Ford introduced the 6.0L Power Stroke V8 to replace the legendary 7.3L part way through the 2003 model year, for multiple reasons - the largest of which was new emissions rules for diesel trucks with a manufacturing date of January 1^st, 2003 or later (there are some model year 2003 7.3L trucks, but they will have an actual production date of calendar year 2002). But this was also an opportunity to catch up and keep up with the competition from Dodge and General Motors. For most of the 7.3L’s life, GM trucks had the 6.5L Detroit Diesel, which never made more than 200hp, but the 2001 6.6L Duramax suddenly had 300hp, and the Ram Cummins now offered 325hp from the 5.9L Cummins H.O. as well. While the 7.3L may be beloved with 20 years of hindsight, the buyers of new trucks at the time saw it as outdated and uncompetitive.

The 6.0L PowerStroke launched with 4 valves per cylinder (instead of 2 in the 7.3L) and Bosch’s second generation common-rail electronic injection to make the truck more efficient, exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) to make it cleaner, and a variable-geometry turbocharger (VGT) to broaden the powerband. This advancing technology helped the 6.0L make 50hp more than the most powerful 7.3L (and 75hp more than an auto-trans 7.3L), despite losing a Mazda RX-8’s worth of engine displacement.

20 years after its release though, the 6.0L does have a bit of a reputation for unreliability. This is the first truck to be plagued with emissions issues, most notably from the EGR system – turns out that diesel exhaust gas is nasty stuff that can clog up EGR valves and coolers. 2003 trucks have a round EGR cooler that clogs up less easily than the square one found on 2004-2007 trucks, but all of them can also experience internal coolant leaks. BulletProof Diesel in Mesa AZ is one of the first big diesel shops to discover this issue, and they sell a 50-state legal (including a CARB E.O. number!) replacement that’s much more reliable than the stock one, while retaining full emissions compliance. Unfortunately, the only fix for a stuck EGR valve is cleaning or replacing it, but adding an EGR cleaning to your regular maintenance schedule can extend the life of the system.

The second most famous 6.0L issue is head gaskets. This is caused by the head bolts stretching over time and accelerated by trucks making more power than stock – more boost from the turbo means higher pressures inside the cylinders, putting more stress on that weak point. The fix is stronger head studs (ARP is the best-known company for this) and a multi-layer steel (MLS) head gasket. This usually happens past 150,000 miles, but that’s not particularly high mileage anymore for trucks of this age.

The other 6.0L issues are also present on other diesel trucks. Injectors are expensive to replace, and 6.0L trucks replaced the central injection pump with a fragile and expensive fuel injection control module (FICM) that controls injector pressure and timing at each individual injector. Oil leaks are common from the high pressure oil pump (HPOP) and oil cooler lines, as well as the injection control pressure (ICP) sensor. The ICP sensor is worth noting because it is located directly beneath the turbocharger, so leaks from it can often be misattributed to the turbo.

There are a few turbo-specific issues on the 6.0L, but they are less common than the other problems cited above. 2003-2005 models had a restrictive oil drain tube from the factory – Ford released an upgraded replacement (available here) that backdates to these earlier trucks. Sticking VGT vanes is an issue that happens to every diesel pickup, but 2006 and 2007 models have an updated exhaust housing with deeper grooves to help the vanes continue to move easier, even after carbon and soot naturally build up with age and mileage. Clearing your VGT mechanism before failure isn’t a realistic solution, but diesel mechanics swear by “the Italian tune-up” – just floor it getting onto the highway every once in a while to hopefully blow some of that stuff out. Maybe not an elegant situation, but worth it if it helps.

Like most diesel trucks today, the 6.0L uses a variable geometry turbocharger (VGT) with movable vanes inside the exhaust housing that can contract at low RPMs to spool quicker, and open up at higher RPMs to flow more air and make more top-end power. This system is controlled by an electronic solenoid on the turbo itself. All of our replacement turbochargers will include the solenoid, but we also have replacement solenoids available individually here:

New OEM: Garrett 792593-0001 VGT Solenoid For Ford 6.0L PowerStroke and GM 6.6L Duramax Diesel MSC-100015-GTN

New Aftermarket: New VGT Solenoid For Ford 6.0L PowerStroke and GM 6.6L Duramax Diesel Replaces Garrett 792593-0001 MSC-100015-TDN

There are 3 different turbos for the 6.0L Power Stroke, depending on model year and application. Please find your vehicle on the fitment guide below to see the replacement options we have available.

Fits 2003 & Early 2004 Super Duty & Excursion

If you have a 2004, check the VIN label on your driver's doorjam to locate your exact production date - these fit trucks built September 29th, 2003 or earlier.

New OEM w/ 1 Year Warranty: New Genuine OEM Garrett GT37 Turbocharger For 2003 & Early 2004 Ford F250 F350 Excursion 6.0L TUR-101451-GTN

Remanufactured OEM w/ 2 Year Warranty: Turbochargers Direct Remanufactured OEM GT37 Turbo For 2003 & Early 2004 Ford F250 F350 Excursion 6.0L TUR-101451-TDR

New Aftermarket w/ 3 Year Warranty: New Factory Turbochargers GT37 Turbo For 2003 & Early 2004 Ford F250 F350 Excursion 6.0L TUR-101451-FTN

Fits Late 2004 and 2005 Super Duty & Excursion, all 2004 & 2005 E-Series

If you have a 2004 Super Duty or Excursion, check the VIN label on your driver's door jam to locate your exact production date - these fit trucks built September 29th, 2003 or later.

New OEM w/ 1 Year Warranty: New Genuine OEM Garrett GT37 Turbocharger For 2004 2005 Ford F250 F350 E350 E450 Excursion 6.0L TUR-100030-GTN

Remanufactured OEM w/ 2 Year Warranty: Turbochargers Direct Remanufactured OEM GT37 Turbo For 2004 2005 Ford F250 F350 E350 E450 Excursion 6.0L TUR-100030-TDR

Fits 2006 & 2007 Super Duty, 2005-2010 E-Series

New OEM w/ 1 Year Warranty: New Genuine OEM Garrett GT3782VA Turbocharger For 2006 2007 Ford F-250 F-350 F-450 F-550 Power Stroke 6.0L TUR-100020-GTN

Remanufactured OEM w/ 2 Year Warranty: Turbochargers Direct Remanufactured OEM Garrett Turbo For 2006 2007 Ford F-250 F-350 F-450 F-550 Power Stroke 6.0L TUR-100020-TDR

New Aftermarket w/ 3 Year Warranty: New Factory Turbochargers Replacement Turbo For Ford F250 F350 F450 F550 E350 E450 6.0L Power Stroke TUR-100020-FTN

Much like how the 7.3L was derived from the International T444E, the 6.0L was also sold in commercial trucks as the Navistar VT365. While these engines will share many parts, the turbochargers are specific to the pickups, vans and SUVs. If you have a 6.0L VT365 in any commercial application, even a Ford F-650 or F-750, the only way for us to verify compatibility would be to look up any part numbers off your original turbocharger.

For any other turbo questions you may have, contact us for assistance backed by professional experience. We also have buyer’s guides like this for the 7.3L, 6.4L and 6.7L trucks as well, and we carry new and remanufactured replacement turbos from brands you know like Garrett, BorgWarner, Holset, Mitsubishi and more.