Why are 75% of all 4x4 SMB for sale - 2006, 6.0L?

[Ocsmb]

19-20mpg 7.3 smb? Myth. I would and did hold out for a 7.3 4x4 smb. Never looked back even though everything but the motor needed replacing.

[Nick]

I went with a low mileage (25k) 06 DSL, overplayed the engine issues got a great discount and left with a happy face.

[Ridge]

For what it's worth, I use a 6.0 (Ford van) for transporting cars. It has 340K miles on it with the last 210K towing a 2 car enclosed trailer... close to 19Klbs GVW.

It is, by far, the most expensive motor I've ever used for work. It is stock except for the $4500 I had to put into it the day after I bought it, just to make it reliable. This included deleting the troublesome EGR cooler, replacing the oil cooler, turbo cleaning, turbo hoses, pulleys and belt, etc.

So, I bought the van for $10,500, put $4500 into it, drove it for 210K miles and put another $6600 into it (had to replace the injectors, turbo, $600 in cooling lines, high pressure oil pump, misc. electrical components). A lot of stuff was replaced because it was so much money, in labor, that it would be dumb to put parts back on that had so many miles.

The van didn't have great power but it did ok. The mileage was 10mpg (towing) which is 3mpg worse than my 2003 Dodge, Cummins powered crew cab dually. Every 15K miles I changed the oil, atf, and all filters, to the tune of $500. Ridiculous. The fuel filters alone are $85. The engine temps (oil and water) regularly reach 235* on hills, so you are required to run the best fluids. Speaking of fluids, if I don't add Rev-X to my oil, the motor stumbles at idle and surges while driving. Not lying! That stuff is an extra $75 per oil change.

Now, compare the 6.0 to my 1999 Ford V10 crew cab dually. I paid $20K for the dually with 30K miles on it. The V10 gets 8.5mpg-9.5mpg and uses less than half of the oil than the 6.0, and the ATF isn't $9 per quart. The fuel filter is $12.

The dually has 740K miles on it now. I had to replace the motor 470K miles ago because I hit a deer and over heated the motor a number of times trying to get to a safe place. Still on my original transmission.

I would never buy another 6.0. Never. The fuel mileage isn't that much of a difference and the V10 will save you money (in maintenance) over the long run (IF YOU'RE COMPARING IT TO THE 6.0).

[Ridge]

As a test bed...I just swapped a 5.9 Cummins 12 valve into this. I've only put about 1200 miles on it since the conversion, but I drove (empty) at 60mph for 80 miles and got 17.8mpg. Then I just took it to Lake Powell last week at 65mph (loaded), and averaged 14.3mpg for 1050 miles.

[BroncoHauler]

Please don't let this thread degenerate into a Gas vs Diesel thread. That is one of the very few topics that is not permitted to be started on this forum.There are already plenty of threads about that, so look them up if you want to, but they very frequently have done nothing but generate a lot of friction and bad feelings on this forum.

People who love gas engines won't change their minds based on what's posted here, and people who love diesel engines won't change their minds either.


Herb

[E350]

Ridge: You are one of the few people out there who have both owned and heavily used V10's and 6.0L's and obviously you must watching MGMetalWorks Cummins Conversion thread closely:

viewtopic.php?f=39&t=11910&hilit=cummins+conversio n&start=120

BroncoHauler: I don't think this is a gas vs. diesel thread. It is a 6.0L thread and Ridge has 6.0L vs V10 engine info from which we all can benefit, so I hope he keeps sharing.

[E350]

I would like to echo the following statements made by others:

"19-20mpg 7.3 smb? Myth."

and

"I'd say the longevity of any motor is FAR more dependent on proper maintenance, rather than what motor is. ...

Herb"

[Ridge]

Originally Posted by BroncoHauler

Please don't let this thread degenerate into a Gas vs Diesel thread. That is one of the very few topics that is not permitted to be started on this forum.There are already plenty of threads about that, so look them up if you want to, but they very frequently have done nothing but generate a lot of friction and bad feelings on this forum.

People who love gas engines won't change their minds based on what's posted here, and people who love diesel engines won't change their minds either.


Herb

I'm actually a diesel lover... just pointing out my experience with the 6.0, since I've put so many thousands of miles on one. And, I am 100% behind your statement about proper maintenance, which is why I had far less problems than a lot of others.

[Ridge]

Originally Posted by E350

Ridge: You are one of the few people out there who have both owned and heavily used V10's and 6.0L's and obviously you must watching MegaMetalWorks Cummins Conversion thread closely.

BroncoHauler: I don't think this is a gas vs. diesel thread. It is a 6.0L thread and Ridge has 6.0L vs V10 engine info from which we all can benefit, so I hope he keeps sharing.

I haven't seen that thread yet, but I'll go look for it. I'm thinking my next Cummins swap will be into my 4x4 van...

[E350]

Check it out and pm him:

viewtopic.php?f=39&t=11910&hilit=cummins+conversio n&start=120