7.3s are reliable but...

I really like my '96 7.3L pickup so far, but it's for a weird combination of reasons that are specific to me. I'm under no illusions that it's significantly more capable than other trucks on the market. I'm a Ford guy at heart, and the old square bodies are one of my favorites. It's kind of like having the most modernized '75 pickup I can get without going full rebuild on one. It's got the strength and stability to happily tow the stuff I need to tow, plus a huge margin of safety....as long as you have good trailer brakes. It's about as capable as a modern gas F150 in pulling but nowhere close in stopping. It's loud and vaguely obnoxious because it sounds like an old pulpwood truck. Which is a plus for me, but probably not for most folks. Lastly, it's got 230k on it and is mechanically solid and the interior's still in fairly good shape. Lots of minor scratches and dents but it still looks good at 50 feet and doesn't have any rust. All of which means that the $4700 or so that I've got invested in it would be easy to recoup when/if I decide to go elsewhere.

Honestly, it's like driving a fast tractor, but it's "charming."

Had a 7.3. Dumped over 6k into repairs in it over the 2 or 3 years I owned it. Truck only had 150k on it when I bought it. Worst truck I've ever owned. Now, based on how the rest of the world seems to love their 7.3s, mine must have been an anomaly, but man, what an expensive anomaly it was.

Sold it, bought a beater 454 gasser GMT400, and pocketed 10K. For the 1,000 miles a year I use a truck, that 10k will buy a LOT of gas.

My brother had a 7.3 powered truck and the engine didn't give him too much trouble but the rest of the truck was a stinking pile despite repairing everything as the issues came up. He even replaced the transmission with a factory new unit when it went out. Then finally the 7.3 corroded through the block near a freeze plug and he gave up on the truck. I wouldn't expect that to be typical but it definitely scared me off the trucks.

PLus if you live in a state with inspections, the 7.3's propensity to leak may prove problematic.

My brother has had a slew of Ford Dually diesels. He started with a 7.3, and while dirty, noisy and coarse, it was reliable and unstoppable. He then bought a 6.0 and it was more refined, but it developed an engine issue where the fix involved removing the cab from the frame--- over $5K repair.

He then bought a used 7.3, and sold the 6.0. The older truck performed it's duties well, it just wasn't "nice" in any way. He now has a 2016 Crewcab Dually with the diesel (I guess it's a 6.4), and it's an entirely different story. While running you'd be hard pressed to tell that it's a diesel. It's quiet, smooth, very powerful, and just damn nice. The interior is a massive upgrade from the older trucks too. It was also very expensive--- $70K or so.

In reply to Joe Gearin:

The new truck would be a 6.7.

As far as 7.3 vs 6.0 goes, I'd rather have a bulletproofed 6.0. Yeah, they need some fixing to be reliable and still aren't quite as solid as the 7.3, but they're a lot more refined and make something more than 5 hp from the factory.

I use my truck as a truck. When I want comfort I drive a car. My 2003 has air bags, abs, heated seats, cruise, cd, ac..... Everything I'd want in a truck. And I don’t have leaks. I get that if you dd a truck you'd want comfort but for me simple reliability is what counts.

In reply to markwemple:

It sounds like you are saying, yes, in fact the 7.3L is the lesser truck, but that's somehow an asset because it feels more "truck like".

Anyone who has been to the Challenge in the past 12 years has seen my truck, and knows very well that I use my truck as a truck- far more so than most people. It has a commercial cap on it, and standard curb weight is 8700 lbs before I load anything that isn't normally there. I carry a lot of stuff with me 24/7, because I work 24/7.

I love my truck, and would be one of the most loyal buyers on the planet if Ford's next offering wasn't such a steaming pile.

The Duramax matches the 7.3L in every way for its capabilities and capacities. I'm not gonna feel guilty wanting something a little "nicer" like that would somehow make it less "truck like", and perhaps make me less manly. That's ridiculous.

(BTW, the Duramax outperforms the 7.3L in virtually every measurable "truck like" way possible- 65-125 more hp, 20-150 more torque, 1100 lbs more towing capacity, etc etc).

I do appreciate the conversation, Mark. You've made me do my homework, and helped me realize that I need to take off my Ford blinders and start looking for a Duramax for my next truck!

I use my truck as a truck. I'm currently on the road on another multi-state tow, and we're talking big Western states and not those cute Eastern ones Let me tell you, comfort and refinement is important when you're maxing out your hours of service day after day. I don't know the various Fords and Chevys, but I know the Dodges made a big jump in refinement with the 2010 models like mine. My FIL has a 2006 dually and the difference is dramatic. Sure, his feels more trucklike because it rides like crap and it makes lots of noise - but I know which one has me feeling more alert and less battered at the end of the day.

I agree with the last couple of posts. I don't DD my truck, but I do some long drives in it, mainly towing a trailer, and there's no damn reason not to be comfortable. Mine is a 2002, so I can't imagine what the new ones are like. I want to know, but I'm afraid it will cause me to spend money on a much newer truck!

markwemple wrote: I get that if you dd a truck you'd want comfort but for me simple reliability is what counts.

Says the man that spent 2 weeks trying to figure out why it was not running.

From a comfort and ergonomics standpoint, I really think GM was ahead of the Ford (and definitely ahead of Dodge) with their 90's trucks, so much so that even my 93 Chevy is a better-driving truck than my 2000 Ford was.

Lol, nothing brings out the chest thumping like a good ol' truck thread, so much the better if we're talking diesels.

I get what Mark is saying (I think, don't mean to put words in your mouth.) His truck isn't his DD, therefore he doesn't care about the nth degree of comfort like some of you guys who work out of your trucks every day or routinely haul cross country. He just needs something that can be counted on to do what he needs when he needs it (current status not withstanding) and not totally suck to drive while doing it. I get that, my dad has typically always kept a truck around for that same reason, only got driven when a truck was needed.

There is no greater or lesser truck, only the one that best suits each individual's needs. Different strokes people (literally if you're driving a Ford )

Yup. Plus, I find it curious why we've turned trucks into luxury cars ( done that to sports cats too). I've done pretty long distances in my 03. Never wanting for more. I'm 50 so it's not like I'm a kid either.

markwemple wrote: Plus, I find it curious why we've turned trucks into luxury cars.

Simple...crossfade to the GM boardroom -- what's the most profitable vehicle we make? Trucks, sir. What are the most profitable options? Heated leather seating surfaces, 4WD, and adding a couple of rear doors, sir.

BOOM -- profit squared!

MDJeepGuy wrote:

markwemple wrote: I get that if you dd a truck you'd want comfort but for me simple reliability is what counts.

Says the man that spent 2 weeks trying to figure out why it was not running.

Not 2 weeks, plus, let's see, holidays, sick wife, kids, moving... Need I go on. Diesel tech took 20 mins to diagnose and 1/2 hour to fix with a $150 part.

In reply to Tyler H:

Yup. Pretty amazing how one can take a $25k Chevy truck and option it up to double the sticker price. I'm with markwemple- if it keeps my body within a reasonable temperature range, plays some music, and doesn't make my back ache after an 8 hour tow, it serves its purpose for me as far as "comfort" goes.

Plus, in all seriousness, my 93 idi plow truck feels a million years older than my 03. As an aside, I am much more impressed with the potential and usefullness of my 03 7.3 than my suburban. The suburban is more car like to drive but gives up a lot of it's truckness to do so. I may make the idi the back up tow beast and get my wife a minivan.

markwemple wrote: Yup. Plus, I find it curious why we've turned trucks into luxury cars ( done that to sports cats too). I've done pretty long distances in my 03. Never wanting for more. I'm 50 so it's not like I'm a kid either.

It's one of those things that makes sense when you actually try it. I've done a 4000 mile tow in that '06, and the whole experience is a lot more pleasant in my '10. My point is that discomfort is not a desirable attribute, and the more comfortable the vehicle the more alert you'll be as a driver at the end of a long day. I don't have leather and a huge range of toys, I'm talking about ride quality and NVH.

markwemple wrote:

MDJeepGuy wrote:

markwemple wrote: I get that if you dd a truck you'd want comfort but for me simple reliability is what counts.

Says the man that spent 2 weeks trying to figure out why it was not running.

Not 2 weeks, plus, let's see, holidays, sick wife, kids, moving... Need I go on. Diesel tech took 20 mins to diagnose and 1/2 hour to fix with a $150 part.

According to your post, it died on the 16th, and was running again on the 29th. That's 13 days without a running truck. Close enough to 2 weeks for me. It also took 3 pages here and you throwing parts at it before your "20 minute diagnosis and $150 part" fixed it.

Night of the 16th. And I didn't post the running part right away. Further, Christmas was in between. But go ahead and be a hater.....Whatever

And the diagnosis and repair was by a tech. Can you be a bigger waste of oxygen?

In reply to markwemple:

I probably could be. I could have a bunch of threads wondering why no one wants to buy my junk at top dollar.

This probably belonged about 2 pages back, but: