a fun pickup to drive but in the end its kind of a hit and miss truck. You may get lucky you may not.
 
W
Dec 29, 2008
50
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Wyoming
I have a 2003 6.0 i bought it with 43,000 miles on it, the truck now has 85,000 miles on it and hasn't given me a problem. It's got 4" turbo back exhaust,AFE cold air intake, and The Bully Dog Triple dog chip and monitor...Hasn't let me down at all. All the power in the world, runs down the interstate getting 21 miles to the gallon. 12-14 with a four place sled trailer, same with 5 tons of hay on a car hauler trailer. Now my 2004 6.0 company truck has 162,000 on it, tranny is starting to go, replaced 6 injectors, and a EGR cooler. Gets about 16 mpg or so, I haul a lot of stuff in the bed it weighs out at 10,000lbs. What I've been told by the mechanics is the 6.0 is a very finnicky motor, you have to be regular on all of your oil changes and filter changes. I guess it's all in how you take care of them.
 
B
Jan 20, 2009
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If you do get a 6.0 get an FS 2500 bypass filter and run low sulphur CLEAN diesel. Dirty oil and dirt fuel lead to most of the 6.0 problems. The motor was designed in europe where there fuel is really clean and then it was brought over here where our fuel is filthy....
 
C
Nov 26, 2007
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Kootenays!
Braaap is right on that part no doubt. Keep the fuel and oil filters clean, run decent oil, and your chances of avoiding alot of the issues are way better. I love my 05 6.0. Its had a head gasket issue that the previous owner, and myself had caused, but your really not supposed to tow with a 100 horse tune stuck in the PCM... Ill deal with the odd issue that may come up, to have the rest of the truck that is superior. And come on 7.3L guys, we all know you've done a couple cam sensors, 4r100's, and turbo's in those babys, who we kidding :)
 

Tuesday

Well-known member
Premium Member
Nov 26, 2007
1,708
191
63
Lacombe, Alberta
2 of my friends have 6.0. The first is an 03 completely stock one of the first models and at 240 000km he has only had to replace the alternator (lucky I know). The other is a 04 also completey stock and at 95 000km he had the head gasket go under warranty.

Both pull trailers regularly 30 and 32ft RV trailers.

GL
 
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