Ford Diesel engine question

[Bighat]

If your not pulling heavy, don't buy a diesel truck, you don't need it. They cost a lot more on maintenance and if you have a problem you may need to get a loan to cover it. That said, I'm a Chevy man with a 6.7 F250 with about 60,000 miles with no problems, knock on wood. I've own Dodge, GMC, Chevy and Fords. They all have there good and bad points. If they'd put the three together they have a hell of a truck. I never understood why nobody ever designed the hood to flip up like a semi on these pickups. Can you imagine being able to get to everything under the hood?

 

[Rayger143]

Rayger, you were correct. I mistakenly applied the Power Stroke label to the old 6.9 and the pre-turbo 7.3 litter bus motors.

This source appears to be a Ford Power Stoke diesel n enthusiast's site and knowledgeable.

History of Ford Powerstroke Diesel Engine | Prosource Diesel

Know more details about Ford Powerstroke Diesel Engine and its evolution. Quantity Based Discounts Available. Check it now !!

prosourcediesel.com

The site states the Power Stroke was introduced for model year 1994 and was offered until 2003 when the Navistar Sick.Ohh disaster was offered.

I think the Power Stroke name was introduced when the old Navistar school bus motor got a turbocharger. Before the turbo, it was a dog. Dead slow.

I own a 6.9IDI in a 1986 F250. Quite a slug but she always runs and gets me to where I'm going. I don't drive it much as it's just spare wheels for the family. It's a great dump run truck or if you need a load of firewood, gravel, etc. Probably never sell it.

 

[ChadD]

but if I had to buy a new one…it would likely be a gas F350 with the 7.3l gas engine and ten speed automatic.

That's what my friend wants too but he's also a Polaris guy sooooo 🙄🤣🦩

 

[100Acre]

What site is that screenshot from?

A Ford dealer in Coeur d’Alene Idaho namely Mike White Ford

 

[100Acre]

Kinda depends on which piper you want to pay.

Gasser will have less upkeep but higher fuel consumption but lower upfront cost. Diesel will be better fuel mileage, better towing experience but higher maintenance and upfront costs.

For longevity you need to be thinking 200k plus miles..modern gas engines with basic maintenance make that easily and have for a few decades now.

IMO, any more less than 30% towing time isn’t making sense to have a diesel anymore financially. It’s purely a want in my view. My 16 F350 (86k mi) sits unless it’s towing, and my ‘03 F150 (36k miles) is my run about truck. Both my vehicles are paid off, but if I had to buy a new one…it would likely be a gas F350 with the 7.3l gas engine and ten speed automatic.

it would likely be a gas F350 with the 7.3l gas engine and ten speed automatic.
What kind of mileage do you suppose that’d get? I really want a rig to carry my camper and not sure how a gas engine would do for hauling and mileage…?

 

[Red500]

Whats wrong with the gasser?

It doesn't have a check mark beside it, apparently that makes a big difference.

 

[WagginTail]

A Ford dealer in Coeur d’Alene Idaho namely Mike White Ford

Interesting. I was curious and went on the Ford website and did not see those engine options. I do know there is a high output option for the 6.7 diesel now. These trucks have the Red 6.7 emblem instead of black

 

[Vikes79]

it would likely be a gas F350 with the 7.3l gas engine and ten speed automatic.
What kind of mileage do you suppose that’d get? I really want a rig to carry my camper and not sure how a gas engine would do for hauling and mileage…?

Likely 10s and 12s maybe low as 8 depending on gears and load. Could be as low as 6.

 

[HBarlow]

it would likely be a gas F350 with the 7.3l gas engine and ten speed automatic.
What kind of mileage do you suppose that’d get? I really want a rig to carry my camper and not sure how a gas engine would do for hauling and mileage…?

If your plan is to haul a slide-in camper Ford's gas engine will give you about 6 or 8 mpg with a tall cabover slide-in. You can find people who will tell you their truck gets 18 - 20 mpg hauling a camper.

If you believe in santa Claus and the Easter Bunny, you can also believe them.

 

[Bighat]

In the WV mountains I get about 12 mpg or a little less pulling a 30' camper with a 6.7 Ford.

 

[ToddACimer]

it would likely be a gas F350 with the 7.3l gas engine and ten speed automatic.
What kind of mileage do you suppose that’d get? I really want a rig to carry my camper and not sure how a gas engine would do for hauling and mileage…?

I'll chime in with some 7.3L experience. I like it. Fuel economy is not great but it's really not bad. To and from work I get 11.9-12.8. Annual mileage is 11.8. I can't find 14mpg. I've towed about 3000 miles with it and towing 2 machines is between 9.5 and 10. My trailer and 2 machines are about 7k and we generally have about 1200lbs in payload. Compared to my F150, the towing mileage is about the same but the truck has more room and rides better. Air bags are nice. The f350 has plenty of margin left for payload and trailer weight. I was consistently overloaded with my f150.

Couple suggestions, if you don't want to look cool, don't get a Tremor. The ride is decent, square edge bumps are worse but most other things aren't much different than an f150 with load range E tires. 4.30 gears are deep, even with 35s and the 10 speed. Even with a 1 ton air bags are great and really balance the bounce out of the truck.

Doing some quick math. My buddy has a 2020 F350 diesel and generally gets 12-12.5 where I get 9.5-10. Fuel cost is a wash for us and the softer suspension and air bags of my Tremor vs his non Tremor makes it a more comfortable ride. Massage seats help too. I don't regret buying a more loaded 7.3l truck vs a less optioned Diesel

 

[Vikes79]

To backup my previous comments and what others have said…here’s a pretty good video. I wish the trim levels compared were the same as that’s really the real world convo, but it shows the motor comparison well. A $12k difference on engine cost would be hard for me to swallow…

 

[Remington]

To backup my previous comments and what others have said…here’s a pretty good video. I wish the trim levels compared were the same as that’s really the real world convo, but it shows the motor comparison well. A $12k difference on engine cost would be hard for me to swallow…

I watched that a while back when I was upgrading my truck. Those guys are good.
I drove a std and a HO and I couldn't tell the difference. To be honest the GMC 6.6 DMax I ended up getting I felt had alot more zip that those 2. Its @970ftp of torque. They are all close right now. All depends on the gear set up as well.

 

[Hometeam]

My last 3 trucks have been Ford diesels and I have been very happy with them. Mostly just normal maintenance and they get beat on. My current 2022 F250 diesel has 80k on it it’s been a good truck too. I deleted and tuned all of them. I do like the Cummins a lot but around here the rest of the truck (Dodge) falls apart and rust out to quickly, so it won’t make it as long as I use them. (Not the Cummins just the truck)
The 2 options for a diesel on Fords site is they offer a high output one now that has a different turbo and some other things. The 10sp trans is really nice! For me the only Cummins I would choose would to be paired with the Aisin transmission. But I think that is only available in the 1 ton version….or was when I was last looking. The big 3 all put out a decent truck today. But honestly Ford has been the only one to handle our day to day construction abuse out of the 3 brands. In my opinion if you are going to leave all the emissions crap on it then I would just get a gaser. I know I said I pick Ford but I seriously would not be disappointed driving any of the big 3…..GM being last though!) I’m not brand loyal with my trucks…. I gotta use what cost us the least in maintenance. Give me a Cummins in my Ford and I would be in earthly heaven!

 

[HBarlow]

I've scanned the posts discussing the Ford 7.3 liter gas engine and am surprised that no one has mentioned torque.

Torque is what pulls a heavy load up a long grade and the engine rpm at which the engine produces maximum torque is very important.

475 ft. lbs. is not a lot of forque in trucks now. I bought a new Ford F250 HD with a 460 ci gas V8, E4OD, and 4.10 gears in 1994. It produced 405 ft. lbs. of torque at 2400 rpm. That meant it would pull my Airstream trailer at 2400 rpm up (slight) grades in 2nd or 3rd gear at an easy 2400 rpm. The GM 454 produced about the same torque but at much higher rpm. In ttuth, the Ford was a dog. It delivered 10 mpg empty or loaded and couldn't get out of it's own way. The new Dodge-Cummins 6 speed w/3.55 gears I bought in 2001 would pull steeper grades faster in 6th gear at 1600 rpm. It produced about 540 ft. lbs. at 1600 rpm.

The specs below tell us that the nee Ford trucks produce a little more torque than in 1994 but to pull any load at all it will be winding 4000 rpm in a lower gear, guzzling fuel.

The Ford 7.3 gas engine is a powerful and advanced gasoline engine for Super Duty trucks and other applications1234.Some of the specs of the Ford 7.3 gas engine are12354:

• Displacement: 7.3L, 445ci
• Compression Ratio: 10.5:1
• Horsepower: 430 hp at 5,500 rpm
• Torque: 475 lb-ft at 4,000 rpm
• Bore: 107.2 mm

If it was my choice, I would prefer a clean, relatively low miles used diesel dually. My choice would be Dodge-Cummins but all three will get the job done. If you drive an empty or lightly loaded truck, gasoline is fine but a diesel is required to pull a trailer up a hill.

 

[Vikes79]

I've scanned the posts discussing the Ford 7.3 liter gas engine and am surprised that no one has mentioned torque.

Torque is what pulls a heavy load up a long grade and the engine rpm at which the engine produces maximum torque is very important.

475 ft. lbs. is not a lot of forque in trucks now. I bought a new Ford F250 HD with a 460 ci gas V8, E4OD, and 4.10 gears in 1994. It produced 405 ft. lbs. of torque at 2400 rpm. That meant it would pull my Airstream trailer at 2400 rpm up (slight) grades in 2nd or 3rd gear at an easy 2400 rpm. The GM 454 produced about the same torque but at much higher rpm. In ttuth, the Ford was a dog. It delivered 10 mpg empty or loaded and couldn't get out of it's own way. The new Dodge-Cummins 6 speed w/3.55 gears I bought in 2001 would pull steeper grades faster in 6th gear at 1600 rpm. It produced about 540 ft. lbs. at 1600 rpm.

The specs below tell us that the nee Ford trucks produce a little more torque than in 1994 but to pull any load at all it will be winding 4000 rpm in a lower gear, guzzling fuel.

The Ford 7.3 gas engine is a powerful and advanced gasoline engine for Super Duty trucks and other applications1234.Some of the specs of the Ford 7.3 gas engine are12354:

• Displacement: 7.3L, 445ci
• Compression Ratio: 10.5:1
• Horsepower: 430 hp at 5,500 rpm
• Torque: 475 lb-ft at 4,000 rpm
• Bore: 107.2 mm

If it was my choice, I would prefer a clean, relatively low miles used diesel dually. My choice would be Dodge-Cummins but all three will get the job done. If you drive an empty or lightly loaded truck, gasoline is fine but a diesel is required to pull a trailer up a hill.

Maybe you missed the part where the trucks pulled the grade at exactly the same time and the difference in fuel economy was a little over .8 of a mpg for the same stretch and load.

The 10spd transmission is the real equalizer for the gasser.

 

[ChadD]

it would likely be a gas F350 with the 7.3l gas engine and ten speed automatic.
What kind of mileage do you suppose that’d get? I really want a rig to carry my camper and not sure how a gas engine would do for hauling and mileage…?

Had some friends over couple days ago. One has a diesel ford and other has the gasser. Diesel guy says his searches for gears way more than the gasser. Actually admitted the gasser tows better. 🤷‍♂️. No idea on mileage

 

[1HasBeen]

Not by any stretch. Cummins has their share of problems as well. Especially considering until recently the chassis the Cummins was in was a real pile of rolling crap.

U.S. engine maker facing largest Clean Air Act penalty ever over emissions test cheating accusations

Indiana-based Cummins, which denied wrongdoing, is accused of installing so-called defeat devices on nearly 1 million pickup trucks.

www.nbcnews.com

Ford changed from the 7.3 to the 6.0 inorder to meet the requirements. Dodge/Ram took another route.

I'll be sure to warn my hotshot friend with just over a million miles across four Cummins/Aisin trucks with no failures of his "piles of rolling crap". Zero engine failures, zero transmission issues, zero driveline issues. His current 2022 5500 has over 200K on it. GMAFB

 

[Remington]

am surprised that no one has mentioned torque.

I did! Haha

 

[Remington]

I'll be sure to warn my hotshot friend with just over a million miles across four Cummins/Aisin trucks with no failures of his "piles of rolling crap". Zero engine failures, zero transmission issues, zero driveline issues. His current 2022 5500 has over 200K on it. GMAFB

They belong in the Smithsonian cuz thats rare AF with once of those!