School me on diesel truck engines

Good information guys , I appreciate it. My long bed Tundra with a 5.7 and airbags does ok. I just don't like being at the top of its limits. I scaled the whole rig on a cat scale. I am about 1500 lbs under the cgwr of the whole rig. I am up to the limit on my trucks payload. With a 3/4 ton , I wouldn't have to worry about the weight of my supplies and limits so much. I wish they had a diesel option for the Tundra.

transfixer said:

Did you know there are at least three different cam position sensor that will work on the 7.3's ? and one can make your truck run smoother and better than another one ? there is an early "gray" sensor, there is an Internation Harvester " gray " sensor, and the newest Ford version is dark blue, I had a early gray in mine, went to the IH one, and it ran smoother, put in the dark blue ford one and it runs smooth and quicker throttle response !
The 6.7 ford's have a good bit of power, but some have issues with the exhaust system, and the transmission they use is called a 6R140, its huge, weighs roughly 350lbs by itself, and will cost you a pretty penny to get it rebuilt or replaced.

Click to expand...

Didn't not know that, learn something new every day! Thanks for the info.

The 7.3 is a good engine but it lacks power big time. I've had many of them and my son just wrecked his 2000 F350. Ran great but they're dogs if compared to the 11 and up 6.7 ford. Cummins are good as well. I have an 11'F250. It's deleted 234K. Absolutely no comparison to the 7.3. I've had all the fords except the 6.4. The 6.0 is great if deleted early before it becomes all sooted up.Plenty power and a very good engine. Imho the 6.7 ford is the best ford yet.

I have a Ford F-250 with the 6.0 and its a beast. It has been "bulletproofed" and I have never had any trouble with it.

Hoyt804 said:

I have a Ford F-250 with the 6.0 and its a beast. It has been "bulletproofed" and I have never had any trouble with it.

Click to expand...

Me too. No complaints. What is this bullet proof you speak of?

John Cooper said:

The ford 6.7 is said to be the same way. I drove one of my customers with no tunes but lifted and 35 inch tires with stock gears. I left the stop sign at half throttle and the tires didn't stop spinning till I let off it.

Click to expand...

The 6.7 will dust a 7.3 ..

southernman13 said:

The 7.3 is a good engine but it lacks power big time. I've had many of them and my son just wrecked his 2000 F350. Ran great but they're dogs if compared to the 11 and up 6.7 ford. Cummins are good as well. I have an 11'F250. It's deleted 234K. Absolutely no comparison to the 7.3. I've had all the fords except the 6.4. The 6.0 is great if deleted early before it becomes all sooted up.Plenty power and a very good engine. Imho the 6.7 ford is the best ford yet.

Click to expand...

Got the 6.7 250 and it's a BOY DOG !!! Factory 470hp and it will smoke the tires !! Wife has a Mercedes diesel that's STRONG, but can't hang with my 250. Owned several, ridden in more than I can count, love the Chevy Duramax/Allisons, and the ride, can't stand anything about a Dodge.(owned fleets of 'em)


Stick with a F250, or a Chevy Duramax.

Wouldn't take anything for my '04 5.9 Cummins and 373 rear end.
22 mpg around town and 17 down I-75 towing a 5000 lb, boat at 75 mph.
No dish detergent in the exhaust to hide it's actually a diesel.
It'll roll coal on an obnoxious convertible if the situation warrants.

01 7.3 f350 4x4 quad cab ....Bought it with 200k sold it at 373k for 13k fair shape. Still running 7 years later. (neighbor bought)

Bought a 06 quad 4x4 diesel loaded with 92k f350. 101k was towed in needing top end including heads....about 10k-12k real shop with warranty or 7k back woods shop. Sold it broke still for 13k.

2010 f350 6.4 loaded 4x4 quad just purchased broke! Yeah but it was a deal. (i hope) 94k miles. Shop price to fix 7k-10k. Looking at putting 7.3 in it or the newer 6.7.

Yeah, i'm a ford truck guy. Have two excursion one since a year old (212k) and a bought a backup one last year with 60k. Can't beat them hauling kids,larger boat ect. One diesel 7.3 and one v10 and would never sell either. Even the wife likes driving them over her MB.

To sum this up..... 7.3 is the only one i can attest to being a good motor to me. They are bring a prem so if you find a nice one you will pay. I just compare it to a new one and it SEEMS like a deal.

Just buy a gas F250..Done

rospaw said:

01 7.3 f350 4x4 quad cab ....Bought it with 200k sold it at 373k for 13k fair shape. Still running 7 years later. (neighbor bought)

Bought a 06 quad 4x4 diesel loaded with 92k f350. 101k was towed in needing top end including heads....about 10k-12k real shop with warranty or 7k back woods shop. Sold it broke still for 13k.

2010 f350 6.4 loaded 4x4 quad just purchased broke! Yeah but it was a deal. (i hope) 94k miles. Shop price to fix 7k-10k. Looking at putting 7.3 in it or the newer 6.7.

Yeah, i'm a ford truck guy. Have two excursion one since a year old (212k) and a bought a backup one last year with 60k. Can't beat them hauling kids,larger boat ect. One diesel 7.3 and one v10 and would never sell either. Even the wife likes driving them over her MB.

To sum this up..... 7.3 is the only one i can attest to being a good motor to me. They are bring a prem so if you find a nice one you will pay. I just compare it to a new one and it SEEMS like a deal.

Click to expand...

I agree, the newer 6.7 powerstroke might have more power, but its at the expense of newer technology which will cost you dearly when something goes wrong, and I don't think anyone knows yet whether the 6.7 will have the longevity that the 7.3 is capable of? I know I don't ever want anything that uses a DPF system. I'm an auto tech by trade, specializing in transmissions, and I know the newer 6spd autos cost about twice what the older 4spd OD units cost to rebuild.

6.7 = DPF and DEF

7.3 = none of the above

7.3 > 6.7

Just depends on what issues you want to deal with.

Chevys: Good trucks, but your going to run into having to replace the front end (idler arm, pitman arm, ball joints, hubs.....)every year or 2. Also going to have to start replacing injectors. But all around good trucks.

Fords: in that year range, don't even look at em. 6.0,6.4 you don't want it. The 7.3 was jam up but they are getting up there in age. I would imagine your going to start running into regular problems like you would expect from older trucks. The newer ones with the 6.7 (2011 and up I believe) are pretty nice. Lots of power. And drive good. If you can find one in your price range I'd look into them.

Dodge: They will flat out pull. Not very familiar with them other than the motors are good and the body and interior is junk. Dashes crack, windows start peeling and bubbling, door handles break, OS handles pop off.......

You can find some Good ones 10+ years old, but take your time and be picky. Check it out good before you buy it. Don't buy one with all sorts of modifications. That age they are gone have problems here and there. You've just gotta decide which problems you want to have to deal with.

joey1919 said:

Do not buy a Ford 6.0 , even if the person trying to rid themselves of it swears it's been "bulletproofed".

Click to expand...

I had a 2003 f 250 6.0.My son had the 06 King Ranch 6.0 and a contractor I know has one.Money sponge!I had a E 350 with the 7.3 and now have a 2000 F 350 dually with the 7.3.The dually has been all over the USA pulling a gooseneck or our fifth wheel camper with no real engine issues.Just the usual wear and tear items after 388,000 miles
Son just bought a Dodge with a 24 valve cummins.Another good engine but sorry body

http://www.powerstrokehelp.com
He has so many videos on youtube you can learn all you want about powerstrokes.

I own a 96 f250 7.3 priceless. Will never sell.

I also have a 99 f350 dulley 7.3. Bigger turbo than the 96. 4"exhaust. Tuned beast. Never to be sold

Just bought a 04 f250 6.0 bulletproofed by powerstroke specialty. Tuned with custom tunes. Tons of power and never a problem. Never will sell this truck.

There is a beautiful 97 f250 Crewcab 4x4 7.3 on FB for sale for 27,500

I have a 7.3 four door, long bed, Lariat 4x4. 344k miles. Very nice truck. Won't win races, but always starts and easy to work on.
Was just recently looking for a 2017/2018 truck and scared of the new diesels w/all the emission junk. Considered a gas powered 3/4 or 1 ton....I'm up in the air about it all.

How often do you tow? If it's only so often, i'd likely keep the Tundra. If it is all the time, then you likely need to upgrade to 3/4 ton. Don't discount the new gas motors in 3/4 ton trucks. Properly equipped they can tow fairly heavy loads.....

REDMOND1858 said:

Just depends on what issues you want to deal with.

Chevys: Good trucks, but your going to run into having to replace the front end (idler arm, pitman arm, ball joints, hubs.....)every year or 2. Also going to have to start replacing injectors. But all around good trucks.

Fords: in that year range, don't even look at em. 6.0,6.4 you don't want it. The 7.3 was jam up but they are getting up there in age. I would imagine your going to start running into regular problems like you would expect from older trucks. The newer ones with the 6.7 (2011 and up I believe) are pretty nice. Lots of power. And drive good. If you can find one in your price range I'd look into them.

Dodge: They will flat out pull. Not very familiar with them other than the motors are good and the body and interior is junk. Dashes crack, windows start peeling and bubbling, door handles break, OS handles pop off.......

You can find some Good ones 10+ years old, but take your time and be picky. Check it out good before you buy it. Don't buy one with all sorts of modifications. That age they are gone have problems here and there. You've just gotta decide which problems you want to have to deal with.

Click to expand...

^Best post yet. I don't have any experience with Ford or Chevy but have been driving a 2000 model Dodge 2500 for the last 15 years. Just shy of 300k miles now. It has the 6 speed Allison manual. Love it! Also love the 5.9 Cummins and the Dana axles are solid. That's about where the love ends. I would say Dodge outsourced a top of the line drivetrain and then built a cheap truck around it to be price competitive. It's a solid foundation but going to need some work. Dashes crack. I replaced mine which is no small job and it's been good ever since. Don't know about Ford and Chevy but the Dodge 3/4 ton rides rough as heck. Replaced the suspension with a Carli system. Rides great now but it wasn't cheap. They put cheap plastic flaps in the air box that eventually break. Have to pull the dash to get the ventilation box out and replace them. Second gen Dodge trucks are known for a front end problem called "death wobble". Dodge front end is garbage. I never had that problem but I did the upgrades anyway and it's solid now. Dodge mounted a small fuel pump on the engine block. Bad design! The pump fails and if you don't have a fuel pressure gauge the truck will keep running and you'll burn up your $1,100 injection pump! Plan on installing an aftermarket fuel pump on one of these trucks as well as gauges. I feel like I have a pretty solid truck now! I've had a lot of folks express interest in buying it but my plan has always been to buy the truck with all the features I wanted and drive the wheels off of it then put new wheels on and keep on rolling. I plan to drive this truck at least another 5 years. Twenty years in one truck. Can't complain about that.