Who’s still using a 7.3 diesel truck

So someone posts that they still run and love their old 7.3 and it turns into a bashing and comparison to the new 6.7.

Seems like just about every thread goes south for some reason. :S

burningman wrote:

And it can sustain full power for extended periods every bit as well as a 7.3.
The main reason a 7.3 can do that is it came detuned for low power, so it was understressed. A 6.7 at half throttle will make what a 7.3 did.
.

When I had the engines in different truck configurations, I used 7.3l in F450 for heavy hauling.
I had it at WOT for about 1/2 hr climbing long I-15 grades with 100F outside.
When my 6.7l would haul 7500 lb of cargo at 1/3 of the throttle, the coolant temperature was raising. Still at safe levels, but again 1/3 of the throttle.
Would I use 6.7l at WOT, per my calculations it would pull 25,000 lb on 6% grades at 90 mph, but I doubt it would do it without overheating.
So final conclusion, when 6.7 has so much power, that WOT is seldom possible, the radiator in it is undersized for available HP.
The low power in 7.3l is self-inflicted safety net.
Since Adamis has his 7.3 chipped for more HP, it would be interesting to hear his engine cooling experience?

Elk_traveler wrote:
A new Ford diesel the 6.7L engine is and old gasoline converted block that was put in the Ford 392 cu-ft engines in 1962. The International 7.3L diesel was designed from scratch as a diesel engine. The torque delivered is sustained power even under max load whereas the new Ford engines only deliver instant and temporary power and cannot be sustained which is whats make the old 7.3L a better engine to begin with for diesel power.

There’s no much misinformation and outright lies in this post I can’t believe my eyes.
Ford did not make a 392, in 1962 or ever. The 6.7 diesel has literally nothing to to with any ‘60s Ford. They are not derived from any old gas engine at all.
Ford built a 391 FT starting in ‘66. That’s the closest thing to your fictional 392 cubic FOOT (LOL) 6.7 ancestor.
can tell you more about FE and FT Ford engines than you wanna know.

I can only imagine you’re assuming that since the 6.4 was 390 cubic inches, it had anything to do with the old 390 gas Ford, which it did not.
And the 6.7 isn’t even based on the 6.4 it replaced, it’s a clean-sheet ground up new engine.

And it can sustain full power for extended periods every bit as well as a 7.3.
The main reason a 7.3 can do that is it came detuned for low power, so it was understressed. A 6.7 at half throttle will make what a 7.3 did.

Don’t get me wrong, I love the 7.3, it’s relatively simple and reliable. You’re just saying things about it that are absolutely not true.

rjstractor wrote:

Convert axles to 4.30 gear ratios
Install Gear Vendors overdrive. This will give me twelve possible gears, with roughly the same overall final drive ratio for cruising on the flat while giving me lower gearing for low speed backing, etc. The stock reverse gear in the 6 speed is pretty tall.
Towing chip or tune, aiming for about 300 hp/600 ft./lbs. Nothing too crazy.
South Bend towing clutch or equivalent when the OEM clutch finally wears out.

It's a strong, dependable truck, but my dad's new F350 with the 6.7 towing 10000 lbs would probably out-accelerate mine empty.

I’ve got a Gear Vendors OD. It’s awesome but it won’t give you twelve gears.
You have to be going almost 20 mph to use it, so it’s oil pump is operating.
You only use it with the upper gears.
I have 4.10 gears and the GV drops my 60 MPH cruise from 2000 RPM down to 1500.
It makes 4.10 effectively 3.20.

jimh425 wrote:

7.3driver wrote:
Wish I could post a picture from my tablet.

Try this.

http://photoposting.is-great.net/?i=1

[img][/img]

midnightsadie wrote:
had a 1971 7.3 would tow anything you hooked to it, truck camper and walleye boat from ohio to wis just great.

Lol no you didn’t. No such thing.

jimh425 wrote:
36guy, sounds like you couldn’t drive a manual shift, didn’t do proper maintenance including oil changes, and modified ito use non OEM parts and it’s Ford’s fault. ;) At leat, you found something you liked. :D That’s really all that matters.

Sounds more like a lemon to me. It happens with all vehicles.
I don’t get the impression that the OP didn’t take care of it. Idk about the input shaft issues though. Not familiar with those trans.
I do know the 7.3s were a cold blooded engine that needed properly operating glow plugs and that good oil change maintenance was imperative on them (and 6.0s) because the HPOPs were good but finicky without frequent quality oil changes.

Every vehicle has its quirks. But there’s quirks and there’s issues and they had quirks, not issues.

Kayteg1 wrote:
It is funny how some actuall owners feel offended with the true facts.
As I pointed before -7.3 has bulletproof block, but on 20 years old trucks, orings, reservoirs and sensors will fail, so if you still own 1 - read the forum replies and put some preventive maintenance on it, or YOU WILL get strangled.
Final note, when things are relatively easy to fix on 7.3, stupid oil cooler replacement on 6-leaker can exceed older truck value.
Than my 6.7l develop oil pan gasket leak on 2nd year. Suppose stupid gasket replacement require engine pulling. Covered by warranty, so I did not get the bill, but my "new" 1922 Ford Model T doesn't have leaky gasket, so how come 100 years later Ford is still struggling with basic stuff?

How come you complain and bitsch and are always 100% antagonistic?
So you’re saying your new model T is running an original, never opened up engine that not only runs but doesn’t leak?
Aside from not believing that, if it was true, it’s a miracle.

Elk_traveler wrote:
My 7.3L powerstroke is a 1996 and if not mistaken it is a 420ft.lb of torque. It is pure raw diesel power from the ground up. A new Ford diesel the 6.7L engine is and old gasoline converted block that was put in the Ford 392 cu-ft engines in 1962.

I gather you love your old Powerstroke and that’s cool. They are awesome trucks, but this is, one of the funniest, most ill-informed statements I’ve seen on this forum in a while!
Roflmao
Edit guess I was slow on the draw sorry for the repeat

It is funny how some actuall owners feel offended with the true facts.
As I pointed before -7.3 has bulletproof block, but on 20 years old trucks, orings, reservoirs and sensors will fail, so if you still own 1 - read the forum replies and put some preventive maintenance on it, or YOU WILL get strangled.
Final note, when things are relatively easy to fix on 7.3, stupid oil cooler replacement on 6-leaker can exceed older truck value.
Than my 6.7l develop oil pan gasket leak on 2nd year. Suppose stupid gasket replacement require engine pulling. Covered by warranty, so I did not get the bill, but my "new" 1922 Ford Model T doesn't have leaky gasket, so how come 100 years later Ford is still struggling with basic stuff?