7.3 or 6.0 ford diesel?

[flusher]

As said above, it's not peppy or racey or anything like that but it pulls good and is just like the family dog, it's always sitting in the driveway waiting on you to drive it somewhere. :thumbsup:

That's about the best compliment I've seen so far for the old 7.3L.

 

[newbury]

Well my 1988 7.3 sits dead outside my door. Hasn't gotten driven much in the last few years and may need a another set of glo plugs.
The first set ran for about 100k, and now I think I may need another.

Combine that with my son trying to start it and just cranking it for several minutes it won't fire. So as soon as I get a chance I'm going to charge it up and if necessary i've got a yellow can of something to start diesels instead of ether.

I'm very happy with it's last 22yrs of reliability, as long as it doesn't cavitate.

Now I'm looking for a 2003, 7,3, dually, 4x4 with tow package to fall into my sights.

 

[flyingcow]

The '04 and '06 has the 6.0. The '08 has the 6.4
All three only have 25,000 miles which has me curious, why so low?

The '04 is a F-350 and has everything but the kitchen sink in it.
These 3 are all local area dealers


I found a couple of '02 's w/7.3 but they're in the south and i'm still evaluating the contacts. I'd prefer to buy one from the south, but time will tell.

 

[Dargo]

I don't get it with the 7.3's. I had one and it never impressed me. I dumped it and drove a Dodge with a Cummins for 10 years. Now I have an '06 F350 with the 6.0 PSD and it's by far the best pulling and running diesel pickup I've ever owned or driven. After all the internet parrots (read stories and repeat them as if they were gospel) kept talking, we went to the track and my "junk" 6.0 PSD ran away from them. Gees, according to blogs, that's impossible. I also have well over 15,000 pounds behind my F350 most of the time it's moving. Crossing the same passes at altitude it makes the old 7.3 PSD I had feel like it was a 4 cyl gas engine.

Maybe I just got a good year. According to Ford, the 2006 6.0 PSD engine had less warranty claims than any engine in a Ford vehicle that year. I guess I'm glad I believe those slamming the 6.0 about as much as I believe those saying everything built in South Korea is total junk. Although I haven't had it as long, my Korean made vehicle seems awfully nice.

 

[56FordGuy]

The 7.3 liter PowerStroke diesel was available from the last half of 1994 (with a manual transmission only until '95) until the first half of 2003.

I've owned 3 7.3 liter trucks. The first was 1994 model that had 304,000 miles when I got rid of it, followed by an '02 model, followed by an '01 model that I just bought. It's a solid, reliable engine. It was made by International/ Navistar, the people who make the International medium and heavy duty trucks. they called it the 444E, and I believe International still offers it in their medium duty line. The weak spot in the 7.3 engine was the CPS, and just a couple of years ago Ford issued a recall for it that consisted of simply installing a new sensor.

The early 6.0 liter trucks, 2003 and 2004, were really just awful. I can't count the number of horror stories I've heard. Supposedly by the 2005 year model, they had fixed most of the issues.

 

[Lt CHEG]

I'd tend to go with the 7.3 liter over the 6.0 if you are buying new. They seem far less powerful but far easier to work on and they do have a reputation of being nearly bulletproof. Head gaskets are kind of a wear item and will eventually fail no matter what. I don't like the idea of having to take the cab off of the truck to replace head gaskets so the 6.0 or 6.4 would scare me personally. By the same token I never own a vehicle out of warranty so I personally wouldn't rule any engine out altogether for me. If I buy a vehicle with the intention of keeping it after I have it paid off, then I will buy a long term extended warranty with it. I'm not great at saving money for a rainy day so I'd rather have a bigger payment due to a warranty extended out to 7 or 8 years or just keep making a payment and know I won't have to fork over more than $100 for a deductible, than to have to worry about springing for a $4000 or $5000 repair bill on a wear item that fails all of a sudden out of the blue. But that's just me.

 

[Soundguy]

I have a 04 250 6.0 with narry a trouble and 120K on it now.

I just recently got a 7.3 in a 99 450 and am liking it. not as peppy as the 6.0.. but I hear so much good about the 7.3's

soundguy

 

[Soundguy]

what year 7.3?

I don't get it with the 7.3's. I had one and it never impressed me. I dumped it and drove a Dodge with a Cummins for 10 years. Now I have an '06 F350 with the 6.0 PSD and it's by far the best pulling and running diesel pickup I've ever owned or driven. After all the internet parrots (read stories and repeat them as if they were gospel) kept talking, we went to the track and my "junk" 6.0 PSD ran away from them. Gees, according to blogs, that's impossible. I also have well over 15,000 pounds behind my F350 most of the time it's moving. Crossing the same passes at altitude it makes the old 7.3 PSD I had feel like it was a 4 cyl gas engine.

Maybe I just got a good year. According to Ford, the 2006 6.0 PSD engine had less warranty claims than any engine in a Ford vehicle that year. I guess I'm glad I believe those slamming the 6.0 about as much as I believe those saying everything built in South Korea is total junk. Although I haven't had it as long, my Korean made vehicle seems awfully nice.

 

[AKwelder]

I ran 6.9/7.3 in my rigs and it seemed that everyone had one until the 5.9 cummins came out. When the PSD hit the market it was great, but had a couple issues. I own a 94-1/2 PSD that has 150K and is on its 3rd motor. They all cracked the cylinder walls.

The 7.3 PSD sure got worked out, and is a great work truck, and rides like it.

My good friend ordered a new 6.0 first year and as had no trouble with his, even after hopping it up with after market stuff.

seems that every motor has teething issues, if they stay on the market long enough it gets forgotten,

 

[Dargo]

what year 7.3?

1995

Extra words because above answer was "too short" bla, bla, bla