I have been in search of an older f250 with the 7.3l powerstroke for quite a while now and have'nt had so much luck finding one. I have constantly been told to avoid the 6.0l and just keep looking for the 7.3l. I have heard the horror stories of the early 6.0's but what about the later ones? Why is the 7.3 considered to be so much better and why not go with one of the later 6.0's?
7.3l vs 6.0l powerstroke, which one and why?
UrbanGreen
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I have been in search of an older f250 with the 7.3l powerstroke for quite a while now and have'nt had so much luck finding one. I have constantly been told to avoid the 6.0l and just keep looking for the 7.3l. I have heard the horror stories of the early 6.0's but what about the later ones? Why is the 7.3 considered to be so much better and why not go with one of the later 6.0's?
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Look I'm not trying to be a dick.....
But this subject has been discussed ad nauseam on about 357,621,802,653,775,219 different internet forums since 04' when the new 6.0 replaced the 7.3.
Please make liberal use of the SEARCH function on this and MANY other forums.
But this subject has been discussed ad nauseam on about 357,621,802,653,775,219 different internet forums since 04' when the new 6.0 replaced the 7.3.
Please make liberal use of the SEARCH function on this and MANY other forums.
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Look for a 05 to 07 6.0 and get a OASIS report on it. I bought a 03 6.0 but the OASIS was clean and I'am happy with the truck. You are going to have a very tough time finding a 7.3 powered truck most of them are worn out high mileage trucks.
Ford trucks are always in demand people want them so its why its hard to find a good used truck.
I looked for a long time to find a F-450 or F-550 with 7.3 couldn't find a truck in good shape so I looked at the 6.0. I took my time looking for a 6.0 too.
The pros about the 6.0
More power over a 7.3
Quieter than a 7.3
Fuel economy is a little better
The Cons
You could end up with a truck that a dealer and owner made into a problem child. The biggest problem with the 6.0 was the dealers that can't work on them and made the simple problem worse. The owners are at fault for not doing maintenance and having a tuner pushing the engine past its limits.
The people that boo hoo the 6.0 are people that never owned one or ones that had one and caused their own problems and had a dealer with a inexperienced mechanic.
The newer 6.0s had most of the problems cured but they still can have troubles.
The 6.0 is a little more finnicky about maintenance like keeping the oil changed and the fuel filters kept up.
Once you get a 6.0 GRIN you will never get rid of it. I will never go back to a 7.3 again. To start with I don't think I could take the noise and the 7.3 doesn't have near the tire fire power as a 6.0 in stock form.
Oh ya a OASIS report is the trucks repair history done through Ford it shows all the warranty work done. If the OASIS report comes out to be a laundry list of problems then don't buy the truck.
Ford trucks are always in demand people want them so its why its hard to find a good used truck.
I looked for a long time to find a F-450 or F-550 with 7.3 couldn't find a truck in good shape so I looked at the 6.0. I took my time looking for a 6.0 too.
The pros about the 6.0
More power over a 7.3
Quieter than a 7.3
Fuel economy is a little better
The Cons
You could end up with a truck that a dealer and owner made into a problem child. The biggest problem with the 6.0 was the dealers that can't work on them and made the simple problem worse. The owners are at fault for not doing maintenance and having a tuner pushing the engine past its limits.
The people that boo hoo the 6.0 are people that never owned one or ones that had one and caused their own problems and had a dealer with a inexperienced mechanic.
The newer 6.0s had most of the problems cured but they still can have troubles.
The 6.0 is a little more finnicky about maintenance like keeping the oil changed and the fuel filters kept up.
Once you get a 6.0 GRIN you will never get rid of it. I will never go back to a 7.3 again. To start with I don't think I could take the noise and the 7.3 doesn't have near the tire fire power as a 6.0 in stock form.
Oh ya a OASIS report is the trucks repair history done through Ford it shows all the warranty work done. If the OASIS report comes out to be a laundry list of problems then don't buy the truck.
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Thanks for the helpful reply. I didn't think about the OASIS report before thank you.
I'll speak with actual ownership information for me as well as some of my subs and friends.
I had a 2004 F250 6.0.
Had.
Within the first 15,000 miles the truck needed work on the heads (twice), the turbo (once), and the transmission (twice). The suggestion from Ford was that we should add additive to each fill-up and they gave us three bottles complimentary. The additive was diesel kleen under another name no doubt.
A very good sub (and friend) has just recently had his 2005 6.0 in the shop twice in two months for turbo work. Mine died/puked on the on-ramp.
My local shop works on quite a bit of 6.0's for a federal agency.
I gave up on my 6.0 and found a very gently used 2003 F350 CC 7.3 PSD.
GR can talk crap about the 7.3 PSD all he wants. The 7.3 is the most reliable diesel engine FORD made. Period. There are numerous individuals on a very popular Ford Forum that switched from the 6.0 to the 7.3. You can expect 300,000+ from the engine with maintenance. However, the 7.3 variants will have the weaker Ford 4R100 transmission.
When the 6.0 works and runs there is no comparison between it and the 7.3 The 6.0 will pull away in every category over the 7.3. 7.3 Noisier? Yep. 7.3 lacks HP? Yep.
I however want my truck to start and run when expected. My 6.0 resulted in 4 weeks lost downtime in one year. My 7.3 will tow my 12,000 lbs just like the 6.0. I might arrive a few minutes later but I can expect to arrive.
The 2006 and 2007 models of the 6.0 seem to be much better products. If looking at one stick to those years. However, be prepared for high repair costs in the back of your mind-they will most likely come at some point.
As an aside if you really want something that approaches the 6.0, find yourself a V10 6.8L Ford and swap the ring gears out to the 4.30. That truck very nearly equals the 6.0/6.4 in towing performance. I'm moving my F350 down to crew truck category in the near term and have my sights set on the V10.
I had a 2004 F250 6.0.
Had.
Within the first 15,000 miles the truck needed work on the heads (twice), the turbo (once), and the transmission (twice). The suggestion from Ford was that we should add additive to each fill-up and they gave us three bottles complimentary. The additive was diesel kleen under another name no doubt.
A very good sub (and friend) has just recently had his 2005 6.0 in the shop twice in two months for turbo work. Mine died/puked on the on-ramp.
My local shop works on quite a bit of 6.0's for a federal agency.
I gave up on my 6.0 and found a very gently used 2003 F350 CC 7.3 PSD.
GR can talk crap about the 7.3 PSD all he wants. The 7.3 is the most reliable diesel engine FORD made. Period. There are numerous individuals on a very popular Ford Forum that switched from the 6.0 to the 7.3. You can expect 300,000+ from the engine with maintenance. However, the 7.3 variants will have the weaker Ford 4R100 transmission.
When the 6.0 works and runs there is no comparison between it and the 7.3 The 6.0 will pull away in every category over the 7.3. 7.3 Noisier? Yep. 7.3 lacks HP? Yep.
I however want my truck to start and run when expected. My 6.0 resulted in 4 weeks lost downtime in one year. My 7.3 will tow my 12,000 lbs just like the 6.0. I might arrive a few minutes later but I can expect to arrive.
The 2006 and 2007 models of the 6.0 seem to be much better products. If looking at one stick to those years. However, be prepared for high repair costs in the back of your mind-they will most likely come at some point.
As an aside if you really want something that approaches the 6.0, find yourself a V10 6.8L Ford and swap the ring gears out to the 4.30. That truck very nearly equals the 6.0/6.4 in towing performance. I'm moving my F350 down to crew truck category in the near term and have my sights set on the V10.
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03-05 6.0's had their problems, but there were still quite a few good ones out there. 06 and 07 had very little issues and are great trucks to own. They beat the 7.3 in every category.
I used to own an 04 6.0 that was very problematic. But i would own another one. It was my own dang fault for buying and 04 and not getting an oasis report. You should never buy a first year engine. So in closing if you can find an 02 or 03 7.3 with under 100k miles jump on it. Otherwise get an 06-07 powerstroke.
And as someone else stated the V10 is a great engine, even tho its a gasser.
I used to own an 04 6.0 that was very problematic. But i would own another one. It was my own dang fault for buying and 04 and not getting an oasis report. You should never buy a first year engine. So in closing if you can find an 02 or 03 7.3 with under 100k miles jump on it. Otherwise get an 06-07 powerstroke.
And as someone else stated the V10 is a great engine, even tho its a gasser.
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When the Ford dominate clan talks trash about the rest I have ZERO PITTY?? quietly these threads have emerged across the WWW over the years. Lawnsite has been drinking the Ford "Kool Aide" for WAYYY to long. The 7.3L vs 6.0L debate is never ending Many would ride the Ford brand loyalty bus off the bridge if only to save their own arse; which is insane. Ford & International are suing each other over who should be responsible for excessive warranty claims, that alone has drove owners away from Ford.
Here's some salt for the wound
http://www.fordcummins.com/
6.0 main flaw is weak head gaskets, easy fix with APR head studs that will solve many of the issues. Some folks were smarter, and invest in the APR head studs right out of the box
Aftermarket intercooler solves the turbo issues
EGR delete is "illegal":sleeping:, but is the last weak link
The 6.0 will then lay down some reliable neck snapping torque
With the most trucks on the road Ford should have it right, but that's always been the excuse for their problems.
Here's some salt for the wound
http://www.fordcummins.com/
6.0 main flaw is weak head gaskets, easy fix with APR head studs that will solve many of the issues. Some folks were smarter, and invest in the APR head studs right out of the box
Aftermarket intercooler solves the turbo issues
EGR delete is "illegal":sleeping:, but is the last weak link
The 6.0 will then lay down some reliable neck snapping torque
With the most trucks on the road Ford should have it right, but that's always been the excuse for their problems.
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2,240 Posts
'04 powerstroke owner here. I LOVE MY TRUCK!!! I cant believe I am about to type this, but Gravel Rat is right. Once you get the 6.0 grin, you will never go back. Gravel Rat is also very right about most of the problems are inflicted by the owners themselves. I will caution you about some of the problems. The 6.0 have an internal EGR cooler. They tend to fail. There is a very simple procedure to remove it. This is the one biggest problem with these engines. The removal costs are less than $200 if you do it yourself. PM and I can tell you more. The engines also sometimes blow head gaskets. But this is mostly due to jacka$$'s hotrodding their engines. Trust me, I'm one of those jacka$$'s:hammerhead::hammerhead: I had it fixed under warranty and at the same time they upgraded the head bolts with head studs. No more problems You will hear people say that these engines cant idle because it will destroy the turbo. This is why the EGR delete is so important. My truck idles heavily. My personal truck has over 7000 hours with no problems. My work truck, from when I worked in the utility company, which was a 6.0 also, had 22000 hours. I trust my 6.0. Get one. You will be very happy. Find a good dealer that has a good diesel mechanic. If you are looking for a good website, check out Powerstroke.org. Great info on there.
You will hear people say that these engines cant idle because it will destroy the turbo. This is why the EGR delete is so important. My truck idles heavily. My personal truck has over 7000 hours with no problems. My work truck, from when I worked in the utility company, which was a 6.0 also, had 22000 hours. I trust my 6.0. Get one. You will be very happy. Find a good dealer that has a good diesel mechanic. If you are looking for a good website, check out Powerstroke.org. Great info on there.Can you explain the intent of your post? Was it an attack against FORD owners? What Kool-Aide are you referring to? Seriously what was the point of the first paragraph?
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He had a ford that let him down pretty early in the trucks life. I too would be pissed. I do think that it was a 7.3 also. He switched to dodge, which has a much better engine if you ask me, but I still like the ford truck myself. I think that ford has a better fit and finish.
You need to understand that people will stick up for they vehicles, even when it is on fire and up side down. "Did you see my truck burn, a stuipd chevy would never burn that good":laugh::laugh::laugh: I am a diehard 6.0 owner. I did have to invest a butt load of money to get my truck to its point, but it will kick the snot out of most any truck I come up against. Most of my problems were caused by me, so I hold ford at no fault. Happy new year everyone.
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Crystal Creek,
I pm you some questions, thanks
I pm you some questions, thanks
On second thought, don't clarify....Your reference to the FordCummins.com combination just proves that Ford makes a good product, Cummins makes a good product but Dodge...well not so much.
Just kidding, I drink no Kool-Aid but do not want to be attacked for driving a FORD just because of someone else's bad experience. Right now I have my eye on two trucks-a 2008 Ford F350 and a 2007 Dodge 3500. I really like the Dodge (and it would be my first). At this point I have great difficulty on buying a Ford 6.4 diesel since my Sick.0 experience. No hesitation on a Cummins diesel-ever. My wife prefers the Ford because the Dodge is Quad Cab and not Mega. My family rides with me occasionally-all 5 of us and none of us are, well, height challenged.
They all make lemons, FORD and Dodge included. My 6.0 was a lemon to me-and it remains firmly etched in my brain cells. Well, Cheverolet has been making watered down lemonade for years.
Yep, Happy New Year to all (and God bless us everyone.)
Just kidding, I drink no Kool-Aid but do not want to be attacked for driving a FORD just because of someone else's bad experience. Right now I have my eye on two trucks-a 2008 Ford F350 and a 2007 Dodge 3500. I really like the Dodge (and it would be my first). At this point I have great difficulty on buying a Ford 6.4 diesel since my Sick.0 experience. No hesitation on a Cummins diesel-ever. My wife prefers the Ford because the Dodge is Quad Cab and not Mega. My family rides with me occasionally-all 5 of us and none of us are, well, height challenged.
They all make lemons, FORD and Dodge included. My 6.0 was a lemon to me-and it remains firmly etched in my brain cells. Well, Cheverolet has been making watered down lemonade for years.
Yep, Happy New Year to all (and God bless us everyone.)
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Do some searching on Lawnsite? you will then see the Wolf pack style attacks on anyone whom may questions a Fords bulletproof(kool-aide) or reliability factor or owns a GM or Dodge product and is happy.
I had an 02 F-350 7.3L dually buy 40,000 miles the 4R100 was trashed, multiple cam position sensors, at 45,000 miles constant HEUI injector trouble, add that to poor dealer service trying to leave me with the warranty work cost BS.
International copied the HEUI unit injector from Caterpillar for the 7.3L; which is one of the main reasons Caterpillar will be done with onroad/highway diesel engine production.
Not directed towards you, but the "Veteran Lawnsite Hierarchy":laugh:
Bottom line no truck or diesel engine is bulletproof, the fact many Ford owners cannot take any debating or criticism, but sure dish it out is typical of Lawnsite
Sorry if your think this is a personal poke at you
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We use to run the 7.3 great truck and very strong. Until I drove a DODGE @%)) LWB $ DR $WD CUMMINS. out pulls and 20 mpg empty and 17 towing. Plus they are 6 cyl which is a little cheaper on insurance . The inline 6 is easier to work on and since ford is usuing twin turbos now they are more problems than they are woth. have to lift the whole cab off the chasis to get to the turbo. So with this in mind , try driving a Dodge 2500 or 3500 lwb you will be surprised and possibly converted . I know we were . Best of luck
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2500 4wd 4 dr
Sorry about the crap you went through on the 7.3. That really surprises me.
I can see your experience leaving that bitter after taste. Had I not already had a good relationship with the 7.3 then I would have left Ford if all I could look around and see were more 6.0 trucks. At 2002 that's all you could do was see more 7.3's.
The only thing that makes me pause on the Dodge is everything around the motor. One of my project superintendent's (diehard Ford HD) jokes that if buy a Dodge then the cummins motor will arrive intact to the jobsite, its the rest of the truck that will be left behind on the side of the road.:hammerhead:
I can see your experience leaving that bitter after taste. Had I not already had a good relationship with the 7.3 then I would have left Ford if all I could look around and see were more 6.0 trucks. At 2002 that's all you could do was see more 7.3's.
The only thing that makes me pause on the Dodge is everything around the motor. One of my project superintendent's (diehard Ford HD) jokes that if buy a Dodge then the cummins motor will arrive intact to the jobsite, its the rest of the truck that will be left behind on the side of the road.:hammerhead:
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2,581 Posts
Proof read...
thats all your getting. i went 300 miles yesterday and at 65 in our 08 cummins i was getting 24, with only 4200 miles on it. i kept resetting the mileage indicator in disbelief but it kept coming back 24.:clapping:
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