Good truck or bad truck?

nylyon · 07-19-2012, 08:33 PM

We just completed our much anticipated Myrtle Beach / Hershey Park trip. Prior to leaving my 6.0 Powerstroke was running a little poor when cold, but I chalked that up to a "going bad" injector which could wait. So the trip down went fine, except for a stop in North Carolina when the truck felt as though it would die when stoping for fuel. Got fuel, and off we went running fine. Made it to Myrtle Beach, to Pirate Land which is where the fun begins.

Next morning, got in the truck and it is a NO START. While most of the family goes to the beach, I stay with my oldest girl and we check things out. While checking for oil pressure (6.0 runs on oil) it starts up. Great, things are fine..... but they are not. For the rest of the trip in S.C. the truck does start but runs poorly until warm. Time to pack up and head to Hershey....

We leave at 6:00am and when I go to stop at the traffic light, foot goes to the floor. NO BRAKES.... luckily, there's a camping world and we pull in. It's Sunday and they don't open until 10:00. Looking on-line we find a local fellow who can help. Parts stores don't open until 9:00, so he says he'll stop in then. Long story short he replaces the brake line and off we go losing 4 1/2 hours on our way to Hershey.

It's an uneventful trip to Hershey Highmeadows, except for traffic. We get in late (10:30pm) but the guard tells us our site. Only hook up the electric and un-hook because of the time and wait to the next morning. Wake up, to a beautiful PA day and the truck will NOT start again. I take my middle daughter and walk to the K-Mart to buy groceries as well as an electrical cord to "plug" the truck in. Shortly there after, the truck is running again and I make the executive decision to leave it until we go home (which is today).

Get in the truck and it runs fine. I drive cautiously from Hershey to home and all is well except when we're 5 miles from home. Truck is now running SO poorly, it feels like I'm towing the 5'er with a Yugo! Nurse the truck / camper home and it shuts down AT THE DRIVEWAY!

During this time, the truck had been looked at by mechanics who found nothing wrong! So tell me, is it a good truck truck or a bad truck? At this point it is still sitting in front of my home (non-running) with the camper still attached BUT it died IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE in a very long trip!

Big Jim · 07-19-2012, 09:10 PM

Get on a diesel forum, those guys have answers, powerstroke . org.

http://www.powerstroke.org/forum/6-0...ving-help.html

nylyon · 07-20-2012, 06:34 AM

Way ahead of ya on that one, but thanks!

RoyBraddy · 07-20-2012, 06:47 AM

If it got you home it is a "GOOD TRUCK"... What you do next is on your nickel...

Seann45 · 07-20-2012, 07:21 AM

Ford dumped Navistar over the 6.0 problems...

MikeNChelle · 07-20-2012, 07:42 AM

Many problems with the 6 leaker with the EGR and head problems and such. FYI my new 2012 6.7 is a DREAM to drive and it's so quiet I forget it's a diesel or that it's even running. Good luck.

nylyon · 07-20-2012, 07:52 AM

I still like my 6.0 (of course that may change when I fix it) and I am looking at the positive side, that it got me and my camper home, of course I would have preferred it STILL running when it did!

Gunnar · 07-20-2012, 01:59 PM

When you had it checked out did they check the FICM voltages? Mine would run badly after sitting for a while, it only took a short time then it would be back to running fine. If I plugged it in overnight it would start and run smoothly from the get go. I did some testing and found my FICM voltages were too low. May not be your issue but something to think about.

nylyon · 07-20-2012, 02:13 PM

Yes, and in fact my FICM is certainly bad. I tested the voltage this morning and got 22V when the injectors were buzzing and it should have been 48V. There's a company ficmrepair.com who I am currently working with to get repaired. I am hopeful that is the only issue and I'll be back in business by mid-week.

clutch · 07-20-2012, 09:14 PM

Due to the fact that the 03 and 04's were the most problematic you have most likely bought one of the better 6.0's. If the FICM, what ever that is, can be repaired you will probably get several more years of trouble free miles with your truck.

Da Bud Man · 07-21-2012, 07:45 PM

I do hope you get your issues resolved with your truck, but I must say, it's a small world. I seen you Sunday morning at Camping World. I noticed your Jayco and was thinking to myself, nice fiver.

We just rolled in a few hours ago from MB, we stayed at Lakewood. I had to run to CW Sunday morn for a sewer hose extension for our Rhino Flex hose. I was in a white Dodge 2500.

Panhead · 07-21-2012, 08:30 PM

Sorry to hear of your troubles, glad you made it home ok and were able to quickly diagnose the issue. I would caution you about some of the FICM rebuilders out there. I have seen some comments on the forums about some of them not performing correct or quality repairs. I would suggest going to FTE or Powerstroke.org and asking around there before you send yours off if you haven't already.

Good luck on getting your FICM fixed. This is one of the things I monitor on my Edge Insight.

Oh, and for the record with proper care and feeding, the Ford SuperDuty with the 6.0 is not a good truck.... It is a GREAT truck.

Love my 6 point Oh!!!

Steve

nylyon · 07-22-2012, 05:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Da Bud Man

I do hope you get your issues resolved with your truck, but I must say, it's a small world. I seen you Sunday morning at Camping World. I noticed your Jayco and was thinking to myself, nice fiver.

Too bad neither recognized each other. Funny, I needed an extension as well but bought a non-Rhinoflex at the campground. We left Pirateland early on Sunday to try and beat any possible traffic. I felt horrible making repairs in the parking lot of a service facility (I know that they usually don't like that) but I did speak with a couple of the employees who told me no problem. I am a stickler with the maintenance on my truck (and camper) and was really surprised when the brake line let go. It rusted through in an area which could not be viewed so there was no way for me to know that it was coming.

I hope that it is just the FICM. I've ordered an exchange / upgrade from FICMrepair.com. 6.0 owners should bookmark the site in the event you run into a similar issue (not uncommon). Anyway along with the newer FICM, I am having a custom program installed which is supposed to give better throttle response and upto 2.5mpg more. I didn't opt for any program which will give more horsepower since I am more interested in reliability. It should arrive on Monday and hopefully the truck will be running shortly there after.

hotrod51 · 07-27-2012, 06:54 PM

Had trouble with my old Dodge to trip to and back from Canada. We are 95% sure it's a weak fuel pump (5.9 gas). My frugal wife even said enough of this truck..
All the Ford diesel guy's do not like the 6.0, being in farm country these boys know diesels!

nylyon · 07-30-2012, 09:00 PM

Dealer says High Pressure Oil Pump. Not the best news, but it should be back on Wednesday. Good news is I don't have to lose weight any more because my wallet is negative lbs. now!

2edgesword · 07-30-2012, 09:11 PM

Good truck since it got you home.

I had a good van once. Drove from NY to AL to attend my daughter's wedding. On the way back and fifty miles from NY i start hearing a metalic knocking sound. The van got us home but the engine completely died within a week and required rebuilding.

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