7.3 Motor longevity?

[Lucias]

How many miles do you have on your 7.3 before anything went drastically wrong?

I am in the market for a used pickup and looking at one with a 02 with 160k on it..

 

[Olie3170]

My '99 has 160k on it too and runs like a champ.

 

[Braaap12]

The 7.3's are legendary for longevity, I dont have one but i've seen them with 700,000 MILES. 160k is nothin for a 7.3 I wouldn't worry about the motor untill at least 250,000-300,000 KMS

 

[One]

Read a thread on one of the diesel forums where people had 500,000+ on their 7.3's with normal maintenance. One story of over a million, everything original...ford wanted to buy the truck back but the dude wouldn't sell.

 

[klubbo]

mine's a COMPLETE P.O.S!!!!! replaced the motor at 200,000 kms (120,000 miles) to the tune of $15,000.00.....the damned thing still won't start unless it"s plugged in at 10 degrees celsius!!! really wished i had put in a late 90"s cummins 5.9!!!!

 

[blackcloud2k]

490K miles on my dads 2000 7.3 and 167K miles on my 2000 7.3 and both have been hooked to trailers most of there lives ....both motors run like they are brand new. The only thing done to my dads was basic things like water pumps, starter, things of that nature and it only burns 1qt of oil in 5k miles...its a keeper... mine uses .5qt oil in 5k miles...

 

[merlin2569]

170,000 on my '01 F350. Runs like a champ still. Have done the basic things new starter, new alternator, new batteries. Other then that doesn't burn any oil and starts and runs like a dream no matter how cold it is out.

 

[jsledder]

My 2000 had 180k on it when I sold it and it was still running the same as when it had 60k and the only thing I did to it was a Crankshaft position sensor, the power mods don't count.

I know of at least 3 that have 3-400k and haven't had the motor touched. Might be on their 2nd tranny, but the motors seem to last.

Wish I would have kept that sucker.

 

[scott w.m.]

My dad has a 02 with 475,500km (295,285mi) and a 03 with 434,000km (269,514mi). Both are work trucks in the oilfield and are worked everyday.
These are hard miles with not much highway miles, mostly dusty, rough gravel. Lots of stop and go and idleing in the winter going from site to site.
With 10,000-11,000 km oil changes, the oil level is always still on the normal range on the dip stick. We don't have to add any yet.
The turbo's, injector's, HPOP's, auto transmission's are still original and untouched. The 7.3L has been a very good engine for us. Even the whole truck itself has been good to. Just regular parts that is expected has been replaced to, like everyone elses. Batteries, starters, alternators, fan belts,
cps(crank shaft sensor)ect.
Buy that truck and have fun with it.

 

[theultrarider]

My 96 has about 210,000. Just the normal stuff. Starter,alt, finally cahged glow plugs just to be good to it at 200,000. They like to eat the glow plug relays, about 1 a year, but the motor itself and the turbo no issue. Knock on wood, still orginal tranny as well.

 

[twistedtunnel]

my buddys had to be rebuit at 140,000

he bought it like that and had it rebuild and he put 150 hp injectors in it, bunch of other stuff, and some tranny work now she runs like a champ.

 

[Blk88GT]

I've got 120k miles on my 02 and it's going strong. Replaced the CPS, batteries and alternator. I only use it for anything from hauling a pallet of sod to towin my enclosed with the racecar. Just wish it had 4 full doors!

 

[pro-xr434]

i have a 99 with 154k not a problem my dad has a 99 with 175k on it not a problem with either just normal maint.

 

[yamaha3]

i have never owned a ford diesel...or a diesel for that matter but i am chevy guy..i do have to say the 7.3 is the best diesel that has ever came from ford..alot of people that i know have them and they like them..i have driven some and they have good power and they last along time..girlfriends mom has one she uses for work and it has almost 200,000 and there is nothing that has ever been wrong with the engine..but i think that with basic oil changes and fuel filter changes it should last forever in my opinion..good trucks

 

[LM.]

I have a 97, got it with 15,000 on it. It now has 280,000. Its been a good ride. I plan on keeping it till 500,000. or more

Repairs
3 glow plug relays
1 set of glow plugs
1 starter
3 fan belts
1 set of batteries
2 sets of front brakes
1 idler pulley
1 fuel tank switch
1 set of hubs, then switched out to manual
1 set of u-joints for the front axles

 

[aueland]

I have 230,000 miles on three motors but all of those were my fault. When you push the envelope of diesel performance these things are going to happen.My old man has 350,000 on his with just normal maint. and parts.

 

[sandorsnow]

I have an '01 f350 with 245k on it that i ordered straight from the factory, and damn near every mile has been with a trailer anywhere from 14k to 24k pounds. The only major problem was an employee sticking it in the mud up to its doors with a trailer on it, then trying to get out in 4-hi. So after that I burned up a couple rebuilt p.o.s. trannys until I was out of warranty, dropped in a suncoast converter tranny, and never looked back. I put a 4'' exhaust and a superchips controller on tow-safe level as well.
You have to service a diesel regularly, and not just the oil and air, if you don't they'll eat you up.
I figure mine's just getting broken in, I've got at least another 500k left in her.
I'd sure like a shiny new truck, but until they put the 7.3 back in, or take off all the emissions crap, I'll just repaint mine in a few years.

Speaking of emissions crap, the new diesels sure do burn cleaner but by doing so they get half the gas milage or worse. What the hell's the point? It's a truck for a reason, and until I can pull a trailer around with a stupid prius, leave our trucks alone.

Thanks I feel better

 

[IdaWinterWarrior]

Had a 1996.5 with 245,000 on it. Usual stuff cps, alternator, batteries, other than that low maintanance very strong truck till a couple cows decided to reconfigure the front end at 65 mph and insurance had to total it. I wish I still had her, bet I could get 500,000 out of her. You will not regret the 7.3 diesel and parts are a dime a dozen.

 

[brad240780]

We have an 89 naturaly aspirated 7.3 on the farm with 525000kms not the most power and hard to start but wont quit. original motor has never been apart. It has had low oil pressure since 350000 and it still wont die also its always loaded down with fuel or a trailer of somekind. original tranny also just changoed out lots of body panels, rad, alternators and that type of stuff. pretty solid IMO.

 

[REV4ARUSH]

Mines a 99 with 215000 on it. Runs like a top, uses less than a quart every 5k. I run full synthetic, they start alot better in the winter and the oil stays alot cleaner. Check out DP-tuner.com when you are ready to chip that baby.