This will be silly to many, but I think it's still a worthy question (yet another facet to my weirdness):

Say they make a time machine (don't give up yet... this is on-topic), and you can buy your 7.3L Superduty brand new, with the factory warranty that is valid from today. Just for leveling the playing field, you would have a modern sound system, backup cam, and GPS.

The other option is a 6.7L with the same trim... but of course, the 6.7L is quieter and has more bells and whistles and better suspension.

There is no difference in price between the two trucks, because the time machine round-trip (with an 8000-pound truck) is pretty expensive.

What do you buy?

 

7.3 all the way

 

something about having to replace the entire fuel system at 10-12k out of my pocket if water or gas gets introduced to the system just doesnt sit right with me. Although the new ones are nice, I would do the 7.3 again with everything else being equal. The new 6.7s may eventually get there, but the 7.3 has been proven for durability time and again.

 

If it was between the 7.3 and the 6.7 I would go with a 7.3

If you left me in control of the time machine, after stopping my own wedding I would set the time machine for 2007, buy a 6.0 & bullet proof it.
I think the 6.0's are the best looking Superduty's and best sounding Powerstroke.

 

I just filled out the order forms for 5 new trucks last week. If the 7.3 was still offered, then I would have ordered all as F-550s with that engine. To this day, the 7.3 Power Stroke has been the most reliable and profitable engine that we have ever had in a fleet truck....by a fair margin too.

However, since the 7.3 is no longer an option, I went with 3 Kenworths (T170) and the other two trucks will be F-550 with the V10 engine. The 3 Kenworth trucks are going to replace International 4900 units and the F-550 V10 units are going to replace F-550 6.0 models.

 

Shake N Bake, for Ford's sake, they should read your post regarding the sales they just lost on F-650s or F-550s, both having the 6.7. If the front of my F-550 7.3L got wrecked beyond repair, I too, would replace it with a V10.

 

While I like my 7.3, the continued downfall of available parts is starting to push me towards selling my truck for a new one. Might just have to sell it while it is still in good shape before something breaks and I can no longer find parts. Leaning towards the 6.7 and I had a 99 with a v10 and I won't do that again.

 

If I had control of the time machine, the R&D $$$ spent on the 6.0 would have been spent on updating the 7.3.

 

If I went back in time I would get the 7.3 also. Too many damn sensors, DPF, DEF and a fuel sys that is garbage if water gets in it on the 6.7. Sounds just like this F35 aircraft I work on, todays technology that is always broke. A PITA POS.

 

What parts can you not get. There all over the place here

 

It took me months to find a simple alternator bracket as they are no longer made and many of the wiring harnesses are no longer available. I am sure I will find other stuff that is no longer out there when the time comes. Just thinking about getting out while the getting is good before something breaks or is damaged in an accident that I can't fix. I don't live in an area where I can have a half built truck sitting in the driveway for weeks or months at a time while I search the nation for parts and my garage is about 12 inches too short for me to get the door down. Might just pull off the winch and radios and let it go. Has less than 150k miles on it but after-market parts folks are not stepping in and producing what Ford has discontinued.

 

I would think the V10 in a F550 would get maybe 6mpg. I think at that rate I would try the 6.7L. But if the 7.3L was available I would go that route.

 

shakenbake, if the 7.3 was that much more reliable, why not drop some crate motors in w/ new trans, maybe change some suspension parts, brakes, seats, interior, etc, and get back going? One would think that could done cheaper than what a new truck would be. But im just guessing...... and i guess the TIME needed to do all of that is money lost if its your business, when you can go down to lot, pick it up and drive and start making money again......

 

MPG is not a factor when purchasing our trucks for fleet use. We average about 6 mpg across the board for any truck that has an aerial device which the majority of our fleet. In our branch, we have 12 little bucket trucks (29' to bottom of bucket) and they all are on F-450 chassis. I think 7 or 8 have the 7.3 and the rest are V10. Fuel cost per week is about the same for either type. Our F-550 trucks have the 6.0 liter diesel and a 42' articulating insulated bucket.....they use the same amount of fuel as the other two. The majority of the time those trucks are parked with a man working in the air. The engine has to be running for the bucket to operate.

A crate motor does us no good....none of our 7.3 liter trucks need replacement engines except for Lindey (1998 International 4700 26,000 lbs GVW). That engine actually runs fine but leaks so much it doesn't pass DOT inspection. The shop pulled the engine and found the block cracked at the oil pan mounting holes. Apparently someone removed the pan sometime in the past and they used an impact gun to re-install the bolts. IH says the sealant got in the threaded bolt holes and hydraulic pressure busted out the bosses. So, we have a new engine on it's way for that truck.

We purchased 18 Power Stroke Fords with the 7.3 liter engine. All 18 are still running. Those trucks go out every day. It's pretty rare to see those trucks having problems. They aren't perfect, but compared to our other vehicles, the 7.3 Power Strokes are very solid

If you are suggesting that we replace the 6.0 liter engines with a 7.3 then that is not possible. The truck would never pass emissions or DOT inspection and we would have to place it out of service. The emissions testing regulations in our area require that all original systems remain on the truck as it left the factory. So, if it left the factory with a 6.0 liter engine, then it must always have a 6.0 liter engine complete with the EGR, Cat etc. It has a 6.4 liter....then it must always have a 6.4 liter along with the DPF etc.

From a strictly financial perspective....if the 7.3 was available today, then almost every fleet manager in the country would purchase them for their fleet because the cost to operate is much lower than anything else out there. Some of our 7.3 Power Stroke trucks are 15 years old now and we aren't even considering replacing those trucks. Rule of thumb for our fleet is that we replace the chassis after 10 years and the body after 20 years. We are making plans to purchase some more F-450s with the V10 engine and move the bucket bodies over but we have decided to hang on to the 7.3 liter trucks until the bucket is 20 years old and then we'll sell them as a complete unit. It looks like the 7.3 liter Power Strokes are going to last the full 20 years which is twice as long as we planned for when they were first purchased. No other truck/engine combo in our fleet has accomplished that feat. We first started purchasing a fleet in 1963.

 

I'd say the hell with both and just ride your avitar but I'm just cruising the threads,lol