So if this is in the wrong place I apologize, but I thought to ask since we all know about the famous 7.3 being the million mile engine and quite possibly one of the all time best ones out there, what is your take on the next up and coming engine that Ford is releasing that may surpass or take on the 7.3 legacy? This can be you feelings on both gas or Diesel?????

 

Thanks to emissions there doesnt seem to be the huge gap in longevity between gas and diesel anymore. I do think that as technology grows in the next few years that the gap will open again. From what I have seen, the 6.7 could very well be the replacement for the 7.3. Seems to be a solid motor that will hopefully only continue to improve.

 

Mu opinion is based on the likelihood of getting 500,000 miles from an engine. Anything less than that I feel is going to be equal in terms of it holding up assuming there aren't any manufacturing defects.

I'd say that it depends too heavily on how the engine is put to use. I think the 6.7 COULD be it but only if it is used for towing every day and for lots of miles. The 6.2 would probably outperform the 6.7 in an urban work truck situation where no trailer is involved and most miles used for hauling within a 100 mile radius.

All I'm getting at is with the emissions systems now, the diesel relies on drive load and time to keep itself running properly. I don't think you can just drive it around town and get 500,000 miles out of it without needing repairs to the emissions equipment. I would expect the 6.2 to make 500,000 miles locally but not running interstates cross country towing something.

 

Everybody blames emissions, but I don't see it like that. Lifters on the 6.0L can hardly be blamed on emissions, nor can rocker arm failures on that and the 6.4L engine. By most accounts the exhaust valve failures on the 6.7L engines affect the cylinder bank used for regen, so you could blame those failures on emissions I guess.

You could come to the conclusion that the HPCR injection system on modern diesel engines is necessitated by emissions standards, but I think we'd be there anyway to feed consumers' thirst for power. Will the injection system on a 6.4L or 6.7L engine last a million miles? Will it be worth fixing if it fails at half those miles?

I don't see or hear of many gas engines that blow up either. Cam phasers are a well-known issue with the 5.4L engine, but subsequent designs seem to be better. Thus far the 6.2L engine has been great, but not many people have 500,000+ miles on them. I think the disparity in longevity between diesel and gas engines has been gone for a long time. People like to romanticize compression ignition engines as lasting forever, but a peek in the 7.3L forum would suggest otherwise. I don't think the average 7.3L will come anywhere close to 1,000,000 miles anymore than any other light duty engine.

 

Tom, great points.

Where I live it doesn't matter if a motor can last 500,000+ miles. If you drive the truck everyday, especially in winter, the body of the vehicle will long be completing the journey back to the ore that was first mined by then. Any 7.3's around here with high miles are just rot boxes. So who cares if the motor is still running when water is blowing in the holes in the cab floor.....

Now if you're in an area without this mess maybe very long motor longevity means more. I'm not saying we don't want longevity, because we all do! But how many people do you personally know that are currently driving a vehicle past 200,000 miles? I honestly don't personally know a single one. And in that mileage time frame I don't personally know one person (heard of a few on here) who had a complete motor failure that caused them to sell. Most just get tired of getting nickle and dimed by parts so the sell or trade.

My point? It seems like many of the motors these days will last most people for the typical ownership of the vehicle. The 500,000 - 1mil mile group is a very, very, very small group in terms of personal vehicles.

If I keep up the current usage on my truck I won't hit 100,000 for 10 more years and I have an 2008.

 

I think the bar got lowered to from 1million miles to 1hundred thousand miles and which engine can do 1hundred thousand miles with out major repairs is certainly not the 6.0 or the 6.4 but my money will be on the 6.7 becuase the some of the fail points of the 6.0 and 6.0 have been improved design wise on the 6.7

 

I love the comments so far keep them coming!!!

Well my truck has 182k mikes and I owned it since 125k so I have no doubt it will go beyond 200k and it's a 6.0 with nothing major done to engine. Sure you always have your preventative maintenance but in terms of major engine issues I would like to keep that to the sense of tearing engine down and opening it up for repairs.

I would be willing to bet that due to my meticulous up keep I will get 200k just myself owning it and I don't plan to trade it in. If I decided to spend 30-40k on another truck I would much rather tear the motor out of this one drop a different power plant in it and upgrade suspension, drive train, and interior to moddern look and feel. I could still do that without hitting $20k.

I don't own a 6.7 or any newer engine so I asked the question so I can learn more about the future of our trucks.

Do you guys think they don't build them to last simply to keep business going and force us to buy new and trade in after 4-5 years?

 

I can agree with the around town driving vs highway, that will make a huge difference. Around town I would go gas all day long but highway long trips defiantly Diesel!

 

Can you name an engine that's ever been put into a light duty truck that will reliably go 1,000,000 miles without work?

Not at all. Some believe that, but I've seen far too many high mileage vehicles to believe that. For example, someone on another forum was posting photos of the odometer on his EcoBoost F150 as he racked up the miles. Last month he hit 300,000 miles with no engine-related repairs whatsoever. That's just one example, but there are many more.

Used trucks generally hold their value really well, even as they become over a decade old. If they fell apart after 4-5 years this wouldn't be the case.

 

Growing up my dad always bought used cars with about 70k and routinely drove them to about 130k. This was in the late 60's early 70's. I only have 133k on my 2000 v10 and it still runs like new. I agree with the comments that today's engines will outlast the vehicle. And after 16 years with my truck, my goal when I bought it was 300 k, but now I do not drive it as much and I am ready for a new truck after having the new technology in my Fusion. 200 k on the v10 is easy and I feel 300 k is doable. 500k ???

 

No. I think the vehicles are made just fine and built to last with normal use, which is highly subjective to what is considered normal. I'm sure the manufacturers could make vehicles to be "bullet proof". Doubt anyone would pay the price for one. Think how expensive aftermarket "fix" parts are for certain problems.

Thinking about what you have today with a F350 vs 20 years ago is night and day with power, creature comforts, tech, etc....

When you keep pushing the limits with power and towing, parts probably become more susceptible to breakdown unless you start building pickups like medium duty trucks. But the "need" for a comfortable ride keeps that from happening. So we keeping pushing power/hauling into similar drivetrain parts from years ago.

I mean pickup trucks be rated to nearly a 25-30k trailer!? Or whatever these ratings are now. 20 years ago? No way.

 

I no doubt believe manufactures could produce a engine that is bullet proof right out of the factory.

Just like they could make vehicles more fuel efficient but they won't, why, because it would put oil companies out of business.

Agreed, my F350 will not pull what a newer F350 will pull these days.

I will be the first admit that when I bought my truck I had every intention on pulling a toy hauler behind it so I went big F350 DRW. Now that has changed and I don't pull but a 16' trailer loaded with Quads in it. People ask me all the time why you drive such a big *** truck, I look at them and say because I pay for it so I will drive what I want. When you pay for the fuel and maint. on the truck you can then ask that question!!!

 

Sounds like you're more concerned with supporting your conspiracy theories than actually learning anything.

You should do it. Start a car company that makes perfectly reliable vehicles that get a gazillion miles per gallon. I'll be in line to buy one with everyone else.

 

Not at all, I just know it can be done it isn't a conspiracy.

 

Hello, I'm one of those few people that holds on to their trucks. Mainly because I can buy another investment property for what a new loaded diesel truck costs. The price of new trucks is getting out of control! Especially on diesel's! Keeping a vehicle for as long as possible just makes good financial sense these days. I have no plans on selling any of my trucks but I personally turn the wrenches servicing and maintaining all of them and I do live in Texas so I don't have to worry about rusted out floor boards. Here's what I have 2004 6.0 Excursion has 240000 miles, My 1999 dodge cummings has 210000 miles, the wifes 2008 Toyota 110000 miles and my hunting rig 1996 5.7 yukon has 230000 miles.