I'm a newbie to the forum.
First of all thanks for any and all info you can give me.
I've got a 2005 Ford F-350 6.0 PWRSTROKE
Head gaskets just went @ 200000 plus miles.
"Left Coast Diesel" here in California suggests a conversion kit adding studs to the heads and a bullet proof EGR valve. Price tag $6500.00 throw in a chip for better fuel economy and performance and your @ $7000.00
I want to keep the truck....but that's allot of money to but in a 200000 mile engine.
#1 I could just give it a normal head gasket job.
#2 rebuild engine completetly including "Stud head kit conversion"
#3 Get create engine
#4 Just do "Stud Kit conversion"
Now with all this said Money is a huge issue....I'd have to save to do any of this and live meagerly.
I have bought a Ford Ranger cheap to save money and get around but it needs a cap and "things"......Any suggestions on PWRSTOKE fixes???
I'm leaning toward a plain head gasket replacement.
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You could do head studs, new gaskets, delete the EGR etc, the full works, and be WAY cheaper than that... that price is out of this world.

Head work at the machine shop $~500
Gaskets from Ford ~ $270
ARP headstuds ~$400
Updated dummy plugs/stand pipes ~$110
OEM Ford oil cooler rebuild kit ~$235
OEM exhaust manifold gaskets ~$21
upgraded turbo oil drain ~$21
upgraded turbo oil fee ~$75

Total right there ~$1650

Add your custom tuned SCT for another $500, and a good set of gauges or some sort of monitor, figure another $500 for that ... you're at $2650....

Again, $6500 is absurd.

I bet you can find a cheaper place than that to get it done.

 

Thanks for the numbers.....Left Coast Diesel said something about "adding" studs to hold down heads.....ever hear of that? Your post was good news to me and might very well be what I'm aiming for....thanks again.

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I just called Left Coast Diesel and they're just replacing studs to ARPs.
They want to redo high pressure oil seals (which I just did a year ago) and (I just replaced EGR valve) They want a better one put in.
Said they'ld give me a break $6300.00...........no chip.

I'm going shopping with your numbers......did your numbers include all labor?

Thanks

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I just spoke with another shop...they said...about 5800.00 depending. Something about doing the EGR Cooler and pulling the Cap off the truck.

 

I don't know if it was a typo, but it's not the cap they are taking off, it's the cab.

 

Correct,yes, It's the cab, I misspoke. I don't even have a cap.
I'm not to happy about some of the ball park quotes I'm getting here around San Francisco.
5800.00 to 6300.00..........I think if I spend that kind of money I should go further with a total rebuild.....What do you'all think about that....Does anyone know a good place to buy and or get installed a new (upgraded) 6.0

 

Stock these trucks use a TTY (torque to yield) bolt that holds the heads down, anytime they're removed, they're trash. New gaskets come with new bolts. The whole bolt design just sucks. So we replace them with a true stud/nut, made by ARP. So ARP studs are what they're referring to when they say they'll stud it.

As for high pressure oil seals... you're in that far and they're cheap, probably wouldn't be a terrible idea to just do them for the $100 or whatever it is for parts. There is no "better" egr valve, but they can probably do a delete. You can get full EGR deletes for $150-$300.

My prices are for parts only, not labor. Either way, look at what they're charging you for labor there. Is it a big job, sure, but come on...

A total rebuild? Why? If it aint broke, don't fix it. What would you do to a new 6.0 that you couldn't do to this one? Just bulletproof this one with the studs/egr delete etc, and run it. 200k miles is nothing.

 

Thats a crazy quote to do that work on your 6.0. I got a quote of 2800 to do studs head gaskets, exhaust manifold gaskets, egr delete, oil cooler rebuild, and pull my turbo off and clean the veins. I think there taking you on a long walk with a short leash there bud.

 

Mike...CA truck...no EGR bye bye. Lol.

Anyway I digress, for less than $5800 I'll do the work in your driveway over the weekend all parts included with a coolant filter and flush, I'll even detail it for you. Lol. How savy are you with tools? After doing a stud job on 1 truck already (tickin on almost 30k miles since so I'm confident in my work ) and another coming soon, I would never pay any shop more than $4k to do the work (looking $3k-3500 just in parts/oil/beer...ARP studs, BulletProof EGR and oil coolers, all gaskets and o-rings, 1 piece stand pipes, new dummy plugs, fuel pressure spring upgrade, coolant filter, new oil, new coolant, coolant flush, head work, and some other items I know I'm forgetting at the moment).

They're likely talking about updating the EGR cooler to either Sinister or BulletProof...which unless they do the oil cooler at the same time, the truck will be torn down before too much longer again anyway

 

Good catch on the Cali thing, I always forget you guys can't delete emissions stuff.

I agree with everything said here.

 

On the drag truck I will be using a welded solid cooler and a gutted cat so I pass the visual Lol. I'll let you guys know how it works out...not sure how to get around the smoke test though