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Old 03-02-2019, 08:36 PM   #1
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Are Ford 6.0's worth it?

I'm new to the forum and hopefully soon a proud owner of a SMB. I'm fond of the Ford body and truly want a diesel over anything else. I'd love the 7.3 but they're extremely hard to find in good condition. So my question is to all of you who own the 6.0 out there. Can you school me on anything and everything you've had to dealt with since owning and operating your SMB?

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Old 03-02-2019, 08:47 PM   #2
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There’s a ton of info that’s been posted here already. Do some searching. You could read as long and as much as you’d like to and the answer is still going to be yes for some and no for some. Get an 05 or newer if you get one and be willing to spend at least $2k right away to address the EGR.
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Old 03-02-2019, 08:54 PM   #3
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How is the Chevy 3500 performing for you?
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Old 03-02-2019, 09:47 PM   #4
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It’s fantastic. The ride quality and the engine are both on another level. And I really liked my E350. Something to consider depending on what your plans are and how you’re going to use your van.
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Old 03-03-2019, 08:09 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by schwam86 View Post
I'm new to the forum and hopefully soon a proud owner of a SMB. I'm fond of the Ford body and truly want a diesel over anything else. I'd love the 7.3 but they're extremely hard to find in good condition. So my question is to all of you who own the 6.0 out there. Can you school me on anything and everything you've had to dealt with since owning and operating your SMB?
The answer to your title is no. There is an active post right now on someone who already has an expensive SMB and is spending $10k just to fix what shouldn't be broken.

My advice to practically everyone who wants a diesel SMB is to simply get over it. Do you want a reliable camper or a maintenance project? This is not popular advice here but it is my advice. Good luck and welcome to the gang!

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Old 03-03-2019, 11:19 AM   #6
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I ended up dropping about 15K into my 6.0 engine just as a bit of insurance. At 92K the stock motor was in better shape than I figured though. Most of the problems I've had were related to what bolts on the motor, not the motor itself. Throughout the years I've had 3 different sensors fail that resulted in calling for a tow. Not sure if they fail due to excessive heat under the hood but I'm guessing engine bay heat caused the wire harness to fail just prior to the bullet proofing. Every time I'm in the back country I worry about a sensor failure. The 10-15K cost to rebuild a 6.0 can purchase a lot of gasoline and is something to think about.



On the plus side, the 6.0 get pretty good mileage. I ran a trail with a friend who has a v-10 RB and at the end of our travels he was on fumes while I still had enough to make about a 100 miles before having to fuel up. Probably some depends on the terrain but we were both surprised especially since I had ran the diesel furnace all night. Not sure how the torque is compared to the V-10 but the 6.0 does well.
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Old 03-03-2019, 03:26 PM   #7
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We're happy with ours...which will very soon be up for sale, as we are on the down side of 70. Good luck on whatever you decide to do.

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Old 03-03-2019, 04:48 PM   #8
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Most of the problems I've had were related to what bolts on the motor, not the motor itself.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^What he said^^^^^^^^^^^^^
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Old 03-03-2019, 05:03 PM   #9
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To the point that the motor is fine, and it's everything attached to it... I firmly believe that to be true.

The real achilles is that many of those trouble-prone parts, if you try to keep driving, WILL cause other failures, up to the point of catastrophic failure.

I watched a 6.0 Excursion self-destruct before my very eyes. It's not pretty. And it doesn't take long. Just trying to push for the next exit is all it takes.... That of course assumes some sensor didn't cause a sudden DOA condition.
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Old 03-10-2019, 10:20 AM   #10
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https://autowise.com/ford-diesel-engine-history/ I have an'93 no rust, looks great, 80K miles ambulance with the 7.3 IDI which I knew nothing about but now really love it & the IDI. Simple, cheap parts, plenty of power & great milage.
Later is Better: If you have a choice, select the newest-model Ford IDI you can find, with the ’93 to ’94 years being best. You’ll get a better glow plug controller (D), serpentine belt system, and the turbo engine comes with stronger connecting rods. The 7.3L is desired more than the 6.9L because it has larger, ½-inch head bolts instead of 7⁄16-inch versions.
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