Reassembly begins with applying some antiseize to each of the ARP studs and threading them into the block. The first step in bulletproofing our Power Stroke is to stud the block. After that, the new head gaskets were installed over the studs.
How much does bulletproofing a 6.0 Ford diesel cost?
Finally, in an attempt to burn water, cylinder head pressures rise. The cylinder heads float, destroying the head gasket.
Why the “Bulletproofing 6.0” confusion
Forums on the internet provided “Bulletproof has taken on a life of its own. Intelligence asserts the internet forum intelligencia “There are some definitions that are bulletproof, but they are all different. (We avoid using the terms “bulletproof” or “bulletproofed” in our marketing because of the confusion.)
Bulletproof To qualify as a Bulletproofed 6.0, Diesel’s newest criteria is to replace four out of five of the following…
- Remote Oil Cooler with Bulletproof Protection
- EGR Cooler with a Bulletproof Design
- Water Pump That Is Bulletproof
We recommend the Bulletproof Diesel Stage 1new Ford oil cooler and Bulletproof EGR cooler.
However, that definition of Bulletproofed, in our judgment, feels more like marketing than sound counsel. (So a $300 water pump is “Bulletproofed just the same” as a $3500 set of head studs?)
Almost 1000 6.0 Ford diesels have been owned and sold by us. Here’s our recommendation based on our years of experience: Get the Bulletproof EGR cooler and Ford oil cooler. This is why.
Bulletproof Oil Cooler is a ton of money.
Bulletproof Diesel is adamant about their oil cooler. They claim it decreases temperatures and prevents the EGR cooler and injectors from failing prematurely. And they are correct. However, such advantages cost roughly $3000-$3500 to install!
What does it take to make a 6.0 Powerstroke bulletproof?
BulletProof Diesel defines a 6.0L Power Stroke as “bulletproofed” when at least four of the five major problem areas have been solved. Oil cooler, EGR cooler, head studs, fuel injection control module (FICM), and water pump are the five sections.
What kind of HP can a bulletproof 6.0 take?
Powdered metal is used to make the rods in all 6.0L Power Strokes, much like it is in late 7.3L engines. The rods used in the 6.0L, on the other hand, are much stronger than those used in the 7.3L. The 6.0L rods can withstand up to 800-rwhp (and 1,300 to 1,400 lb-ft) before they’re officially on borrowed time when the same tuning technique is used (waiting till higher rpm before dumping on the fuel). This is why you don’t see many 6.0L engine builds with billet rods outside of the extreme end of the aftermarket.
Is it necessary to bulletproof all 6.0 Powerstrokes?
Again, unless four of the five pattern failures are corrected with authentic Bullet Proof Diesel parts, a 6.0L is not a “Bullet Proof Diesel” engine. This includes the FICM module, EGR cooler, and water pump, as well as the problematic OEM oil cooler.
Which powerstroke should you avoid?
The 6.0L Powerstroke is a well-known engine. Because of the engine’s poor performance, Ford and Powerstroke’s parent company, Navistar, were involved in a lengthy court dispute. Ford said Navistar produced a faulty engine. Ford has ignored unsatisfactory test results for the 6.0L Powerstroke, which may have prevented post-production issues, according to evidence.
As the Powerstroke suffered catastrophic failures, expensive engine replacement warranty claims flooded in. The cab of the vehicle had to be removed for the majority of these repairs. Because to this engine, many owners have lost faith in the brand. A series of recalls affecting this notoriously problematic truck are listed by Consumer Reports.
How much does bulletproofing a truck cost?
Unfortunately, bulletproofing an automobile costs between $16,000 and $50,000 on average, but it can cost significantly more in extreme cases. The cost is mostly determined by the size of your vehicle and the places that need to be bulletproofed. Remember that each panel of bulletproof material costs anywhere from $500 to $1,500, not including labor.
What does it mean to delete a diesel?
A diesel deletion entails removing the DEF system, the catalytic converter, and the DPF, and replacing the exhaust with a new one. A tuner will also be required to reprogramme the vehicle’s ECU (engine control unit).
Powerstroke Intake Upgrade
On any turbo-diesel, we recommend upgrading the intake first. Even if you aren’t seeking for insane power, an intake system is still recommended. Airflow to the engine is increased through performance intake systems, often known as cold air intakes.
Increased airflow boosts the pressure of the air inside the engine as well. As a result, turbocharger efficiency improves, freeing up power and reducing turbocharger stress. Additionally, if you wish to tune your 6.0 Powerstroke and increase turbocharger boost levels, an improved intake is essential. The engine has to draw in more air as boost levels rise.
The turbocharger has to work extra hard to compress enough air to attain the appropriate boost levels without an improved intake. The turbo’s reliability will suffer greatly without an intake.
Turbo-Back Exhaust System
In general, less constraint equals more power. More power necessitates more airflow, which is why we recommend an improved intake. Now that you’ve added extra air to the engine, you’ll need to get that air out as quickly as possible. The factory 6.0 powerstroke exhaust system is tight and causes turbo back-pressure with more power and airflow.
Back-pressure is reduced when your exhaust system is upgraded, which decreases restriction, boosts power, and improves turbo efficiency and spool time.
Catless or high-flow catted turbo-back systems are the two possibilities for turbo-back systems. Catalytic converters are removed in catless systems, which causes your 6.0 to fail emissions and is technically unlawful. Options with a high flow rate are lawful and will pass inspection. A high-flow system will suffice unless you’re aiming to make ridiculous power (800rwhp+), though catless will improve performance even on a lightly modified 6.0 powerstroke.
For 500-600hp targets, a 4-inch system is ideal. Anything higher than that, we recommend going catless and opting with a 5-inch height.
Best 6.0 Powerstroke Exhaust Systems
Upgraded exhaust systems are available from both MBRP and Banks. They’ll cost between $250 to $700, depending on whether you want stainless steel, catless or catted, and other factors. Overall, choose an exhaust system that meets your budget and catless vs. catted preferences. For the power levels we’re talking about in this post, any of these options will suffice.
Powerstroke Flash Tune
Flash tuners are the finest bang for the money mod for turbocharged diesels. They’re known as tunes or tuners, but they’re also known as chips or programmers. When a tune is used in conjunction with other mods such as an exhaust and intake, the performance benefits of these other mods are amplified.
While a tuner can be used without any other modifications, we normally advocate using it in conjunction with an intake. You may run a variety of pre-set flashes or “maps” with these tunes; some people buy them to run fuel mileage maps for better MPGs, while others buy them to run performance maps for more power. If you’re going to get a tuner for the latter, you should also get an intake to aid your turbo out.
Flash tuners are easy plug-and-play upgrades that adjust various ECM/PCM parameters by plugging into your OBDII port. They include numerous built-in maps that adjust PCM parameters depending on your objectives: power, fuel efficiency, towing, and so on. This is commonly accomplished by increasing the amount of turbo boost or psi in maps designed for increased power. More boost equates to more power.
These tuners can work in tandem with a custom tune. Custom tunes, on the other hand, will set you back an additional $300-$500. For the most part, the built-in maps are adequate. A custom tune is recommended once you decide to upgrade your turbo, but it is not required before then.
Flash Tune Benefits
- Plug-and-play convenience
- There are multiple maps for power, fuel economy, towing, and other factors.
Because it is significantly dependent on what map you are running and what modifications you have, the power increases from a tune vary greatly. Without an updated turbocharger, achieving the upper 175hp and 200tq increases will be impossible. However, with an intake, exhaust, and tune on a 6.0 powerstroke, you may expect 400-450 horsepower and 700-800 pound-feet of torque.
Powerstroke Upgraded Turbocharger
Here’s what you should do before upgrading your turbocharger:
- exhaust with a turbocharger
- Head studs and gasket from ARP
- Fuel injectors (155-175cc for 500rwhp, 190cc for anything higher)
- Return fuel system that is regulated
Now it’s time for turbo improvements. With a tune, intake, and exhaust on a 6.0 powerstroke, you can get 120hp and 150tq without needing many other upgrades for $1,000-$2,000. Upgraded turbochargers usher in a new era in which you’ll need to upgrade your fueling system, including lift pumps, fuel injectors, and regulated return systems, among other things.
This should be reserved for those seeking 500rwhp or more. Upgraded turbos come in a variety of configurations, ranging from a moderate 500rwhp system to a wild 800rwhp setup. We’ll create a full tutorial on turbo configuration possibilities in the future, so we’ll only scratch the surface now.
Best 6.0 Powerstroke Turbo Upgrades
I’ll go over a few popular choices. Please do your homework and investigate because there are a plethora of possibilities.
- GT3788VA/PowerMax500rwhp is a Garrett GT3788VA/PowerMax500rwhp capable motor.
- The Fleece Cheetah Turbo Street600rwhp is a powerful vehicle.
- The Fleece Cheetah Turbo Race is capable of 700rwhp.
One wise suggestion: if your objective is 600rwhp, I’d suggest using a turbocharger that can produce more than 600rwhp. You don’t want to run your turbo at full throttle only to meet your power targets. This will obliterate reliability and put a tremendous amount of strain on the turbo. Given their similar prices, I’d recommend selecting a turbo capable of handling approximately 100rwhp more than your power targets.
Supporting Modifications
You can get away with only a tune, intake, and exhaust if you only want 400-450rwhp, as noted before. Upgraded head studs are a must at these power levels, but fuel injectors and other fueling changes aren’t nearly necessary.
Other supporting mods that I’m not going to go through are:
- System for returning fuel supplies
- Upgrade to the EGR cooler
- Oil cooler upgrade
Because these are more of a reliability mod and aren’t 100% essential, I opted not to go into detail about them. Additionally, a number of these supporting mods mentioned are included in the recommended replacement items for bulletproofing your 6.0, which I would recommend considering before adding a ton of power.
Powerstroke Fuel Injectors (155/175/190cc)
Adding power necessitates the addition of fuel. The factory fuel injectors are 135cc injectors that can only handle roughly 425rwhp before they burn out. The stock injectors’ reliability will deteriorate at these settings, as it will with anything driven at full capacity.
You can easily max out the factory injectors with an aggressive tune and an intake and exhaust system. Here are some helpful hints:
Stock or 155cc injectors for 400rwhp; stocks will ultimately fail, therefore 155c is a decent improvement. Upgrade costs around $1,500.
175cc injectors are recommended for 500rwhp and are reliable up to 550rwhp. Approximately $2,000
ARP Head Studs
Head lifting and head gasket failure are two of the most prevalent 6.0 issues. This issue is triggered by a chain reaction in which the oil cooler fails, causing the EGR cooler to fail or clog. There’s also the possibility that the standard bolts will stretch and cause head lifting. This is fairly prevalent on tuned 6.0 powerstrokes, regardless of the cause.
In the end, if all you’re doing is running a tune and exhaust, you’re probably fine not replacing these. On standard engines, though, this problem can still occur. When you opt to install a tuner on your powerstroke, we strongly advise you to replace the factory studs with ARP studs.
Cost: $500 for the studs; DIY is only for experienced do-it-yourselfers; labor can be costly.
Upgraded Lift Pump
Fortunately, the 6.0 Powerstroke comes with a lift pump as standard equipment. The electric lift pump that comes with the car is actually rather powerful. However, the stock lift pump is only capable of handling 155cc injectors.
We recommend upgrading to a FASS lift pump once you’ve upgraded to 175cc or 190cc injectors. The 140gph pump connected to can handle up to 700rwhp. If your power needs exceed that, you should consider upgrading to a 220gph pump. A regulator spring with a pressure of 75 psi should also be utilized.
Are 6.0 Powerstroke engines quick?
It’s no surprise that Jesse Warren made the list, given how hard he’s pushed the 6.0L (and, more significantly, its HEUI injection system) in recent years. For years, his ’06 F-350 has been lighting up chassis dynos, with the 1,758hp statistic displayed above coming from the 2016 Ultimate Callout Challenge. It’s worth noting that the massive crew cab has run a 6.21 at 114 mph in the eighth-mile, making it the ninth-fastest Power Stroke through the ‘660. Warren’s 6.0L is also the 12th fastest quarter-mile car in the world, having run a 10.05 at 135 mph (at 7,600 pounds) back in 2015.
Freak 6.0L
A Warren Diesel-assembled long block uses a full factory block, OEM crank and bed plate, Wagler Competition Products billet rods, bespoke pistons from Diamond Racing, and a heavily ported set of cylinder heads to build the country’s most powerful 6.0L. Warren created his own dual high-pressure oil pump system, as well as a large set of injectors that flow 500cc through 400 percent-over nozzles (i.e., 500/400s). Triple-digit boost is produced by combining a Bullseye Power S475 high-pressure turbo with a Holset HX82 with a 4.4-inch compressor wheel, and a three-stage nitrous system adds even more controlled mayhem to the equation.
What were the years that the 6.0 had issues?
If you’re a diesel enthusiast like myself, you’re probably aware that most people will avoid purchasing a Ford Superduty Diesel truck from the 2003 to 2007 model years. The 6.0L Powerstroke is notorious for its issues. The majority of these issues stem from manufacturing design. The 6.0’s frequent troubles are largely due to the new EGR emissions technology, which was designed to meet emissions rules at the time. Because head studs provide insufficient gripping force, blown head gaskets are common. HPOP failure, injector stiction, FICM failure, and clogged oil coolers are some of the other 6.0L Powerstroke issues. Fortunately, once these issues are resolved, the trucks become far more dependable. Some of these issues are avoidable. However, if you stick to a tight 6.0L Powerstroke Service Schedule, you can substantially limit the number of issues you have.