Powerstroke Diesels, good years/bad years?

[TacomaJD]

I own an 03 dodge and chevy both one ton. My father owns two 7.3 and a 6.0. The 6.0 is junk it is 04. The 7.3 are good both have cold start issues. Both have programmers on them good trucks just not alot of power, trans are holding up well both over 200000 miles. Then the chevy would say I like it the best but it gets 15 mpg empty dodge I'm getting 19. The chevy is an 03 so injectors go out every 50000 miles. I know that people will say other wise but we have two of these trucks in family and they average 50000 miles before one will go out. My fav is dodge yes a had tranny rebuild at 200000 with all the goodies and it was still cheaper than having a ford or chevy tran replaced. The dodge dash crack, ball joints go out, seats suck, no tow haul mode, but still the best truck. Why I don't know, has good power, good mpg, and stops better than fords, and they are simple when you pop the hood the wiring turbo routing everything is dirt simple. Chevys only downfall are the injectors and spaghetti under the hood. Just my 2

Now that's some informative ****! Thanks! I just ain't big on the Dodges for some reason...I don't like the interior at all. There's a couple here and there that I see that I wouldn't mind having, but mainly the earlier F250's and GM 2500's are about all that catches my eye. If you find a Duramax for sale, they either want an arm and leg for it, or it has over 200k miles and not in good shape.

 

[Eddyj]

Yeah we pull alot of over weight trailers and don't make any money doing it so we have to be smart on our truck choices.

 

[SRRS]

I have an 06 F250 with about 120,000 towing miles. I replaced injectors at about 105,000 miles and done the EGR delete at 90,000 miles. Only had 2 injectors giving problems but I chose to replace all 8 while it was apart. I prefer the 6.0 over the 7.3 but maybe I'm just lucky. 6.0 power is much better and great fuel economy. I had a 7.3 that had to be towed to the dealer twice before 30,000 miles.

 

[TacomaJD]

I have an 06 F250 with about 120,000 towing miles. I replaced injectors at about 105,000 miles and done the EGR delete at 90,000 miles. Only had 2 injectors giving problems but I chose to replace all 8 while it was apart. I prefer the 6.0 over the 7.3 but maybe I'm just lucky. 6.0 power is much better and great fuel economy. I had a 7.3 that had to be towed to the dealer twice before 30,000 miles.

From talking to people, I hear the 03's that came with the 6.0's up to some of the 05's were the worst years...but hell, you might just be lucky and got a good'n lol. I figure for wiki to have a writeup on the 6.0's being problematic, that's some legit **** lol. Dammit, this is racking my brain with what to try to trade for...may end up just keepin the ol gas guzzler after all...who knows. Pretty much new brakes, new tires, immaculate inside and out and runs like a top...I'm just ready for a change. I can't stay satisfied with one vehicle very long.

 

[Hotrod]

I've had two 6.0's. We have several at work. Mine is an 04 model, NEVER had an issure,not even an injector till 220,000 miles. I put new heads, black onix gaskets, ARP studs, EGR delete, new injectors, new turbo, big exhaust, air intake, and SCT programmer to the tune of bout 7k. Hadn't had an issue since then except the aftermarket injectors SUCK, I went back to stock Ford injectors. Now it has 260k on it. Runs like a raped ape, gets bout 17mpg with 35's. It's been a dang good truck. The 6.4's are no better than a 6.0. THE 6.7 is where it's at, if you can afford one.

Adam is right, Trans is tuff, but my torque converter is bad in mine now. I am gonna get a PTC converter very soon. It just makes the trans seem to slip all the time. It shutters real bad off idle, and pulling a trailer.

IMO the Cummins is the best engine, you just need a good truck around it. LOL

Things to do while testing a 6.0. -----
Ask to drive it early morning dead cold. Hit the switch and let the glows do there job 1 cycle. Crank it, if it skips cold it needs injector replacement, could be more than one. If it a Ford dealership have them hook a scan tool on it when you crank it cold. That'll tell the truth.
Get someone to do a pressure test on the cooling system. If it holds obviously you are good, if it doesn't I'd stay away, unless they are willing to put new heads, or gaskets, or EGR delete.

 

[Stretch]

My personal trucks is an 02 7.3 with 185k on it with the usual bolt on stuff, South Bend, a wicked wheel and stock TS-6 tuner. Runs like a raped ape if I want it to and it hardly gives me any trouble. Had it for about 2 years now and other than some jackass stripping out the bolts in the bellhousing for the starter it has been a good reliable truck. I don't drive it like a grandpa and I live in the mountains so it pulls up and down hills on a regular basis. Oil Changes every 5k miles, Fuel filter every 5k (used to do 10k but I am seeing more clogged filters with the new ULSD fuels).

We have an 06 6.0 in the shop right now getting the usual EGR/Oil Cooler/Injector service done and it has 300k miles on it and until this point was bone stock with only 4 injectors ever being replaced when we pulled the service history on it. Owner chose to just do all 8 this time around since we had it all apart. Its getting an SCT mainly for mileage and to get rid of the EGR codes seen by deleting everything. 05-07 6.0's are not bad trucks, they just got a bad rap because of the 4-5k in maintenence needed to really make them reliable and rid them of the weak points. The last 6.0 that we just got done doing this same service on has about 140k on it and the kid that owns it beats the damnit out of it like its a ****ing gokart. The ratchet strap holding the stack in place says it all. With the right parts thrown at them the 6.0 can become idiot proof. For the right price I wouldnt shy away from the later models. Just get a good set of gauges or even the Edge to monitor coolant, oil temps, delta etc and keep those all in check and they are good trucks.

 

[TacomaJD]

I've had two 6.0's. We have several at work. Mine is an 04 model, NEVER had an issure,not even an injector till 220,000 miles. I put new heads, black onix gaskets, ARP studs, EGR delete, new injectors, new turbo, big exhaust, air intake, and SCT programmer to the tune of bout 7k. Hadn't had an issue since then except the aftermarket injectors SUCK, I went back to stock Ford injectors. Now it has 260k on it. Runs like a raped ape, gets bout 17mpg with 35's. It's been a dang good truck. The 6.4's are no better than a 6.0. THE 6.7 is where it's at, if you can afford one.

Adam is right, Trans is tuff, but my torque converter is bad in mine now. I am gonna get a PTC converter very soon. It just makes the trans seem to slip all the time. It shutters real bad off idle, and pulling a trailer.

IMO the Cummins is the best engine, you just need a good truck around it. LOL

Things to do while testing a 6.0. -----
Ask to drive it early morning dead cold. Hit the switch and let the glows do there job 1 cycle. Crank it, if it skips cold it needs injector replacement, could be more than one. If it a Ford dealership have them hook a scan tool on it when you crank it cold. That'll tell the truth.
Get someone to do a pressure test on the cooling system. If it holds obviously you are good, if it doesn't I'd stay away, unless they are willing to put new heads, or gaskets, or EGR delete.

Yup, $7k to bullet proof one def puts that model out of my budget. lol

And thanks for the test drive info, that's some of the info I was looking for!!!

 

[TacomaJD]

My personal trucks is an 02 7.3 with 185k on it with the usual bolt on stuff, South Bend, a wicked wheel and stock TS-6 tuner. Runs like a raped ape if I want it to and it hardly gives me any trouble. Had it for about 2 years now and other than some jackass stripping out the bolts in the bellhousing for the starter it has been a good reliable truck. I don't drive it like a grandpa and I live in the mountains so it pulls up and down hills on a regular basis. Oil Changes every 5k miles, Fuel filter every 5k (used to do 10k but I am seeing more clogged filters with the new ULSD fuels).

We have an 06 6.0 in the shop right now getting the usual EGR/Oil Cooler/Injector service done and it has 300k miles on it and until this point was bone stock with only 4 injectors ever being replaced when we pulled the service history on it. Owner chose to just do all 8 this time around since we had it all apart. Its getting an SCT mainly for mileage and to get rid of the EGR codes seen by deleting everything. 05-07 6.0's are not bad trucks, they just got a bad rap because of the 4-5k in maintenence needed to really make them reliable and rid them of the weak points. The last 6.0 that we just got done doing this same service on has about 140k on it and the kid that owns it beats the damnit out of it like its a ****ing gokart. The ratchet strap holding the stack in place says it all. With the right parts thrown at them the 6.0 can become idiot proof. For the right price I wouldnt shy away from the later models. Just get a good set of gauges or even the Edge to monitor coolant, oil temps, delta etc and keep those all in check and they are good trucks.

That's what shys me away from things like that. I mean, I've always been religious about maintenance, but keeping up with that much **** that can have quite a big impact on costly **** going wrong and needing replaced if left unkept, just doesn't justify it to me. Dammit....I might just be better suited to stay with a low maintenance gas burner and keep eatin' the fuel mileage. Never owned a diesel and thought it might be something worth looking into...but doesn't look like it's worth it, no more than I tow and as little as I tow. I really do appreciate all the comments, especially all the firsthand comments from owners of the trucks under discussion here.

 

[zukimaster]

I think you should buy a Isuzu pup diesel and use that as a tow rig

 

[TacomaJD]

I think you should buy a Isuzu pup diesel and use that as a tow rig

I think you should drink a nice warm glass of......nevermind

Maybe one of these days I'll find an inner axle shaft for my **** and have it trail ready again so we can do some night riding! .....beotch!