Anyone have experience with Powerstrokes? - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Skid Row Joe · #16 03-04-2014, 01:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iwrock

Anyone have experience with Powerstrokes?

Found a deal on an 06 King Ranch 6.0 in the exact color combo I want! Bone stock, one older owner. A friend is after my Duramax, and is willing to pay me what the gentleman is asking for the King Ranch.

Anyone have experience with these trucks? I know about the EGR/coolant issues, but other than that, how are they?

Yes.

No, I wouldn't buy that one.

Dudesky · #17 03-04-2014, 11:30 AM

Ran a tow truck for a while and one had a 6.0. I saw 4 engines get replaced in one truck and it wasn't beat on.
7.3 I think is an IH motor which is pretty dependable.

DieselPaul · #18 03-04-2014, 01:03 PM

So is the 6.0. VT365. The 7.3 was the 444.

rscurtis · #19 03-04-2014, 05:54 PM

The VT 365 wasn't a stellar performer either. When I bought a 4300 in 2001, I upped the ante another $5K for the DT466.

IMO, a later 6.0 is still a better choice than a 6.4, which was very problematic and drank fuel like a V10.

Alain V. · #20 03-04-2014, 10:45 PM

I have a 1995 F250 4X4 7.3 powerstroke with a manual 5 speed trans.
I've had the truck since 1997 and tow a 24 foot enclosed car trailer regularly.
In 190k miles the only "repairs" I have done other than routine maintenaince is the crank sensor, and valve cover gaskets.

The ECU is stock, but I do have hotter thermostat than stoc (298 if I remember right) a Riff Raff over size air filter set up and a 3 inch down pipe w/4 inch exhaust-no kitty cat- and one muffler (to keep my wife happy).
A few years ago I removed the headliner-door panels- and floor mat and installed about 40 pounds of additional sound deadening in the interior before putting everything back & it is noticeably quieter in the cab now.

I've had offers from guys with much newer 6,0 truck to trade straight across for mine and I just chuckle. No freakin way!

I love my 7.3 and the manual trans, and wouldn't even consider trading it for a brand new fully loaded truck. Why?
Because I can pull about anything anywhere and not have a single worry about my truck letting me down. That is worth much more to me than having the "latest" body style.

aklim · #21 03-05-2014, 12:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KarTek

Oh, and one last thing: The 6.0 has the excellent torque shift automatic while the 7.3 has the troublesome A4OD or whatever it is. Mine is a manual 6 speed.

4R100. It was ok but made worse because some genius decided to take a good transmission and put a diode in it. A few days later, they discovered the problem and tried to confine them to the diesels since the RPM is lower and wouldn't be discovered. Wrong answer. Many have sent the trans to Brian's Truck Shop to be fixed. Goes thru it all and you have a 2 year warranty for shipping. After 2 years, you pick up shipping. Either way, the fix is on the house. Guy broke 6 transmissions in 8 years pulling sleds. All but 1 was fixed for free. Reason is the 1 broke the bell housing.

Dudesky · #22 03-05-2014, 01:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DieselPaul

So is the 6.0. VT365. The 7.3 was the 444.

I think the 444 and the next one up had pretty good shutdown parameters. Like they drop oil press by a certain degree and it goes auto shut down, protecting the entire motor.

Skid Row Joe · #23 03-05-2014, 02:54 AM

The 6.0 was and still is problematic. The problems are innate and inherent - in short, they never stop.

The 7.3 PSD is the best truck I've ever owned. NONE of the transmission problems that I'm reading some are reporting. Mine is an '02 w/overdrive AT.

aklim · #24 03-05-2014, 08:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skid Row Joe

The 6.0 was and still is problematic. The problems are inate and inherent - in short, they never stop.

The 7.3 PSD is the best truck I've ever owned. NONE of the transmission problems that I'm reading some are reporting. Mine is an '02 w/overdrive AT.

The main trans problems were in the 01 when they introduced the diode to the late model 01s. They also changed the rods from Forged to Powdered Metal.

aklim · #25 03-05-2014, 08:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dudesky

I think the 444 and the next one up had pretty good shutdown parameters. Like they drop oil press by a certain degree and it goes auto shut down, protecting the entire motor.

HEUI system. Oil pressure drops too low from running out of oil and the injectors cannot push enough fuel and the motor dies.

aklim · #26 03-05-2014, 08:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DieselPaul

Key to the 6.0 seems to be not chipping it. All the guys I've met with "6.0 problems" had a tuner on one. A stock 6.0 will run down a chipped 7.3. Keep it stock, plenty of power.

What are you chipping it with? There are a lot of cheaper systems that will screw things up or you can get a properly tuned "chip" that is set up for your system.

aklim · #27 03-05-2014, 08:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alain V.

The ECU is stock, but I do have hotter thermostat than stoc (298 if I remember right) a Riff Raff over size air filter set up and a 3 inch down pipe w/4 inch exhaust-no kitty cat- and one muffler (to keep my wife happy).

Why is that? Does it really do anything? I changed mine to the hotter one and it didn't really make any difference. Also why a 3 in down pipe with a 4 in exhaust? Why leave the restriction there? Why not 4 all the way?

DieselPaul · #28 03-05-2014, 08:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aklim

What are you chipping it with? There are a lot of cheaper systems that will screw things up or you can get a properly tuned "chip" that is set up for your system.

I'm not chipping anything with anything. The truck is totally stock and has not had any issues other than the VNT needing cleaned out. Most of the people who have 6.0 problems have bought generic "tuners" and boost the **** out of them and they blow up.

If you had it dyno tuned to exactly what supporting mods you had could handle, I could see it holding together much better. As I said in another thread, people see chips or tuners as free power. They rarely do any supporting mods, and blow the car up, then chock it up to the car being "junk."

Honus · #29 03-05-2014, 09:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alain V.

...I love my 7.3 and the manual trans, and wouldn't even consider trading it for a brand new fully loaded truck. Why?
Because I can pull about anything anywhere and not have a single worry about my truck letting me down. That is worth much more to me than having the "latest" body style.

That's why I'm holding on to our 2000 F350. The wife uses it to haul a horse trailer, so breaking down is not an option. Ours is stock except for the high-pressure oil pump. The original pump went out and we replaced it with an aftermarket version that was recommended by a knowledgeable diesel mechanic. The truck now has an intermittent rough idle (especially after running at highway speed for a while), but otherwise runs smoother with with new HPOP. I can't remember the brand name.

daw_two · #30 03-05-2014, 10:01 AM

swap the drivetrain to a 12valve Cummins with an Allison transmission

I've been looking for 2 years for a 6.0 with a bad motor. Saw ONE local for $6K and should have jumped on it.