2003/2004 vs 2005/2006 - Diesel Forum

jsoltis83 · 12-16-2005, 02:37 PM

Anyone notice a considerable difference in power between these trucks? I owned a 2003 and 2004 with a 2004 engine and they both seemed to run better than the '05 or '06. So I thought, well maybe since I haven't had my truck for so long and it was new to me at the time that maybe it was just something new to me and I remember it being faster than it was.

Well I drove a used 2003 the other day back to back with a 2006 and MAN O MAN! what a difference!! The 2003 would light the tires and it was not chipped. It just shat and gat. I'm not sure which would out pull which, but the '03 would walk away from the '06. I'm sure some of it is one is broke in and one isn't but you don't gain that much difference. I owned 2 6.0L's and neither had that much power difference beteen break in and new.

Just curious what might it be?

JS

ford_doctor · 12-17-2005, 11:42 PM

I have heard from a few people that they think the 2003's with the most recent calibrations are by far the strongest running engines. To be honest with you I agree but the truck has to have been one that was cared for and has no injector or power balance issues. I also read that the 2003 engines have a different camshaft than the later production engines but I have never heard that anywhere else or have been able to confirm it therefore I would say that is an unlikely rumor. I hope I'm not sorry for even mentioning that.

creeper · 12-18-2005, 01:08 AM

The 2003's had much more power. Ford detuned them BIG TIME. Redesigning them through software rather than fixing them properly.

MrHavasu · 12-18-2005, 01:56 AM

My 03 was faster than my 04, but I feel they towed the same if that makes any sense. I never had any engine problems with the 03.

**teamroper60** · 12-20-2005, 05:36 PM

[ QUOTE ]
I also read that the 2003 engines have a different camshaft than the later production engines but I have never heard that anywhere else or have been able to confirm it therefore I would say that is an unlikely rumor.

[/ QUOTE ]

Actually, I confirmed this to be true. I thought it might have been the case back in 2004, when I heard an 04/04 idling next to mine, so I contacted a Ford Tech and asked about it. He did some checking and found that indeed the camshaft is different on the 2003 engine than the 2004 (complete with it's own unique part number).