pwregan

One of my pals has a really nice f-350 with a 7.3 in it and it has low miles-120 thousand for a 2003 model, extended cab, 4wd, loaded up and a utility bed in really nice shape, no rust,dents, clean in and out.

I always felt ford made a better truck than dodge, but dodge has the cummins, everything else on my dodge has been not great, but the motor has been verry reliable, front end is a lousy design, unit bearings are not user friendly, transmission failed and on my second one,brakes are fair,cad system is failure prone due to vac lines aging,interior is probably a tie.

So, talk me down from a ford- last ford i owned was new in 1987, f-250,xlt,lariat,4wd,6.9

d22019

If it were be I would jump on the 7.3. I worked around those engines in pickups, bigger trucks and buses and very rarely did they have some major go wrong with them. They aren't the fastest or or have the best fuel consumption but the get the job done reliably. The ford trucks IMO are great too. They have nice interior and I think they are easier to work on.

duffer26

i drove a 2001 E350 for work in 01-02 and put 128,000 on that thing in 9 months and never missed a beat make sure to change the oil gally up in the highpresure pump on the front of the block it dont get oil curculated up in there like it is suposed to so you get old oil in there and it is easy to change once you know about it and only holds a quart


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1A3H1...feature=relmfu

watch all 3 parts and i was wrong it is 3 quarts

patdaly

Nope, not going to try and talk you out of it, as others have said, the 7.3 is a respectable engine, just so you know though, the Furd has unit bearings just like our Dodges, just has lockouts. And they have the same issues with those bearings until 06 or 07 when Furd made it much bigger..........

pwregan

Patdaly- i did not know that- Mr. Whoopie you're a genious!
still giving it some serious thought- thank you

Hvytrkmech

I would buy it in a second, no worries at all. As far as the videos go that guy is only partially correct. The oil in the hpop reservoir gets fed through a vain on the front of the engine directly out of the oil pump and its gets fully circulated and does NOT sit uncirculated except when the engine is off. The biggest problem that effects the HEUI system is lack of oil changes, never go more than 5000 miles. Once the oil starts to break down and shear from the hpop it foams causing all kinds of drivability issues and premature injector failures. Also gauging a failing injector by doing a buzz test is unreliable, it only actuates the intensifier piston during the buzz test. There are more detailed methods but that is another discussion.

Buy it and enjoy it for another 125k.

Hvytrkmech

You should also expect to do ball joints in that truck also, they go bad just like the Dodge ones do.

RAMRODD

Your 99 Dodge is a better all around truck then a 03 Ford with a 7.3 in my opinion

When your towing with your dodge subtract 2 mpg slow down 10 mph add 200 degrees to your pyro reading and poof that is what it is like to drive a 7.3

Red_Angus

id buy the truck, and swap the cummins in.
the 7.3L is the only diesel engine ford got right but there is nothing cheap about them.

TxDiesel007

not much to talk you out of

better reputation than a 6.0, but the 6.4 and 6.7 are catching up quick... a 7.3 will IMHO become as hard to find as a 12v manual cummins in the condition you say your potential investment is..

something to consider...

johnh

the 7.3 is an international harvester engine, not ford

Rednecktastic

I'd go with what Rammrod said.



The positive is that those 7.3s hold value real well. So you could potentially be trading into something that will hold value better than what you currently have.

roughstock

remember, in the 7.3 you have two head gaskets, 8 injectors and glow plugs. I feel they are harder to work on.
Not a bad truck, its the last of the 7.3, my buddy has one similar, excellent condition, but never worked real hard. He loves it. I still like my dodge. its your money, and its what you want, not us. Good luck.

Danderson

Buy it! I know three guys w/7.3's and they've all had great luck. Dynatrac has a free-spin conversion w/35 spline axles and Warns. The utility bed is a plus also.

SIXSLUG

IIRC 268 more parts in a 7.3 than a Cummins, however any 7.3 I have had has been a good solid driver and relatively low cost to maintain.

If I could have my way it would be an 04-05 F-350 4 door longbed with a Cummins and a Ford 6-speed.