Ford Diesel 6.0 Vs 6.4

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For those that own or have owned Ford diesel trucks this is for you. I'm in the market for a diesel truck and it will be a Ford, period. Don't care to hear opinion on how much better the Dodge or Chevy's are. What I'm trying to find out is what is the main difference between a Ford 6.0L and 6.4L. I have found an extremely clean 2006 F-250 that has the 6.0 and I can also get special supplier pricing from Ford being a Shell retiree on a new 2008 F-250 with the 6.4, so what's the main difference other than displacement.

Thanks


Read here on the great ford diesel engine
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www.thedieselstop.com
 
The newer 6.0l powerstroke is a good engine that I would trust if the price was right. If it were my choice I'd get the 6.4 because its common rail and has more of a warrenty.
I drive a F250 with a 7.3 and I'd gladly buy another Ford, 6.0 or 6.4.
 
The 04+ 6.0 were pretty decent, although even the 06's had some head gasket issues. There are a couple problems with the HG's. First is the bolts aren't all that great and the clamp load on the head is really insufficient. One time fix if you have a problem, put head studs in and forget it. On the later engines there was a revised head and gasket and if the wrong gasket was installed on the engine it will leak oil. I've had couple do this, again, one time fix.

Even though at work we don't mod the trucks I have put studs in anytime we have to do HG's and have not had to redue any of them.

The advantage of the 6.0 is the last of emissions equipment. A simple EGR block-off and some mild tuning and the 6.0 will be decent engine. The 6.4 is well built, but being new will have some growing pains just as the 6.7 ISB Cummins has/is having.

The 6.4 PowerStroke, or MaxxForce Navistar, is a collaboration between MAN and Navisar. MAN builds some killer engines and I think the 6.4 will be a good engine. At work we have recently bought quite a few Internationals with the 6.4 in them and they have been pretty trouble free so far. I expect in another 5-7 months we'll be replacing quite a few pickups and may have around 25 new 6.4 on the property, so we'll see how the PowerStroke badged version of that engine holds up.

So, buy whatever truck you like the best and don't think twice about the engine. Just be aware that the 6.0 does have a few issues, which can be cured if they occur, and be ready for that event should they ever occur. Again, if you buy a 6.4 be ready to own first generation diesel emissions equipment on pickups and be ready to deal with any issues on that basis.
 
Also, what is your intended use of the truck? Are you going to tour around unloaded 100% stock all the time. You want a drag racer/sled puller/dyno queen. Slightly mod'd tow rig? These will also affect which version of the truck you buy as well.
 
It will be loaded 50% of the time. Some highway, some back road travel. Don't plan on pulling a trailer. Probably could get by with a 1/2 ton truck, but I want a diesel. The guy next door works for a local Chevy dealer and is trying his best to talk me into buying a Duramax. He really runs Ford down, which is a big turn-off for me. If the only way you can sell something is to run down the competition, your not much of a salesman as for as I'm concerned. I have plenty of time to decide and still considering my options. Thanks for all of the replies.
 
Duramax is a good engine and the Allison is the best of the automatics. I like the Ford truck much better, and even my old 4R100 has been hauling 25,000lbs for a long time with no trouble so the transmission will hold up if done right. Every truck has there down falls, the Ford truck is solid and reliable. The 6.0 has a few issues but will hold up just fine. Buy the truck that you like the best and enjoy driving it. Good luck with the search.
 
I love Ford trucks, I just wish over the years their track record with diesel was a little more (trying to be PC here), reliable.
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Quote:


For those that own or have owned Ford diesel trucks this is for you. I'm in the market for a diesel truck and it will be a Ford, period. Don't care to hear opinion on how much better the Dodge or Chevy's are. What I'm trying to find out is what is the main difference between a Ford 6.0L and 6.4L. I have found an extremely clean 2006 F-250 that has the 6.0 and I can also get special supplier pricing from Ford being a Shell retiree on a new 2008 F-250 with the 6.4, so what's the main difference other than displacement.

Thanks


I would wait and let some other dummies pay to work the bugs out of the truck. New diesel engines have a poor track record in the Ford trucks. seems the 6.4 has more potential of being "better" without the HEUI injection. I have a 2002 superduty my wife drives.
 
Johnny,

Also keep in mind that today's Duramax is still the same engine that was released in '01. It hasn't changed at all, except for the addition of the exhaust aftertreatment.

I'd also invite you to read the three main diesel forums out there and read what owners are saying about their trucks and what issues they might be having.

I've been scouring and reading the forums, and the DMax crowd is pretty quiet compared to the other two guys.

Chevy/GMC Forum
Ford PSD Forum
Dodge Forum
 
The Duramax has under gone a few changes. The heads a bit different, there have actually been two major revisions to the castings IIRC. The addition of EGR which was one of the casting revisions on the heads. But yes, basically the current LMM is the same as the LB7.

The fuel systems has had several revisions, both injectors and pump. The overall design hasn't change in the same way that Cummins and Navistar have done though. The 6.4 is shaping up to be a very good engine from what I have seen of the engine in the MaxxForce badged version, but only time will tell.

The major thing I don't like is the additional emissions equipment. Have a lot of experience with diesel emissions systems, I don't want to own them personally. The muffler assemblies are quite expensive once they are out of warranty, and they will require more maintenance. From a performance standpoint the emissions inspections will get more thorough and hot rodding them will be increasing expensive and more difficult. Just my .02 worth though.
 
My Uncle has a 2006 F-350, has good power and with the revised front axle with coils rides very nicely and has an awesome turning radius.
he's had a few issues with the 6.0, put in some fuel additives to keep the fuel from gelling and took out half the injectors, they were covered under warranty, he was then told to only use the motorcraft fuel additive. about the only other thing he has really done with the truck was add extra springs to the rear axle because he wasn't happy with the way it was setup from factory, pulls great and is very roomy with the quad cab and the factory tow package is excellent, not to mention that the new torqueshift transmissions are amazing compared to the other trannys behind the 7.3's

my cousin has driven both dodges and fords and he prefers his ford with the 7.3.
his dodge didn't have the power his ford did until he chipped it and is now on his 3rd tranny in the dodge
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Quote:


The Duramax has under gone a few changes. The heads a bit different, there have actually been two major revisions to the castings IIRC. The addition of EGR which was one of the casting revisions on the heads. But yes, basically the current LMM is the same as the LB7.

The fuel systems has had several revisions, both injectors and pump. The overall design hasn't change in the same way that Cummins and Navistar have done though. The 6.4 is shaping up to be a very good engine from what I have seen of the engine in the MaxxForce badged version, but only time will tell.

The major thing I don't like is the additional emissions equipment. Have a lot of experience with diesel emissions systems, I don't want to own them personally. The muffler assemblies are quite expensive once they are out of warranty, and they will require more maintenance. From a performance standpoint the emissions inspections will get more thorough and hot rodding them will be increasing expensive and more difficult. Just my .02 worth though.



As far as emissions equipment....programmers have already come out with ways around the equipment.

I know EFI Live for example will allow you to straight pipe the new LMM DMax w/o setting off codes AND disabling the regen function + it leaves the EGR functional only 25% of the time.

As far as I know, there hasn't been anything available yet for the 6.7 CTD or the 6.4 PSD, but I could be wrong.
 
There are both programmers to get around the emissions systems if you want to straight pipe them. But warranty claims are getting more sticky with mods that affect emissions equipment. The EPA has been getting pretty intrusive with large fleets about keeping emissions systems up to par. They have the right to come and inspect any repairs that you do and if you change any part technically you are supposed to keep the old part for a period of time so they can come out and inspect it if they wish. They have never done that to us yet, but I know of several outfits that have had it happen.

EFI Live is a neat program. With a slightly worked over set of GM LS6 heads, a few bolt ons and I spent a day at work on the chassis dyno the LS6 I put in a friends car layed down just over 500HP, I was very impressed with the control and access EFI gives you.

Easy HP without running a serious risk of warranty denial or legal issues with emission testing and so forth are gone. It's going to get more difficult and more expensive for here on out. I don't want to deal with it myself, it's enough of a headache dealing with it when I'm being payed to put up with it.
 
I've had an '04 6.0 E-350 van since it was new-they are EXTREMELY hard to work on-it spent 2 months at the dealer for head gaskets & a host of other stuff @ around 55,000 mi., since the injector pressure control sensor & harness was replaced (for the 2nd time) @ 93K it's been a lot better, people I've talked to think the newer 6.0s were better, but it's not a Dmax or Cummins by ANY stretch of the imagination. My co. has 8 6.0s, they were a HUGE mistake, we've even had some repeat turbo failures & grenading TorqShifts, I would personally sell one if it was given to me!
 
My vote, based on my personal experience with owning a 2005 6.0psd in Excursion would be go with the 2006 and re-evaluate after a couple more years. I know they supposedly did more research prior to product launch this time, but to me the 6.4 is still in the infancy (read: experimental) stage. Twin turbos and all the emissions stuff - I am burying nickels in the backyard to save for if I have one turbo go out past the 100k warranty, can't even imagine having 2 to potentially fail as the miles get up there. Of course you may not be planning on long term ownership, but I know I'll have mine way past the 100k engine warranty.

As for mine, had one injector go "bad" at 25k miles, and the HPOP came unplugged, something they have an improvement for, no other probs, now at 40k miles. Do my own oil and fule filters, nice easy service points for most part. Plenty of power stock, avoid the tuners and most of the problems go away on the 2005++ model years.

Good luck!
 
I for one am very very impressed with the new 6.4 For those of you bashing it because of the "flamethrower" option. That was a computer glitch, and I believe there has been a TSB put out on it. One quick computer flash and thats gone. I really like the new 6.4 and I don't even own one. I own a 5.9 cummins powered Dodge, which I love. For those of you that think the Ford 6.4 is junk, check this out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vk1ysgy_kL0
Scott
 
I'm hoping the 6.0 is good. Just bought a 2003 F550 with the 6.0, 6 speed. But haven't driven it more than about 50 miles so far as I'm having a custom box and lift added to the back.
 
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