Wanting to pick up a Ford Excursion.

[Shaggy]

All of the 2004-2005 Excursions have the 6.0. What are the things I can to do it to better the performance/longevity? Intake, ARP Studs, Exhaust, tuner, programer, down pipe, what else can I do?

I want to "bullet proof" the 6.0. What would I need to do/add to make it reliable?

 

[towcat]

head studs and EGR delete.

 

[Shaggy]

What do the head studs do? What are they APR or any type of studs replacing? Why is changing out the studs important? Does it help with the turbo and acceleration?

 

[stealth13777]

They are stronger than the factory head bolts and thus hold the head on better (tighter), preventing head gasket failure. If you were doing a head gasket job anyway, you couldnt reuse the factory bolts since they are torque to yield. Studs are an inexpensive upgrade (versus replacing stock head bolts) to fix the problem once and for all. Or great as a preventive measure if you don't like waiting for a failure (bulletproofing).


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[Shaggy]

So the heads are the most important change to bulletproofing the 6.0? Thanks for the info!

 

[stealth13777]

So the heads are the most important change to bulletproofing the 6.0? Thanks for the info!

I don't know if they're the most important, but it's a good step. EGR is important too, as is keeping an eye on the oil cooler. Having not owned one I only know what I've read, and I don't like repeating info I'm not sure of, so someone else will have to chime in on those two things.


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[79jasper]

Pretty much what was mentioned above.
Now if snicklas drops by, he has one and has done a little work on it.
Or you could get a slightly older one with a 7.3 powerstroke.
The 6.0 has one less head bolt per cylinder than most other diesels, so the studs allow a ton more clamping force.

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[Shaggy]

I heard the 7.3 is a great motor. More reliable then the 6.0 but has alot less power and is harder to get more power then what the 6.0 can push out.

 

[79jasper]

I wouldn't say "harder" but you are correct. And I just remembered about those year 7.3 being the pmr engines. So you would be limited on a safe power level.
I would go with the 6.0 also, I was just throwing out a option. Lol
There's some guys that could set you up with a "delete kit."

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[FordGuy100]

While doing head studs, your heads should be rebuilt. If they are out of spec, budget for a set of good (some of them crack) used or new heads. I was quoted $1000 plus my cores for good used heads that had been gone through.

New head gaskets, OEM preferred (Black Onyx head gaskets suck, although I heard they revised and are better). ARP headstuds, or you can go for H11 studs for several times the cost (better stud material, you can torque down more, more clamping on the head.

Then you need to do an EGR delete. You should also do an oil cooler, but only after the cooling system has been flushed. You can go all out and get a BPD oil cooler kit, and eliminate the oil cooler as a problem.

Want a 2wd excursion?

 

[Shaggy]

I want to get a 4WD one. How does your Excursion perform with what you did with it.

 

[FordGuy100]

I dont have studs, so I cant run the hottest tunes. I have the SRL tune from Matt at Gearhead, and FICM tuning, and its amazing. Mileage is in the mid teens, but our commute is 15 miles into town (minimum) and a 1500' elevation change, so going up brings MPG's down. This same setup came off my BIL's truck (he traded it in) and it dyno'ed 415whp and somewhere around 700-750ft lbs.

The only 7.3 I would consider is an OBS, just because I like those trucks. Otherwise, I'll take the POS 6.0 anyday.

 

[snicklas]

Shaggy,

I would look for what you want, then get an OASIS report from Ford. See what has been done to the truck. If it looks good, I would do an EGR Delete and just drive it. Mine only has an EGR Delete, everything else is factory. Before you put a tuner on it, drive it stock fof awhile, you might be surprised. Travis, yes Mr. Enterprise has driven mine several times, and to this day still says hs eez no reason to tur up. No tuner goes along way to not having issues on a stock engine.

 

[Shaggy]

Oasis report? I am hearing that almost every 6.0 will have a head issue.

Also, with the EGR delete, don't you need to add a tune so the computer knows to by pass it or let it know its not there anymore? Won't you be pulling codes if you don't have a tune?

 

[FordGuy100]

03-04 6.0 throw a soft code, so no check engine light. 05+ should throw a CEL.

Mine is at 190k with factory head bolts and gaskets. The whole point of a bullet proof is to address the shortcomings anywyas. FYI I was quoted $3500 parts and labor for a full bulletproof.