Sold my last Ford diesel today. Replace with........?

[Sonny580]

7.3's are and have always been JUNK right from the factory----WHY do you think they are all for sale??? Good gas motor beats them hands down every time ! ---Ya I got a 97 has 120,00 on it and started going to **** at 99,495 miles. Right now its dead AGAIN, tow truck has put more miles on it draggin it to the repair shop than I have driven it!

 

[ruffdog]

Several years back you could find low mile diesels near here, but not anymore.

 

[Rustyiron]

7.3's are and have always been JUNK right from the factory----WHY do you think they are all for sale??? Good gas motor beats them hands down every time ! ---Ya I got a 97 has 120,00 on it and started going to **** at 99,495 miles. Right now its dead AGAIN, tow truck has put more miles on it draggin it to the repair shop than I have driven it!

Dang, a 24 year old truck needing a tow.
I tended to do maintenance rather than wait for repairs.
Been through every version of the 7.3, several of them close to 10,000 hours, the rest at 5k-7k hours. Yes, I installed hour meters. Now Ford's automatic transmissions in that era, fine if you don't tow.
All any of them needed was a CP sensor now and then.

 

[ovrszd]

7.3's are and have always been JUNK right from the factory----WHY do you think they are all for sale??? Good gas motor beats them hands down every time ! ---Ya I got a 97 has 120,00 on it and started going to **** at 99,495 miles. Right now its dead AGAIN, tow truck has put more miles on it draggin it to the repair shop than I have driven it!

That right there is funny. I've got two. Oldest has 265,000 miles with no major repairs. Worst was the injector wiring harness under the valve covers.

Good friend of mine has one with 475,000 miles. No major repairs. I think it's on it's second set of injectors.

Clean oil + Clean fuel = long life.

 

[5030]

The 7.3's with sintered rods are suspect but the forged rod 7.3's run forever. Injector harness issues and rear mains seals are about it. I agree with Richard, clean fuel, regular oil changes and AR Stiction modifier and they run and run.

Sounds to me like you flogged the snot out of it.

 

[Hay Dude]

had 7.3’s from inception to 2007. Never had engine problems. Not a powerhouse, but none of that era of diesels 88-03 were, either. 5.9L Cummins better, Duramax more responsive, but a newer tech engine. The 7.3 is a 35 year old design which did well for its time.

 

[gtbensley]

I would think you could find a 2014+ F350 with a 6.7 in that price point as long as you dont mind slightly higher mileage. They have proven to be very very solid platforms when well maintained and seem to be as reliable as any newer diesel (read not mechanical injection). They have a pretty solid drivetrain and transmission as well.

GM 6.6 and Allison would be fantastic as well but to go pre emissions would be 2007.5 or older and those are not going to be a strong chassis wise as a 2011 and up. Newer (2011) and up GM ISF is pretty darn bullet proof. Not sure why someone a few pages back seems to think they are weak. We see the ISF holding up far longer then ball joints, trackbars and such on solid front axles of Ford and Dodge.

If you can find a Dodge just make sure it has the Aisin trans in it as anything dodge built is a weak POS.

 

[Number15]

I've had the 7.3 and 2 different 6.7 fords. I much prefer the 6.7 I thin k they are great trucks but their achilles heel is water in the fuel.
In 2017 Ford changed the filter setup and they are much better at making sure they trap water in the first filter. Pre 2017 6.7's need one of these DIESELSITE - DIESEL MAINTENANCE and PERFORMANCE

I have towed many heavy loads with my 6.7's happily. Good engine and transmission IMO. Granted I am still at 90k miles on my current one so no big time mileage numbers yet but it has given me good service so far.

 

[Hay Dude]

Other Achilles heel on all 2011’s and newer is after exhaust treatment, but I think I can handle it better that the DPFs on my 2008’s. The initial trucks with DPFs were prone to problems

 

[gtbensley]

Other Achilles heel on all 2011’s and newer is after exhaust treatment, but I think I can handle it better that the DPFs on my 2008’s. The initial trucks with DPFs were prone to problems

They are decently situated now. I wouldn't be overly worried about a DEF system on a modern rig. Sure they can still have issues but pretty reliable these days.

Would rather a modern system then one of the mid 2000 which had pretty bad teething problems when they started to introduce them.

 

[Hay Dude]

Exactly my thoughts. And yes, the teething problems were BAD. My last teething problem rolled out of my driveway on Thursday. Lol
I think my overall stress level dropped 25%. Very good trucks ruined by pretty unreliable junk after treatment systems. The Ford system never made sense to me. It would retain soot for a while, then do a deep regen to burn off trapped soot? All I saw was smoke and nasty odors for 10 minute. Where did all the soot go? I heard it made things worse by making the particles finer?

Although it looks like out trucks are going to be replaced with electric in the next decade, it seems like manufacturers are refining and perfecting the diesel after treatment systems. It took too long, though. I could see a few years, but it feels like it took at least 5 if not 10.
What I am trying to find out is if GMs DPF system is any better than Fords, or vice versa in the 2011-2016 era trucks.

 

[gtbensley]

Exactly my thoughts. And yes, the teething problems were BAD. My last teething problem rolled out of my driveway on Thursday. Lol
I think my overall stress level dropped 25%. Very good trucks ruined by pretty unreliable junk after treatment systems. The Ford system never made sense to me. It would retain soot for a while, then do a deep regen to burn off trapped soot? All I saw was smoke and nasty odors for 10 minute. Where did all the soot go? I heard it made things worse by making the particles finer?

Although it looks like out trucks are going to be replaced with electric in the next decade, it seems like manufacturers are refining and perfecting the diesel after treatment systems. It took too long, though. I could see a few years, but it feels like it took at least 5 if not 10.
What I am trying to find out is if GMs DPF system is any better than Fords, or vice versa in the 2011-2016 era trucks.

I think they will be pretty similar. GM commonly can have heater circuit codes for the DEF tank heater and that gets replaced as the nature tank.believe it's a handful of hundreds for the tank and a hour to swap them over.

Look into what injection pumps these motors have as a lot of them have gone to the CP4 which doesn't have fantastic reputation. CP3 is a bit more reliable and not as happy to grenade metal through the system if it gets water in it.

The 2011-14 or 15 ford's had some turbo issues and earlier models had some issues dropping valves. Imagine any truck of that age you would purchase would have already been delt with if it had those issues.

I don't think you could go wrong with any of the big three trucks 2011 and newer as long as you know what to look for as far as maintance and how well it's been cared for.

 

[Hay Dude]

Yeah my RAM apparently has the CP4. I wasnt too happy about that. I extended the warranty with the truck, which doesn’t necessarily mean everything will be covered, but it’s almost a necessity anymore. RAM had the best warranty and GCWR in ‘20, so I went with it.
I constantly get offered additional warranty via email. Its tempting to do even more warranty.

I don’t know what it is about GM trucks, but they just appeal to me more now. Is it the military vehicle DNA, like IFS that goes into them? I don’t know......lol

 

[gtbensley]

Lots of CP4s out there. Not bad, just more picky. Buy fuel from bigger distributors and less likely to have issues.

I think the 6.6 and Allison are a very solid combo. Ride nice and do plenty of work. Only down side of ISF is if you plan to do a lift or much offroading. The solid axles have that beat as companies like Thuren and Carli make some sweet kits for them.

 

[Hay Dude]

Lots of CP4s out there. Not bad, just more picky. Buy fuel from bigger distributors and less likely to have issues.

I think the 6.6 and Allison are a very solid combo. Ride nice and do plenty of work. Only down side of ISF is if you plan to do a lift or much offroading. The solid axles have that beat as companies like Thuren and Carli make some sweet kits for them.

I’m in good shape there. I buy name brand fuel from big fuel movers. Generally have been running Exxon/Mobil diesel. No real fuel problems to speak of in my trucks over last 20 years. I change fuel filters often.
On the 6.6/Allison: no lift kits here. I like bone stock trucks outside of maybe a winch bumper or a flatbed with a gooseneck hitch.

 

[gtbensley]

Find any of the three cleanest and best maintained you can and I bet it would serve you well.

I would love a g56 manual cummins 3500 but getting harder to find.

 

[Buppies]

Currently own 2019 ram 2500 with Cummins came from two Ford King Ranches. Cummins hard to beat, own one with 300000 on it still going strong. Cummins has very low emissions now from factory but only a matter of time till electric wins

 

[groundcover]

Friend of mine bought a new Duramax when I got my 7.3. Saw him last week with a suv, he said it was a loaner while they had his new Chevy for 3-4 weeks , waiting on parts for the emission system and there were three trucks ahead of him ! Needless to say he wasn't too happy !

 

[Hay Dude]

Currently own 2019 ram 2500 with Cummins came from two Ford King Ranches. Cummins hard to beat, own one with 300000 on it still going strong. Cummins has very low emissions now from factory but only a matter of time till electric wins

There’s something comforting about having a true medium duty engine under the hood for me. The loads I pull at the frequency I pull them require medium duty strength.
When I was truck shopping a year ago, I thought the new GM 4500/5500/6500 was going to be my truck nirvana, but the tow ratings were pathetic.
One dealer told me the 6.6 was topped out for towing at 40,000. Another told me it was the Allison.
The Cummins and Aisin transmission were rated at 43,000 and that really sold me.