2004 blue bird bus Questions

[mikerob643]

Hi guys, I'm new to this forum but me and my wife are looking at buying and converting short bus. Right now I'm looking at buying a 2004 blue bird with an E 450 front end it has a 6.0 power stroke diesel and a Ford automatic transmission behind it. 94000 miles on the engine is what the ad says. It looks like it's in pretty good shape from the photos.
I was wondering if anyone has had experiences with these buses or that engine transmission combo and what their thoughts were on it.

Thanks for the help and hopefully I'm posting this in the right place

 

[Kubla]

If the engine has ever been run hot, it is toast, there are plastic parts under the intake manifold that go had and leak coolant into the engine. If the engine is still good, you will want to do an EGR delete on it and have the oil cooler cleaned out

 

[mikerob643]

Awesome thanks the for the heads up ! The school district its coming,from says its running fine. I'm a few states away though so I can't stop by and check the oil to see if it has the classic off color that happens when oil and coolent mix.
Maybe we'll pass on this one .

 

[Thomas1985]

You definitely don't want the 6.0. It's most problematic and a big reason why the emissions standards came to be in 2004. Most of us are after 2003 or earlier but to each his own.

 

[cadillackid]

You definitely don't want the 6.0. It's most problematic and a big reason why the emissions standards came to be in 2004. Most of us are after 2003 or earlier but to each his own.

its a 6.0, buy it in good running condition, replace the oil cooler, do an EGR delete on it.. Dont run a horsepower-upgrade tuner.. - drive it easily another 100,000 miles....

 

[mikerob643]

Thanks for the replys guys. These last two comments reflect almost perfectly what I see online about this motor.

Some people treat it like the plague and say stay away from it at all cost. While others say there truck or van is over 200000 and going strong.

Most engines people tend to agree a little more on than this. Has anyone here actually had a 2004 6.0 powerstroke diesel that blew up on them so to speak ?

 

[Twigg-SKO]

Most engines people tend to agree a little more on than this. Has anyone here actually had a 2004 6.0 powerstroke diesel that blew up on them so to speak ?

Google it and read the forums

Plenty have had them turn into scrap metal, but in every case they have been over-heated.

If you get a good one, the $2000 spent bullet-proofing it should ensure a long and happy life, but you still can't expect to abuse it without issue ... like all the others I guess.