Ford 7.3 - any reason to not get one?

[b. rock]

Good call on the 'dipstick' test - I was trying to think of a way to check that. I was planning on pulling the doghouse anyway and checking the turbo real quick.

I'm guessing fully kitted out weight will be in the 8klb range. A relatively minor camper build out, but still with fridge/batteries/water/stove/gear/dogs I'm sure it will add up. While I do plan on the occasional tow, it's not that I necessarily sought out the 7.3, it was just that I came across a van built with the 4x4 system I was after, already has some extra goodies I was going to put on, and it happened to have a 7.3.

Edit - nvm, in my paralysis by analysis it sold. The hunt continues.

 

[eblau]

Unless you are towing alot or going 4x4 then I would consider a 5.8 as they are reliable, cheap to fix and have decent power and the vans they are in are significantly cheaper. The one that powers my class B is quiet and gets its huge ass going down the road at 70 without breaking a sweat. I don't think I would want the extra cabin noise while going long distance in my camper that you would get with the 7.3 anyways. The gassers, especially the 5.8 are pretty quiet. Just something to think about.

 

[b. rock]

Do you mean the 5.4 (V8) or the 6.8 (V10)? I've driven both out here (I live at 8500'), later model V10 with the 5r110 is the only way to go.

 

[Bikersmurf]

The biggest reason not to buy one IMHO would be price. Some sellers want ridiculous amounts of money for rigs with them, and you may never drive far enough to come out ahead.

I’ve got a ‘97 rig I bought with a 7.3 for about $1k usd. It runs awesome, isn’t terribly loud, and hasn’t cost me much to maintain in the 5 years I’ve owned it... I’d feel differently if the PO wanted 10g for it.

I hate working under the hood, but it hasn’t needed much work. A smaller gasser would be easier to access... but would require more maintenance.

 

[luthj]

In almost every scenario I have run numbers for, the ford gasoline powerplants of that vintage have a lower cost outlay. Even doing your own work exclusively doesn't make it pay off. Between higher cost of maintenance, higher repair/parts costs, and the general price premium for diesel fuel, there is no upside. The only reason to own one would be for personal pleasure or bragging rights. Lots of bunk claims out there about the 7.3. How it gets 25mpg towing uphill, or it will run 500k miles with little effort etc. Plus the low production numbers mean it has the price increase associated with rareness. Just not worth it from any pragmatic standpoint. You can buy a low miles spare used gas engine, and a lot of other van upgrades for the price and operation premium of the 7.3.

Now if you somehow find that unicorn, and diesel does it for you? Sure go for it. But the 7.3 is not magic and pixie dust. They do break, and like most diesels, when they do, its very expensive.

 

[eblau]

Niether, a 351 Windsor powered van, not sure what year they stopped and switched to the 5.4 though.

Do you mean the 5.4 (V8) or the 6.8 (V10)? I've driven both out here (I live at 8500'), later model V10 with the 5r110 is the only way to go.

 

[Sedonut]

You won't be lacking for power. I had a F350 Pickup, 7.3, it would tow and never seem stressed. It got 16 mpg, Loaded, empty ,towing, 16 mpg.

It was a 2WD. It got stuck if it even looked at mud.

 

[Grenadiers]

The claim on the 7.3 engine running forever, with due maintenance of course, is one thing. But it’s the sub-systems that can bleed you dry on older vehicles. Applies to gassers as well. I’ve always coveted a one ton diesel 4x4 van; I’d say go for it.

 

[Bikersmurf]

This thread is starting to turn...

Around town I see 20L/100km for short trips in town. 15-16L/100km Highway... best 11L/100km highway. With a 9000+ lb square 8.5’ tall rig with a 7.3 PSD. I’d rather have that than 7-10 mpg.

In 5 years I’ve replaced:
-O-rings and filter in fuel bowl $30+ labour
-Alternator $300
-Glow plug relay $60
-Air filters (twice) $40
-Oil changes x 5 $500

-No spark plugs, no ignition wires, no distributor caps, no carburetor, etc.

Also brakes and shocks... but their cost doesn’t change gas vs diesel.

Sure oil changes are $100 every 5000 miles vs $60 every 3000 miles... little difference. I don’t really see where the extra maintenance costs are. Injectors will hurt... but they will last 200-500 k miles so $2000 for 20 years is only about $100/year.

Fuel cost per litre is very similar... so the annual fuel savings will put me ahead since I paid less for my diesel than any gasser I’ve seen.

Keep in mind I’ve crunched the numbers and for my other truck, a diesel conversion wouldn’t make sense. Not counting labour, the break even point would be 8-10 years out... minimum. So I’m not just pro diesel... often it doesn’t pay off.

 

[F350joe]

The maintenance is less frequent and the only diesel specific parts are glow plugs and injectors really. You replace any of those and you can expect another 200k + miles out of them. Every thing else is pretty heavy duty and pretty inexpensive to replace and easy to do yourself with modern power tools. That era trucks were built to last and if you rebuild the stuff that needs it you will still be ahead $ wise compared to something newer. There is a premium on 7.3s for a reason and you get that money back when you go to sell it. Pre smog and built to be used hard and can run on anything, even waste vegetable oil. There are a handful of diesel sites that have everything you need to smooth out the motor and even add horsepower, it can take up 400np no problem. They sold millions of the 7.3 motors are found in trucks, buses, ambulances and there is a YouTube video for everything you can imagine about it. Super easy to diagnose as well, mostly because so many were sold and still running strong a couple decades later.

 

[F350joe]

This thread is starting to turn...

Around town I see 20L/100km for short trips in town. 15-16L/100km Highway... best 11L/100km highway. With a 9000+ lb square 8.5’ tall rig with a 7.3 PSD. I’d rather have that than 7-10 mpg.

In 5 years I’ve replaced:
-O-rings and filter in fuel bowl $30+ labour
-Alternator $300
-Glow plug relay $60
-Air filters (twice) $40
-Oil changes x 5 $500

-No spark plugs, no ignition wires, no distributor caps, no carburetor, etc.

Also brakes and shocks... but their cost doesn’t change gas vs diesel.

Sure oil changes are $100 every 5000 miles vs $60 every 3000 miles... little difference. I don’t really see where the extra maintenance costs are. Injectors will hurt... but they will last 200-500 k miles so $2000 for 20 years is only about $100/year.

Fuel cost per litre is very similar... so the annual fuel savings will put me ahead since I paid less for my diesel than any gasser I’ve seen.

Keep in mind I’ve crunched the numbers and for my other truck, a diesel conversion wouldn’t make sense. Not counting labour, the break even point would be 8-10 years out... minimum. So I’m not just pro diesel... often it doesn’t pay off.

Good point with the mpg. You pay more up front but your fuel cost per trip go way down

 

[devo 1]

I'm no expert on 7.3s, I just own a lot of them. 4 vans, f550, and f350. My 4x4 van developed a glitch with the drive by wire throttle, it would shut off on the hiway. Turn it off and back on to reset it. I bought the the last complete ford unit. Dorman makes the switch now. I bought new van air filter housings for each the vans. Cold weather is also a concern. My 01 e350 is amazing in that regard. 0 degree and it fires right up. O-rings .com is a good friend to have. Plus a mechanic. North Central Diesel in Holdrege, Ne.has a 7.3 van specialist.

 

[5spd97]

Great engine and I don't think that it is over rated at all. Address the common issues and keep up with the maintenance and you'll love it. I have a 7.3 in the heavy box van pictured in my avatar and a much lighter F250 with a 5.4 of the same year, and there is no comparison in the power delivery.

 

[vintageracer]

For most folks (my opinion) the thought process when deciding on buying a diesel powered van/truck versus a gas powered van/truck boils down to the same logic people use when the cost of fuel gets EXPENSIVE on a per gallon basis and they then decide that it's smart to purchase an econobox fuel saver vehicle.

People justify trading a perfectly good 15 MPG vehicle in to get a 30 MPG vehicle as a smart decision and a great money saving idea. ALL they care about is their weekly cash/credit outlay for the purchase of fuel that they THINK is really getting expensive.

They will trade in their perfectly good 15 MPG vehicle and purchase a new to them 30 MPG vehicle thinking what a great idea/deal this is all the while usually getting MURDERED on their 15 MPG trade-in value, adding many months of additional payments to their already upside down loan as they increased the amount of money owed purchasing that 30 MPG vehicle so they can keep the same monthly payment they had before all the while justifying this stupid knee jerk reaction as a SMART IDEA just to save that $100/month or LESS they would have spent on the additional cost of fuel for the old 15 MPG vehicle had they kept their current vehicle.

Dumb Dumb Dumb!

Drive a GAS truck/van for 10K miles per year that gets 10 MPG U use 1000 Gallons of gas @ $2.00/gallon and U spend $2,000/year for fuel.

Drive a Gas truck/van 10K miles per year that gets 20 MPG U use 500 Gallons of gas @ $2.00/gallon and U spend $1000/year for fuel.

That's ONLY a $1000 difference in fuel cost for the YEAR and I DOUBLED your fuel mileage. DIVIDE that $1,000 by 12 months equals a savings of $83.34/MONTH or about $19.23/WEEK. DOUBLING the fuel mileage of that new to you 30 MPG vehicle just saved you $20/week on fuel!

Hope you like that new ECONOBOX trash you just bought! You are a financial GENIUS!

Same logic with a truck/van. IF you need a diesel truck/van for the pulling/hauling ability they provide GREAT BUY ONE!

HOWEVER before you do ask yourself and honestly answer this question:

Why would you want and more important do I really NEED an old 7.3 diesel, 6.0 diesel, Duramax Diesel with the HUGE additional acquisition costs they require to purchase in the beginning over equivalent gas truck/van, the additional maintenance costs diesel's require over gas engines and other associated costs of diesel ownership versus a GAS truck/van when that gas truck/van will do the same work/play things and do "light" hauling JUST AS WELL as a diesel powered truck/van all for a MUCH LOWER OVERALL COST for acquisition of the vehicle, fuel for the vehicle and maintenance for the vehicle?

For MOST people who think they need and buy a diesel powered truck/van it's not that they NEED a diesel power truck/van it's that they WANT a diesel truck/van and they are willing although not necessarily able to afford the cost of ownership of that diesel truck/van.

A V10 Ford van at 10 MPG is a much smarter vehicle purchase than that NEVER EVER WILL HAPPEN MADE OF UNOBTAINIUM 20 MPG diesel powered Ford van will ever be and that's not considering that diesel fuel adds that 30%-40% additional fuel cost over gas!

 

[F350joe]

OP is not talking about buying a new econobox, he talking about buying an old 7.3, no loan. He’s spends more now for the diesel, gets better range, will spend less in fuel, has more power, less frequent maintenance, and will hold it value when he eventually sells it. That’s the part of your formula you leave out. An old gasser is no worth squat, the diesel gets a premium. Watching the fuel gauge sucks when you are trying to peel off miles and your beloved v10 drops into the single digits at 75mph, empty. If you buy a 7.3 and only put 10,000/yr on it you could probably get your money back when you sell it, the v10 will probably worth more in scrap.