Best year or years for the 6.0?

08Tarheel450 · Sep 29, 2012

I just sold my 08 F450 and am looking to replace it with a 6.0. I hate to ask here but I have sent emails to four different sponsors asking them to give me advice on which year or years are "best". What I mean is, I know the earliest 03's had issues. I know there were changes made to the engine and vehicles, I just don't know what nor when. I look to do some mods, especially to improve reliability and fuel economy. Please point me in the right direction guys. I like the 05-07 body styles and creature comforts but don't have to have them if the 03-04 years are better suited for modding. Thanks in advance.

Dieselcraft · Sep 30, 2012

All 03s iv seen are stout as he'll
I know a 03 with 260k hp oil pump failure at 30k only concern

JD3020 · Sep 30, 2012

From our experience, it seems like the 06-07's are the best in stock form, although my brothers 06 blew the HG's at 90k miles bone stock. Personally if i was going to buy a 6.0 it'd have to be an 05+, IMO the interior and exterior blow the earlier SD's out of the water.

Mixedbreed · Sep 30, 2012

JD3020 said:
From our experience, it seems like the 06-07's are the best in stock form, although my brothers 06 blew the HG's at 90k miles bone stock. Personally if i was going to buy a 6.0 it'd have to be an 05+, IMO the interior and exterior blow the earlier SD's out of the water.

THIS...

and check this out and read up on the changes.

http://powerstrokearmy.com/forums/showthread.php?t=185

gee whiz site

http://www.littlepowershop.com/60problems.html

HaysKSFirefighter · Sep 30, 2012

I bought an 07 for two reasons, I like buying later versions of vehicles...it seems they usually get the kinks out. Second, the interior and coil front suspension were very nice upgrades coming from an 02.

Snake · Sep 30, 2012

05-07 is the only way to go IMO. The differences in the motor throughout the production run (03-07) aren't significant enough to justify the rest of the stuff you'd give up buying a 03-04.

colo_dually · Sep 30, 2012

For the last updates from the factory, you'll want to narrow your search down to trucks built from Jan '06 thru the end of production. These trucks were commonized with the early 6.4L trucks and have fewer issues.

Key things on these later trucks:
-Still need to update the STC fitting.
-Still need dummy plugs and stand pipes.
-Still have the problematic EGR cooler. ('03 was the best year for that unit)

I really like the '05-'07 trucks and the coil spring front ends. If you are looking for a truck that will pull similarly to your '08 F450, look at trying to find one of the Tow Boss packaged duallys.

windrunner408 · Sep 30, 2012

2006 is the best year!!! Sorry it's what I have and I like mine so that is why I said it. IMO, I would look for either an 06 or 07 OR the very elusive 04.5 with 04 style HPOP and 05-07 rails. JMO as they all need studs, EGR delete, oil cooler rebuilds, etc.

Atsah · Sep 30, 2012

None...

JK.. 07 is best IMO.. The newer the better..

SaNnDnSurF · Sep 30, 2012

I actually had less probs with my 03 than my 05 and the truck felt like it had more balls. The 03 rode like a brick compared to my 05 though and the 05 interior is a step up for sure.

Mixedbreed · Sep 30, 2012

This is teh link I was looking for yesterday.

goes year by year.

issues by year

Redneck6.0L · Sep 30, 2012

if your looking at making power, 03/04 are easier to tune, they are more forgiving in the pcm, the 05-07 pcn are a bit smarter,the 05 up trucks are nicer thou

kevin · Sep 30, 2012

Redneck6.0L said:
if your looking at making power, 03/04 are easier to tune, they are more forgiving in the pcm, the 05-07 pcn are a bit smarter,the 05 up trucks are nicer thou

Way off topic here but I have an 05 motor with a 03 ficm and pcm.. should I be telling him this when I get my tunes?

08Tarheel450 · Sep 30, 2012

Thanks to everyone for all the replies. A lot of good info here. I had to sell my 450 because I was diagnosed with a back disorder and had to sell my logging business as well. I won't be towing anything over 10,000 pounds in the foreseen future. I do own a 23 ft tag along camper and a smaller tractor for just gardening and food plots for my deer hunting. If it weren't for that, I'd probably buy a gasser. I don't know though, have owned several diesels from 97 until now and it's hard to do without one. That being said, what order would y'all recommend to start the upgrade process? In what order makes sense? What should be my first fix? Or should I buy it, mod it, drive it and fix the weak links as they show up?

03 tx pwr stroke · Sep 30, 2012

My 03 6.0 has by far been the best truck I've ever owned. Just turned over 185k, and I've had zero problems with the motor. Just replaced the trans, but I think it was the tune I was running. Gonna be getting new tunes very shortly.

Atsah · Sep 30, 2012

08Tarheel450 said:
Thanks to everyone for all the replies. A lot of good info here. I had to sell my 450 because I was diagnosed with a back disorder and had to sell my logging business as well. I won't be towing anything over 10,000 pounds in the foreseen future. I do own a 23 ft tag along camper and a smaller tractor for just gardening and food plots for my deer hunting. If it weren't for that, I'd probably buy a gasser. I don't know though, have owned several diesels from 97 until now and it's hard to do without one. That being said, what order would y'all recommend to start the upgrade process? In what order makes sense? What should be my first fix? Or should I buy it, mod it, drive it and fix the weak links as they show up?

You have to do what's right for yourself.. In the situation you decribe above, you may want to consider a gasser.. Pulling a small tractor around and towing 10K on occasion doesn't warant a diesel IMO.. If it's something you want and have the extra money to throw at parts, maintanence, fuel and mods then by all means but it sounds like you would be fine with a gasser.. JMO..

08Tarheel450 · Sep 30, 2012

If I could get a regular cab or extended cab short bed and mod it and get 16 or so mpg with mixed driving, I have no problem buying a diesel. I had a 08 F350 and a 08 F450 and never did get the miraculous mileage that everyone else did. The 350 single rear wheel was a crew short 4x4 and it never got above 18 on the highway, around town, loaded, empty or even coasting in neutral I don't think. It was tuned and deleted. What real world results are everyone seeing with the basic mods for mpg?

Atsah · Sep 30, 2012

I had two 6.0's no mods at all.. One was a 05 CCSB that got 17mpg all around driving and a 03 CCLB dually that got 16MPG..

08Tarheel450 · Sep 30, 2012

Atsah said:
I had two 6.0's no mods at all.. One was a 05 CCSB that got 17mpg all around driving and a 03 CCLB dually that got 16MPG..

See I could definitely live with that. I figure a 150 will get less than 20 mpg even at it's best. The price of diesel here is about $.30 a gallon more expensive than gas. I don't drive much at all, maybe 8-10,000 miles a year. To me the savings on gas wouldn't be worth the loss of not being able to tow anything I want to. You know what I mean? I guess the saying comes to mind, it's better to have and not need than to need and not have.

HaysKSFirefighter · Sep 30, 2012

Atsah said:
I had two 6.0's no mods at all.. One was a 05 CCSB that got 17mpg all around driving and a 03 CCLB dually that got 16MPG..

This was my first 6.0, I consistently get 16 MPG daily driving it. I can see 18 highway. I may not need the dually like I used to but I don't see selling it for a half ton being that smart either.
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