Home Forums Gear Hunting Trucks and Four-Wheel Drives Need a Diesel Truck

Since it's been 3 weeks and no word on my stolen truck I assume I'm not getting it back in one piece. I have started my insurance claim though I'm not sure what they value my truck at yet. I had a 2000 F250 4x4 Diesel. I want another truck of similar breed where all the known issues can be corrected and it's reliability is priority. Seems to be a truck in similar condition/miles to mine that was stolen are approaching $30K. That's 10K more than I paid for it 8 years ago. I'd think Ford has the best body, frame, and drivetrain, but I might be interested in others if I can be convinced that it's as good.

I'm wondering if anything else is worth looking at rather then getting something similar to what was taken from me. I see 05-07 6.0s with Lariat trim for cheaper than an XLT 7.3 with similar miles... I've heard people still don't trust them, and others say they are good to go now that the issues are solved. I know the 6.4 is not worth getting as those engines are not able to be rebuilt. Probably can't afford a 6.7 and I'm not sure I can afford to work of them as their technology/parts are extremely expensive, and I haven't looked into their reliability.

I don't need fancy heated/cooled seats, nav, bluetooth, or any other electronic stuff. A stone reliable truck is what I'm after not a 4x4 Lincoln. So, what say you... 7.3? 6.0? Buy a clean truck and drop a 5.9 in it? I'm open to all suggestions, but it must be a solid front axle 4x4. Thanks guys.

If that's the case, I wonder how the hell Jasper rebuilt the 6.4 that is in the ranch truck after the original blew.....

I just saw a late 90's Ford with the 7.3 and manual with 27K original miles for $25K. Damn tempting.

What configuration? If it’s a long bed crew I’ll buy it.

I’d have done a Cummins conversion before I put more $$ in a 6.4l.
Buddy did one on a 6.0l and it’s been trouble free for 10-12 years. F350 crew dually with a hydra bed.

Where is Vinland? 2 years ago I bought a 2000 7.3 dually with a 6 speed for $8K. It have 270K miles, but it ran OK. I put GP, GP relay and 2 injectors in it. I also put a posi unit in the rear diff, tires and a parking brake assy w/shoes.

My brother just bought a 2001 7.3 F-250 auto for $14K. 1 owner, garage kept 165K miles. A bulletproofed 6.0L should be fine. Run very fast from the 6.4. The 94-98 7.3s are OK and are simpler to work on. Finding one in good shape might be difficult. I prefer an ext cab and manual trans, if you have desires that limit your choices too, it makes things harder.

I knew someone would bitch about that... I read they aren't worth fixing.. I changed the verbiage to indicate that information as I'm NOT interested in them whatsoever.

I'm originally from SoCal, but I've been traveling a bunch the last year or so. Currently in Indianapolis where my truck was stolen. I got a 10K trailer sitting unused because I don't have a truck to move it with. I get down south often, AR, MS, Tejas, AZ, NM, etc.

I'm going to buy something soon, as my insurance is giving me grief and I cannot wait for their payment. Hopefully I can find something in the next two weeks as I need to move a bunch of material for the next projects soon. My truck was a 7.3L 4x4 shortbed with the ZF trans in near perfect shape, so yeah... I'm still heated about losing it, and it took 6+ months to find that combo 8 years ago.

Thanks again for any advice or leads ya'll may have.

05-07 6.0 powerstroke is a known commodity once you put a few thousand into bulletproofing. That would be my choice for a pre emissions diesel truck.

What’s your budget?

Trying to stay around $25K, but I'm looking for a CLEAN truck...

PM sent

Sounds like you want my truck, but I'm just not ready to sell it yet.

2000 F250 XLT
Four Wheel Drive
7.3
Six-speed rebuilt to above factory standards
Super duty Super cab
287,000 miles
Fiberglass canopy
All black with custom chrome wheels

I can not go anywhere without getting compliments on my truck.

I give her a McGuires paste wax twice a year.

I love my old truck.

Where the hell is Vinland?

Yes it would be !!!

My aunt just sold her farm truck. It was a 2000 F250 Lariat Crew cab 4x4, 7.3/auto with 150k on it. A few bumps and bruises from farm life but no major wrinkles. She took it to the dealer to get something fixed before selling it and they offered her “top dollar” in their words, $7k. She sold it to a friend’s son for $14k and they both felt like they got a good deal.

It’s incredible to me what 20 or more year old diesel pickups are selling for.

I’m getting ready to sell mine. Dealer offered me what seems to be a fair deal but that tells me they’re going to sell it for a bunch more. I’d rather sell it to someone personally for the same money rather than let the dealer make a bunch of money on it. I hate buying at the car dealer more than any other thing in life. I have a new bronco on order but I’ll drive my spare until that comes in.

As kid has mentioned, they are older trucks. Being in the 20 yr range, seals will show their age. There are many of them. Stupid-easy to tear into the top end of these big blocks and get after them:

Some of my obesevations so far:
High pressure oil pump and high pressure oil lines run at thousands of psi, to pop off the injectors. Oil leaks will happen. The oil leaks into the valley and down the back of the engine, mimicking a rear main seal leak. New hoses and and hpop rebuild is all of $250 dollars. $140 for the ipr valve, which controls throttle response and idle. Too easy to rebuild.

https://www.accuratediesel.com/shop/164.html

Garret turbo also has a bunch of seals, pull it and reseal it/ upgrade it. The original turbine and compressor wheel is archaic geometry. Replace with a KC turbos kit.

https://kcturbos.com/collections/7-...d-assembly-diy-turbo-kit-7-3-powerstroke

The waste gate appears to blow off boost at about 18 psi on mine. Replace it with a Banks big head waste gate.

https://www.bankspower.com/i-1105-b...03-ford-f250-f350-7-3l-power-stroke.html


The engine de-fuels at 22-23 psi of boost. Install a boost fooler that regulates boost signal so as not to defuel the engine.

https://www.riffraffdiesel.com/ocr-...L0wOKjJ9Oe6ApYppMgF7r74lLfhoCp7EQAvD_BwE

Injectors have coolant flowing through them, diesel fuel flowing into them, and oil flowing into them. There are o rings to prevent leaks. It is $12 to reseal each injector. When you do glow plugs, just reseal them if they are the originals.

https://www.accuratediesel.com/shop/94.html

Camshaft appears to be forged, billet steel, lifters are roller lifters. They don't need to be lashed, but two of my rockers were loose. Re-torque them all.

Ford motorcraft glow plug relay is Garbage, replace with a bigger, white Rodgers relay.

https://www.amazon.com/RODGERS-586-902-CONTACTOR-SPST-NO-BRACKET/dp/B00DE3HY4K

OEM battery size is not sufficient in a cold environment, build new battery trays for the big Napa commercial, 1000 cold crank amp batteries.

https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/NBP7234

OEM Starter is too small and slow in winter weather, replace with a gigantic, under-driven starter and it will spin your motor at twice the rpms on start-up.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B004D0HNUS/ref=psdcmw_15731421_t1_B000VVXKMS

Factory airbox is restrictive and the old, thin plastic will have cracks. The stock air filter is puny. Due to oil droplets cycling through from the valve cover into the air filter sytem, the dry paper filters get gunked up quick. Especially if you drive around areas with forest fire smoke in the air. Replace with a new unit.

https://www.riffraffdiesel.com/s-b-...ZRFsSp_Qh2yVIHzF6kfh1g3TsERoCNSYQAvD_BwE


Anyhow, cheap and easy motor to work on and upgrade. Old seals are old seals, nothing to get worried about.

That's good info Mainer, and I had done some of those upgrades already, and was waiting for a reason to do the rest. I've been looking for a month now, and all I can find are $20K rusted out & beat to sheit work trucks or $27-32K clean trucks like I had. I'm so F(_)CKING disappointed and angry with myself for not installing an active anti-theft system. Thanks for all the comments, and LMK if ya'll know of someone getting rid of a 2000-2007 F250/350 4x4. I really don't want to spend $30K, especially when my insurance company is still jackin' me around, but I need a truck soon...

I might actually start looking into Dodges, but I'm more comfortable with F Series'.

Ballistic, don't get too caught up on the manual transmission option. The auto is a good set up. I test drove the manual 7.3, and felt like it fell off boost and had to work through turbo lag while getting into the next gear.


I just finished a 670 mile trip in my ole army buddy's big rig. It was a 2019 Freightliner, we were hauling a massive conveyor belt system to Anchorage international airport.

That big rig had an AUTO! That thing shifted like a boss. We averaged 7.96 mpg. He ain't running gears no more, he's only 378,000 miles into the new truck and transmission has been flawless.

**Forgot one more thing:
Now would be a good time to upgrade to f350. You'll have a better high pinion Dana 60, rather than the Dana 50 on the f250. The ring gear and axle shafts are much smaller on the Dana 50. I'm pretty sure I would snap Dana 50 axles like twigs in a single firewood season.

Good info!