5 Reasons Why the 7.3L Diesel Really is That Good
1. Reliability
The 7.3L International Power Stroke engine is considered by many to be one of the best diesel engines ever to be equipped in a modern heavy-duty pickup truck/van. Although there are a number of great things about this big diesel engine, it has gained such a following by providing bulletproof reliability. There are numerous stories and accounts of the 7.3L being pushed through the toughest of conditions and terrains, only to keep on chugging. Even with questionable maintenance, one can expect the engine to last at least 300,000-500,000 miles, but a number of owners have seen nearly 1 million miles without the need of an overhaul.
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2. Performance
While it shared the same bore and stroke as its 7.3L IDI predecessor, the 7.3L Power Stroke introduced in 1994 featured an all new direct fuel-injection system coupled with a turbocharger. Unlike the fuel-sipping engines found throughout the '80s and early '90s, the new focus for Ford, GM, and Dodge was to extract more performance from their power plants while providing cleaner tailpipe emissions. By the end of its production run in 2003, the 7.3L Power Stroke was at the top of the diesel performance class with 275 horsepower and a hefty 525 pound-feet of torque. While these numbers are still respectable by today's standards, the electronics incorporated into the engine still allow for performance tuning that can yield incredible gains.
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3. Emission Controls
A big selling point of the older 7.3L engine is that it has many of the same electronic control features as found on the newer diesel engines, but is much less choked back by some of the modern emission equipment that is required on newer models. Instead of having a number of emission control devices, such as the Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) system that has caused a number of issues for its successor, the 7.3L engine uses a simple Diesel Oxidation Catalyst (DOC) to burn off hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and some oxides of nitrogen tailpipe emissions. In short, it is a relatively clean burning engine with fewer working parts that could potentially hinder performance and reliability.
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4. Fuel Economy
Fuel economy and heavy-duty diesel trucks are two terms that do not often go together, but the 7.3L Power Stroke holds its own against newer equipment when it comes to MPG. As previously mentioned, emission controls on newer trucks have had a negative impact on fuel economy, and manufacturers are still playing catch-up with improving fuel mileage. As a result, the diesel truck community have expressed that the 7.3L Power Stroke can be as fuel efficient as newer models and, depending on how the truck is being used, can even surpass the 6.0L and 6.7L engines.
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5. Proven Platform
As with any car or truck, issues are bound to arise and some service parts will inevitably fail. Newer engine platforms often have a number of updates and component redesigns during their production cycle in an attempt to fix any shortcomings. With an older engine such as the 7.3L Power Stroke, the final evolution of the platform has long passed, all common problems have been well documented or solved, and various walkthroughs are available online to help owners complete just about any repair work that may be needed. With a rated B10 life of 200,000 miles and a B50 life of 350,000 miles, it is safe to say that the 7.3L workhorse has proven that it can run for miles on end. That said, if any repairs are needed, replacement parts are abundant and readily available at parts houses nationwide.
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