Heavy Equipment Forums Heavy Equipment Community

International VT365? Would you buy one?

Stevenbrla ยท 2012-06-16 19:36

Still shopping for a truck... just haven't found the right one yet. Looking at what seems like a good deal on a 2006 with a VT365. Just growing the net, the VT365 doesn't get the standard "good reviews" that the DT466 gets. I see that this is an engine they build a Powerstroke with at one time. Supposedly, different fuel pump, and the Int'l detuned. What you know about em?

Replies28
  1. #12stickbill2012-06-16 21:40

    I believe you will get better service and fuel milage from the DT466.

  2. #2CM19952012-06-16 21:52

    The DT466 is a medium duty engine designed for medium duty trucks. The VT365 is the same platform as the 6.0 Powerstroke that Navistar built for Ford. The 6.0 has it's problems but is not necessarily a bad engine in a pickup. :cool2 They also put 6.0/VT365's and DT444E/7.3 PS's in the Ford and Navistar medium duty trucks in order to offer a lower cost platform, as a result the trucks with these engines have less re-sale value since it's a lighter duty motor with less service life in a medium duty application. If you are going the Navistar/International route, I would highly suggest finding a truck with a DT466, they're legendary for a reason.

  3. #3CRAFT2012-06-17 00:16

    ......Uhhhhh ? ...... "N O"

  4. #4Stevenbrla2012-06-17 08:56

    Thanks for the replies.. The truck I found was about $10k less than the ones with the DT466... but if it results problems... $10k ain't that much to eat up in repairs and delays. I'll keep lookin...

  5. #5Greg2012-06-17 10:31

    The Ford 6.0 liter Powerstroke is a pretty good engine if you spend $4,000.00 on it to change the oil pump, intercooler, head bolts, head gaskets and injectors and add an EGR bypass kit.

  6. #6CM19952012-06-17 11:12

    I just had the oil pump and EGR delete kit installed on mine - $1900 with programmer to turn off CEL. Head gaskets, intercooler and oil cooler replaced under extended warranty by dealer. Deleting the EGR and adding the programmer, I am getting 20 MPG highway and 15 MPG around town. I used to get 11-12 MPG around town and maybe 14 MPG on the HWY.

  7. #7JDOFMEMI2012-06-17 13:40

    Sounds like a good idea to do CM, but, here in Kalifornia we have to smog check our diesels now, so you are up a creek if you have done something like this. I would not buy another Ford diesel other that a 7.3L ever. On the thread topic, if this engine is basically a 6.0L that is in the Fords, I would run away as fast as I could.

  8. #8CM19952012-06-17 14:46

    I am sure there is some law against it but at the moment we do not have smog testing. In the good ol' days I wouldn't be driving a 6 year old truck, it would have been traded off 3 years ago and three years ago I would have probably bought a DMax. The 6.0 has to last me until the economy gets better and the jobs start rolling in. By the time that happens, the 6.7 power stroke will have a few years on them and we'll be able to see if that motor holds up. On the topic of pickups, a 2012 set up like my '06 F350 is right at $60K sticker. Even if I could afford a new truck I don't think I could stomach paying that much. If I am writing a check for that amount, it needs to be yellow and Cat on the side of it.

  9. #9JDOFMEMI2012-06-17 15:08

    I hear you. If I am paying 60K, I expect it to be something I can bill out at about $100 per hour or so.

  10. #10Dualie2012-06-18 01:54

    I priced a replacement for my current pickup at $62,356 sticker price.

  11. #11buckfever2012-06-18 19:40

    07 6.0 ford 6,000 in repairs. We also have a 08 6.4 and it's a POS also. If your looking for a service or dump truck you might want to look at the tarrastar line. They are priced a little cheaper and I would hope being a International it will be a little better truck.

  12. #12Dualie2012-06-19 01:18

    Terrastar is even worse, they are 6.4L powered like the 2008-2010 powerstrokes. AVOID AT ALL COSTS. the 6.0L in the binder trim werent horrible as the lower HP seemed to make them live longer but i still wouldnt own one.

  13. #13buckfever2012-06-19 19:23

    Can you get those in any other motor then the 6.4? I would think with a International platform you could get maybe a cummins. To bad cat doesn't make the 3126 anymore.

  14. #14Dualie2012-06-19 20:56

    No but they do offer it in several power levels but the 6.4L is the only engine option in the terrastars

  15. #15CM19952012-06-19 21:14

    Probably due to space constraints. The bigger IH engines might not fit.

  16. #16Dualie2012-06-20 23:29

    I think its more of a weight issue since the little terrastar is just a class 4-5 truck. Im sure size also comes into play as the hood and cab are set very low on the frame. Probably to low to clear the larger height of the I-6 engine.

  17. #17CM19952012-06-21 06:14

    I read that IH is going to make a 4x4 version of the Terrastar. I just don't like the way the 4x2 Terrastar looks, something doesn't fit right, maybe the 4x4 will look better. GM had the best lineup of trucks this size but shut down production, which was a shame. Like it really matters what I think about the Terrastar since I couldn't afford a bumper for one right now...

  18. #18Greg2012-06-21 08:55

    If you do the upgrade work to a 6.0 Powerstroke I mentioned above don't take it back to a Ford dealer. If you want them to work on it they will insist on returning it to stock. So find a good independent shop that will do work for you. This will also have a labor rate far below the Ford dealer too.

  19. #19buckfever2012-06-21 19:16

    Ya we have a kodiack 4500. Great platform but so is the f-550, it's just that the motor is a pos. Has us thinking of going back to gas motors.

  20. #20CM19952012-06-21 21:08

    I agree. There are a lot of 6.0's out there on the road and there are also a lot of smart mechanics that have figured out how to fix them. Ditto, ditch the Ford dealer and find someone with ingenuity. There out there.

  21. #21Steve Frazier2012-06-22 00:56

    I wouldn't write off the truck your looking at. While the VT365 shares many of the same parts as the 6.0 PowerStroke, it is tuned entirely differently and has an IH injection system rather than Ford. My buddy had a 4200 Dump with the engine and an Allison that I used a few times and I nearly bought it from him. I loaded it with 5 yards of item 4 and pulled a long hill at 30 mph which surprised me. He never had a speck of trouble with the truck and sold it to a local landscaping firm, I see it on the road fairly often. Depending on the number of miles you run, the VT365 should do just fine if you're running local.

  22. #22Dualie2012-06-22 01:42

    steve i think your talking about injector programming as far as i have ever seen the VT365 uses the same HEUI injectors as the 6.0L. the main down fall of the 6.0L were headgaskets, and massive EGR cooler failures which the VT365 shares with the 6.0L in the fords.

  23. #23Felipe Martinez2019-01-16 16:18

    Hello. I am looking to sell a ford 2005 f750 box truck I have with only 30k miles. It runs perfect, no issues now, but a lot of people that has shown interest on the truck fears of this engine. At what mileage does these engines usually start showing these signs?. Any help will be appreciated.

  24. #24Tags2019-01-16 18:35

    Could be anywhere from 0 miles to 300 thousand....it all depends. Some people have tons of trouble with them some have no trouble....I did everything right with mine and it left me dead on the road several times, high pressure oil pump, injectors, FICM, variable turbo.....I always ran clean fuel, changed the oil religiously at 5000 miles, never ran lower than 1/4 tank of fuel, and NEVER let it idle....you'll find someone to buy it, just be patient....I will say this, when it ran right it really went along well....

  25. #25mowingman2019-01-16 18:48

    We have a number of those in our fleet of International school buses. They are cold natured, low on power all the time, no torque, and troublesome as all getout. Having said that though, most of them are now at about 150,000 miles, so who knows. I do know, our mechanics will be glad to see the last of them when they get sold off.

  26. #26Tenwheeler2019-01-16 21:42

    Would I buy one? It would have to be an extremely good deal. I am not a lot fonder of the DT with the same injection system. Not much difference in the VT365 and a 6.0 Ford. My sicko ( 6.0 ) has about 160 thousand miles and had given good service. Five bad injectors, leaking EGR cooler, water pump and some normal maintenance items. Replaced the oil cooler because it sounded like a good idea. Now it has oil pressure problems and we dug the 454 GMC it replaced out of the weeds. Figured it will be less expensive and faster to repair. That is how much I am thanking of them right now.

  27. #27Felipe Martinez2019-01-17 11:19

    thank you all.

  28. #28rondig2019-01-19 01:39

    Terra star 4x4 is NOT full time....we found that out the hard way. Vt 365 is a terrible engine.....terra star has less rating than an f 350 lol...glad we got rid of that thing