Finding the Best 6. 0 Powerstroke Heads for Your Build
If you've possessed a Super Duty for more than a week, you most likely already know that finding the best 6. 0 powerstroke heads is basically a rite associated with passage for every owner. We almost all know the reputation of the 6. 0L engine. It's a powerhouse when it's running right, yet those factory heads? They've caused many headaches and empty wallets over the particular years. Honestly, the particular 6. 0 gets a bad rap, but most of those issues control from the undeniable fact that the original tools from Ford simply wasn't built in order to handle the heat plus pressure that these engines can generate, especially once you start adding a tuner or a bigger turbo.
The particular problem usually begins with a little bit of little bit of white smoke or even a cooling system that's puking coolant out of the particular degas bottle. A person realize the head gaskets have release, and suddenly you're staring at an enormous repair bill. Yet here's the issue: if you're heading to tear the engine down that far, you shouldn't just slap some OEM-style remans back again on there plus expect the best. You desire something that will actually solves the particular problem so you don't have to do this work again in another 50, 000 mls.
Why the particular Factory Heads Tend to Fail
Prior to we get in to which brands make the best six. 0 powerstroke heads, it's worth speaking about why the particular stock ones are so prone to failure. The 6. zero heads are produced of cast metal, which sounds challenging, but the casting itself is quite thin in some essential areas. Specifically, they will tend to crack around the device seats and the particular injector bores. Once those cracks start, it's game more than.
Upon top of that, the factory mind bolts are "stretch" bolts (torque-to-yield). They're designed to stretch out a bit, which is fine for a stock grocery store getter, but under high cylinder stress, they stretch too much. This allows the head to raise slightly off the block out, and that's when your head gasket gets torched. So, when people speak about "bulletproofing" a 6. 0, they're usually speaking about repairing these specific structural weaknesses.
Exactly what to Look with regard to in an Auto aftermarket Head
When you begin shopping around, you'll notice two major paths: brand-new castings or high-end rebuilt heads. Both have got their perks, but the best 6. 0 powerstroke heads usually share a few common features.
First, search for thicker castings . A few of the top-tier aftermarket heads use significantly more iron in the particular deck surface. This particular extra meat helps prevent the head from warping or cracking when points get hot. 2nd, you want to appear at O-ringing . In case you're planning upon making any kind of real energy, O-ringed heads would be the gold standard. A small groove is precision machined into the head, and a stainless steel wire is pushed in. This cable bites to the mind gasket, developing a mechanised seal that's method stronger than just the particular gasket alone.
The Top Opportunities for Your Truck
There are a few titles that usually come up when you ask 6. 0 men what they're operating. It's not the huge list, mainly because it takes a lot of specific equipment to obtain these heads best.
Kill Devil Diesel (KDD)
If you spend any time on the forums or in Facebook groups, you've definitely noticed of KDD. These are widely considered to generate of the best 6. zero powerstroke heads upon the market. What makes them stand out is that they offer brand-new iron castings. They didn't just copy the Ford design; they improved it. Their heads feature thicker decks and reinforced cooling jackets.
What I love regarding KDD is that will they offer various "stages. " If you just want a reliable daily car owner, their 100% new stock-plus heads are great. If you're creating a competition truck, they've got options with upgraded valve spring suspensions and porting. They've really done the legwork to show their heads can handle some serious misuse.
Powerfully Constructed / UCF Machine Shop
An additional name that has a lot of weight is UCF. They're a machine store which has perfected the art of the 6. 0 reman. Now, I know I said previously to be wary of remans, but UCF is the different. They pressure test every head in order to an extreme degree and make use of a proprietary procedure to guarantee the deck will be perfectly flat.
They're well-known for their O-ring work. If you send them your cores or buy a place from them, you can be pretty sure they're going to be slimmer and smoother compared to anything that ever arrived off the Ford assembly line. It's the great option in case you want in order to save a small amount of money compared to the brand-new casting but nevertheless want "done as soon as, done right" reliability.
Promaxx
Promaxx is an additional big player that will offers brand-new castings. A lot of guys like these because they're generally available and ready to deliver. Like the KDD heads, these are new iron, not old cores that will have been cleaned out up. They've beefed up the places where the manufacturer heads usually break, making them a good choice for anybody who just wants a fresh start with no worrying about hidden cracks in an utilized set of heads.
To O-Ring or Not to O-Ring?
This particular is a huge debate in the 6. 0 local community. If you're looking for the best 6. 0 powerstroke heads, you need to determine if that additional machining is worthy of the price. In my opinion? Just do it.
The expense of the O-ring process is usually usually a few hundred bucks. In comparison to the overall cost of the head gasket job—which can easily run $4, 000 to $6, 000 depending on who's doing it labor—it's cheap insurance. If you ever program on towing large or managing a spicy tune, that O-ring is what's going to keep your own gaskets in one piece. It's the particular closest thing to some "permanent" fix for that 6. 0's head gasket woes.
The Supporting Toss: Studs and Mechanical seals
You may buy the most expensive, beefiest set of heads on the earth, but if putting them back on with factory head bolts, you're simply wasting money. To really get the many out of the best 6. zero powerstroke heads, a person should use ARP head studs.
Unlike the factory bolts, ARP studs don't stretch. They grip those heads straight down to the wedge with a massive amount of force and remain that way. Furthermore, stick with OE Ford (Motorcraft) mind gaskets. Ironically, while Ford's heads and bolts were the bit of a mess, their multi-layer steel (MLS) gaskets are in fact fantastic. Most experts agree that the mixture of aftermarket replacement heads, O-rings, ARP studs, and OEM gaskets will be the earning formula.
Final Thoughts on Making the Choice
At the end of the day, picking the best 6. zero powerstroke heads arrives down to your budget and what you use the pickup truck for. If you've got the cash, a collection of brand-new KDD or Promaxx heads with O-rings is definitely hard to defeat. You're getting clean metal and updated designs that resolve the 20-year-old issues Ford left all of us with.
In the event that you're on a bit more of the budget, a high-quality reman from a shop like UCF is a properly viable way in order to go. Just make sure whoever does the job is intimately familiar with the 6. 0's quirks. This isn't an engine to want to go to the particular cheapest local device shop that usually works on small-block Chevys.
The 6. 0 Powerstroke is the monster of a good engine once you get the top end sorted out. This sounds much better than nearly any other diesel powered, as well as the throttle reaction is incredible. Investing in a quality set of heads isn't just regarding fixing a drip; it's about finally being able to drive your pickup truck without constantly looking in the temperature gauge or worrying about that next puff of white smoke. Do it once, do it best, and you'll really get to take pleasure in why you bought a diesel within the first location.