7.3L Ford Diesel

[Lgreen]

I friend of mine has a 2003 F-250 with the 7.3L Diesel for sale that I am going to look at tomorrow. It has 75,000 miles on it, and I know it has had meticulous care (he is a retired heavy diesel mechanic).

As a reader of this forum, I am familiar with the reported issues with the Ford 6.0 and later engines (and do not want to restart that discussion in this thread). I am wondering what the known issues with this engine are, and what the expected longevity of this truck would be.

If I buy this truck, I will also be buying his 10,000 lb (empty) fifth wheel. I know that this engine does not have the power of the current generation of diesels. However, the complexity of the current diesels scares me, along with the cost.

I appreciate all the input that you all can provide.

[cummins2014]

nevadanick wrote:
I have towed with a 7.3 where i was over 30k gross and yes it was slow getting up to speed and slow on hills but it still does it.

Kinda my point.

I guess it takes towing with a truck that can handle a heavy fifth wheel to realize the difference, then just saying " but it does it " A lot of the older diesels would do it, doesn't mean they do it well.

[cummins2014]

majorgator wrote:

up2nogood wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:
Truck and trailer sound like a good combo. Last of the Ford Diesel trucks I would buy.

You ever towed 13K plus with a 7.3, If you have you wouldn't be buying one for that.

About 5 minutes on one of the major truck forums would squash this nonsense. Folks are regularly pulling loads above 13K with the good ole 7.3. It just takes a little tweaking and tuning to get what you want out of these trucks. I have a '96 with about 270K miles, at it hasn't backed down from anything yet.

Kind of missed the point. I know how a 7.3 tows, as I said I spent nearly 16 years with one. I will repeat you guys have got reliability mixed up with the ability to tow heavy.

I towed over 13K I know how they tow, and I'm here to tell you they don't do it with much ease . I was always hoping for a downhill on ramp getting on a freeway to get up to a decent speed, and then hoping for a clear path . Short up hill on ramps onto the freeways was not pleasant. My 7.3 ran as good as any with the tweaking that was done. as you say, but you can't pound them it won't take the ETG's, so you can only get so much out of them from a dead stop or puling mountain grades. They run great on the flat , another story in the mountains.


I spent a lot of time on 7.3 forums, and I know all about what you have to do to make a 7.3 handle heavy towing, and I can tell you it will be a lot more then just some tweaking. To start its injectors, turbo, intake , intercooler to handle the etg's, and the list goes on. Then don't forget the transmission, at the least a 6.0 cooler, and then very doubtful that 4R100 will last very long with the additional horsepower, then of course you are off to BTS or John Woods for another 5K expenditure for a transmission that will get the job done.

[nevadanick]

I have towed with a 7.3 where i was over 30k gross and yes it was slow getting up to speed and slow on hills but it still does it.

[biggrigg]

Intake, exhaust, and a good chip really brings the 7.3 to life. Huge difference between stock and chipped. I really like my 7.3. Don't forget gauges.

[majorgator]

up2nogood wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:
Truck and trailer sound like a good combo. Last of the Ford Diesel trucks I would buy.

You ever towed 13K plus with a 7.3, If you have you wouldn't be buying one for that.

About 5 minutes on one of the major truck forums would squash this nonsense. Folks are regularly pulling loads above 13K with the good ole 7.3. It just takes a little tweaking and tuning to get what you want out of these trucks. I have a '96 with about 270K miles, at it hasn't backed down from anything yet.

[GON2SKI]

I only have 55K on mine, Tow with it 95% of the time……..Love it……They hold their value and perform well. Enjoy!

[dieseltruckdriv]

My 95 has 217,000 on it, and I bought it with 93,000 on it. A year ago I bought a 2000 with 86,000 on it. The 2000 with 3.73s and 4R100 handles my 10k plus 5er better than the 95 with an E4OD and 4.10s.

These both have much better power to weight than any semi that is fully loaded. Either of these auto transmissions are better than any auto Dodge offered at the time also. They are not that bad. I did have to have my 95 tranny rebuilt at around 163,000, and it had a goose neck ball in it when I bought it, so it has towed all its life.

They do not have the power of the newer diesels. They also aren't stressed as much. I would definitely add a triple clutch torque converter. Any more than that is hype for these engines. I own the equipment to rebuild torque converters, and built the one currently in my 95, so I see the differences inside them.

Sorry for getting so long winded, but buy it, it will handle the mountains just fine. I live in the Black Hills, so every time we go fishing for walleyes, I am pulling grades.

Both ways. In the snow. Against the wind. GBG!

[Cummins12V98]

up2nogood wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:
Truck and trailer sound like a good combo. Last of the Ford Diesel trucks I would buy.

You ever towed 13K plus with a 7.3, If you have you wouldn't be buying one for that.

With a little tweak I am sure it would be fine. My 98 5.9 was a dog until I played with it. 300RWHP/750TQ made it just right for a 20.5K combined load.

[cutty72]

up2nogood wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:
Truck and trailer sound like a good combo. Last of the Ford Diesel trucks I would buy.

You ever towed 13K plus with a 7.3, If you have you wouldn't be buying one for that.

My old man grossed 43k of scrap metal on a 32' flatbed behind his 02 7.3, completely stock with the 6 speed... Granted, no mountain grades, but could run the speed limit all day long.

My 01 7.3 handles my 39' toyhauler decent. Unless there is a nasty head/side wind (like 30+ mph) I can run speed limits. EGTs get high before I run out of power, I'm sure because of the tune.

I have 169k on mine, dad has 218k on his, no major issues.

If you don't buy it, get me the details and I will!

[FordDiesel250]

I own a 2001 7-3 that has 163,000 miles on it. I bought it used with 43,000 miles on it. The motor is the best power plant I have ever owned, the thing with these trucks is that you need to keep your oil and filters changed on a regular basis. That is the lifeblood of these trucks and if you do that it will give you great service. The only things that I have changed is the regular wear items such as tires, wipers ect. Great truck and it pulls my 10,500lb. fiver great.

[cummins2014]

blofgren wrote:
That is a great truck; Ford hasn't built as good a truck since then IMHO.

The F-250 is limited in GVW but really good otherwise. I agree with adding a 6.0L transmission cooler.

The one truck that might coax me out of my current Ram is a mint 2000-2003 F-350 CC DRW 4x4 Lariat 7.3L ZF6 speed and that says a lot :B

Most of you guys are confusing reliability with the ability to tow heavy fifth wheels, the 7.3 does not have the power to handle big fifth wheels.

I owned one for nearly 16 years, and towed 10K -13K plus, and when I started towing much over 10K it was not a good towing experience . If I would have never went over 10K towing I would still own my 7.3. The OP is talking 10K dry. Hard to say what it will be loaded up, more then I liked when towing with a 7.3.

If one enjoys 30-40 mph up some of these mountain grades here in the west towing heavy ,then the 7.3 is what you want. I tow the same fifth wheel up the same mountains with a new Cummins, and it will tow the speed limit if wanted instead of 30-40 mph.

[cummins2014]

Cummins12V98 wrote:
Truck and trailer sound like a good combo. Last of the Ford Diesel trucks I would buy.

You ever towed 13K plus with a 7.3, If you have you wouldn't be buying one for that.

[blofgren]

That is a great truck; Ford hasn't built as good a truck since then IMHO.

The F-250 is limited in GVW but really good otherwise. I agree with adding a 6.0L transmission cooler.

The one truck that might coax me out of my current Ram is a mint 2000-2003 F-350 CC DRW 4x4 Lariat 7.3L ZF6 speed and that says a lot :B

[Turtle_n_Peeps]

If that thing goes on the market and it's as clean as you say it is, it will be gone on the fist phone call.

BUY IT NOW!!!!!!!!!!!! (or it will be too late)

Like Just said, wiring and CPS. Oh and the tranny's are pretty crappy. But you can bullet proof them and the engine will run forever. You will wear everything out in the truck before the engine quits.

Oh and as far as power goes; you can tune them up pretty hot and they will be fine.

[camperfamily]

Had a 7.3. Have a 6.7 now but only because the truck was rusting out around the engine. The common issues with them have already been mentioned, thought they are minor really. Was always happy with the 7.3.

But this new 6.7 is a power monster, and so quiet and smooth. Hope it holds up like the 7.3 did. Had 176k on it when I sold it.