Heading to the dealer... need advise

[WVsmoke]

I'm been having problems with my 6.0 (there's a surprise) for 7 months now and I'm heading back to the dealer again. I have been to the dealership 4 times in the past 5 months. Around the 3rd time the dealer replace the cooler and cleaned the turbo, but the problems continue...

1. The tranny is very slugish on take off (cold engine, 85 degs outside air)
2. I have to put a gallon of coolant in it every week. There is zero leak on the ground.
3. When towing I have to baby it up mountains or it blows the coolant and overheats. (towing less than 3000lbs)
4. No towing power.

What do you think problem might be? Any advice for dealing with the dealership.?

FYI I'm trying a different dealership this time.

 

[Zookie400]

head gaskets are leaking coolant into the combustion chambers, and when under heavy load, the higher cylinder pressures are leaking into the cooling system causing it to blow out of the bottle, and aerate the system causing it to lose a lot of its cooling capacity...and you overheat.

as for the tranny.......i know my truck wont go anywhere if i dont give it a minute to warm up, even on a hot summer day. i dont know about the 6.0 and newer trannies though.

 

[desert50eagle]

My tranny is also sluggish unless it warms up for a minute or two......

I would be MOST concerned with losing a gallon of coolant a week. My first concern would be the headgaskets.

Let us know what the dealer finds.

On edit: Talk to your new dealers techie (not service manager) and see if he thinks it is the headgaskets. If he thinks so(and ONLY if he thinks they need to replace the HGs) ask him(CAUTIOSLY) if you provide a set of ARP Headstuds would he be willing to install them in lieu of the oem's. Feel him out and see what he says...

 

[WVsmoke]

The last time I was in the dealership for repair (2 weeks ago), they did a pressure test on the coolant system. They said everything was fine. Does that make since to anyone?

I'm hoping that they were not doing the test right or they were using the wrong test. This is why I'm going to another dealership for a second opinion. I contacted Ford (what a joke) and they said I needed to go to another dealership for a second opinion. This new dealer seems to be pretty down on the 6.0... I blow the lower inner cooler boot about 3 or 4 months ago and they were the only dealership around with parts open on Saturday. I was talking to the service manager and he was telling me the he just pissed the ford rep off the day before. He told the rep that like Toyota did with their rusting trucks, Ford needs to buy back or give a huge discount on trade in to all the owners of "that f***in piece of sh** 6.0". He said the rep turned, kicked the down open, and left.

 

[Zookie400]

well, the guy is a ****ing dumbass because the rep is the one who pays for those crazy unsolvable warranty issues that dealerships are always getting screwed with.

the 6.0 is an excellent engine that has its glitches like any other engine ever made. dont preach about how much you hate it on this site because you wont get much help. a lot of people here love there 6.0, and even own more than one.

a pressure test on the cooling system will only show the worst head gasket failures. there is a kit that tests the gases coming out of the cooling system, and turns a liquid from blue to yellow if there are combustion gases present. i could get part numbers off the kit i have here if your new dealership doesnt have a clue. lets hope for your sake they do.

 

[WVsmoke]

dont preach about how much you hate it on this site because you wont get much help.

I'm not preaching anything... I just want my truck fixed. This is not my toy, this is my living we are talking about. I travel 500 miles a week for work and I have been broke down on the side of the road 300 miles from home in the middle of no where. I think its time that Ford fixes their "glitches". I bought a truck not a headache but that is exactly what I got. I was hoping that when I bought this truck that I would see 200,000 miles but at this rate I will be doing good to 100,000. I know many of you have 200,000 + miles, that's great I just want my investment to hold up also. If you don't want to help me that fine... just remember you might need help from someone a day too.

 

[Zookie400]

I think its time that Ford fixes their "glitches"

dont forget, ford makes it and international shakes it.

If you don't want to help me that fine...

was i talking to a wall.......?

head gaskets are leaking coolant into the combustion chambers, and when under heavy load, the higher cylinder pressures are leaking into the cooling system causing it to blow out of the bottle, and aerate the system causing it to lose a lot of its cooling capacity...and you overheat.

a pressure test on the cooling system will only show the worst head gasket failures. there is a kit that tests the gases coming out of the cooling system, and turns a liquid from blue to yellow if there are combustion gases present. i could get part numbers off the kit i have here if your new dealership doesnt have a clue. lets hope for your sake they do.

good luck with your truck

 

[BamaSixGun]

Sounds like head gaskets to me too.

 

[strokepower]

what year is your 6.0? and Head Gaskets make the most sense with what you're saying... my family has 3 6.0s and they all run great.. I have an uncle and a cousin with 6.0s and they have had horrible luck with theirs... good luck with everything

 

[WVsmoke]

Its a 2006