7.3L Powerstroke or 5.9L Cummins with over 200k miles -- still lots of life, or not?

[Highbeam]

The ford limited slip sucks bad. I bought a 2000 F350 with the 7.3 for towing and it has been fine. You can't get a crew cab in a dodge until the 2003 body style. I would have rather bought a 5.9 engine in a dodge but the prices are much higher for the crew cab dodges.

 

[jas67]

I put a deposit on a 2006 F-350XL Crew Cab with long bed. Because this is going to be our vacation traveling vehicle (pulling the camper), I was hoping for an XLT, but I got this for what the 1999-2001 XLT's are going for ($13,500).

It has 113k miles on it. It is about as plain as the come though, basic flat bench seat (at least it is cloth, and not vinyl), manual windows, locks, mirrors, etc. I do like the rubber/vinyl/whatever it is floor better than carpet. It also has the old school sealed beam headlights -- this will probably get upgraded.

The other bonus, is that it does have the optional integrated brake controller.

It is in very nice condition with only two small dents in the top of the tailgate (it'll probably get more of those, I'm sure). According to carfax, it was a Fla. vehicle until early this year, and it shows underneath (it wasn't a coastal vehicle either, from the lack of rust on anything).

The crew cab is going to be very nice for traveling. I checked out a couple "super cabs". There is no way I'd even want to make anyone ride in the back of that cross town, much less for four hours.

I pick it up on Saturday.

It might not be a Cummins, but it has plenty of power for me. Now I just need to find the right camper for behind it.

Were were trying to limit ourselves to something we could pull with a mid-sized SUV or pickup, now the only limit is the 10' 6" hight of the trusses in my pole barn (I saw some units that I really liked, but were 10' 9" to 11' 2" tall )

I'll post pictures after I get it home.

I understand that these can be reprogrammed for even better MPG. Any recommendations (this is the 6.0L)?

 

[Diamondpilot]

I put a deposit on a 2006 F-350XL Crew Cab with long bed. Because this is going to be our vacation traveling vehicle (pulling the camper), I was hoping for an XLT, but I got this for what the 1999-2001 XLT's are going for ($13,500).

It has 113k miles on it. It is about as plain as the come though, basic flat bench seat (at least it is cloth, and not vinyl), manual windows, locks, mirrors, etc. I do like the rubber/vinyl/whatever it is floor better than carpet. It also has the old school sealed beam headlights -- this will probably get upgraded.

The other bonus, is that it does have the optional integrated brake controller.

It is in very nice condition with only two small dents in the top of the tailgate (it'll probably get more of those, I'm sure). According to carfax, it was a Fla. vehicle until early this year, and it shows underneath (it wasn't a coastal vehicle either, from the lack of rust on anything).

The crew cab is going to be very nice for traveling. I checked out a couple "super cabs". There is no way I'd even want to make anyone ride in the back of that cross town, much less for four hours.

I pick it up on Saturday.

It might not be a Cummins, but it has plenty of power for me. Now I just need to find the right camper for behind it.

Were were trying to limit ourselves to something we could pull with a mid-sized SUV or pickup, now the only limit is the 10' 6" hight of the trusses in my pole barn (I saw some units that I really liked, but were 10' 9" to 11' 2" tall )

I'll post pictures after I get it home.



I understand that these can be reprogrammed for even better MPG. Any recommendations (this is the 6.0L)?

Sounds like you got a good buy. Yes, I would like a Cummins also but its the whole package its wrapped in thing. You got the best truck hands down. Too bad about the 10'6" truss height. My barn is 12' and its too low for just about everything I have other than the tractor and trucks.

Can not wait to see pic's. As for improvements I would put a MAC intake or something comparable and a Quadzilla chip. They make one for towing and MPG and adds around 60 HP. Does not cost too much, around $150. I run Quadzilla Chips in both my trucks that are adjustable on the fly with 3 settings going up to about 150 RWHP but only tow in 60+HP


Chris

 

[Renze]

In wheel loaders, Cummins BT and QSB 5.9 stretched at 175 hp wouldnt make it past 8000 hrs.... In our lighter model at 155 hp they did reasonably, however maintenance is more critical than on the old DAF engines.
Loader use is continuous heavy duty, not child's play in a pickup truck at 40% of rated power.
However its at half the power of a pickup, so a pickup at 310 hp should last as long as a payloader engine at 155 hp. On average you drive 50 km/h so it should last 400.000 km if treated well and with regular oil & filters.

The Cummins was designed as an on-road engine and is nearly 200kg lighter in weight than the 6.8 Deere we use now. I dont blame it when it doesnt last as long at 180+ hp, its just too much in relation to the block mass. (cylinder liner and crankshaft bearing distortion)

 

[ctgoldwing]

jas67 fwiw I am in the process of buying a 97 F350 diesel from the company I work for. This particular unit has 170K on it and has been at our main branch its whole life (translates to: it has had superb maintenance). It has a 10' flatbed body on it as well as a 1200 lb liftgate. The ops manager is even having it gone over completely before I buy it to fix anything it needs. Oh yeah, I picking this up for the princely sum of $1500.

My biggest concern is how I am going to rig up a tow system that doesn't interfere with the liftgate.

 

[flusher]

jas67 fwiw I am in the process of buying a 97 F350 diesel from the company I work for. This particular unit has 170K on it and has been at our main branch its whole life (translates to: it has had superb maintenance). It has a 10' flatbed body on it as well as a 1200 lb liftgate. The ops manager is even having it gone over completely before I buy it to fix anything it needs. Oh yeah, I picking this up for the princely sum of $1500.

My biggest concern is how I am going to rig up a tow system that doesn't interfere with the liftgate.

That's the way to go--buy a fleet truck that's been well maintained (and has the documentation to prove it). My 2001 F150 that I bought in '04 was a fleet truck with 30K miles on the odometer when I drove it off the dealer's lot.

Man, that F350 is just the rig I'm looking for now to tow an 18-ft GN tiltbed. I doubt I'll find one as nice as yours and forget about finding something like yours for $1.5K in running condition.

I'll get back to the OSU game now and check the classifieds. Maybe I'll get lucky today.

 

[jas67]

Just an update, I got the truck yesterday. The torque is intoxicating, but I managed to keep my right foot out of it enough to get 19.3 MPG on the PA Turnpike for 88 miles (topped off at each end of that segment of the trip home).

Oh, and BTW, this truck is 4WD with the limited slip rear.

Here are some pictures from the add listing:

Thanks again for all the advice (no shortage of that here ).

 

[some zilch]

In wheel loaders, Cummins BT and QSB 5.9 stretched at 175 hp wouldnt make it past 8000 hrs.... In our lighter model at 155 hp they did reasonably, however maintenance is more critical than on the old DAF engines.
Loader use is continuous heavy duty, not child's play in a pickup truck at 40% of rated power.
However its at half the power of a pickup, so a pickup at 310 hp should last as long as a payloader engine at 155 hp. On average you drive 50 km/h so it should last 400.000 km if treated well and with regular oil & filters.

The Cummins was designed as an on-road engine and is nearly 200kg lighter in weight than the 6.8 Deere we use now. I dont blame it when it doesnt last as long at 180+ hp, its just too much in relation to the block mass. (cylinder liner and crankshaft bearing distortion)

oh please........the 6bt was designed as an off-road equipment engine long before it was put in a pickup truck. Case tractors have used them as engines for ever, as have dozers, loaders, generators, excavators, pumps, compressors, should i go on?? These engines were designed to be ran nonstop, with little maintenance in third world countries, being able to be rebullt with basic tools when need be.

i work on a fleet of 100 excavators, many with 4/6 cyl cummins (4bt/6bt.) the 6bts are rated at 220HP, and they have no problem running 8000+ hours. how do you call a 175HP 6bt a stretch??? my older dodges are about derated as can be at 160HP. i used to work in a quarry, and their komatsu loaders had 5.9 cummins in them, all 4 had over 12k hours with no internal engine work.

I have never read such a pile of BS in my life as that post. Nothing screams heavy duty to me like a john deere loader. i have never seen one in an extreme duty application such as a quarry, cement plant, mine, etc. they are basically construction jobsite machines, and farm loaders. my employer owns at least 20 of them in the rental fleet. certainly not the most reliable or heavy machine out there, just the cheapest.

i bet you are one of those guys that also think V8 diesels are the best thing ever too?

 

[Diamondpilot]

Nice looking truck there. I have always been a fan of white. You will really enjoy the way the Ford pulls and handles heavy loads. Its a good stout package.

Chris

 

[QueBota]

I like white also, my Dodge is white. On the plus side it can be so dirty that you can't imagine how dirty it is and it doesn't look that bad until you wash a panel, then you can see how dirty it is. On the down side you can wax and polish until your arm falls off and it is never going to "wow" you with its appearance. The exact opposite of a darker color truck, not to mention whites ability to hide dings and scratches.

Dave