Ford 6.0L Solutions

The 2003-2007 6.0L is notorius for creating coolant restriction issues. This engine has a unique oil temperature regulation system that relies on engine coolant to raise or lower oil temperatures to maintain the optimal level. Over time the narrow passageways in the oil cooler become clogged with debris and corrosion from the coolant. If this problem is not prevented before it occurs it can lead to catastrophic engine failure. This system is designed to separate the oil and coolant systems so they work completely independant of eachother. Below you will find some great links to better understand the system!

Fuel Pressure Regulator Upgrade Kit

If you have a 2003 to 2007 Ford Powerstroke Diesel you will want to get your fuel pressure regulator checked. If your fuel pressure is at 40 psi you will want to upgrade your fuel pressure regulator to a 65 psi updated kit. This upgrade will help prolong the life of your injectors by better lubricating the injectors and providing a better cushion for the internal components of the injector.

EGR Cooler-Oil Cooler-Head Studs

2003-2007 6.0L Powerstroke diesel engines definitely have a weak link with the EGR cooler and oil cooler. The 6.0L blocks are sand casted. With this being said, there are casting materials that over time break down and get stuck in the oil cooler. This causes blockages in the oil cooler which can lead to higher oil and coolant temperatures. The rising coolant temperatures and lack of coolant flow is what ultimately causes the EGR cooler failure and cause head gasket failure in extreme conditions. Here at PDA we use Bullet Proof Diesel products to ensure the vehicle gets repaired correctly the first time and will not have the same problem again. Following are a couple of different ways to repair this problems that the customer can decide.

Solution #1: Replace the stock EGR cooler with a Bullet Proof Diesel cooler and also replace the stock oil cooler with a stock oil cooler element.

Video:Stock vs BulletProofDiesel oil cooler

Solution #2: Replace the stock EGR cooler with a Bullet Proof Diesel cooler and also upgrade the oil cooler to a Bullet Proof Diesel bypass oil cooler kit.

Solution #3: Replace the stock EGR cooler with a Bullet Proof Diesel cooler, upgrade the oil cooler to a Bullet Proof Diesel bypass oil cooler kit and replace the head studs and gaskets with ARP head studs and OEM upgrade Gaskets.

Solutions for better performance on Ford Diesel

Water Pump Upgrade

If you are having over heating issues when towing a trailer or just driving normal then you may have a water pump that is failing. These water pumps have plastic fins for the impeller. In our experience, we have found when the engine overheats these fins warp into the front cover of the engine causing the fins to grind down or breaks the whole impeller off the water pump shaft. This will cause low coolant flow or no flow at all. At PDA we replace the stock water pump with a Bullet Proof water pump that has a billet impeller. This is a permanent repair that will last the life of the vehicle.

FICM Failure

It is common in the 2003-2007 6.0L for the FICM to fail. The FICM (Fuel Injection Control Module) is designed to produce 48 Volts for the fuel injectors. When a FICM fails it can lead to hard starts, crank no start, poor fuel mileage and poor performance. Our recommendation for a solution here at PDA is to replace it with an after market FICM. These FICM's are built with stronger circuit boards to withstand the vibrations and alleviates the component from overheating.