The dreaded 6.0L Ford. It's been the truck that people have feared and loved for years. They are now getting to the age and price where they are an affordable buy for many that are looking to get into their first diesel. Every year of the 6.0L is unique and seems to have their own pros and cons, but either way, buying a 6.0L will likely cost you a few bucks in the future. That being said, here are a few things to look for when searching for that perfect 6.0L.
The 6.0H
The 6.0L was introduced in mid-2003 while the 7.3L trucks were still trailing off, the 6.0L came in and took over as a replacement for the aging 7.3L Powerstroke. At the time, the 6.0L was a healthy jump in power over the 7.3L and a welcome replacement. When it was released, it was considered to be the new benchmark for diesel engines. It was released with the Highest Horsepower & Highest Torque Diesel in its class making an impressive 325HP & 560lb-ft.
However, these new engines still came sporting the HEUI (Hydraulic Electronic Unit Injector) which tends to cause some cold start issues and makes them sensitive to oil viscosity and quality. HEUI injectors are run by engine oil being sent up to a secondary pump, this secondary pump brings the pressure up to 500-3000PSI. This high-pressure oil is fed to the oil rails and into the top portion of the injector to create the power needed to atomize the diesel fuel in the cylinders. This system works great when it's all sealed and new, but as the o-rings and other seals wear out over time, the oil can leak by and start causing driveability issues. This is the lifeblood of the 6.0L engine, so it's a good thing to know before going out and purchasing one of these trucks.
Without a doubt, the most common issue we see on these trucks is headgasket failure. This is a well known and well-documented issue with these trucks. They can run forever in stock form as long as you stay up to date with your maintenance. However, once you plunk a 10,000lb camper behind it or start adding some power and begin to have some fun, you'll start to see some issues on those hot summer days. It begins with your head bolts, they will start to stretch with the added cylinder pressure and cause exhaust to start entering the coolant system through your headgasket. This begins to pressure up the coolant system far higher than it's designed to handle and next thing you know you'll start to see coolant getting pushed out the cap on the degas bottle.
Once you're at this point, there's really no fixing it, it's time for new headgaskets. When doing headgaskets on a 6.0L we always replace the factory bolts with high quality ARP Studs. The studs allow us to clamp the head far tighter to the block and keep cylinder pressure under control by keeping it in the cylinder where it belongs! Once the studs and gaskets are installed, they are much more reliable and can actually handle the added power you'll likely be throwing at them.
We can't talk about the 6OH without