6.0? 6.4? 7.3 seems to be where it's at!

[strokin2222]

Hello all, first post, so I'll throw a little intro out there. I'm Brian, ex Navy, now oilfield trash and proud of it! I just accepted a transfer in my company to work in Russia for some serious $$, start in a couple weeks so it's time to retire the ol' trusty 2000 F150 and move to a F250 crew.

I've been looking through these forums for a bit, and as much as I like the new trucks, but mpg/performance/reliability seems to all point to one place - the 7.3. From lurking around here, it seems you boys are getting 16+ mpg city with a few mods, where the 6.4 folks struggle to get that under any circumstances, so I'm seriously looking towards an '03. With the money I save getting an 03 vice a new one, I'll have plenty of $$ for mods, which I'm looking forward to learning more about.

That said, here's what I'm looking for, any advice on if I'm headed in the right direction:

1. I want the best mpg possible in a 250.
2. Limited to no towing (until I get my boat in a couple years)
3. Warranty shwarranty - I don't care, I'm the type that would drop my homeowner's insurance if the mortgage company would let me (after going through Katrina and doing the math on my damages, my houses could suffer a Katrina every 6 years and I'd be better off paying out of pocket to repair instead of having insurance).
4. Lots of aftermarket-ability - chips/programmers, pipes, etc.

Glad to have found this forum and looking forward to chatting with all of you.

[07stroker]

If you dont care about warranty get a 6.4L they are beasts, and from what i have read they get great millage with a spartan tuner.

[cchase]

Hey welcome to the .org, and thanks for your service.

As for engines. I LOVE my 7.3 but it takes more money to make it compete with the rest. I have been looking at the 6.4s new programers and live in a state that it doesnt matter about emissions and diesels, I could be intrested in a 6.4? as for 7.3s they are older and strong, which is why you see alot with high milliage, i have 245K, I think a 6.0 will see those numbers when they become alittle older. To me they are all good engines and have there plus and minus, but I will always keep my 7.3, just hopefully I will pick up a 6.4 or the new 6.7 one day.

[YOURADHERE]

Just look around the area. There should be plenty of 250s in this area and none of the local dealers seem to want to work with you any on new ones now days.

[drstephennix]

7.3's seem to be almost bullet proof, but if you dont care about the warranty, I'd go 6.4 and do what twinturbostroker did. I think he's getting around 23mpg

[Stroker7.3]

stick with a 7.3. 6.4's have more problems than there worth. And removing the DPF to get better fuel mileage is a federal offense. 6.0's blow up every other day. if it weren't for emmision requirements on new trucks ford would still use the 7.3.

If you want real fuel mileage get a cummins 03 to 06 they kick @ss on fuel mileage.

[cchase]

Originally Posted by Stroker7.3

stick with a 7.3. 6.4's have more problems than there worth. And removing the DPF to get better fuel mileage is a federal offense. 6.0's blow up every other day. if it weren't for emmision requirements on new trucks ford would still use the 7.3.

If you want real fuel mileage get a cummins 03 to 06 they kick @ss on fuel mileage.

were do you get your information from? I want to buy drugs from him

How many 6.4s have you worked on?

Federal offense eh?

6.0s blow up every other day, hahahaha wow
(I am a 7.3 guy, but I am so sick of hearing that the 6.0s are junk and blow up all the time, its not true, they have issues like many other engines, but are simply fixed.

EPA standards is why the re-vamped to the 6.0 I dont think they'd still be using the 7.3 today.

[07stroker]

My 07 has 92,000 miles on it and has given me no problems, and i dont baby it either.. And my brothers 03 6.0 has 235,000 miles and still runs like a champ!! So I think its safe to say that the 6.0's are not junk.

[strokin2222]

Thanks for the inputs so far everyone. Test drove a couple of Cummins, love the engine but man that truck beats you up, I swear they use 2x4s for shocks!

Still a lot of deciding to do, keep them coming! No flame wars on the 6.0 please, I'm only interested in the 6.4 vs. 7.3.

[drstephennix]

I've never owned a 6.0 or 6.4....just the venerable 7.3. And every one of my trucks have had well over 200k miles with very little problems or upkeep. I love the engine. The next one I buy will depend on when I buy it. If its in a year or 2 it will be the 05 6.0. I never buy a truck with a newly designed engine. I wouldnt even have a 08 6.4 right now. Would wait for a couple of model years until they get all the bugs worked out. Just like the 6.0, I wouldnt buy an 03-04, when they were brand new, just because they hadnt got the bugs worked out from the factory until about 05