Buy new F350 or restore older 7.3?

[Saiyan66]

^ That's a decent plan as long as he doesn't have emissions testing in his state.

The 7.3 is a great truck and I don't think the OP would regret the decision to pick a nice one up and "restore" it to whatever condition he so desires.

I personally don't trust the new Ford 6.7L diesels as they are a new design again for 2015 (moved the turbo and some other stuff) which tells me they still don't have it right.

As for a 6.0 or 6.4, it seems a waste to me to start off with a package you know for certain is unreliable. Kind of like trying to make a Honda Civic into a race car. Sure it can be done, but why not start with something better?

 

[theburtseoni]

If you can afford a new Ford, go for it. If not, fix up a sound, rust free 7.3 the way you want it. More affordable, just not as modern or nice, but it will get the job done!

 

[LovinPSDs]

As for a 6.0 or 6.4, it seems a waste to me to start off with a package you know for certain is unreliable. Kind of like trying to make a Honda Civic into a race car.

I hope you're not talking about a 6.4 for a race truck because the 6.4s will walk about any 7.3 on the planet...

For this particular scenario you could get into a 7.3, make it decent and it'll go for 400K miles

I'm lookin for a slightly built 6.4 because i think they are amazing motors/trucks.

 

[jdinevens]

I hope you're not talking about a 6.4 for a race truck because the 6.4s will walk about any 7.3 on the planet...

For this particular scenario you could get into a 7.3, make it decent and it'll go for 400K miles

I'm lookin for a slightly built 6.4 because i think they are amazing motors/trucks.

I think he's just commenting on the 6.0 and 6.4s tendency to go all EMO on you, I've got a 7.3l its pretty slow but I'm not trying to win any races. Its got over 200k on the clock but starts every time and runs like a champ.

 

[dave1014]

That's the only issue though. You have to "bulletproof" a 6.0 or 6.4 to make them legit. The 7.3 is already legit with no bulletproofing. Now you can do some things to make it perform a little better, but it is good to go pretty much right out of the box, so to speak.

If the 6.0 or 6.4 had 190 rwhp from the factory it wouldnt need bulletproofing. To get the same power out of a 7.3 as a tune only 6.0 or 6.4 requires about 8k in upgrades

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[LovinPSDs]

If the 6.0 or 6.4 had 190 rwhp from the factory it wouldnt need bulletproofing. To get the same power out of a 7.3 as a tune only requires about 8k in upgrades

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This is very true.. I wouldn't be scared at all to buy a low mile 6.4, delete it and roll... not tune it or anything, just tune for deletes.. Stock power.

That being said, i don't think it'll do 400K like a 7.3

 

[rabies]

what is "MTH" didnt ford put in a few desiel motors in the E350s?

 

[dave1014]

Yup 7.3 idis 7.3 powestrokes and 6.0 powerstrokes in the e series vans

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[mpike]

If you want a truck you can really work on in the boonies get a pre-95 Ford IDI. My 87 4x4 turbo 6.9l has been a tank.
Yes, its slow, especially with my 3000lb camper on it, but it will get you anywhere you want to go.
I mostly travel backcountry fireroads and occasional mild jeep trails, but of course the weight of the camper limits my offroad adventures.
You can build a 6.9 or 7.3 to near powerstroke power if you want to spend the money.
The Zf5 manual transmission is bombproof.
I paid $3000 for mine with 150K and now have 240k on it. Only major repair was a clutch replacement.
Check out the pre-powerstroke forums at www.oilburners.net or www.ford-trucks.com.
Best of both worlds is a 94-98 cummins 12 valve transplanted into a Ford; conversion kits make it possible for about $2500.
Whatever you decide, the main thing is to get out there and enjoy it.
Less money spent on the truck = more money for fun.
Mike

 

[LovinPSDs]

Quite a few 12V superdutys floating around from guys that have replaced the 6.0

 

[Regcabguy]

Quite a few 12V superdutys floating around from guys that have replaced the 6.0

We've got one here. It's a pre-Superduty crewcab/longbed. We're heading west on I-8 returning from the Lagunas and I spot this F-350 going a million mph. He pulls up next to me and we exchange thumbs up. Gone with the wind. That truck was quick!

 

[drifter_r6]

I personally don't trust the new Ford 6.7L diesels as they are a new design again for 2015 (moved the turbo and some other stuff) which tells me they still don't have it right.

That's not correct, the turbo is in the same location as previous years. Ford added a larger turbo to up the power game, which necessitated redesigning certain things like exhaust manifold, downpipe, wiring, ...etc.

Back to the OP. Seems I way late to the discussion... I basically had the same dilemma as you a couple years back. I went from a 2000 F350 CCLB 7.3L SRW (270k miles on the clock) to a 2012 F350 CCLB 6.7L SRW. I seriously thought about keeping it and rebuilding the drivetrain but just don't have the time anymore. There are pros and cons and I'll elaborate if you want to know.

All and all, I'm happy with my decision on the 6.7L. My truck is a DD with 43k on it now. My feedback is for a long haul-trip perspective. The ride/comfort is fantastic. Quiet as a sewing machine, but I sure do miss the rattle can sometimes. mpg is 16-17 city/20-22 highway. Hauling 10+k load 14-15 highway. Unbelievable power climbing mountains at elevation, I will pass cars/suvs/semi's at will, with a load. Turn radius greatly improved but its still a long bed in those mall parking lots. Payload is 3100lbs for a LB SRW

Downsides: Electronics up the wazoo. Sensors all over the place. Luckily I'm tech savvy and mechanically inclined, so working on it shouldn't be too much of a pain. For the first 9 months, I was in and out of the service bay working out DPF/DEF issues with the stupid emissions system. All the bugs seem to have be worked out now. I carry a code reader with me now to ID issues.

Keep in mind Ford has a reputation to uphold in the heavy duty commercial vehicle market. With the poor reputation of the 6.0/6.4 they really can't afford to lose face with the 6.7 motor. So far so good, since the 2011 release of the 6.7, the main gripes have been addressed with the 2012 model year. The DPF emissions systems were buggy for ALL the manufacturers across the board. Those issues have for the most part been ironed out.

 

[bj3nk5]

Whelp. Let's see if this spirited conversation can be revived.

I'm in the same spot as the OP. I've got a choice between getting a newer truck OR refreshing a 97' F-350 7.3 4x4. 100k original miles, rust free and very well maintained.

I get the new truck pro's/con's. So let's leave those aside for now.

The 7.3 is driven very minimally, but it starts easy and runs great. No smoke, no back pressure on the oil fill cap. Drivetrain seems great too. Transmission was rebuilt at 90k. The 97 is great here in CA - no smog required.

I'm leaning towards this 7.3. but before I do, i wanted to get a better idea for the work/costs i'm getting myself into. If you guys were going to go that direction, what would be on the 'to-do' list to replace/refresh so I don't get stranded in the boonies somewhere?

I'm saving quite a few bucks on getting the old truck, so i'm Ok spending some money to make sure I have something super reliable, and hopefully make it a tad bit less sluggish. I don't need a dragster, but a bit more pickup would be a very welcome improvement...especially once i add my camper on the back.

I'm a reasonable shade tree mechanic, so I'm confident doing most of these things myself or with some help. But I don't have much diesel experience. From what I've read, here's what I'm thinking so far:

-tires
-new hoses
-all new fluids
-maybe proactive replacement or add a coolant filter?
-electric fuel pump (I believe the 97 OEM's aren't?)
-injectors
-fuel filter
-batteries
-shocks
-high pressure oil pump
-glow plugs and gp relay

Any drivetrain stuff that is a must? IPR Regulator?
Rebuild turbo? Add intercooler?
Any power or efficiency mods you guys think is a must? New Turbo Wheel? Intake? Exhaust?

Everything seems to be running fine, so i'm just looking for advice on proactive stuff and mild performance/fuel efficiency mods.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Buliwyf]

And front ball joints. Grease the hubs. Shocks. Steering damper. Your next brake job, budget for entire loaded calipers. Engine has plenty of power, just maintain it. Budget for a trans rebuild and improved TC. Cam crank sensor? Or is that just the newer ones?

If it's like the '98+'s, make certain the oil pan is rust free and solid. Every oil change we'd oil rag the entire pan. Plain old green premix is fine, dump it every three years.

I was spending $400 per month easy, on a paid off 2008. Fighting rust included. Just because I'm a master tech, still doesn't make it ok to fix everything. Bought new and am making $600 payments. Hopefully aluminum holds up like an m101 trailer. Was it worth the extra $200. Yes, and the 08 was a nice truck. Going 5.4 to 6.2 is nice as well.

It's a lot like people that say renting an apartment is a waste of money. But never include major house maintenance into the budget. You don't get your money back for a new roof. Houses are expected to have roofs when they are for sale.

If rebuilding the transmission or engine is a deal breaker for your budget, go new. Also factor in the much cheaper new gas engine, before you weigh your options. It'll smoke an old 7.3 and can swing down the cost of a new truck a ton. Also keep in mind that a dusty '18 xl is getting end of year rebates, and xl's are nicer equipped than a '01 Lariat.

If you plain like the look, style, fit, of the old truck, that's huge. Clean old trucks are fun.

 

[bj3nk5]

Thanks BULIWYF. That's helpful

Improved TC = Transmission cooler, right?

I'm partial to the clean, old trucks. As long as they run great. I grew up offroading old jeeps and VW's, and half the weekend was always spent wrenching on the damn thing. It won't be my daily driver, so doing up front prep/maintenance is totally OK with me. But I don't want to be out in the middle of BFE fixing ********.

My camper will probably be about 3k lbs loaded. So I'm worried a gasser won't cut it. Especially if i tow my jeep on top of all that.

This thing is a 'grandpa's truck'. There isn't even a dent in the bed. It's lived it's whole life in so. CA so it's rust free, and clean. Very tempting.