| If you've been actively involved in the diesel scene the last 5-6 years, chances are you've seen the cab off a Super Duty, or have at least heard about it. Because of the tight engine compartment, it's much easier to unbolt the eight body mounts and disconnect all electronics from the truck and pull the cab when addressing the 6.0L's head bolt problem.
The 6.0L Ford Power Stroke engine suffers from one of the worst reputations in the diesel industry--a reputation that quite frankly we don't think it deserves, and one we're looking to improve. One of the most common questions we're asked about the 6.0L is: why didn't Ford just stick with the 7.3L Power Stroke? In hindsight Ford may wish it had, but there are many reasons why the 6.0L Power Stroke came to be.
Keep in mind that the federal government set tougher diesel emissions standards for engines built after January 1, 2003. That meant Ford and International knew they had to invest a substantial amount of money in their diesel engine--just to keep it smog-legal. It's possible they could've added an exhaust gas recirculation system (EGR), a variable-geometry turbo, and a higher-pressure injection system to the 7.3L and been emissions compliant. But a clean-burning 7.3L engine still would've been at a horsepower disadvantage to the 300hp Duramax and 305hp Cummins engines that both featured four valves per cylinder. The Duramax and Cummins engines also benefited from deep-skirt engine blocks and Bosch's latest common-rail injection, which made them quieter than the 7.3L.
So Ford and International built an all-new engine that could do four things: meet the 2003 emissions standards, make more power than the competition, improve fuel economy (thanks to its smaller size), and reduce engine noise. International utilized variable geometry turbo technology, digital fuel injection, four valves per cylinder, and exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) in order to get the job done. It should be stated outright that the 6.0L Power Stroke is nowhere near as bad as most people make it out to be. From a manufacturers' standpoint, the 6.0L met all emissions standards and survived all the testing performed during its research and development stages. So basically, the 6.0L shouldn't be problematic for the consumer--in stock form.
| This is what happens when the torque-to-yield head bolts fail to spread the load and the head lifts off the block--coolant in the cylinders.
This brings us to the power adder aspect that we, diesel owners, usually dabble in at some point or another. Depending on the technician or mechanic you talk to, opinions on the 6.0L vary. When we spoke to the Power Stroke experts at Diesel Tech in San Jacinto, California, they told us most customers with '03 to '07 6.0L Super Dutys operating at stock power levels rarely experience major failures. This makes sense to us. After all, an engine operating within its factory-tested power range will obviously be more reliable, in theory, than one turning more rpm, fueling heavier, and creating more heat and higher cylinder pressures, right? Sure there were quirks, but what engine doesn't have its own particular set of issues?
With the help of Diesel Tech and Elite Diesel Engineering, we've gone beyond the well-known 6.0L EGR and head bolt problems and compiled a list of the '03 to '07 Power Stroke's major faults. We've even gone so far as to match each specific problem with the given model year(s) most affected by it and provided you with a reliable fix.
6.0L'S HAVE PROBLEMS - WE'VE GOT ANSWERS 2003 COMMON PROBLEM/FAILURE: CAUSE: SOLUTION: PART NUMBER: Turbo failure 1) Restrictive oil drain tube Upgraded oil drain tube from {{{Ford}}} PN 6C3Z-9T515-A (VGT vanes sticking) 2) Lack of internal turbo groove Replace turbo Use ’07 turbo Leaking oil under turbo Bad ICP sensor Replace ICP sensor PN 3C3Z-9F838-EA FICM-related rough idle Problematic pilot injection feature Reflash FICM (by application) PN Need VIN
2004 COMMON PROBLEM/FAILURE: CAUSE: SOLUTION: PART NUMBER: EGR cooler (late ’04) Restrictive rectangular design Replace or clean EGR cooler PN 4C3Z-9P456-AF Turbo failure 1) Restrictive oil drain tube Upgraded oil drain tube from Ford PN 6C3Z-9T515-A (VGT vanes sticking) 2) Lack of internal turbo groove Replace turbo Use ’07 turbo
2005 COMMON PROBLEM/FAILURE: CAUSE: SOLUTION: PART NUMBER: EGR cooler Restrictive rectangular design Replace or clean EGR cooler PN 4C3Z-9P456-AF Turbo failure 1) Restrictive oil drain tube Upgraded oil drain tube from Ford PN 6C3Z-9T515-A (VGT vanes sticking) 2) Lack of internal turbo groove Replace turbo Use ’07 turbo HPOP leaking oil STC connector fails Replace STC connector PN 4C3Z-9B246-D Oil rail plug(s) leaking oil O-rings fail Replace oil rail plug PN W302195
2006 COMMON PROBLEM/FAILURE: CAUSE: SOLUTION: PART NUMBER: EGR cooler Restrictive rectangular design Replace or clean EGR cooler PN 4C3Z-9P456-AF Turbo failure Lack of internal turbo groove Replace turbo Use ’07 turbo Oil rail plug(s) leaking oil O-rings fail Replace oil rail plug PN W302195
2007 COMMON PROBLEM/FAILURE: CAUSE: SOLUTION: PART NUMBER: EGR cooler Restrictive rectangular design Replace or clean EGR cooler PN 4C3Z-9P456-AF Oil rail plugs O-rings fail Replace oil rail plug PN W302195
2003 - 2007 (ALL MODEL YEARS) COMMON PROBLEM/FAILURE: CAUSE: SOLUTION: PART NUMBER: EGR valve sticking ('03 to early '04) Carbon, soot buildup Replace or clean EGR valve PN 4C3Z-9F452-A EGR valve sticking (late '04 to '07) Carbon, soot buildup Replace or clean EGR valve PN 53Z-9F452-AA Blown head gasket Head bolts stretch ARP head studs, H-11 head studs PN 250-4202 (ARP)
PN1300-5001 (Elite) Oil cooler Plugged or gasket failure Clean oil cooler and/or replace gasket PN 3C3Z-6A642-AA Sticking spool valve in injector Stuck spool valve (open/closed) Inductive Heating Flash - FICM PN Need VIN Cracked IC boot ('03 to early '04) Wear, heat Replace boot PN 6C3Z-6C640C Cracked IC boot (late '04 to '07) Wear, heat Replace boot PN 6C3Z-6C640A Coolant leak Degas bottles crack on seams Replace degas bottle PN 6C3Z-8A-O8OB FICM calibration(s) Bad calibration, fried circuit board Re-flash or new FICM PN Need VIN Injector harness wear Chafed wiring harness Replace wiring harness (by application) PN Need VIN FICM harness wear Chafed wiring harness Replace wiring harness (by application) PN Need VIN
GlossaryEGR: Exhaust Gas Recirculation
IC: Intercooler
FICM: Fuel Injection Control Module
ICP: Injection Control Pressure
HPOP: High Pressure Oil Pump
VGT: Variable Geometry Turbo
