We accept the facts about our truck (7.3s) and try to improve the problem, but it seems like most of the guys with 6.0s think that their trucks are builtproof....im not saying all of them but I know what the flaws on my truck are and Ill say them if anyone asks, some of these guys dont say a single flaw that there truck has or that engine/drivetrain is prone to. If someone wants a honest opion I think we are obligated to give it to them, which would mean stating the problem areas of both engines.

heres what i can think of as downsies to the 7.3 if anyone wants to know:
weak tranny, CPS, lower hp/tq and im sure there are more but those are the main ones.

Quick question, if the 7.3 isnt a better option than the 6.0, then why do they comonly sell for more than a 6.0? even if the 7.3 has more miles on them..around me thats the way it is, cant hardly find a 7.3 that sits on a dealer lot for very long.

 

I think think your post here makes a very good point. When I bought my truck I was actually looking for a 02 or 03 7.3 but I ended up deciding on my 6.0 because of my need to tow heavy through the mountains. I don't like to have big rigs on my rear end. The 6.0's had many nuisance problems ( mostly chugs, bucks, leaks) but unlike my 7.3 owner friends, none that would leave you in need of a towtruck on the side of the road ( transmission, idler pulley).

 

Well my friend, the 7.3 tranny is weak, and yes can leave you on the side of the road, but you are kidding yourself if you think your 6 liter doesnt stand more of a chance. I noticed you have an 03, that is the most problematic year of the 6 liter, and its well known. On a stock truck the head gaskets and the turbo are well known to go. The torqshift isnt bulletproof either. We had an 03 ford as a shop truck that went through a few trannies, and a buddy of mine was towing his travel trailer with his 05 king ranch (gorgeous truck) and blew his head gaskets, turbo, something messed up with his injectors, and he blew his tranny at the same time!

I think those problems are a tad more then "nuisance"!

If you dont believe me, go ask a dealer tech that works on them for a living, or read the forums here. You will see tons of early model 6 liter problems that will leave you needing more then a tow truck!

 

Everyone knows some 6.0' had many problems. Ford also sold about 250,000 of these per year. The majority have no problems. True or not true?

 

The majority maybe never had problems, but a good percentage sure did. And they werent small problems either. Alot were chatastrophic, with very minimal miles on them. Alot were bought back due to the lemon law. Id be interested in seeing the comparison of the 6 liter buybacks to the 7.3. Im sure there were some 7.3's but I bet no where nears.

Just the same as not every single 7.3 auto crapped out after 200k.

Out of the two, the 6 liter definatly has left more guys on the side of the road then the 7.3. Most of them were low miles problems too, not longevity issues.

Ive also talked to quite a few techs at different dealerships in saskatchewan, alberta, and bc. I havent found one yet that ever said a 7.3 liter truck was more problematic then a 6 liter truck.

Ask around at your local shops, and do a fair comparison of the two like I did.

 

Does anyone know the percentages on the failure rates of the 7.3 or 6.0? or know where I could look them up? Id like to see which one had more, that way we could end this whole argueement.

 

No idea, I just looked for the sales of the 2003 7.3 compared to the 2004 6 liter, and I cant find anything either.

I also tried looking for lemon law stats, but cant find any of those either!

 

You never do know, but I have eliminated all the big problems that would have kept it from making it there if the truck was one of the problem ones(most of the deletes etc were done before they crapped out on their own if they were going to go). Who knows though.

 

I looked too, and couldn't find the article that quoted Ford on the warranty claims (we're talking late 6.0s versus late 7.3s, here...). I think I read it on this site, tho...

 

Thats cool nitrous, any manufacture that comes out with a new vehicle some times has somekind of issue. Just sent you a peace offering. Were all family here.

 

I have seen these two combos (7.3 with 4R100 and 6.0 with 5R110) in some of the most demanding, brutal, and just plain abusive environments any truck can be exposed to. Fire and EMS work as well as Public Works beater/plow/work trucks. So far I've driven the following ambulances with diesels

94 E350 pre PSD
96 E350 PSD
05 E450 PSD
04 F450 PSD
04 F450 PSD
01 F350 PSD
08 F450 PSD

In addition to those ambulances

02 F250 PSD (Public Works)
01 F250 PSD (Public Works)
02 F250 PSD
03 F550 PSD

In my experience the 7.3 has been FAR more reliable than the 6.0. I've never had a 7.3 leave me stranded. The 05 6.0 has on a run. Thankfully it wouldn't make it out of the station and we took the backup 96.

The two 04s have had head gaskets blow multiple times and between the two have been out of service for about 180 days combined for engine repairs. The city that I work for is currently in a class action lawsuit against Ford as a result of these engines.

The 05 is at my previous department and it had issues with no power and excessive smoking since day one.

As far as transmissions go, I've never seen a 5R110 fail. I'm sure it happens, but it's a very stout stock tranny. It's the only auto that I've ever driven that I had liked. The 96 needed a new transmission at some time, but I'm not sure when that was. The 01 blew a tranny at about 90,000 miles, which is well over 9-10,000 hours.

So what does all this come down to? Engine vs engine, the 7.3 will be more reliable than the 6.0 IMO and in my experience. The 5R110 with be far more reliable than the 4R100 and is just a better transmission overall.

The trucks that the 7.3 came in are all getting old. There comes a time when it's not worth buying an old truck just for the engine.

Mike

 

Well if you think about it that way, the latest model of 6 liter is only 4 years newer then the latest model of 7.3. Thats not a whole lot of difference. The real difference is it is ten times harder to find a 03 with a 7.3 in them. Guys that have them, dont wanna sell them!

I definatly will not stick up for the 7.3's tranny's. I have an upgraded one in my truck that someone put in just before I bought it, so personally mine is pretty well built and SHOULD last just as long as a 6 liter tranny.

Stock ones arent the best, and its definatly no secret

 

The latest model is, but they are still getting old and I have a hard time paying any amount of money on something that's about to be 6 years old as far as model years go.

Even if you get a built up 4R100, it's still a 4R100. We have a new one in the 01 F350 backup squad. I get to drive it a lot as it fills in for the 04s when they are out for new HGs.

The 4R100 just feels all wrong. It feels like it's sucking up power, always in the wrong gear and clunky. So even if it will last as long as a 5R110, it will never be more than a 4R100.

Mike

 

I guess thats the difference for some guys. To me a 6 year old vehicle that has proven reliability, is generally alot cheaper, and hasnt really changed ALL that much in design and features, is worth it. Might as well purchase a 6.4 liter, over the 6 liter if your comparing the price of a year or two old truck! then you get the 6.4, and the tranny, and dont have to worry if the 6 liter is good or not (which it most likely is in 07). Ive went and priced out a brand new truck with a 6.4, but decided to hold off, since my truck hasnt caused me any problems yet, and im kind of undecided about the whole 2010 emissions thing, and whats going to happen.

I dont think the 4r100 is the best thing in the world, but the built ones do feel head and shoulders above the stock ones.

If a guy really wants to do it right, ditch either automatic, and go with a 6 speed

 

If they were a lot cheaper then I'd be all over it, but most people must think thier 7.3s are made of solid gold. The problem is that I don't care how awesome the engine is, the truck is still 6 years old minimum.

I'm big on manuals as well, but they are hard to find and I've heard that with the 6.0 that there is a lot of turbo lag.

Mike