Is the 05 any more reliable than an 03/04?
 

I really want an excursion but don't want a lot of hassle with the engine. The 7.3 is nice, but they are so old now that I can't finance one but they're too high to pay cash for.
This leaves me with a 6.0. From what I hear the 03/04 is pretty problematic, but I've heard the later models are better.
Is that true? Did ford make some improvements?
Can it handle a 100hp tune reliably? I have no interest in pulling the body to do head studs just to handle 100hp, so if it can't, I'm afraid i'll have to go another direction.

A 100hp tune is like a street tune for a 6.0, it should be ok, but nothing is guaranteed. A 7.3 with a small turbo/injector upgrade and tuning wont touch a tuned 6.0 either, so keep that in mind. Later models are usually better like anything, but X's were only made up to 05. Pulling the body on an X isn't much more difficult than a cab off on a truck. There's 6 body mount bolts instead of 4, and the gas filler has to be disconnected as well as tail light wiring, then it's just like the trucks. If you don't go this direction, what would you do? Not really any other large diesel SUV's out there haha.

Just have an oasis run on the truck in question from the Ford dealer, it will tell you all the warranty work it's ever been through. Plan on an EGR delete anyways though and other normal 6.0 stuff, like coolant filter and an SCT with custom tunes.

I'd love to have a nice 6.0 X.

I just have something against pulling the body to fix stuff that should not be an issue in the first place! Maybe I was spoiled by my cummins.... I have a full service shop at home with a lift and everything so it's not a matter of capability, just principle! I realize nothing is guaranteed but if the odds are good then I'll get the 05 that I found with only 66k miles n it.
That is my problem, the only full size diesel suv is the EX. If I don't get one of them, I'll probably get an 06 duramax crew cab.

Thanks for the input.

I don't disagree, but at the same time it's nice nowing what problems will come up before it happens and how to fix or avoid them. You can't say you get that with other vehicles. What year cummins you driving? They all have their problems! You can't just add a programmer on a Dodge without having to do tranny upgrades, which is the 6.0's strong piont, a great tranny. They all have their downfalls, its just the 6.0's are more widely known about.

An 05 6.0 X with 66k on it? Sounds like a nice ride man! I wish I could find one around here for a decent price. I want to get my gf into one and get her running on WVO too!

Yep verry true you here a more about the 6.0 becuse they have been used for almost ever big fleet truck out ther from just the basic f-250 to the big f-550 from bucket trucks, flat beds, box truck, ambulances and small fire trucks.

I would just get an oasis first. As far as certain years being better than others I think all years have good ones and bad ones. I have an 03 and have had very few issues and my best friend got an 05 brand new and he blew head gaskets 3 times, the turbo replaced and his tranny done before he got 40000 mi. of course he had the Edge on his and he wouldn't listen to me and my SCT bs. He used his for a trade in on a v-10.
If you do the maintenance and know what the problems are and how to deal with them, these are great trucks.

Haha, I bought a manual trans dodge. no way would i ever buy an automatic dodge cummins! That 05 EX is beautiful....I just need to talk myself into the 6.0.

Yeah that's what I hear, once the gremlins are worked out, it's a hell of a good engine. Everything is a bit of a gamble that's for sure.

And honestly, lifting the cab seems like an enormous amount of work, but a good tech can have the cab off of a truck in 45 minutes. An X might take 2x that at most I'd imagine, only 2 more bolts and the other stuff I said earlier... studs isn't completely out of the realm of possibilities...

I dropped mine without lifting it off the body. I love that people are afraid of the 6.0 it helps to get parts and they are cheap on the resale. The 6.0 when it first came out up to Sept of 03 had some ECU issues they were corrected, but the "idea" of it being a junk engine has stuck with it.

The engine has been around since the 70s, so it will last. Been running mine with the race tune for over 7 years now and haven't had an issue with it. The engine was pulled, because I wanted a couple things done to it and it was easier to remove it than do the changes with it in. Since it was out I put ARPs in it to get rid of that concern, before it became an issue.

Good info, thanks everyone!