1999-2003 F350/F250 Powerstroke

[NW-ZJ-SCOTT]

Thats one of the biggest things I love about the 12v/24v 2gen dodges, the awesome mileage you can get outta them. Trucks with the 3.55 gears can go 65-75 and get 20+ mpg without trying too hard. IMO it seems like Cummins get the best fuel mileage outta the big three diesels. Hell, I can get mid-teens towimg my jeep, even with a fairly heavy foot.

my Buddy has a 24v Auto shortbed 4x4 with 33s
I have a 24v Manual longbed with 35s..

both trucks 3.55 gears, we both topped off at the same time, drove TO an event, and then back home.. together 220 miles each way

I got 15.5mpg
He barely got 13(iirc?) Almost identicle loads weight wise.. Just a jeep on a flatbed trailer

 

[parkbenchbum]

I have a 2000 crew cab with the 7.3 and bought it last year with 138000 miles on it. It now has 161000 with original auto tranny that still shifts excellent. I get 18.5 on freeway unloaded at 65mph. Pulling the jeep at same speed 15.5. I love my truck no problems at all. Truck has plenty enough power to pass cars pulling my jeep on the trailer while going up mountains here in oregon.

 

[87manche]

Ouch.. I couldn't handle a tow rig that makes less torque than the load its pulling...:eyes:

you get used to it.

it will still cruise 70, it just takes 2 miles to get to that speed. Onramps are a bit of a PITA, but when you're in a big ugly truck people move, unless they are in a big truck.

87 'just nudge over a bit' manche

 

[Phil]

That's the nice thing about a bumper pull trailer, just saw the wheel back and forth real quick and people give you room when your trailer jumps over at them.

Get a V-10 truck, the cost difference versus a diesel will buy a lot of gasoline, and they don't go clickety-clack all day long.

 

[ROBZ95Xj]

That's the nice thing about a bumper pull trailer, just saw the wheel back and forth real quick and people give you room when your trailer jumps over at them.

Get a V-10 truck, the cost difference versus a diesel will buy a lot of gasoline, and they don't go clickety-clack all day long.

7mpg's towing gets old real quick with a gasser

 

[billyjp2]

I think Eric got 10mpg towing to Nacfest with his V10 2 years ago and 8 or 9 with the AC on

 

[WrenchMonkey]

7mpg's towing gets old real quick with a gasser

Definitely depends on how much you use it.

I still daily my XJ, so the 'Stroke only leaves the driveway to run to Lowes, or to tow 120-150 miles round trip, once a month.

140 miles at 14mpg is 10 gal, at $4.25, is $42.50.
140 miles at 7mpg is 20 gal, at $3.50, is $70.00.

Saving $18. A month. Wiped out by one $100 oil change.


Now, as a daily driver, 7mpg would get pretty old, but it'd still take a whole lotta miles to break even.

Robert

 

[Boss Cherokee]

Definitely depends on how much you use it.

I still daily my XJ, so the 'Stroke only leaves the driveway to run to Lowes, or to tow 120-150 miles round trip, once a month.

140 miles at 14mpg is 10 gal, at $4.25, is $42.50.
140 miles at 7mpg is 20 gal, at $3.50, is $70.00.

Saving $18. A month. Wiped out by one $100 oil change.


Now, as a daily driver, 7mpg would get pretty old, but it'd still take a whole lotta miles to break even.

Robert

Looks like some bad math to me. Your cutting your savings. #1)$42.00 from $70.00 is $28.00. #2) I change my oil in my Kenworth rig at 10000k to 15000k. A major gasoline/oil company I worked for changes their tanker truck oil at 20k, and they make their own oil. I change my 7.3 between 5k and 6k where as gassers need them at 3k. So if I go 6k, or if I add a Lucas I'll go 8-10k depending on use, towing, or normal use. It cost me just as much as your 2 oil changes and as much as 3 of your oil changes. You need to compare cost at correct intervals and prices. Bottom line for the million dollar question is: if you will be predominantly towing, then I'd get a Diesel for mileage and relaxation while towing. This way it's therapeutic also! You won't be pulling your fingernails out of the leather steering wheel, or the steering wheel out of your chest for leaning forward so much! If you are going to tow 1-3 times a year then by all means get a gasser.

 

[87manche]

gassers need them at 3k. .

I'd disagree with that.

3K mile oil changes are the quick changes industry's way of making money.

 

[WrenchMonkey]

Looks like some bad math to me.

Yes, $28, sorry.

But Ford recommends 3k oil changes, gas or diesel. I have no problem believing 5k is fine, but 20k sounds bizarre. At any rate, let's ignore the maintenance, and just look at the milage.

DD gas at 10mpg, 12k a year, 1200gal, at $3.50 is $4200.
Diesel at 15mpg, 12k a year, 800gal, at $4.25, is $3400.

Savings of $800 a year. (Yes, I double checked this time! :dunce: )

KBB says an '03 diesel is worth $4000 more than a V10. So it'll take five years just to break even on the purchase price. Then you'll start saving some on what will be a 15 year old truck.

I will give you this point:

I'd get a Diesel for relaxation while towing. You won't be pulling your fingernails out of the steering wheel, or the steering wheel out of your chest for leaning forward so much!

The diesel is a better tool for the job. But I've had my 2000 since 04, and you won't convince me it's saving me any money...

:cheers:

 

[sdspearo]

We're still debating diesel vs. gas? Just get the 7.3L and be done with it You won't be sorry you did.

 

[Root Moose]

Yeah, gas engine is not an option on a used truck this old. While KBB says one thing the reality is different outside of the used car dealers.

I've always been very anti swapping out a perfectly well running gas engine out of a truck to replace it for a diesel because of the math above but if you are buying a turn key truck that is different, might as well buy a diesel truck.

 

[87manche]

Savings of $800 a year. (Yes, I double checked this time! :dunce: )

:cheers:

that gets eaten up pretty quick when you reach the ROI point and now it wants a new HEUI and injectors....

Diesel WAS cheaper, then the EPA killed the economic advantages. Unless you're a hot shot driver that's putting 40K miles on a truck in a year the fuel mileage is a moot point.

If you drive a diesel pickup truck it's because you want to, or you really need the power for heavy loads(10k+). For hauling a Jeep on a single car trailer any of the modern gas motors are going to be fine.

For buying 10 year old truck to tow with I would choose the one that's in the best shape, gas or diesel, for the amount of money.

 

[Boss Cherokee]

For buying 10 year old truck to tow with I would choose the one that's in the best shape, gas or diesel, for the amount of money.
Well put! Yes I prefer the diesel, yes I don't drive it every day that's why I have 100k on my 2002 Van, but don't try to tell us diesel owners that the gas is going to pull as well as the diesel even if you've driven both because your integrity would go right out the door if you made that statement!

 

[morgan320i]

I had an 02 chevy 2500 crew cab gas motor and i got horible gas and it towed alot but when i got close to 10k lbs uphill id be going 25 mph, i have a late model 06 powerstroke 590 lbs torque and i get 21 to 22 mpg on long highway trips empty and towing my boat which is around 9k i get 15mpg, or when i towed my ski boat to arizona i got 16 mpg the entire way, and go 55 easy uphill

 

[morgan320i]

My warrenty is good for the next few years then imma replace the studs and egr cooler, 6k is absurd, iv looked into labor, not even close to that

 

[Vanimal]

For buying 10 year old truck to tow with I would choose the one that's in the best shape, gas or diesel, for the amount of money.
Well put! Yes I prefer the diesel, yes I don't drive it every day that's why I have 100k on my 2002 Van, but don't try to tell us diesel owners that the gas is going to pull as well as the diesel even if you've driven both because your integrity would go right out the door if you made that statement!

i dont care if it pulls "as well", it pulls just fine. i didn't really see my 24 year old 300k mile $1000 van holding you up on the hills, and with how little i drive, i would never in my lifetime see any payback if i went with a diesel that even got 5mpg more, and that's being pretty liberal with the mileage difference, i'm guessing it's closer to 3mpg.
plus the cost difference in registration over a few years would pay for my 383 stroker.

 

[garrett83]

7.3 is the way to go imop.

I have an 02 and spent the first 150k miles pulling my toy hauler, driving it do work and taking it to the drap strip. I upgraded it with a custom multi function chip, 4" exhaust, big ass industrial injection turbo, cold air intake, and nitrous just for the strip, never got it on the dyno, but my 2 wheel drive short bed crew can ran 13.9 to 14.9 at altitude at LACR, traction was always the bigger issue. With the chip on Full power I got as much as 25 mpg if I was easy on the throttle. It now gets 21 mpg with the chip on "tow safe".


Now the down side...

The HUEI injectors have a life span of about 150 to 190k miles. Typically you would replace the HPOP at that point as well. This is not a cheap fix, I believe this was a $4 or $5k fix from a shop with just stock injectors. You will know you need injectors when you have a real tough time cold starting and rough idle while cold. As far as the tranny, I got lucky. I only have a slight shutter from my tourque converter while heavy towing. This is mostly my own fault as I did one too many stop sign burn outs while my trailer was attached, and vuala, dumb ass. I wore out the factory limited slip long ago as well. I have a friend that went through numerous trannys in his lifted 02, but that problem was resolved when he decided to regear his axles. He would fry his tranny towing heavy loads for long periods, which would cause the tranny to overheat.

Another dumb thing I did was running the cold air intake without any type of sock over the filter, and running it to the desert. This detroyed my turbo and valves and I ended up with such bad blow by, I couldn't drive it because of the blue smoke trail behind me. I pulled the motor at 200k miles and had the long block rebuilt, new STOCK turbo built, all new injectors and a new HPOP. $5k later and my own labor Doing the R and R, I have a brand new truck again. I found out from the machine shop that my blow by was caused by 3 broken compression rings, my own dumb ass fault due to the huge nitrous shot and detonation.

So lesson learned, these are not good race trucks, but they make great daily drivers, tow rigs,and if left stock, will last you a long time.

 

[WrenchMonkey]

...they make great daily drivers, tow rigs,and if left stock, will last you a long time.

The HUEI injectors have a life span of about 150 to 190k miles. Typically you would replace the HPOP at that point as well. This is not a cheap fix, I believe this was a $4 or $5k fix from a shop with just stock injectors...

 

[iluv83vettes]

My stock injectors and HPOP in my 97 7.3 have 253K miles on them ...