Looking for advice... on Ford F250, 04 6.0

[Fire Sweep Ranch]

I am about done with our truck! Looking for some ideas or suggestions:
We have owned this truck since 04, brand new, 6.0 liter diesel. Have used Ford mechanics for most of the work. This truck now has about 230K miles on it. In the last three weeks, the power steering pump went out (took to mechanic to replace), the alternator went bad and had to tow it 60 miles back home (and find another truck to bring the trailer home that was attached). Got the alternator replaced (after sitting for several days), got the truck started and it ran for about 30 minutes, just got out of town when it acted like it was running real rough (shaking), the engine revved, then died acting like it was starved of fuel. No starting it after that so towed it back home. Called the mechanic, he said likely gelled fuel (been in the single digits out here, and since the truck was sitting for several days unused we thought it was likely). Bought some gel stuff to put in the tank, parked it in the shop to warm it, and it started and ran for a little bit before the same symptoms. Someone suggested changing the fuel filters (it was last changed in 217 K), so we did (lots of black gunk in the lower filter). Truck will still not run. We are not mechanics, and we really need to trade it in on a new truck, but can not until summer. Any suggestions, or should we just suck it up again and take it back to the shop?
Thanks!

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

PM Hook Fire Sweep. He knows quite a bit about Ford diesel trucks.

 

[Aaron]

Sounds like maybe an electrical issue with the injectors. If you could get someone to check for codes, that would give you a start.

 

[saltbranch]

I really like diesels trucks. I have owned Fords since 1984 with the 6.9 Ford to Dodges with the 5.9. I never have owned the the 6.7 Dodge or the Ford 6.7. My advice.....weigh out ALL the options gas and diesel. For me it was the 6.2 gas. I dont pull over 15k. I got a f250 with a sticker of 33k, haggle to 29k. finance 24k with trade/cash

 

[lynnmcmahan]

You can guess, throw parts and still be walking. Diesel parts ain't cheap. Find a good mechanic and tell him to do a diagnostic
check. You can buy a ScanGage II at Auto Zone for @$150 and run a code check yourself.
There are a lot of Ford diesel forums that can give good advice.

 

[M5farm]

This thread must be joke. According to a few on here a Ford truck has never broken down.

 

[saltbranch]

This thread must be joke. According to a few on here a Ford truck has never broken down.

I kind of agree with this thought. The 6.0 is not known for reliability. You either get a good one, or you drop big $$ to keep it running

 

[govols]

I'm not a diesel expert but I have owned two 6.0L Ford's. First thing I would check would be the FICM to see what the voltage is. I had to replace one on my old 04', really hard cold starting and rough idle IF it started. When you crank it are you getting any smoke coming from the exhaust?

 

[govols]

Also I wouldn't get too concerned about replacing a power steering pump and alternator on a 10 year old truck. I think of those things as wear and tear items.

 

[Kingfisher]

Did it run ok before the alt replacement? If so drain the tank and put some fresh diesel in it. Is check engine light on? Scan it and tell us what codes are present.

 

[Nesikep]

A good site for help on that is www.dieselbombers.com I've gotten some good help there myself

Gelled fuel is VERY hard to un-gel... What happens is the paraffin (wax) separates from the solvent and causes all sorts of grief, especially in the filters, as they will filter the wax from the fuel and plug up... now you have changed them, but there could be wax built up elsewhere.

If it will idle, I'd let it sit there and idle for an hour or two.. the fuel pump will circulate the cold fuel from the tank around the warm engine and that might just do it for you. I don't have a lot of faith in de-gelling additives once it has gelled.

For whatever you can't get the new vehicle you want now, how about getting a good running clunker to get you through til summer? I'd just go with a 80's chevy or ford, and when you don't need it on the road anymore, it's always handy for feeding... the cows rubbing on it won't do no harm!

 

[Hook]

In a quiet area, turn the key to the on position but don't start it. Can you hear the pump run, it's right under your driver seat on the frame. Is it loud or is it quiet low hum? Then, take the cap of te engine mounted filter. Turn the key on again, but don't start. Does fuel run out?
Last thing possible is the foot that's inside the tank. It's plastic and degrades at about that mileage. I that's the case you will have a lot of that black
Gunk and run out of fuel at just over 1/4 tank. The part is only about 35 buck but the lines need to be cleaned out and the tank/fuel cleaned out.
My bet is the pickup foot fell apart

 

[skyhightree1]

This thread must be joke. According to a few on here a Ford truck has never broken down.

Hey now :shock: I gotta be honest I had a 6.0 worst brain fart ford had IMO they are a $ pit and parts are high as he all. I ford shouldn't have went away from the 7.3 biggest mistake ever. M5 that was my painful confession thanks for making me cut myself and watch myself bleed first thing this am :lol2:

 

[Hook]

Thank the EPA for the demise of the 7.3. The 6.0 was a stopgap for 4 years while they designed the. 6.4 to meet further EPA demands and now the 6.7 for the same reason.

 

[skyhightree1]

I have hated to buy any diesels ever since they stopped making the 7.3 and the 6.0 experience. I find myself buying older trucks with the 7.3 at auctions or used car dealerships that are in good shape.

 

[Hook]

That's why my truck is getting head gaskets and arp studs right now. Found one head cracked, and the whole top end is getting valves , seats , etc since we're in it already. Once this is done I shouldn't have to touch it for a lonnnngggg time. I can't bring myself to buy a truck that you have to buy an extra fluid just to burn off carbon

 

[highgrit]

The first thing you need to do is find a good mechanic, and you won't find one at the dealer. I would bet your problem is or started in the fuel tank with the black stuff. A good 6.0 engine is as good or better than any diesel Ford has used. And your year truck is a nice model before Ford went with all that cheap plastic. Some one should be able to hook you up with a good local diesel shop and they can fix a 6.0 up that's bullet proof. You can figure on spending 4-6k but you will have a better engine than any of the new trucks. A 6.0 is a good engine, some of the engineering just stunk. I'am sure glad you folks had better luck with your 7.3's than I did. Out of the 3 that I owned none made it past 320k, but I use to work them hard.

 

[Nesikep]

Hook, I did ARP studs on my 5.9.. it's good piece of mind when you work the thing hard, and I heard fairly essential on a 6.0. The only problem was when I did it, I got a faulty gasket from Cummins and the engine (which was doing fine until then), scored itself to death in about 1000 miles from oil leaking into the cylinder. I transfered the studs 1 by 1 to an old engine and it's been doing just fine... about 300,000 miles and don't need to add oil between changes.

I can't think of buying a truck that needs DEF as well, especially up here where it can freeze, it takes battery power to keep the tank warm... And if it freezes you probably have to bring it to a dealer (knowing these auto manufacturers)

 

[Fire Sweep Ranch]

I'm not a diesel expert but I have owned two 6.0L Ford's. First thing I would check would be the FICM to see what the voltage is. I had to replace one on my old 04', really hard cold starting and rough idle IF it started. When you crank it are you getting any smoke coming from the exhaust?

YES! When we changed the alternator, the thing smoked like no tomorrow after starting! What does that mean? I am still reading through the threads, and will try to get to everything.
On a side note, from what people tell us, we got lucky with the 6.0 and never having any major problems. I guess it was Ford's worst engine. I just expect my truck to to last longer than 230K miles. Our next truck will likely be a gas engine!

 

[Fire Sweep Ranch]

In a quiet area, turn the key to the on position but don't start it. Can you hear the pump run, it's right under your driver seat on the frame. Is it loud or is it quiet low hum? Then, take the cap of te engine mounted filter. Turn the key on again, but don't start. Does fuel run out?
Last thing possible is the foot that's inside the tank. It's plastic and degrades at about that mileage. I that's the case you will have a lot of that black
Gunk and run out of fuel at just over 1/4 tank. The part is only about 35 buck but the lines need to be cleaned out and the tank/fuel cleaned out.
My bet is the pickup foot fell apart

Hook-
Hubby said when he changed the fuel filter a lot of black gunk ran out. Could that be what you are talking about?
He said he can hear the pump run under the hood, and said it is loud until it picks up the fuel, then it bogs down like it is getting fuel in it. It starts, then runs rough, then dies. He said he will try the cap off the engine mounted filter tomorrow (he is heading out the door to work). We have a friend coming out tomorrow to help us, he went through the diesel mechanic program at the college I teach at as a high school-er so knows a little (our college has a great middle college- a tech school for high school kids). If we can not solve it, we will have to take it to the mechanic. Is changing the pickup foot hard?
Thanks for all your help so far... still reading the threads...