I Have Owned A 1980 Ford With A Big Block 400 In It And Just Recently Bought A 96 F-450 Psd. I Know When I Got In The 400 It Would Start Everytime And Get Me Were I Wanted To Be Everyday, I Could Always Count On It. Is The Diesel Powerstroke 7.3 Just As Reliable As A 400 Gasser. ????????

 

The 400 gets a bad wrap sometimes. It's not powerful from the factory. But I think it's a good engine. I've had a few 77-79's ,I have seen 0 oil pressure few a couple of them, and they still got me home. I have a warmed up 400 in my 78 F-150. I bought my first 7.3 in 97 and haven't looked back since. I love they way they sound. My 00 Excusion has nearly 180k on it. I towed a 4000lb everyday to job sites for seven years. I did have to replace a few cam shaft sensors on that one ,but Ford just had a recall and hopefully that will be the end of that. My new 96 has 237k on it. It tows my trailer just as well. Still has great oil pressure. It's all stock,but I hope to add some upgrades this summer. Air intake and exhaust. The 6.0 and 6.4 may make more power,but I will stick with the 7.3. I need to find a low mileage 03 Crew cab 4x4 and put it up on blocks,for the future. I hate the way all new trucks look.

 

I Just Hope This 7.3 Is As Reliable As My Old 400. Need Inputs On This Guys.

 

the 7.3 is a tank.... mine is at 316,000 miles and still going strong
Do a search for the thread "7.3 or 6.0" and "7.3 vs 6.0" there are quite a few threads explaining the pros of the 7.3

 

Just make sure to keep an eye on the SCA levels in the coolant. Cavitation is the one real weak point in the 7.3. Aside from that, a well maintained 7.3 is one heckuva stout engine.

 

the 7.3 is my favorite engine out of any vehicle ive ever driven (considering i drove reposessed cars for 2 years in high school, ive driven a messload of different engines!). mine just turned 137k, the last 25k or so pretty well turned up. very little trouble with this engine. a fuel leak, and now a presummed rear main leak. my father has a 97 f250 at work with over 500k on the clock. original block, rebuilt top end i think less than 100k ago and on its 3rd e4od. im yet to hear anyone badmouth this engine. i think you'll be very happy with your purchase. best of luck.

-Brandon

 

The 7.3 is a very STOUT block to start with. The old inderect motors didn't have a whole lot of power but they would run forever. When the went to the direct injection (powerstroke) they are still as reliable but you have to maintain them religiously (oil changes, coolant, stc) because of the HEUI injection. Anyone with a PSD will tell ya, carry a spare cam position sensor in the glove box, that is the weak link to the PSD. They don't give any warning the truck just dies. Other than that I would swear by them. Got 275,000 on mine and still pullin like mule.

 

you will be very pleased with your 7.3L. i haven't had any problems out of mine. just one cam sensor and a trans. everything else is great and 168K

 

152K and never think about reliability, just put fuel in it and drive it. I woudn't hesitate to take it to California right now and I live in Pennsylvania.

 

they are extreemly reliable, next month im going to be doing 4098 miles of towing over a weeks time and the last thing im worried about is if the truck can handle it, iv put over 10,000 miles on my truck in the last few monthes, only thing iv had to replace on it was the gpr oh yea and iv got over 200k miles on my truck

 

i think the only way youll see a 7.3 broke down on the road is if its out of diesel or the cps went bad

 

and the cps only cuts it off for a min

 

I didnt know that there was another motor but the 7.3. What is this 400 you speak of??

I use my dually to pull my backhoe and trackhoe for my business, and other fun things like 3 car haulers, 30 ft goosenecks, etc... Never will own anything but. Backhoe weighs close to 18k, trailer weighs 4500, and pull it about three times a week, up to about 150 miles each time.

I didnt think that the CPS was a weakpoint. It takes 4 minutes or less to diagnose, cost to a stop, find your spare, put it in and go. I thought that the weak spot was when you pulled in to fill it up at 4.29 a gallon..................

 

One of our work trucks is a 2000 7.3 with 393k on it. Engine never been touched besides the maintenance things and what not. Nothin major ever gone wrong with it and thats probably the most reliable work truck we have.