Found our bus?

[bus4us]

Hello! We're a family of 5 with three kids under 5. We'd like to just convert a shortie to begin with, to use for camping, on hiking trips, and maybe to travel longer distances if the kids enjoy the bus. We just got wind of a 2009 Ford E 450 mini school bus with 105000 miles-- 6.0 diesel with an automatic transmission. Anything we should be cautious of with this make and model? Questions we should ask the seller? Any advice is appreciated! Thank you!

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by bus4us

Hello! We're a family of 5 with three kids under 5. We'd like to just convert a shortie to begin with, to use for camping, on hiking trips, and maybe to travel longer distances if the kids enjoy the bus. We just got wind of a 2009 Ford E 450 mini school bus with 105000 miles-- 6.0 diesel with an automatic transmission. Anything we should be cautious of with this make and model? Questions we should ask the seller? Any advice is appreciated! Thank you!

Yeah- the engine is a possible grenade. Google "Ford powerstroke 6.0".
They're a huge pain to work on, especially wedged into a van.

[bus4us]

oh god! happy I asked and even happier you replied. Thank you!

[EastCoastCB]

There are folks who actually do like the 6.0 and I've not personally owned one. But I've seen guys who lost their shirt due to that engine. The techs at the local navistar service center told me they're the worst engines ever put in a truck. They work on them every day so I'll take their word for it.
To make the engines stay together requires thousands of dollars in parts and lots of work. They call it "bulletproofing".

[Johnny Mullet]

I would stay away from the 6.0L diesel at all costs.

[FamilyCircus]

I worked at a Ford dealer, stay away from the 6.0, it sealed the fate of the Navistar/Ford relationship.

[Mark carr]

I owned a 2004 6.0 diesel in a f550. One truck 4 turbos. And ford was not very friendly or happy about replacing them under warranty.. Finally sold the truck and trailer to a dealership when diesel hit $6.00 a gallon in NY