I would say it all depends on the motor/slash heads being worked on. I've replaced 100's of Mercedes leaking ass M104 head gaskets, have never resurfaced or done a valve job on any of them and have never had a "come back" since doing the first one in the late 90's. I can't speak for a 6.0 ford, but I do know lots of people who have had to put new complete heads on them, what a fine motor.
The full international version actually has more head bolts and a different management system. And they have none of the issues the ford version does. Granted half of the issues are emissions related, and the medium/heavy duty didnt have to worry about that yet.
I send everything I do to the machine shop. If it's something for me personally ay forgo it. But not for a customer. The deciding factor on the level of importance is the gasket type (mls etc). Ford said for years you couldn't surface a 6.0l head. Many service documents still say it. But any reputable shop is going to surface them or replace them. Seems lately you can just plan on replacing them lol
I send everything I do to the machine shop. If it's something for me personally ay forgo it. But not for a customer. The deciding factor on the level of importance is the gasket type (mls etc). Ford said for years you couldn't surface a 6.0l head. Many service documents still say it. But any reputable shop is going to surface them or replace them. Seems lately you can just plan on replacing them lol
I DID see an 03 F250 with a 6.0 make it to 315,000 miles. It was bone ass stock and he just did normal upkeep. When it finally shit the bed, it wasn't even a head/head gasket issue. From what I remember, it burnt the top of the #4 piston from either an injector or FICM failure. It still ran, albeit sort of rough. I had the chance to buy that truck for 4000 bucks and looking back, I was stupid for not doing so! I could have fixed it or done a Cummins swap. I could have probably made a nice chunk of change off of it....
My last truck was an 04 F350 that was neglected. Bought it with 85k miles and 5 years later sold it with 326k miles. Bone stock except for AFE intake and new exhaust. I did have to end up doing a new FICM as the batteries and alternator finally died. I did replace just 2 injectors and 1 EGR valve. Beyond that, no issues. However, at 326k miles it was time for a new set of injectors.
Ended up selling the truck for like $7k.
Every so often there is a decent 6.0 out there that just keeps on going!
My last truck was an 04 F350 that was neglected. Bought it with 85k miles and 5 years later sold it with 326k miles. Bone stock except for AFE intake and new exhaust. I did have to end up doing a new FICM as the batteries and alternator finally died. I did replace just 2 injectors and 1 EGR valve. Beyond that, no issues. However, at 326k miles it was time for a new set of injectors.
Ended up selling the truck for like $7k.
Every so often there is a decent 6.0 out there that just keeps on going!
That post has no bearing on reality. What I remember about that truck is that it rarely ran more than six cylinders, and was often expected to die before the trip was over.
That it never actually died is a small consolation.
Do you see a trend? I do "work" my trucks. My brother does not (he will agree). We both owned 6.0's. I purchased mine with 65,000 miles and he bought his 04' brand spankin new. My truck ended up needing (in the 100,000 miles i owned it) FICM, EGR, Turbo, Rear ring and pinion (not motor obviously), Oil cooler, 3 sets of head gaskets, water pump, alternator, and the list goes on.
Yes i put ARP studs in after the first head gasket. The first gasket swap was done under warranty and im sure the reason i had the heads off the again was because the idiot didnt check the head or send it to a machine shop. I had to argue with the tech for quite awhile that ARP studs were a better solution than the factory bolts. He was one of those techs that if it has OEM stamp on it then by god it was the best it could possibly be.
My brother owned his for 300,000 miles and pretty much ran the gammet also. Oil cooler, head gaskets (twice), EGR, FICM. I can not stress to you how anal my brother is about his vehicles and how perfect he kept that truck. NEVER ran hard, and always kept it perfect. Still spent more time with the cab off than on the truck it seams like.
When they run, they run good. But you are playing with fire owning one.
At the end of the day my family has been die hard ford my entire life, but i broke the trend after having the 6.0. My brother now has a 2015 6.7 ford, but he forgives a little easier than i do. When the FICM left me stranded in Harlan KY with a $650 tow bill home, I had enough. I will take my goverment built truck or fiat any day of the week over a company that hung its customer base out to dry on a POS.
That post has no bearing on reality. What I remember about that truck is that it rarely ran more than six cylinders, and was often expected to die before the trip was over.
That it never actually died is a small consolation.
I DID see an 03 F250 with a 6.0 make it to 315,000 miles. It was bone ass stock and he just did normal upkeep. When it finally shit the bed, it wasn't even a head/head gasket issue. From what I remember, it burnt the top of the #4 piston from either an injector or FICM failure. It still ran, albeit sort of rough. I had the chance to buy that truck for 4000 bucks and looking back, I was stupid for not doing so! I could have fixed it or done a Cummins swap. I could have probably made a nice chunk of change off of it....
