# Ford f250 2003 6.0 diesel electrical/charging problem



## alldayrj

Plowing today and the radio starts cutting out when moving the plow and the plow moves slow. Dash lights like abs and battery come on. I say ALTERNATOR and start heading home since this is what it did about two years ago. 

On my way home the trans is acting funny, gauges go off finally it stalls out. I sat for a half hr and it restarted, made it to the shop and it stalled again. Put a jump pack on it, dropped the plow, brought it in and the alternator was putting out 12. 

Put a rebuild in it, apparently you cant get new any more. Rebuild is putting out 12.2 so they put another in it thats putting out 12.4. Could we get two bad ones in a row or are we missing something else?


Thanks guys.


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## grandview

Bad cell in battery?


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## alldayrj

Both batteries were installed new in october, but it hit 0 degrees last night. Could they go that fast?


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## grandview

Sounds like a battery,clean up the grounds and stop by auto zone for a free battery check.


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## tjctransport

yes you can get 2,3,4 bad alternators in a row if they are rebuilt. 
and a battery can go bad overnight, the killer of batteries is extreme weather chances. 
i would check the fuse-able links, one of them is for the charging system. 
and you can still get new alternators.


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## dieselss

Ck the fuses to start with. If the r (or I. I can't remember) terminal isn't getting pwr then the alt won't charge.


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## grandview

dieselss;1733707 said:


> Ck the fuses to start with. If the r (or I. I can't remember) terminal isn't getting pwr then the alt won't charge.


Maybe#46?.....


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## alldayrj

I think they cleaned all terminals but ill have them double check

I know i changed 3 rebuilds in a row on my old suburban. In the snow. Not cool. 

If i take a voltmeter to the alt and its less than 14 it HAS TO BE the alt? Correct?


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## Whiffyspark

alldayrj;1733751 said:


> I think they cleaned all terminals but ill have them double check
> 
> I know i changed 3 rebuilds in a row on my old suburban. In the snow. Not cool.
> 
> If i take a voltmeter to the alt and its less than 14 it HAS TO BE the alt? Correct?


No 13.5+ and alt is good

Check resistance in battery cables.

Check grounds. Check and see if you have any body codes as well


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## dieselss

No it don't have tobe the alt. Ck the fuses just tobe safe


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## 07PSDCREW

Once you installed the new alternator, when were you checking charging? The 6.0 pcm does not allow the alternator to charge untill the glow plug circuit has shut down. That can last 2-3 min after startup, sometimes longer.


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## alldayrj

Which fuses? Under hood or by your knees? Any in particular?

Where are the fusible links?

Im not getting 13.5 im getting 12.4

I brought it in at 5 pm and they changed teo alts by 6. Hopefully theyre fresher in the am and we pound it out. I just wanted to do all the troubleshooting to save some shop time at 100/hr


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## alldayrj

The truck was at operating temp, do i still need to wait a few minutes?


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## kimber750

alldayrj;1733582 said:


> Plowing today and the radio starts cutting out when moving the plow and the plow moves slow. Dash lights like abs and battery come on. I say ALTERNATOR and start heading home since this is what it did about two years ago.
> 
> On my way home the trans is acting funny, gauges go off finally it stalls out. I sat for a half hr and it restarted, made it to the shop and it stalled again. Put a jump pack on it, dropped the plow, brought it in and the alternator was putting out 12.
> 
> Put a rebuild in it, apparently you cant get new any more. Rebuild is putting out 12.2 so they put another in it thats putting out 12.4. Could we get two bad ones in a row or are we missing something else?
> 
> Thanks guys.


Also make sure you belt tensioner isn't getting weak. This will allow the belt to slip. Check voltage with truck off then again with it running. Most modern alternators will put out at least 14 volts but 13.5 is considered acceptable. I have had good luck with US Industries alternators.


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## 07PSDCREW

alldayrj;1733775 said:


> The truck was at operating temp, do i still need to wait a few minutes?


Yep. I watch mine do it all the time. I have the edge insight. My voltage fluctuates 12.6-14.1 after the plug circuit goes out. Its 11.9-12.5 while plug circuit is on. I know the PCM controls the output of the alt at all times. If it dosent feel that it needs it, it won't be ramped up to 13.6 all the time. These are the main reasons why fresh good batteries are so important in a 6,0. The FICM module depends on them and the glow circuit runs on battery only. Bad batteries cause so many issues and will take out injectors and the FICM.


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## alldayrj

Ok so ill call them firstt hing to start it up and check it after 5 mins. 

Any tips on those fusible links or anything else?


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## 07PSDCREW

The links are located on the positive cable on the passenger side battery about 6"s from the battery.
a quick check to see if they are good is to meter between alt lug and ground while the truck is off


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## 07PSDCREW

Also, your local dealer should stock new alternators. I just put a new OEM one in my truck. My employee cost part only was over 200$ though.


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## alldayrj

I called the dealer, They told me 265 but im not sure if it was new or rebuilt.


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## 07PSDCREW

Yeah... Mine was new... I did not have to give a core. My employee cost was 205$. I kept the old one and I'm getting it rebuilt stronger/better than OEM


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## alldayrj

I asked everywhere for a high output and none are available. Seems weird since everyone and their grandma has these trucks. Also two alts was an option but cant be added? I bet you could find a way to add it


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## damian

Holy cow stop already! First charge the batteries. Then load test each, then check alternator output. I did not see any amperage readings,if your batteries were pretty well dead and you installed the alternator with about dead batteries it would be normal to show low voltage until the batteries came up,but you should be getting rated amperage output from the alternator. there is no need to guess at these things, all can be tested and proven.


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## tjctransport

standard alternator is 135 amp i believe, and there is a 200 amp available.


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## Mark Oomkes

Where did the alternator come from?

Unfortunately, even NAPA's starters and alternators are junk. Right out of the box. Buy an OEM or from a reputable rebuilder.



tjctransport;1733699 said:


> yes you can get 2,3,4 bad alternators in a row if they are rebuilt.
> and a battery can go bad overnight, the killer of batteries is extreme weather chances.
> i would check the fuse-able links, one of them is for the charging system.
> and you can still get new alternators.





07PSDCREW;1733768 said:


> Once you installed the new alternator, when were you checking charging? The 6.0 pcm does not allow the alternator to charge untill the glow plug circuit has shut down. That can last 2-3 min after startup, sometimes longer.


Gotta love the DA that programmed it this way. Killed batteries and alternators in our Excursion at the FD frequently because of this. I still can't believe the idiots did this.



damian;1734059 said:


> Holy cow stop already! First charge the batteries. Then load test each, then check alternator output. I did not see any amperage readings,if your batteries were pretty well dead and you installed the alternator with about dead batteries it would be normal to show low voltage until the batteries came up,but you should be getting rated amperage output from the alternator. there is no need to guess at these things, all can be tested and proven.


Listen to what these guys are saying. All very good points.


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## damian

actually the 6.0 starts charging as soon as the engine starts,when the glow plugs are on before start the there is no power to the "I" terminal on the alternator but as soon as the engine starts it comes alive it just doesnt seem like its charging because the glows put a large load on the batts. and correctly stated the glows can stay on for minutes after start to keep the smoke down but the wait lamp wont show it.


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## alldayrj

Third times a charm, 2 bad rebuilds. What a disgrace. Lets hope this stupid alt lasts longer than the last one. For next time, where can i get the 200 amp


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## mwalsh9152

I got both my starter and 200 Amp alternator from DB Electrical. You need to make sure you upgrade your power cable from the Alt when you do this too.

http://www.dbelectrical.com/p-9787-alternator-high-output-200-amp-60l-f-truck-03-04-05-e-van.aspx


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## alldayrj

Damn thats what i paid for a rebuild. Wonder if i can return it...
Do they sell the power cable or did you make one up


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## damian

American Armature\APS builds some real HD alternators for ambulance and fire that are direct fit. It is easy to make an alternator put out more just as it is easy to add more fuel to a diesel and have it do wheelies but they dont dissipate heat and burn up. Beware of high output 150A and up hopped up standard units they just burn up. Real high output scratch made alternators are expensive as hell.


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## mwalsh9152

alldayrj;1735240 said:


> Damn thats what i paid for a rebuild. Wonder if i can return it...
> Do they sell the power cable or did you make one up


I just made one up, you should be able to get the terminals and wire at a local parts store or stereo shop


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## 07PSDCREW

Here's the one I want someday... 750$! 
http://www.dieselpowerproducts.com/...rstroke.aspx?gclid=CNSxxamDm7wCFfM7OgodW3UAgQ


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## Mark Oomkes

07PSDCREW;1736055 said:


> Here's the one I want someday... 750$!
> http://www.dieselpowerproducts.com/...rstroke.aspx?gclid=CNSxxamDm7wCFfM7OgodW3UAgQ


Huh, that's worth more than the engine itself.


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## alldayrj

Lol i'll buy all the 6.0s i can find


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## 07PSDCREW

Mark Oomkes;1736108 said:


> Huh, that's worth more than the engine itself.


Why are you on the Ford thread? It's obvious you don't like them...


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## Mark Oomkes

07PSDCREW;1736851 said:


> Why are you on the Ford thread? It's obvious you don't like them...


Gee, cuz I'm here to learn.

And I own 9.

6.0s were the worst and most money I ever spent on equipment. And most unreliable.

Although my Meyer MDV is running a close second.


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## damian

6.0s are our most worked on engines by far.we are a small shop and stock injectors,egr coolers,oil coolers,ficms,and serviceable heads.


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## 07PSDCREW

Mark Oomkes;1736928 said:


> Gee, cuz I'm here to learn.
> 
> And I own 9.
> 
> 6.0s were the worst and most money I ever spent on equipment. And most unreliable.
> 
> Although my Meyer MDV is running a close second.


Once again, probably because they weren't taken care of. Most companies that have them drive em into the ground then ***** when the truck dies and it costs them money....typical...I see it everyday.


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## Mark Oomkes

07PSDCREW;1736937 said:


> Once again, probably because they weren't taken care of. Most companies that have them drive em into the ground then ***** when the truck dies and it costs them money....typical...I see it everyday.


Yup never changed the oil. Never changed fuel filters. Never used synthetic oil. Shoot, I'm running on the rims because the tires wore out 50k miles ago.

Anyone with half a brain knows they are crap. Never mind the class action lawsuit against Ford, millions of owners didn't take care of their trucks.

Oh that's right, for a measly $4-5k I can make it "bulletproof". What a load of BS


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## Mark Oomkes

I understand now I just noticed your location everything makes sense now.


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## damian

How do you take care of a 6.0 so it wont plug the oil cooler,rupture an egr cooler,blow head gaskets,loose the ficm,get high pressure system oil leaks,loose injectors,fail icp regulators,blow out the hp pump screen,rot out oil pans,break exh manifold bolts,break turbo outlet pipes,loose turbos,plug egr valves,plug ebp tubes,loose lifter roller needles and ruin oil pump,crack heads above the injector sleeve and fill coolant w\fuel,and chaffe wiring? I know some things can be prevented with heroic measures but why dont cummins and duramax fail in these ways.other than heui injection system they all have a turbo,headgaskets,ficms,oil coolers,injectors,egrs etc.


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## Mark Oomkes

damian;1737256 said:


> How do you take care of a 6.0 so it wont plug the oil cooler,rupture an egr cooler,blow head gaskets,loose the ficm,get high pressure system oil leaks,loose injectors,fail icp regulators,blow out the hp pump screen,rot out oil pans,break exh manifold bolts,break turbo outlet pipes,loose turbos,plug egr valves,plug ebp tubes,loose lifter roller needles and ruin oil pump,crack heads above the injector sleeve and fill coolant w\fuel,and chaffe wiring? I know some things can be prevented with heroic measures but why dont cummins and duramax fail in these ways.other than heui injection system they all have a turbo,headgaskets,ficms,oil coolers,injectors,egrs etc.


There are exceptions to every rule. You do not fit the mass hole label, congrats.


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## Mark Oomkes

I'm also curious as to why 7.3s have better resale than 6.0s, if they're so great.


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## tjctransport

a 6.0 is a good engine, if you eliminate the egr crap.


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## 07PSDCREW

I am not a "Mass hole". I just believe in my truck. It has never given me reason not to. 

How do you take care of a 6.0 so it wont plug the oil cooler,rupture an egr cooler,blow head gaskets,
Change the coolant, flush and fill the system before the coolant has time to break down from the extreme heat. 

loose the ficm,get high pressure system oil leaks,loose injectors,fail icp regulators,blow out the hp pump screen, 

Not sure, I haven't had any of this, except a FICM 

rot out oil pans,break exh manifold bolts,break turbo outlet pipes,loose turbos,plug egr valves,plug ebp tubes,loose lifter roller needles and ruin oil pump,crack heads above the injector sleeve and fill coolant w\fuel,and chaffe wiring? I know some things can be prevented with heroic measures but why dont cummins and duramax fail in these ways.other than heui injection system they all have a turbo,headgaskets,ficms,oil coolers,injectors,egrs etc.

Believe me, they all have their problems. Just ask my buddy who's putting a new engine in his duramax because the fuel pump or injection pump...whatever its called blew up and took the motor with it. Another friend has a dodge that is in constant regen and is always in the shop. Every time he goes somewhere he comes back on a hook.


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## Whiffyspark

damian;1737256 said:


> How do you take care of a 6.0 so it wont plug the oil cooler,rupture an egr cooler,blow head gaskets,loose the ficm,get high pressure system oil leaks,loose injectors,fail icp regulators,blow out the hp pump screen,rot out oil pans,break exh manifold bolts,break turbo outlet pipes,loose turbos,plug egr valves,plug ebp tubes,loose lifter roller needles and ruin oil pump,crack heads above the injector sleeve and fill coolant w\fuel,and chaffe wiring? I know some things can be prevented with heroic measures but why dont cummins and duramax fail in these ways.other than heui injection system they all have a turbo,headgaskets,ficms,oil coolers,injectors,egrs etc.


How do you fix ****** dodge transmissions or Chevy front ends? Duramaxes have their problems as well

Pick your poison pretty much


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## GVL LLC

I wont ever touch a 6.0. Why do I need to spend 5 extra grand to make a truck reliable. Ill stick with a 7.3 just for the reliability stand point. Everything breaks but all this emissions garbage is suffocating these engines and they have so many components to them now which means there are more things to break. I was about to buy a 6.4 a couple months ago and then I thought to myself it would be a stupid investment especially seeing how they only lasted 3 years in the trucks until ford finally decided these motors are garbage so they designed their own motor. International just couldnt figure out how to design a reliable engine with the stricter emissions standards.


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## alldayrj

Thanks for screwing up my thread nerds. Ill gladly take all your 6.0s off your hands


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## grandview

alldayrj;1737582 said:


> Thanks for screwing up my thread nerds. Ill gladly take all your 6.0s off your hands


Thread is Greek for tangent


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## damian

I dont really care about a chevy, ford or dodge. I just care about the facts. anybody who says 6.0 was a success needs to tell ford. unprecedented warranty claims and vehicle buybacks in the history of the automobile.As a shop owner who sees all brands come through the bays there is absolutely no question the 6.0 is the most expensive to own, nothing even comes close. and just as a side note; My dodge diesel owners are the most satisfied,followed by the gm guys.


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## alldayrj

All i can speak from is my experience. I bought a 100k mile fully loaded truck for 10k, did an egr delete and ran it for 80k miles more and have only done small stuff like alternator, front end parts etc that would happen to any truck. My truck new would cost 70k now soooo yea, my 6.0 is a success.


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## tjctransport

every 6.0 failure i have see is a direct result of owner neglect.


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## Mark Oomkes

tjctransport;1738306 said:


> every 6.0 failure i have see is a direct result of owner neglect.


Good for you, but you probably haven't seen even 1% of the failures.

Anyways, what do call a failure?

A STC fitting blowing as I'm driving up the road? Is that an owner related failure?

Injectors going bad? O ring breaking and causing engine shutdown?

FICM dying one morning after running fine the day before?

Ignorant statement.


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## damian

Some folks see things the way they want to see them. If you said women are generally shorter than men they would say they know a girl who is 6 foot 2. If you say 6.0 fords cost Ford billions in warranty with class action lawsuits they would say theirs went 200000 whithout much trouble. Yeah I know a few 6.0s that owners didnt have much to complain about,but I know many many more that have been put in severe financial stress over them. I dont have an agenda, I think people should be aware and truthfully informed before making a mistake that could cause a strugling family or small buisness guy real hardship


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## alldayrj

Damian as i look to the future and think about selling or demoting my truck to full time work truck, what solid axle diesel truck would you replace it with? A dodge or ford with 6.4? Or 6.7? Not about to drive a 7.3 due to the age of the truck its in and all the repairs that come with that, aside from the motor


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## SnowFakers

alldayrj;1739151 said:


> Damian as i look to the future and think about selling or demoting my truck to full time work truck, what solid axle diesel truck would you replace it with? A dodge or ford with 6.4? Or 6.7? Not about to drive a 7.3 due to the age of the truck its in and all the repairs that come with that, aside from the motor


12V Cummins  Both the dodge and ford 6.7's are getting great reviews. Fords 6.7 run like a raped ape aswell.

As to the 6.0, well there are people who either love em, or hate em. They have issues but so do most things! I wont join the pissing matched as im sure im very 6.0 biased.


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## 07PSDCREW

Ohh no.... I just had to put a solenoid in my 5R110 trans!! Must be because I'm driving the biggest **** box ford made.... Ohh wait...nope... Plowing for 6-7 years straight wore it out.


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## 07PSDCREW

This 2009 E-series broke a rocker arm. Well maybe if they hadn't gone 20k+ before changing the oil...no they wait till it gave them problems then think changing the oil would fix it. When it didn't, it was brought to me which I promptly denied warranty coverage.


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## 07PSDCREW

Mmmmm yeahhhh. Lots of maintenance here...
Air filter so clogged, it got sucked into the intake. It broke the MAF. So I'm sure if that didn't happen, they would've kept driving it.


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## 07PSDCREW

6.4. Low side turbo impeller broken off the shaft. I couldn't even blow shop air through the oil supply line to the turbo there was so much **** in it. Just look at the filter. 5k$ later I think the guy will change his oil regularly now.


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## alldayrj

Im not driving some old turd 12v either. Too slow stock haha

What will you be driving next 07psdcrew? To be honest i want your truck. A little newer, fresh front clip and coil front


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## 07PSDCREW

I'm waiting till the 6.7 has been out a while. I'm not tired of my truck yet. I've actually been researching putting a '13 front end on it. I've seen it done in person...just have to make it happen.

I have a buddy with a 01 7.3 with a '13 nose. Looks awesome!!


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## alldayrj

I'll take your 07 nose, my truck needs a respray or wrap anyway


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## 07PSDCREW




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## alldayrj

Changing the door badges? Thats low!!! I would sell it to some high school kid with daddys money and laugh all the way to the used car lot and pick up 10 more to convert!

I love how interchangeable ford made these trucks. Did they improve the front hub bearing design at all over the years? Also are those mirrors that much better?


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## 07PSDCREW

They improved the price! 600+ for a wheel bearing?? Lol. They are better and more reliable though. The ones with auto hub still give issues but thankfully you can still lock them manually. I dont have autos but When mine go, ill put some warns in. I want those mirrors myself but the full power ones are crazy priced new....1500$!!! Ea. Ill find em on a junkyard truck or ebay. I like the extendability of the mirrors both on the new ones and my current ones. Makes life easier pulling my 33ft 5th wheel. It will be really nice when I can power fold them.

ohh and my buddy put 06 axles under his 01 conversion truck


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## WilliamOak

These 08+ mirrors are night and day over the old style. They're on my 06


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## Mark Oomkes

07PSDCREW;1739361 said:


> Ohh no.... I just had to put a solenoid in my 5R110 trans!! Must be because I'm driving the biggest **** box ford made.... Ohh wait...nope... Plowing for 6-7 years straight wore it out.


Funny thing is you are ignoring the thousands of grenaded 5R110's back in '04-'05.

Snap rings letting go and cracking the case. I had 2 on the same truck. Planetary pins walking out--my first '05 made it 500 miles before it fell apart. Aftermarket snap ring and shift kit solved both these problems. This was after losing a total of 6 weeks production in the winter between my '04 and '5.

Of course my second '05 has 137K without too many problems with the tranny. Other than the not always going into reverse and shuddering like crazy since day 1. But still, it has made it this far.

I'm with damian. I don't have an agenda, but I will tell people the good or the bad about something I have personal experience with. You are showing the one extreme. I am telling others that it is not all maintenance related.

Oil and fuel filters every 5K. Air filters annually if not twice a year. Synthetic oil. Fuel is from the largest distributor in the area. Coolant flushes every 1 1/2-2 years. Tranny flushes every 1- 1/2 years. I have 4 7.3's that I have virtually no issues with, other than the known 7.3 issues--oil pan, rusted oil cooler\lines. Trucks are my money maker in the winter, without them, I can't service my customers and make any money. My company has been around for over 80 years, I don't think we survived that long by not maintaining equipment or servicing vehicles to maintain our customer base. We have several customers that have been with us for over 40 years. Don't tell me that I don't know what is good and what is a flaming piece of crap. I spent enough money on 2 of my 6.0s in repairs and tow bills in an 18 month period to buy a brand new truck. After the above shared maintenance schedules.

Plus, the mechanic I use placed in the top 2 for FoMoCo for 7+ years in the country and when he tells me that 6.0s are good for his shop, that means something more than a couple guys on the internet claiming all 6.0 issues are maintenance related.

And this isn't even getting into ambulance related failures.


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## 07PSDCREW

Ohhh I didnt forget about it. I fixed a lot of those myself. Im just making a point that allot of unneccesary work is being done and is always blamed on the truck and fords crappy engineering. Its not always the case. 
As far as your reverse shudder.... there is a tcm update to rid that problem. I replaced my line pressure control solenoid due to a delayed shift with a harsh engagement from park to reverse or drive to reverse and park to drive.


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## 07PSDCREW

WilliamOak;1739559 said:


> These 08+ mirrors are night and day over the old style.


I agree!Thumbs Up


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## damian

If you didnt need a diesel I wouldnt get one,all have too much out of warranty cost. I would not touch a 6.4 for various reasons ,being a limited 2 year production only one. I like dodge cummins, followed by ford 6.7. you will never have to remove a cab from a dodge for any engine service. 6.7 seems ok so far but it has had some teething pains which is to be expected.People talk about dodge transmission problems I dont see them at my shop.As a matter of fact we dont see much serious trans problems from the big 3. mostly temp sensors,mlps, solenoids and green wires.


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## Whiffyspark

Dodge 6.7 has a wacky pistion angle. I've read about people snapping rods easily on them


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## GVL LLC

My vote is 7.3 and 6.7 or dodge 5.9 cummins either 12 or 24 valve. Other then those engines ill stick with gas.


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## alldayrj

I dont want a 15 year old truck to drive 30k miles a year. 

07psd crew has the right idea. Gimme that 6.0 turbo whistle and awesome sound with the looks of the 2011 any day


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