Hey 7.3L Guys...

[clubgitmo]

Register to stop seeing this ad!

I quit. Screw Mahindra. I want a 7.3L.

What fuel mileage do you folks get? Looking for a 99-03 crew cab w/ the 6spd hand shaker.

Im getting 16mpg in town and barely 20mpg on the hwy with my Ranger... Ive read the 7.3l can get damn close to those numbers. Tired of driving this kiddy truck but getting big boy MPG's....

[gandrimp]

If your wanting a new ford, I hear the mileage from the new 6.7 is around 20mpg. That would be 2011 - 2012.

[blue7.3]

Originally Posted by clubgitmo

I quit. Screw Mahindra. I want a 7.3L.

What fuel mileage do you folks get? Looking for a 99-03 crew cab w/ the 6spd hand shaker.

Im getting 16mpg in town and barely 20mpg on the hwy with my Ranger... Ive read the 7.3l can get damn close to those numbers. Tired of driving this kiddy truck but getting big boy MPG's....

Blue, (described below) runs maybe 11-12 in town, 18-19 highway (or mostly highway). Doesn't matter loaded to the gills or empty, the mileage never changes (I rarely tow anything). In fact, when loaded (which granted isn't often), the only noticeable difference is the ride, which gets MUCH better with an extra ~500 lbs+. Now, Blue has over 155k on him, and that factors into mileage a bit.
One thing to remember about these trucks too, the engine internals may be good for 250k+ miles, but stuff still wears out, and everything for these trucks is way-expensive. I've replaced gaskets, injectors, exhaust manifolds (they rust), glow plugs, the high pressure oil pump, and most recently the oil cooler. The turbo is still running fine, but the pedestal gasket was a mega-bitch to replace. The previous owner replaced the oil pan, which rusts in in the Northeast (ya either cut the frame crossmember to take it out or pull the engine, they cut then re-welded the crossmember on mine).
The body is still a Ford F series, with all that means (rust in my part of the world), just more expensive. Brakes, bearings, ball joints, u joints, fuel pumps, steering parts. Mine was formaly a plow truck and I needed to replace the entire front steering gear including (finally) the box itself.
Other than all this of course, he's a blast to drive. and there's nothing like the sound of a diesel, whether starting, accelling, our cruising.
If you get one, you'll want to run a sulfer replacement lubricant like Power Service or AMSOIL because regardless what the pump sticker says, the 7.3 was not made to run on ULSD.
The manuals are generally difficult to find (mine is an auto, I ripped the pic below), and most of them will be on the base XL trucks (mine's an XLT with power seat, windows, locks, ac, etc (although manual hubs which is fine for me and way more reliable than the auto-locks in this vintage).
other than all that, it's a fun truck...

[clubgitmo]

Originally Posted by gandrimp

If your wanting a new ford, I hear the mileage from the new 6.7 is around 20mpg. That would be 2011 - 2012.

I'd buy one in a heart beat if I was willing to drop $40k on a truck!




Thanks for the write up Blue. That's about what I've heard the 7.3L gets. Im hoping to get a bit better If I can find one with the 6spd (lower final drive ratio).
Hoping to stay in the $10k range. Seems there's only two kinds of trucks down here. Those in perfect condition that the owner wants gold for, and ragged out trucks. I'm patient though

Good tip with the sulfur replacement!