The 6.0 Powerstroke Ford Super Duty trucks and Excursions produced from 2003 until 2007 have been one of the most popular tuck to upgrade and modify for almost two decades. These Ford 6.0 diesel-powered trucks feature one of the most popular body styles of the modern era and can still be seen at truck shows, job sites, and on the road across the Country. Over the years many performance parts have been developed for these trucks, so the 6.0 Powerstroke is easier than ever to rebuild and upgrade.

There are two reasons to rebuild your engine. The first reason is that your engine is worn out, and broken components need to be replaced. Now that these trucks have been on the road for years, high mileage and hard work have taken their toll, and a rebuild will be needed to keep them running strong for years to come. The second reason is that your engine is doing just fine and running like the day it left the factory, but you want more horsepower and reliability. Rebuilding your engine will give you the opportunity to upgrade almost every component that you are replacing and give you the satisfaction that you have done the work yourself.

Truck Tear Down

Before you begin taking anything apart on a 6.0 Powerstroke, some preparation will be needed. You will need the right tools, and while most enthusiasts have most of the essential tools covered, any specialty tools you might not have can be borrowed from friends or found online. Organization is also extremely important, and plastic trays from your local discount tool store and large freezer bags work great.

All of your truck’s fluids will need to be drained and disposed of properly. Before the disassembly process begins, you will need to drive by your favorite local auto shop to have the refrigerant removed from the A/C system since some of the A/C components will need to be removed and have them refill the system when your rebuild is complete. Once the refrigerant is gone, the rest of the work involved can be done at your home or shop. Fresh oil and coolant will be added once the rebuilt engine is installed, so there is no point in saving old fluid.

To gain easy access to the engine, the grill and headlights will need to be removed, and the batteries will need to be disconnected. The radiator, transmission cooler lines, and A/C condenser along with the cooling fan, shroud, and batteries will then be removed. With these front-end components out of the way, it is time to focus on the engine itself. The electrical connectors, belt, pulleys, plus all the hoses, intake and turbo pipes, the turbo itself, oil filter housing, intake, fuel system components, valve covers, exhaust headers, and every part in your way will all need to be removed.

The next step will be to remove the cylinder heads. Unlike some diesel engines, the Ford 6.0 Powerstroke is a V8, so it has two-cylinder heads, and the process for removing each side will be similar. With the valve covers removed, the inner workings of the engine will be exposed, and valve train components and head bolts can be removed. The heads can then come off, and you will be left with just the block sitting in the engine bay.

Engine Removal

A top-end engine rebuild can be done with the block sitting in the engine bay, but if further work is needed, the block will need to come out and be placed on an engine stand. If this is the route you are going, once the top-end engine teardown is complete, it is time to focus on removing the actual engine block. The first step is to remove the bolts that connect the flywheel to the torque converter and remove the bolts holding the transmission to the engine block. The engine mounts will be disconnected, and any other components like the power steering pump will need to be removed from the block.

Once it is disconnected, the transmission will need to be supported, a final check will need to be done to ensure that no other parts are still attached, and it is now time to remove the engine block itself. A hoist or “cherry picker’ is the best option for engine removal, and the block’s stock threaded bolt holes are a perfect place to attach the hoist’s chain. Now the engine can be lifted up and forward out of the engine bay, and once clear of the truck, it can be bolted to an engine stand so a rebuild can begin.

Engine Rebuild

Now that the engine is out of the truck, a proper rebuild can be carried out. If your engine is in good shape, you can move forward, but if internal components are damaged or worn out, the block might have to go to a machine shop for professional inspection and repair. Once it is determined that the engine's bottom end is in good shape, the rebuild can begin.

The most important and time-consuming part of any engine rebuild is cleaning parts. With the engine out, it is always a good idea to clean a truck's engine bay while it is easily accessible, and every part that has been removed will need to be cleaned before it is reinstalled. Being well organized and clean are two of the most important aspects of a successful engine rebuild and will help the process flow smoothly.

You can now decide which parts will need to be replaced. No two engine rebuilds are exactly alike, but some parts like seals, head gaskets, and head studs will always be replaced along with any component that shows signs of wear. It is important to use the highest quality parts available, and Blessed Performance has anything you could possibly need for a 6.0 Powerstroke rebuild. Their “All In For Life Kit” is the most popular choice for anyone looking for increased power and reliability, and they can provide you with any part or specialty tool needed to accomplish your goals.

It is possible to rebuild many of the components that make up a diesel truck's engine, such as its turbocharger and diesel injectors, but this will require an extreme level of precision, so it is often easier to just replace the turbo itself and any other part with an upgraded performance part. Every part that makes up the engine will need to be torqued to a specific tightness upon assembly whether it is old or new, and taking the time to install every part correctly will ensure that everything runs smoothly.

Truck Reassembly

Now that your engine is coming together, the overall reinstallation process can begin. If you have been keeping everything clean and well organized, it should be a far easier process than disassembling the engine because clean parts are always easier to work with than dirty parts. Reinstalling a 6.0 Powerstroke engine will be the reverse of taking it out. The Block will be installed and remounted, the transmission will be attached, and the top end can then be reinstalled and torqued correctly. All the ancillary components can now be installed, and any of these parts, such as the power steering pump, radiator, rubber hoses, and lines can be easily replaced and upgraded at this time.

With the engine components replaced and installed it is now time to reattach the front-end components like the grill and headlights. When everything has been reinstalled correctly, fresh oil, coolant, and any other fluids that had to be drained can be refilled, the batteries can be connected, and you are ready to go. A successful 6.0 Powerstroke rebuild has been completed!

The All In For Life Kit

Blessed Performance’s All In For Life Kit, which was mentioned above, is the go-to kit for anyone looking to rebuild a Ford 6.0 Powerstroke diesel engine. It contains all of the parts required to build a reliable and powerful engine, such as:

• ARP 425 Head Studs
• Head Gaskets
• HD Oil Cooler/Injector Seals
• Complete Top End Gasket Kit
• Chromoly Push Rods/Mahle Lifter Set
• Rear Main Seal Kit
• OEM Stand Pipes/Dummy Plugs
• High Pressure Oil Rail Ball Tubes w/Tool
• XDP Coolant Filter/Blue Spring Kit
• New Coolant Reservoir/Cap Kit
• Diesel RX Glow Plugs/OEM Thermostat
• XDP Stainless Up-Pipes
• OEM SCT Fitting 05-07
• New Alliant Water Pump
• Kill Devil Diesel O-Ringed Heads

If you are putting the time, effort, and money into rebuilding your engine, you cannot afford to use cheap Chinese parts of unknown quality. They will compromise reliability and safety and are almost guaranteed to leave you stranded on the side of the road. Blessed Performance only carries the highest quality truck parts available. They have all of the parts needed for a total engine rebuild, plus almost any other part you can think of for your Ford diesel truck. They can even help you come up with a custom parts list tailored specifically for your needs. Check out their website and don’t hesitate to email or call with any questions. They even have tutorial videos showing the step-by-step process of removing and rebuilding an engine that feature tips and tricks learned from years of experience.

You Can Do It!

YouTube tutorials on this rebuild and more to better understand if a full engine rebuild is the right move for you. Also head on over to Blessed Performance for all the parts you may need on your Ford 6.0 Powerstroke rebuild today!

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