I currrently have a 01 Excursion with a v10 and I found a low mileage 01 Excursion with a 7.3. I like the v10 I have but the extra torque of the diesel would be nice. Anyone here went from a v10 to the 7.3. Any comments would be great.

 

I went from a 460 to a 7.3.
I will never buy a gas engine again.

 

I've never owned a V10 Ford, but I have driven one. You can read all about the maintenance differences, but I can give you my 'impression' of driving differences:

- the V10 feels quicker and more powerful than a stock Powerstroke diesel. It has no turbo-lag, after all.
- When you put a load on the stock diesel, it pulls quite a bit harder than the V10.
- The diesel is noisier - it is much more mechanical. Some people don't like the constant mechanical symphony of a diesel and prefer the car-like quiet of the V10.

In the short run, the V10 would be cheaper (diesel maintenance costs more). In the long run, the diesel would win out - especially since they both use the same trans.

When towing, a diesel will have more torque for pulling and doesn't take as big a fuel hit as the V10 will.

Oh, and if you like to modify engines, the V10 is very, very limited due to state and federal smog laws. In my state, that would mean an exhaust system and a chip - the exhaust would have to have the certification of the air resources board, and the chip would have be removed before each smog check. Combined, you'll be lucky if you can increase the power output by much over 10%.

On the diesel, well, first - there is no smog inspection in my state. Second, your bank account is your limit. If Jody Tipton is correct (and my seat-of-the-pants dyno says he probably is), then I have increased the torque output of my PSD by over 35%, and the horsepower by over 45% - and NO internal mods, primarily intake, exhaust, and a chip. Oh, and gauges to keep an eye on it.

So, if I needed to be practical and choose based on money, I'd have a hard time, but probably would go with the diesel knowing that it would hold up better over the long run. If I were to be impractical, I'd go with the diesel for flat-out fun.

 

Kwik, I'd LOVE to not buy a gas engine again, but the selection of diesel cars is pretty limited in this country - a Volkswagon or a Mercedes pretty much covers it.

 

I had a diesel suburban before my EX and had a lot of problems with it so I was hesitant to buy another diesel again. But I have read the 7.3 is far superior than the 6.5 chevy I once had. Maybe I'll talk some numbers with the sales guy this week.

 

Well, to start with, one is a Chevy, the other a Ford.

Seriously, once upon a time, I thought Chevy made better trucks than Ford. But that hasn't been true for a few decades.

Also, the 6.5 wasn't much of an engine - the 7.3 is, in fact, a very good engine. It has its quirks, as they all do. Overall, I'm very, VERY pleased with my PSD.

 

that's exactly why i did it. i dont need it, or should i have it. but i could afford it and i wanted it. plain and simple. we have two v-10's (2000 and 2002) and i have my 2002 powerstroke.

pulling into the shop with the v-10 dually, we can smoke the tires with not much throttle input at all. and that's with a 7000# trailer on the back. it's badass, but i'd still rather see it being a diesel. it has gobs of lowend power for a gasser. if there wasn't a powerstroke ever built, i'd have one of these. but, the bad thing is that it only gets anywhere 3-5 mpg loaded with that trailer. but tromp on that pedal and there is no waiting for spooling, its mash-n-go.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...t/DSCF1819.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...t/DSCF2452.jpg

sorry for sounding like a gasserlover, but there is nothing comparable to sound of a powerstroke. plus the smoke, and the turbo whistle. what all of the guys above is exactly what i wanted to say. they already said it for me, so i wont say it again.

a turbocharged v-10 would be sweet though.

 

A turbo V10 would be cool - but if you REALLY like the "power RIGHT now" of the V10, then don't use a turbo-charger, use a supercharger. No spool up, no lag, just power when you want it.

Let's face it, a gasser can only use so much boost anyway before it becomes a grenade. Go with a nice, crank-driven supercharger. Your fuel mileage will suck anyway!

 

the v-10 has sufficient off-idle power. it would be awesome hearing that whistle and flutter out of two straight 4'' pipes out the back. DRAG TRUCK


okay getting off topic, so back on topic.

 

Don't discount the sound of a supercharger - it is a different kind of whistle than a turbo, but whenever you hear it, it WILL get your attention!

 

Yep - me too! MAN did it suck the gas down!!

I say go for it I can't imagine you being sorry you made the switch!

 

Actually, a supercharger is less whistle, more of a whine. But to the initiated, it is an attention-getter.

Side note - my brother is building a 602 cubic inch, supercharged Pontiac engine for his '67 GTO. When he has it running, I HAVE to try to get good recordings of it, both idling and blasting down a quarter mile. He's shooting for low-7s.

 

I think one deciding factor is if you will be towing. I have 2 firends, each with Excusions, 1 V10 (4MPG when towing), and the other with a 7.3L (14MPG when towing).

 

I too have had a 460. You could burn 10-ply tires off it without traveling 5 feet. Also, I've borrowed another contractor's V-10 stake body a few times. Like strokin_it says, it's got some hole shot power and that American muscle, but the Powerstroke is completely different. As for pulling or carrying a heavy load, nothing beats a diesel. You can drive it empty or with a few tons behind it and it drives the same. Sometimes I forget I have a trailer attached.

Another thing. I wouldn't call a PSD slow by any means. It's a monster and when you want it to get up and go, it does. Getting on an on ramp will show you that. Going from 50-80mph is a quick process. And that's stock.

 

I went from a 1999 4x4 ext. cab V-10 to a 2002 4x4 crew cab 7.3 diesel. The V-10 is a work-horse,very powerful when you get in the RPMs,but the gas milage really sucked. In my opinion the V-10 pulled better than my stock 7.3. However, since I've done a few modifications my trusty 7.3 pulls better than I ever could amagine. If you want longevity,better fuel milage and piece-of-mind go with the 7.3.