Hi all,
So I'm looking into buying a ford excursion and I'm looking into the 7.3 vs bulletproofed 6.0 debate. I've read a ton of info on here and other sites regarding the pros and cons of both the 7.3 and 6.0 engines. I don't want a v10 as I want the performance that comes with a diesel. I'm downsizing from a toyota work truck and a pleasure only 97' gmc yukon into one vehicle and my new vehicle has to be both a pleasure and work truck. For pleasure this truck has to have lots of room for camping and long road trips and it has to be capable enough for mild to moderate offroad use like fire roads and the like. It also has to be capable of lots of power to satisfy the performance guy in me although that part can come in stages. Ultimately I'd like to break 450-500 flywheel (so about 400-450 rwhp) horsepower someday and be extremely reliable and last a couple hundred thousand miles. This truck will never be taken to the track or street raced but I want to have some fun here and there on the street or out on the dirt and be able to be faster then most other vehicles out there when I need to be. For work I drive about a 20-25 mile commute thats about 80% fwy miles then I make about ten 20-30 min stops on my route (I'm a pool guy) before driving back home. I do this 4 - 5 days a week. I was going to buy a lbz duramax before realizing that I could get an Excursion with a diesel! I prefer SUV's over pickups. So what engine would you suggest for my situation and why? Do you guys consider a bulletproofed 6.0 as reliable as a 7.3? Should i consider all years 7.3 or just the 2000 that comes with forged rods? If looking at a bulletproofed 6.0 should I only look at the last year 2005 model for the most reliability possible with this engine? Thanks for your input and helping me decide!

Aaron,

 

 

Look for one down in the non-coastal south. Texas, Arizona, New Mexico... They will almost all be rust free, and there's a lot more diesels for sale there compared to the northern states.

Also, be ready for the 6.8 V10 advocates to party in this thread.

 

 

As far as the 7.3 goes if the truck has 200 - 225k on it when I'm looking at one is that considered too high of mileage to consider for a $14k - $20k truck that otherwise appears problem free? If I can take good care of it I am hoping to find a truck I can put another 100k - 200k on it before rebuilding the motor. No, I don't have enough coin to spend 20k on a truck then sink 10k into it right away to fix a catastrophic engine issue or walk away from it so it has to be as reliable as possible.

 

My 7.3 F 350 had 330k on the clock when I sold it and it was running perfectly. A 7.3 is a very reliable engine. You don't need to worry about finding one with forged rods as long as you're not going to push the HP too much. PMR's should be fine up to about 400hp as long as the fuel curve is reasonable at lower rpm. I've never owned a 6.0 so I can't comment there but I spent very little money on engine repairs with my 7.3. Be ready to spend some money upgrading the transmission if you add power. The stock 4R100 is fine for stock power levels but you'll break it if you start beating on it with a 400 hp 7.3. Also beware the 2001 4R100 with the mechanical diode...those tended to be troublesome at times.I don't know what the 5R110 can withstand in stock form...never had one.

 

OGF... have you thought about Barrett Jackson?

You want go fast HP then the 6.0 is your choice. If you want get up and go with reliability, then 7.3.

 

 

 

pirate4x4: I'd love an srt durango but I don't have the coin for it haha. Plus, I don't think it would stand up to my offroad and camping needs. Also, thank you for the B10 and B50 info.

Logan: Thanks for the engine info, the more I look into it the more I think that breaking into the 500 Hp window is a very long way off. I will stick to a 300-400 rwhp build if I get one. Would you guys say that would be a reasonable build to attain to have some fun with yet keep very reliable?

Dave: what is "OGF?" Who or what is Barrett Jackson?

Thanks for everyone who has taken the time to respond...I'm still researching and reading, reading, reading!

 

400 hp is pretty easy to get from a 7.3. It won't be cheap. The most reliable 7.3 you'll ever own is one that's bone stock but it will also be the most boring one. There are lots of gimmicks out there that are designed to take your money rather than make power but you seem like a guy who does his research.
Mine was stock except for a 6637 air filter, 4" exhaust, and a chip. It would light the tires from a stop and towed a 10k trailer easily. I think if you added some stage 2 single shot injectors, a good turbo, and possibly an upgraded HPOP, you'd have a ride that was pretty inspiring to drive.
You will need to address the transmission when you add all this power. The torque converters that come factory on the 7.3's are nothing to write home about either.
Very important...you probably already know this...is monitoring temps. If you do nothing else, get an EGT gauge and a trans temp gauge before you even put a chip on the engine. An aggressive tune can turn a piston into a molten puddle very quickly.
My research on the PMR's indicated that they were OK at power levels below 400hp as long as the fuel curve was set such that it didn't come on too aggressively at low rpm. That's when they tend to break...at low rpm and max torque output. They just weren't designed correctly for the 7.3's...6.0's also have PMR's and you never hear of them breaking.

 

 

MHO - 6.0L Will take care of your needs and give you more options and greater power with more reliability. Dont worry about a BD engine mods, at the right price you can do anything. The 6.0 Excursion is quieter and more comfortable as well as deal out more towing capacity and reliability. As I said IMHO.

 

Thank you everyone for your time and help with my research into getting a new to me excursion. Looks like I still have some reading to do and then it will be time to make a decision. Hopefully soon I'll be joining your ranks of a happy excursion owner!

 

I know a guy that has a 500 hp V10 supercharged Excursion for sale with only 112,000 miles on the odometer.

look thru the classifieds for vehicles here on this site.