Ford 6 liter PSD Diesel-is it that bad?

[lesmore49]

I'm a Chevy guy and have been since my Dad got his new '61 Chevy Nomad Wagon, back, yes, in 1961. But I have driven lot's of Ford trucks, Econolines over the years and do like the Ford 300 six, 460 truck V8, C6 transmission.

 

Ford do make some pretty good stuff, I grudgingly admit. I also like that fomoco V10.

 

But, in websites , forums and lisening to those who have 'em, I read/hear absolute horror stories about the reliability of the Ford 6 liter PSD Diesel.

 

This engine has been out since 2003, and I wonder what kind of grief customers are going to have, once the 5 year/100,000 mile warranty is up?

 

Apparently Ford has paid out untold sums of money in warranty with this engine.

 

In comparison, the Dodge Cummins and GM/Isuzu Duramax seem to have very few problems. The Duramax, I've heard has some minor, injector problems, or is this true?

 

Now I don't drive a Ford Diesel, I'm happy with my Chevy gasser, so I wonder, is the Ford PSD, 6 liter Diesel that bad, or is my Chevy bias showing?

[Mark_in_Tulsa]

I'm a Chevy guy and have been since my Dad got his new '61 Chevy Nomad Wagon, back, yes, in 1961. But I have driven lot's of Ford trucks, Econolines over the years and do like the Ford 300 six, 460 truck V8, C6 transmission.

 

Ford do make some pretty good stuff, I grudgingly admit. I also like that fomoco V10.

 

But, in websites , forums and lisening to those who have 'em,  I read/hear absolute horror stories about the reliability of the Ford 6 liter PSD Diesel.

 

This engine has been out since 2003, and I wonder what kind of grief customers are going to have, once  the 5 year/100,000 mile warranty is up?

 

Apparently Ford has paid out untold sums of money in warranty with this engine.

 

In comparison, the Dodge Cummins and GM/Isuzu Duramax seem to have very few problems. The Duramax, I've heard has some minor, injector problems, or is this true?

 

Now I don't drive a Ford Diesel, I'm happy with my Chevy gasser, so I wonder, is the Ford PSD, 6 liter Diesel that bad, or is my Chevy bias showing?

 

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It was just the first 2 years of the 06 that had major probs. I don't recall what they were tho.

[Wingnut]

I would have to say...Hell no, it's not that bad.

 

I was driving a friends KingRanch F350 a couple of weekends ago, and it was a great truck in all regards.

[Mark_in_Tulsa]

I would have to say...Hell no, it's not that bad.

 

I was driving a friends KingRanch F350 a couple of weekends ago, and it was a great truck in all regards.

 

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Thats the nicest rig on the road today.

[Wingnut]

I was highly impressed. That saddle interior? One of the nicest I've ever seen.

 

 

It was his "bachelor weekend", and I was the designated driver. He had it chipped too, that thing would sh*t and git, even with the 20's.

[Wingnut]

Wasn't nearly as fast as the new ride though.

[Mark_in_Tulsa]

Wasn't nearly as fast as the new ride though.

 

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Just had to throw that in didn't ya?

[Wingnut]

I'll probably be doing that for a while.

 

You guys should get used to it.

[Roofer]

The few people I know that have had the 6.0L PSD, have gotten rid of them. They had lots of problems with them and traded them in on something else or a newer model.

Service manager at local Ford dealership says they are in all the time, but he keeps saying every year "the new ones are fixed". Nothing has changed in the last 3 years, just loads of problems.

[Hecktorx]

I only have one friend with the 6.0 diesel. It is also the one friend that has his truck in the dealer the most. He's had 2 engine realted problems, one was a cracked head, which caused ford to replace the engine. The other was was clogged injectors, which can happen to any engine if you put bad fuel in it.

 

I remember reading about problems with the pilot injection on the earlier 6.0 models and the dealer solution was to disable that software. I don't know what the solution to this problem has been.

 

The truck is stock except for a set of 285s on stock wheels. Other problem for his truck have been the steering column has been replaced, unit bearings, and ball joints have all been replaced with less the 20k miles. His truck has been a real lemon for him. Now, I'm not condemning all of them, I'm just sharing my only personal experience with them.

[Elwood 2000]

A friend of mine swears by Ford. He owns 3 of them, all crew cab 4x4 F350, one a dually. He has chipped all of them and from what he says, ones left stock are usually fine for daily driving. Ones that are chipped, worked and especially both have a lot of problems. Computer issues aboud. He has had all 3 trucks in many times for computer problems. This was before he decided to chip them. All 3 of his trucks have broke head bolts and he has had 3 cracked heads among the 3 trucks. He has also had one automatic transmission fail, pre-chip. All 3 trucks have had ball joints, power steering pumps and power steering hoses.

 

Other than that, they seem to be pretty good trucks and even with the problems, he does like them. Personally, I think the two trucks that are single wheel trucks are very sharp and if they had a better diesel in them, I would own one. The cabs are larger, but they don't have as many bells and whistles as GM does, even the lariat trimmed trucks.

 

Like I said, if they had a better diesel, I would own one. The 6.0 scares me and last I read, Ford was giving $2500 customer cash for current diesel owners who would trade for another diesel. They are trying to buy their loyalty back, in hopes of keeping buyers before the new 6.4TT diesel arives.

[Jpshostr]

My service truck at work is a 350 SRW 4x4 auto with the 6.0L. Gotta say, once you get the revs going and boost built up she'll pull like no other and is actually fun to drive. However, low speeds she's a gutless wonder. I do a LOT of heavy towing and have learned that you have to be really careful pulling out from a driveway and that, but once you get going, you'll pass anything on the road. Make sure you hit the hills with some speed going, if you dont' she drops off fast and doesn't recover, that dang motor is a typical V-8 with the torque in the wrong spot. For the interstate pulling that is the majority of the time I have the trailer on back it beats the 02 7.3L I drove before that I gave up in favor of this one. In the fields she will get the job done, but gotta keep those revs too high at times to suit me, I've even been known to drop her into 4low just so I am not having that engine spinning to high heaven.

 

I'll drive one, but there is no way in HE** I'll own one, reliability has been so-so. Went over 56K on my last trip, on the way home I thought the guy with me was going to have to get out and push us the last half of the state. To the dealership she went, new turbo, cam position sensor, and EGR valve later and I had a service truck back that would move again. She also had a cam position sensor replaced last year.

 

On a trip just driving, no towing, 14mpg is what she'll get. Towing, down below ten. Granted, pretty heavy service body, but still.......

 

Doesn't hold a candle to my Cummins though....

[White Knight]

Hello All,

 

The ford 6.0 is what I would say a "decent" motor. I believe Ford came out with it too soon. The problems most were having were in the 03's. They commonly were head gaskets, injectors and wiring. From what I have read and seen, certain build dates with the "lucky computer tunes" were great. I had a friend in WV driving a 03 getting 23 mpg on the freeway. He had not had any problems with his, but I have had a another friend buy an 03 and Ford replaced the turbo and later on pulled the motor to put new gaskets in. Then one of my dad's friends bought an 05 Excursion with the 6.0, he chipped it and 2,000 miles later, they replaced a turbo.

 

The 6.0 is fine now until it is chiped. Ford has built the 6 liter to the limit and when you start dumping more fuel into the motor it just blows. I would like to see the new 6.4tt from International. I know the 7.3 is a less powerfull motor but I drove a 2000 with forged rods and had 260,000 miles without a single problem. I would still choose a 7.3 with forged rods over a higer output 6.0 anyday.

[pm26]

Hello All,

 

The ford 6.0 is what I would say a "decent" motor.  I believe Ford came out with it too soon.  The problems most were having were in the 03's.  They commonly were head gaskets, injectors and wiring.  From what I have read and seen, certain build dates with the "lucky computer tunes" were great.  I had a friend in WV driving a 03 getting 23 mpg on the freeway.  He had not had any problems with his, but I have had a another friend buy an 03 and Ford replaced the turbo and later on pulled the motor to put new gaskets in. Then one of my dad's friends bought an 05 Excursion with the 6.0, he chipped it and 2,000 miles later, they replaced a turbo. 

 

The 6.0 is fine now until it is chiped.  Ford has built the 6 liter to the limit and when you start dumping more fuel into the motor it just blows.  I would like to see the new 6.4tt from International.  I know the 7.3 is a less powerfull motor but I drove a 2000 with forged rods and had 260,000 miles without a single problem.  I would still choose a 7.3 with forged rods over a higer output 6.0 anyday.

 

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I agree with you that in many cases it is the owners themselves that cause many problems. As you said, the engine was built and tuned to the limit and any attempt to extract more horsepower and torque by addition of aftermarket components and altering the injection tuning, will inevitably result in lower life expenctancy, or even failure of a major component. Having said that, there is little excuse for many problems that various owners have experienced. I read about turbochargers that failed before the owner drove the new truck home.

[Machine]

Hi –

 

I have two 6.0’s in my family; 2005 F350 and a 2006 F250.

 

Anyway, both a performing flawlessly. True, earlier model 6.0’s had some pretty big issues, and it’ll be hard to argue that Ford didn’t drop the ball with the premature, poorly tested launch of this engine. Regardless of what has happened in the past with poor quality control, the 6.0 is a great performing diesel – especially the later models. Some in this post have claimed of poor mpg, but that’s not the case with either of mine. In addition, and as others have indicated, most of the problems with the 6.0 are usually related to aftermarket mods like high HP tuners and chips – but hey, you play you pay.

 

Do I like my 6.0 PS over my former (now brother’s) LB7 – no, but the sum of the truck outweighs the Chevy in many different aspects (looks, ride, stance, room, etc.)