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Ignored the problem now they blown

4K views 27 replies 8 participants last post by  lomac 
#1 ·
Got an 05 f250 that about a week ago I had the head gaskets go. Been whistling by the graveyard for about a year now since the truck has 178k+ on it and been running IDP tunes on it unstudded. So now that the rambling is done I have the egr delete done and have been pricing getting the head gaskets fixed and studding. Can anyone tell me what they had for estimates or actually paid to have this done? I have gotten three different quotes now and they have about a 2k to 3k difference on them. I realize if the heads are damaged or something awful like that the price is going to get huge in a hurry but I just can't understand the difference in the prices that much within 150 mile radius. Thanks for any input guys, love the useful knowledge and since of community on this forum.
 
#2 ·
Other than the obvious difference in profit and interest in doing a 6.0 job, when I had mine done last year, the difference added to the EGR etc bullet proof was ~$2k to include the head gaskets. That included sending heads out for inspection and minimal machining, but NOT head replacement. Head replacement was estimated at ~$1k/head. IIRC my price for a complete BP was ~$4,800.

Is one estimate including a new head?
 
#3 ·
This is what I did: I spent 4 months collecting parts. then I spent a time looking for a Mechanic. I was lucky to find one who was out of the way, several miles out of town, who charge me $1700 to do all the work. After he removed the heads, I took them to Houston Engine, in Houston, Texas, and had them completely rebuild the heads which included "O" Ringing. I also had the FICIM rebuilt with the Atlas 40 installed. I also did the usual stuff. My excursion runs and looks greats. I have about $5000 invested. The only thing I hate is my Mechanic quit and moved to Dallas, Tx. about 150 mi away. Damn!
 
#4 ·
I'm not sure. I kept trying to stress to the lady I dealt with on the high estimate that I wasn't after the full bulletproofing I just wanted the studs and repairs made but the labor cost she told me was close to 1k higher than the labor from any of these other shops. Which I'm not entirely sure she was listening to what I was really requesting. I've had a high quote of $5,400 from a diesel shop 2 hours away and a $3,400 quote from a dealership just down the road that says they will install the studs if I absolutely want them but generally think just repairing is the way they would recommend
 
#5 ·
Cost wise its about $2,000 in parts. The rest is going to be labor. Typically a full bulletproofing is going to be about $5,500. But, a lot of labor there is just replacing parts that already have to come off. I'd figure $4,000 is probably about right. I also would never take my truck to a place that doesn't recommend studs. That's a shop that lives in a fantasy world.
 
#6 ·
Been doing some looking online for these stud kits. I have found some on two different sites that have a roughly $425-$450 range for an ARP kit but one of them also have one for just a shade over$1,000. Is there something missing in these kits that are in the 400 range? The write up on the thousand dollar one sounded like they were for someone wanting to put like 625 horse out there while the $400 kit seemed like more of a milder everyday kit. Any feedback is appreciated.
 
#7 ·
The XDP site is the site I found the best deal and can have it the next day all for under $500 with their code. Is there stuff missing from that kit or why is it such a price? Like I stated in the previous post I am finding 2 kits on most sites with roughly an $800 difference in kits?
 
#8 ·
Clearly something is off. ARP studs are going to run you about $450, but that's only one small part of what you need to do this job. You need head gaskets, intake gasket kit (with turbo mounting hardware), exhaust manifold gaskets, right & left GP harnesses, and 8 injector seal kits. I also replace the valve cover gaskets and rocker carrier gaskets. Then you get into what else hasn't been done and should while you're in there and everything's apart. Now is a good time to replace the STC fitting on the HPOP, replace the OC (should flush and filter first), replace the turbo drain & feed with the updated parts, replace the hot side CAC boots, clean the turbo, install the blue spring kit, delete the EGR cooler, install a modified Y-pipe to prevent failure, and send the FICM out to FICMRepair.com - FORD Powerstroke 6.0 FICM Repair, PHP Tuning and Truck Parts have it upgraded & tuned. You should also look over things like the water pump, serpentine belt, idler pulleys, hoses, etc. Access is never going to be better.
 
#9 ·
That's what I was wondering. I appreciate the feedback TKO. So if all the other parts were ordered already to do the normal (and unadvised) repair with the head bolts the only difference would be the added cost of the ARP studs as opposed to using the headbolts am I correct?
 
#10 ·
Exactly. Typically the gaskets from Ford come with the bolts, but if you order from Auto Nation they will simply not ship the bolts to save you the cost of the shipping since you're not going to use them anyway.
 
#11 ·
I was looking at my invoice and just realized that while they won't be flushing the coolant system per say they will most likely be draining and refilling it. So realizing that I'm thinking a coolant filter will be extremely useful in trying to save the oil cooler. Any suggestions on who to order from or how difficult it would be to add myself. I have enough mechanic skills to change my own oil and a few minor other things but by no means a master mechanic.
 
#12 ·
Installing it yourself is pretty easy. I got mine from Sinister. Good kit, but you do need to tighten the fittings a lot more than you would think.

You have to drain the coolant to do HGs, unless you want to fill the cylinders with coolant, or get it everywhere as you take stuff apart. Ideally you would run a filter on the system, get it to the first change (one month) and the second (three months) and then flush and refill the system. The thing is you want to change all of the coolant, and draining it changes about half. Its a 7 gallon system and a simple drain drops about 3-3.5 gallons. One of the big killers of the 6.0 is the Ford gold coolant, so the idea is to get that junk out of there and refill the system with a 50/50 mix of a real Diesel coolant (CAT EC-1 rated) and distilled water. But you can't do that just draining it because there would still be a half full system with the other coolant and they are incompatible. My advice would be to really rethink this portion of the work.
 
#13 ·
I may just be ignorant of what you are trying to describe but what portion of the work are you referring to that I may want to rethink? The coolant filter, or all the steps before it, or is there something else I'm missing? Guess I'm even less mechanically inclined than I was giving myself credit lol.
 
#14 ·
No, the coolant specifically. If they are just draining it then they are going to refill the system with the Ford gold coolant. I would not advise that. The coolant is the route cause of most of the 6.0 issues. It is not a Diesel coolant, and contains high levels of silicates, which precipitate out as the coolant ages and combines with leftover casting sand, which the 6.0 seems to have in spades. The combination creates a goo that plugs up oil and EGR coolers. In my opinion the coolant is the cause of a 6.0 cascade failure where the OC plugs, causes reduced flow to the EGR cooler, which ruptures and then leaks coolant into the engine, and pop goes the weasel there go your head gaskets.
 
#15 ·
Found a previous thread on here on how to flush the cooling system. It sounds relatively straightforward and not terribly difficult to do. Again as you can tell I may or may not be able to pull this off myself but I do believe I have a friend or two that could help supervise this process if I decided to go for it some weekend. Am I wrong in assuming I could do a flush in an afternoon or throughout a weekend possibly? And also while doing that be able to install the coolant filter also or is it something I should plan on doing over a several day period? Getting close to not being able to afford much more downtime at this portion of the year.
 
#16 ·
Dedicate a whole day to it, a weekend would be even better. It can take a lot of flushes to really get all the junk out. I went through 60 gallons of distilled water doing mine. In hindsight I should have just used regular tap water for all but maybe the last 3-4 flushes and I think it would have been fine.

The coolant filter probably takes half an hour to an hour for the moderately experienced mechanic. Really a pretty easy job.
 
#17 ·
I had my 06 f350 done last year by a diesel shop in Nor Cal, they did the BPD EGR, new oil cooler, ARP studs split/clean turbo, sent heads out it ended up costing about $7700. 5 months later $600 for 1 injector, 2 months later $2800 for 8 new injectors, 6 failed including new one so they suggested all 8 be replaced.
 
#18 ·
If you're at or close to 150k its prudent to seriously consider new injectors while you're doing a HG job. The injectors are coming out anyway, and the service life is right around 150k.
 
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#19 ·
Please don't tell my injectors that! I don't want them to go union on me.
 
#20 ·
They're already holding secret meetings and I think they have a dartboard with Sam Walton's face on it.
 
#21 ·
No worries on the injectors here had 4 out completely last year and 3 on the way so had all 8 done last year. Between this year and last year I put close to $7,000 in it to keep it running. Next breakdown I going to trade this sucka
 
#22 ·
Problem is, broken they're basically worthless. Guys pay $2,000-$2,500 for a 6.0 truck with engine issues regardless of condition or options. As a trade most places would pass.
 
#23 ·
#24 ·
My studs arrived last night and dropping them off at the shop this morning after work. I'm pumped to be getting my truck back after being down almost a month trying to decide what route to take and then waiting on the repairs to be made. I also have my coolant filter ordered and on its way so next nice weekend I have I am planning a flush and filter installation. So with all that being said is there anything I need to look out for once I get the truck back from the shop after having the head gaskets done and studded? Any special break in period? Like I said I am like a little school girl with how giddy I am to be getting it back.

P.S. I am also taking donations from anybody willing to help pay the bill for having that work done lol
 
#25 ·
Nope, you're good to go once the work is done.

You could set up a GoFundIt. People have done it for less altruistic reasons.
 
#26 ·
Coolant filter arrived today and hoping to tackle the flush and filter installation this weekend. Should I install the filter the first draining or at some point later in the flushing process? Really excited to have the truck back...soon
 
#27 ·
I would install the filter, wait a month and change the filter, wait three months and change the filter, then do the flush. Doing it that way reduces the junk floating in the system as much as possible and reduces the chance you plug the OC.
 
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