![]() As the cylinder head expands and contracts, it can potentially increase the force on the bolt, causing it to stretch in a way that it will not recover from when the metal components cool. Head bolts can potentially stretch due to the heating and cooling cycles that all engines go through, which cause the bolts and cylinder heads to expand and contract. In 2012, it is already quite apparent that the theories regarding the immunity of any of the 6.0L models were wishful thinking. There had been rumors about supposed head bolt or gasket improvement on later-model 6.0L trucks, starting with claims about the immunity of the 2005 model year to head gasket failure, with many owners and other concerned individuals later suggesting that the 2007 6.0L is immune from leaking head gaskets as the 20 model years showed widespread failures. This method eliminates the unpredictable effects of friction which causes inconsistent clamping force for a given torque, as described in our ARP Head Stud Torque article. As the bolts turn through this angle, the distance between the head of the bolt and the engine block changes a predictable amount due to the pitch of the bolt threads. This is done by initially tightening the bolts to a low torque, then turning each of them by a certain uniform angle. Torque-to-yield attempts to gain the maximum amount of clamping force from a bolt without damaging it and attempts to provide a more consistent clamping force across all ten bolts. The 6.0L Powerstroke has ten cylinder head bolts per head, and are installed at the factory using a torque-to-yield method. The new system fill level should be maintained whether the revised decal is present or not. Additionally, there is a revised fill level decal for the cooling system, which places the max fill level at the original min fill mark, and the new min fill mark at 5/8" lower than before. This may or may not be a result of overpressurization/overheating due to head gasket failure, and therefore head gasket should be considered as a possibility even if the degas bottle is cracked. It is not uncommon for the degas bottle to crack at the seam between top and bottom. This will allow the performance of the sealing surfaces between the cap and degas bottle to be tested, as well as testing for leaks throughout the rest of the system. The system should be pressure tested by adapting a coolant tester to one of the hoses which connect to the top of the degas bottle, rather than testing the cap separately. Degas Bottle/Radiator Cap Issuesīefore condemning the head gaskets after this kind of coolant expulsion, the integrity of the radiator cap and degas bottle must be tested. Barring a preventive installation of head studs, avoiding performance tuners until head studs can be installed and maintaining and upgrading the EGR and engine oil cooler are important steps to prolonging cylinder head gasket life. The best way to prevent head gasket failure on the 6L is to install ARP Head Studs preventively. There are several factors that contribute to this stretching, some of which are serious problems that can be addressed through upgrades of their own. ![]() The 6L Powerstroke suffers widely from head gasket failure, also known as "blown head gaskets," which can be ultimately attributed to stretching of the cylinder head bolts, resulting in a lack of sufficient clamping force between the cylinder head, gasket, and engine block. Preventive installation of ARP Head Studs is also a great option for those who would like to avoid the inconvenience and risk of additional damage of blown head gaskets, since proper ARP Head Stud installation has proven to be a reliable long-term fix for this serious 6 Liter problem. These include installation of ARP Head Studs, careful cylinder head inspection, updating HPOP parts, and replacement of additional gaskets and seals that may lead to repeat failures if left unaddressed. When this issue is to be repaired, it is important that certain steps are taken to prevent repeat failure, and to address other potential problems while the engine is disassembled for head gasket replacement. ![]() At Fleet Service Northwest we have seen a trend for trucks with stock tunes failing at between 70,000 and 150,000 miles, and those with performance tuners failing at 22,000 to 80,000 miles or so. Experience has shown that at some point in the service life of the vehicle, it is likely that owners of the 6.0L Powerstroke will experience head gasket failure, and those with performance tuners installed are likely to experience this problem at very low mileage. ![]()
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