6.0L Powerstroke Resurrected

How times have changed in the diesel world! It used to be that 6.0L Powerstroke engines were the engine to stay away from. But incredible advancements with parts, technology, and owners pushing the limits of them, have resulted in a resurgence. With pre-2007 diesel trucks in high demand, one of the best budget-friendly platforms is the 6.0L Powerstroke. This post will go over why it may be your best bet for a high horsepower diesel build.

Over the last several years, pre-2007 diesel trucks have skyrocketed in price. It’s common to see one with 100,000 miles or less going for $30,000-$50,000. The simplicity of pre-DPF trucks is a lot of the reason, along with better fuel economy from not needing regens. If you’re looking for a fun 600-800hp street truck, most of your budget can be taken up on the truck’s purchase price. This is where the 6.0L Powerstroke benefit comes in. While these trucks can command more money than in the past, they aren’t as expensive as a 2003-07 5.9L Cummins or a pristine LB7 or LBZ. We’ve talked with Powerstroke owners who got their trucks for $10,000 or less (depending on condition). And if you’re building a fun street/drag strip truck, you can find a deal for one with less than stellar aesthetics or creature comforts. What you save on the purchase price, you can turn around and use for performance upgrades.

Having a larger budget for a turbo, injectors, transmission, etc., is where this idea made sense to us. Nothing is worse than wanting to upgrade a truck and having to wait, especially because the go-fast truck fund is depleted. Podcast guests have told us this was the selling point for their 6.0L Powerstroke. Immediately after buying it, they jumped into upgrades and making the setup as reliable as possible. That’s another part about 6.0L’s that has changed – they can be reliable. Oil coolers, water pumps, head flow technology, valve train, injectors, and turbos have come light years since the trucks were new. It’s not uncommon to find a 600-800hp 6.0L Powerstroke build that can be daily driven and taken to the strip or dyno event.

While the 6.0L Powerstroke does have emissions controls, they aren’t as complex as newer trucks. There’s no DPF to worry about clogging or complex computer system to deal with. Companies have spent a lot of time creating more robust EGR coolers, 49 or 50 state legal turbos and injectors, and tons more. With these and other upgrades, you can have a diesel putting out more power than a new truck, for a lot less money, and have more choices for diesel performance upgrades. That’s a win in our book.

If you’re wanting to get a diesel truck, invest some time, and have a solid street build, don’t overlook 2003-07 6.0L Powerstrokes. The stigma of them not being reliable has proven false over the years and they are being pushed past 2000hp. You can save money by the lower purchase price and invest those savings into a reliable, powerful engine for towing, daily driving or hitting the track to hurt some feelings. We hope you found this information as helpful as we did with thinking which truck would be best to build – and why the 6.0L Powerstroke may be best!