7.3 Ford gas engine

[Busdriver]

Maybe looking to buy a new ford with the 7.3 gas engine. Need to know the good , bad about the 7.3

[theoldwizard1]

camperfamily wrote:
Good power, likes to rev higher than my 6.7 did.

It IS a gasoline engine ! You can NOT compare the torque curve to a diesel !

[troy_t]

Finally pulled the 5th wheel last week and pulling 11000 lbs running at 70 I got about 8 MPG. It would pull it in 10th just fine but I usually kept it in 8th gear, pulled easier. Thats with a 3.73 rear end.

[camperfamily]

Have about 3k miles on mine now, towed the 5th once. Good power, likes to rev higher than my 6.7 did. Looks like about 8 towing, 16 highway and 12-13 mixed. Does it pull like the '13 PSD? No - but it does the job just fine at lower cost. Long term can't say much. The one place I find myself wanting more right now is engine braking - but I'll adjust to this beast.

[manley]

I’ve got just shy of 25K miles on mine. Love the power, but it’s thirsty. I get between 11&12 around town. 8 something towing, depending on the wind.

[troy_t]

I just got a 2023 F350 with the 7.3 and really like it so far. Only have 4600 miles on it but the 10 speed tranny can't be beat. I have the 3.73 rear end and just finally bought a 5th wheel that weighs about 10K empty. Drop it to 8th gear and it pulls at 70 at around 2100 rpm. Haven't pulled the camper far enough to understand MPG but running empty I usually get 13-14 if commuting to work. Longer runs I've gotten 16 on.

I've pulled my 4 place enclosed sled trailer, 5-6K lbs, and it'll get about 10 with that behind it but the nice thing is it pulls so easily compared to my old F150.

[mosseater]

Mine's a '22 Supercrew long bed, 3.55 rear towing an 8500 lbs 34' travel trailer. I get 10 ish mpg towing and pulls very well. The shifting with the 10 speed is a bit wonky sometimes on slow speed up shifts. It over runs the engine speed and shifts surge in 1,2 and 3. Auto engine brake on downhill braking is overdone for my taste. I have taken to using manual in specific situations I now recognize ahead of time. Stays in engine brake mode way too long for practical use. Has the engine screaming even when bottom of hill has been reached and back on the gas. I have 30k miles on so far and very few real complaints. Truck averages about 15.5 mpg in mixed driving unloaded. I averaged over 17 on a trip to Nashville and back averaging 65 mph and up. It loafs along at 1750 rpm at 80mph in 10th, and zero to 60 comes up pretty quickly for an 8000lb truck at 8 seconds flat. Very happy with the truck so far.

[wowens79]

I've got a 2022 with 17k miles and I love it towing my 8k TT. I've got the 4.30 gears also. Towing at 70mph I get about 8mpg and on the flats and inclines it will stay in 10th, with and occasional drop to 8th. I'm looking at going to a 12-14k 5th wheel, and have no concerns.
There there some early 2020's that has some trans issues, but that was resolved. There have been some issues with lifters, but it does not seem to be widespread, and seems more common in ambulances, wreckers and truck with high idle hours.
Most of my unloaded driving is less than 5 mile trips in town with lots of stop and go, so it gets 10-12mpg doing that. On the highway at 80mph it will get 15mpg, and slow down to 60-65mph and you can get 17mpg.
The only complaint I have is the low speed shifting like in parking lots when you start off it wants to upshift, but then when you let off the gas it wants to stay in that gear, then when you hit the gas, it then decides to downshift. No issue, just acts goofy. There is a software update that is supposed to help that, but I haven't had a change to have it done.

[ScottG]

thomas201 wrote:
A year and a half in, no problems, no trips for service except oil changes and tire rotations, plus two state inspections.

Tows a 10K fifth wheel well. Mine has the 4.3 rear ends. I do not normally lock out 9th and 10th gears, just let the transmission do its thing.

My last truck was a 2012 6.7 diesel. The 2022 7.3 does not pull as well, and it takes more brake applications going down hill. I had an aux tank on the diesel, and I have installed an aux tank on the gas. The gas truck is a super cab, so with the 34 gallon factory tank, and the 41 gallon aux tank, at about 8.8 mpg towing, I get a bit over 500 miles of running per day.

A better compromise for me, with the simpler engine and emission controls. However, I will not know if I made the right decision for a few more years. I will just have to wait and see if it is a good high mileage truck.

At the risk of hijacking, would you mind telling me what kind of mileage you see when you're not towing?

[larry_barnhart]

it happens to all brand of trucks but still sad it happens. chevman

[FishOnOne]

There have been some reports of lifter/cam failures, but I don't think it's a widespread problem.

[thomas201]

A year and a half in, no problems, no trips for service except oil changes and tire rotations, plus two state inspections.

Tows a 10K fifth wheel well. Mine has the 4.3 rear ends. I do not normally lock out 9th and 10th gears, just let the transmission do its thing.

My last truck was a 2012 6.7 diesel. The 2022 7.3 does not pull as well, and it takes more brake applications going down hill. I had an aux tank on the diesel, and I have installed an aux tank on the gas. The gas truck is a super cab, so with the 34 gallon factory tank, and the 41 gallon aux tank, at about 8.8 mpg towing, I get a bit over 500 miles of running per day.

A better compromise for me, with the simpler engine and emission controls. However, I will not know if I made the right decision for a few more years. I will just have to wait and see if it is a good high mileage truck.