Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire More on Ford's 7.3 L Motor

Only way a diesel will pay for itself is if you work it hard and a lot (all the time). Then you'd better hope the rest of the truck can keep pace with the motor, and that the motor is a good one. Regular maintenance costs are much higher so it is not just the original diesel motor upcharge that you pay for.
Had a decent late 90s 7.3 powerstroke that I ran to about 225K (miles). Probably only towed/packed weight 10-15% of the time, and only about 5500 lbs. Diesel was cheaper then, no DEF, etc. but in the end the trans was going so it got sold off before I dug a bigger hole with repairs. New gas half ton fills the role nicely and is much nicer/easier to drive, though it doesn't carry the same load (neither do I any more!).

Redneck posts up some good numbers.


For the long distance leisure crowd, hotshot drivers, and maybe local guys who do some heavier hauling over longer distances, a diesel makes more sense.


If you go by fuel costs alone, it takes a really long time to pay off a diesel engine. Longer than you might think.

I see these never diesles as sort of a "luxury tax". The option is expensive, the maintenence is higher, DEF is lame,....but when you want the power you have it.


With a big gas engine option, you dont have to pay the high upfront Luxury tax, but still have a powerful engine.



We have three diesel pickups on the farm. I like them too, but for daily "in the trenches" work.....I dont care for them like I did.

What did you stick in there?

The stock cam wiped a lobe off so I installed a Raylar 203 cam. Did the Raylar roller rockers too.


Should have went with the 202..........but never would have anyway.

IF... in 2003 when The EPA dropped the hammer on all diesels and ended the 7.3l Ford... Ford management had done the right thing and said "Sorry fellas, we got caught cold and have not yet finished debugging our 6.0l, PLEASE BEAR WITH US, we are working 24/7/365 to get it right." I would still drive Fords.

I would post up the cam card....but it was so faded it was almost useless.


Also, I swore, legally swore never to post it anywhere.......

I think you're right Jim.

I can't find where they spec their cams other than the brief verbal descriptions.

They made you sign a non-disclosure agreement?

Yeah, they are a bit cagey.

I called and talked to the owner a couple times. Kinda told him about the Comp Cams specs....and we decided on a Raylar.


Honestly, I cant remember if I did the 202 or the 203.

The idle sucks......potato potato potato.......

Vaccuum is shot to hell, MAP thinks we are WOT all the time I am sure. The fuel system is OPEN at all times.

I have really confused the hell out of the old computer.....





She goes like hell above 2000!

No.....scouts honor type of thing.



I am confused now. I have to find the box.....and the card to remember what I bought.



Will see if I can get you some numbers later.

I had a F-250 with the 7.3 powerstroke, don't recall he year? 2000 or 2001? I have owned three since, all GM trucks. I get the family discount so this was why I bought the GM's. My Ford was my hunting and fishing vehicle. I sold it after 6 years with only 80,000 miles on it. I wish I would of kept it, best truck I have ever had. Pulled a 29 ft fifth wheeler and a 19 ft boat down the road like I was not even there.

I had a 97 F250 with the 460 in it, it was a great tow rig if you didn't mind the crappy gas mileage but honestly, it never got much above 12 mpg even unloaded. I miss that truck and would have kept it if it would have had the crew cab.

LOL...

Remeber that Chevy converted 350 to diesel engine... The LF9...?

my point was more along the lines of it should have never happened to begin with

Some folks bate the triton motors. Ive had great luck with them (knocks wood).

I'm into basics. 2005 long bed F-150, Essex 4.2 liter V6, 5 speed stick. They run a lot better than you would expect and are widely considered to be the best F-150 motor Ford ever built. I've had two of them.

I have 97 f350 7.3 pulls 32 ft camper like it wasn't anything get over 15 mpg ,has 172,000 miles on it 2 wheel drive 5 speed

The 7.3s were pretty dang good diesels.(and still are) Ive been online truck shopping and a dealer has a 2000 7.3 with 550k miles advertised.

Other than towing heavy I'd take a gas over a diesel any day. But for towing a diesel just rocks. Maybe with low gears and a 8sp or 10sp a gas will be a better towing option. Also a turbo engine is really nice at higher altitudes. I opted for a diesel but it won't ever pay off in MPG over a gas, but it's way nicer to tow with, just more expensive. If I lived in the flat lands I could probably live with a gas engine, but towing in the Rockies the gas engines really work. My last gas truck got 6 mpg towing my toy hauler and the diesel gets 9 mpg. Plus the diesel has power to spare pulling hills, while the gas would be running 5k rpm just to hold speed up the same hill. Just towing around town the gas was good enough, but it struggled with heavier loads like a 13k excavator up a steep grade.