New F-350 motor options?

[Brooks]

The newer 6.7 powerstrokes will start like a car at any temp. The day of not starting fast in cold weather is a thing of the past.
My cousin had a F250 with a gas motor two years ago he sold it after one year because it couldn’t pull a loaded horse trailer without keeping it wide open all the time, then when you hit a big hill it was a joke. He bought a new 6.7 F350 and loves the power.
If you’re not pulling anything and idling a lot a gas truck will be ok. These new diesel aren’t made to idle unless you idle them up to about 1100 rpm.

 

[CJohnson]

I have a ‘99 f-350 with the 7.3L powerstroke and a ‘22 with the 7.3L gas. I like both of them and don’t understand the strong feelings one way or the other. I pull a trailer that’s 5-6k lbs daily with the gas engine and I think it does just fine. I also pull my camper which is pushing 9k lbs. The mileage is 10-14mpg depending on if I’m in the mountains or not. The f-350 with the powerstroke gets about the same. I have no idea what mileage people are actually getting with the newer power strokes, but it would have to be around 18-20 to offset the cost of diesel. Not to mention all of the other problems diesels will have. Almost everyone I know with a new(er) diesel across all brands has had some kind of emission system nightmare. I couldn’t imagine having to depend on a work truck and it be out of commission for months because of a warranty repair.

As far as building one out on the ford website, I just did it and was able to a regular cab STX model with the 7.3L and FX4 package which I’m pretty sure has a skid plate.

 

[Brooks]

I also have a 99 7.3 and a 2021 6.7 the 7.3 is a good ol boy that gets around 15 mpg. You can’t compare a 7.3 to a new diesel the 6.7 is a monster. I had a 2014 6.7 before I bought this 21 and it was a great truck never in the shop it hit 300,000 miles so I sold it and bought a 2021 and this one is getting17 - 21 mph.

 

[traildust]

Our family ranch is looking at getting a new truck. Dad is pretty convinced he wants another F-350 rather than a different brand. We've had good luck with the last 4 we bought between 1993 and 2012.

My 2012 has the 6.7L diesel and we keep it hooked to a trailer most of the time, which has been a great way to keep mileage down on it. We also have a 1999 4 door with the 7.3 Powerstroke and a 1993 we use as a feed truck with the 460 gas.

The new truck will be a regular cab 4wd single rear wheel truck. It will get a bale bed, and eventually replace the 1993 as our primary feed truck. Since it will get started every morning in the winter we were looking primarily at the gas engines. After spending some time on the Ford truck builder site, I'm reconsidering that a little. Some options I want like skid plates and the offroad package are not offered with the 7.3L gas engine. I'm hesitant to buy a 6.8L gas until they have been out a little longer. I worked at a CNH dealership for 4 years selling parts and was not always popular with the salesmen. When asked by the customers I recommended buying the last year of the old model, rather than the first year of a new version. It just seems to take time to get the bugs out and the designs perfected.

Dad is 69 now and wants something reliable. His biggest concern is that he wants to be able to idle around, pull hay trailers, check cattle, and do other low-speed activity without the engine heating up while running the A/C. The old 93 with the 460 has always got hot pretty easy. That has me considering spending the extra 10k for the diesel, but as they keep complicating them with more emissions parts and sensors I don't know if that is the right answer either.

Anyone know anything good or bad about the new Ford gas motors?

Thanks for the help.

7.3 is the best option for that truck.....prolly the cheapest too

 

[doc holiday13]

If you want skid plates, just about any good metal shop can build that for you. AR400 1/8" would do fairly well

 

[swavescatter]

I love my ‘21 F350 Powerstroke. Best things are pulling power and RANGE with the 48 gallon tank. Nearly 1000 miles per tank if I’m cruising empty.

That said, I would never own a diesel for short trips and off-roading. The emissions crap needs long drives or it gunks up. Off-road that diesel is HEAVY. I hate having to drive 1/2mph over small rocks to avoid smashing the oil pan.

Towing occasionally is fine for the 7.3L. They’re thirsty and range sucks but you’ll get more payload too load up with fuel if needed.

 

[Weldor]

Check out youtube video on head to head match up for ram ,ford and chevy gasser's in Colorado. It's very informative. Same weight trailer, grade . All I can say is check it out. All those gasser's were struggling. I was considering one over my cummin's until I watched it.

 

[bow puller]

Love the crap out of my gas 7.3/4.30 geared truck. Pull a 10k+ toy hauler all the time in the mtns.

 

[deltadukman]

I'm glad this thread popped up. I am in the 3/4 ton market. I don't pull anything super heavy and don't pull it everyday. I have a heavy center console boat that I pull 4 hrs one way a couple dozen times a year. I have a tundra now so I am used to horrible gas mileage(and that small 21gal tank). The boat works the tundra pretty well in hills and long drives. I do think I need a 3/4 ton for pulling it the longer distances and the stopping power. I don't "need" a diesel but maybe a few times a year but I feel the gasser can do it when i need it. Are the GMC and Ford gassers just outright dogs? The emissions stuff bothers me and paying close to 80-90k for a new truck and then worrying about it being down for months or a 15k repair seems stupid. Thoughts?

 

[swavescatter]

The Godzilla Ford motor is great, unless you’re pulling a 10k+ lb trailer up a mountain. Then it’s a lot slower and works harder than an oil burner.

If you’re looking at ford, don’t bother with a 250. Get the 350 for extra payload - most of the difference (sometimes zero difference mechanically) is the tires. Just air down and you won’t feel like driving a forklift.

 

[Wyomuleskinner]

I traded my duramax for the 7.3 gas. Couldn't be happier. I don't miss my diesel one bit. I pull a steel trailer with 4-5 horses in the mountains and it does the job fine

 

[mcseal2]

Have you crawled under the truck and looked at the "skid plates"...I removed the "skid plate" from the gas tank when i swapped the OEM tank for 58 gallon. My new steel tank provides more protection than that junk. Calling it a skid plate is a stretch.....

OP I wouldn't let OEM skid plates be a factor in your decision...your better off getting after market real ones anyways.

What brand of aftermarket skid plates did you get? Or have some made? Thanks.

 

[cuerro viejo]

I'm glad this thread popped up. I am in the 3/4 ton market. I don't pull anything super heavy and don't pull it everyday. I have a heavy center console boat that I pull 4 hrs one way a couple dozen times a year. I have a tundra now so I am used to horrible gas mileage(and that small 21gal tank). The boat works the tundra pretty well in hills and long drives. I do think I need a 3/4 ton for pulling it the longer distances and the stopping power. I don't "need" a diesel but maybe a few times a year but I feel the gasser can do it when i need it. Are the GMC and Ford gassers just outright dogs? The emissions stuff bothers me and paying close to 80-90k for a new truck and then worrying about it being down for months or a 15k repair seems stupid. Thoughts?

no the 6.6 and 7.3 are not dogs just not diesels.

biggest advantage of 3/4 and more so Diesel is integrated stopping power.. weight, bigger brakes, engine braking, and trans auto down shifting and just pure low end power.

No more then you are pulling gas 3/4 is a very safe choice.

 

[bow puller]

I'm glad this thread popped up. I am in the 3/4 ton market. I don't pull anything super heavy and don't pull it everyday. I have a heavy center console boat that I pull 4 hrs one way a couple dozen times a year. I have a tundra now so I am used to horrible gas mileage(and that small 21gal tank). The boat works the tundra pretty well in hills and long drives. I do think I need a 3/4 ton for pulling it the longer distances and the stopping power. I don't "need" a diesel but maybe a few times a year but I feel the gasser can do it when i need it. Are the GMC and Ford gassers just outright dogs? The emissions stuff bothers me and paying close to 80-90k for a new truck and then worrying about it being down for months or a 15k repair seems stupid. Thoughts?

A 7.3 with 4.30 rear is absolutely not a dog. Up to say 7k ft elevation it will pull 10k-13k lbs faster up a hill than a new 2500 cummins. I know this for a fact. 60+hp more with additional gearing. No it will not hold a gear as long going up a grade without downshifting.

 

[Sccritterkiller]

What brand of aftermarket skid plates did you get? Or have some made? Thanks.

I went with a 58 gallon replacement tank...its all steel and the length of the DS so there is no aftermarket skid plate for it. It also gives 900 miles of range if I am not towing. Also the F250 Tremor has the same rear springs as regular F350 and they come with 4.30 gears, 2" lift, 35s, rear locker and trail CC from the factory.

 

[yfarm]

Live in Superduty diesel land. Ordered a 2020 F250 xl 7.3 gas 10spd 4.30 gears. Put 35” tires on it and it runs like my 2011 6.2 Raptor but get better fuel economy. See 13.5 at 70 on the interstate. No brainer buy the gas and save money, look at the break even point for the extra cost of the diesel let alone the maintenance cost. Bought an engine/ transmission skid plate from Bell Fabrication in Oregon, designed for the gas motors. Know that Ford is limiting options on the xls, may be cheaper to buy the xlt or put your own skids on. Picture is a 12k load, hauls it without complaint. For farm/ranch use the gas motor is it. People forget the old days in Texas the truck was a F250-350 regular cab with the 300 6 and a granny low manual hauling livestock trailers with the gear oil boiling, the autos at the time couldnt handle the load. Drove from Dubois Wyoming to northern NM one night last fall pulling a loaded trailer, kept a steady 70 going up to Leadville with no strain, dont know what kind of load others are pulling to call it a dog. Suspect they havent driven one. I laugh when I see the number of diesel superduties in this state buying groceries and hauling a 2000 lb boat. Hauling cross country loads at gvwr max I get it,just not what the average owner uses it for. Bought mine for 2 reasons, 1. Hurricane truck to haul that boat 50 miles inland in the event of a named storm for my insurance co 2. Hauling that ranger with a full bed of equipment to elk hunt. Meets and exceeds my needs for the job.

 

[signing off]

A local dealer has an F350 drw with 7.3 listed for 55k. Has 70k miles but is a 2022. Been tempted.

 

[Sccritterkiller]

Live in Superduty diesel land. Ordered a 2020 F250 xl 7.3 gas 10spd 4.30 gears. Put 35” tires on it and it runs like my 2011 6.2 Raptor but get better fuel economy. See 13.5 at 70 on the interstate. No brainer buy the gas and save money, look at the break even point for the extra cost of the diesel let alone the maintenance cost. Bought an engine/ transmission skid plate from Bell Fabrication in Oregon, designed for the gas motors. Know that Ford is limiting options on the xls, may be cheaper to buy the xlt or put your own skids on. Picture is a 12k load, hauls it without complaint. For farm/ranch use the gas motor is it. People forget the old days in Texas the truck was a F250-350 regular cab with the 300 6 and a granny low manual hauling livestock trailers with the gear oil boiling, the autos at the time couldnt handle the load.

Put in eco mode and use CC and you can get up to 15mpg at 70 easy, I usually get 15.4. I can get 18.5ish on country 2 lanes with cruise on 60. I also run 55psi front and 65psi rear when not towing. I have 4.30 gears and 35s as well.

 

[The_Squatting_Coon]

I got a new truck couple years ago F250 Temor 7.3. The main decision for the gasser was the shitty CP4 fuel pumps in the 6.7s. If it goes out you will have a brand new truck setting for months waiting on parts. Sure you can spend extra on mods to protect it but your already paying and extra 12k for the diesel option. I don't pull a trailer daily so 7.3 works fine for me...just turned 40k and it gets better mileage than my expy with the 5.4 triton.

Bossman had to replace his whole fuel system bc of the pump, 2021 6.7, happened at 95k miles. It was fixed in 3 days, but it cost $14k. We’ve been running ford on our farm since I’ve been here in 2009. Only had problems with 2 of them, other than that they’ve been great. Bossman went with a Ram this time only bc he couldn’t find a longbed 3/4 ton Ford. Imo Fords have become very overpriced compared to the competitors, and I can’t for the life of me figure out why anyone would want a 3/4 ton gas truck. But, if you’re wanting anything to last a long time, good luck.

 

[Sccritterkiller]

Bossman had to replace his whole fuel system bc of the pump, 2021 6.7, happened at 95k miles. It was fixed in 3 days, but it cost $14k. We’ve been running ford on our farm since I’ve been here in 2009. Only had problems with 2 of them, other than that they’ve been great. Bossman went with a Ram this time only bc he couldn’t find a longbed 3/4 ton Ford. Imo Fords have become very overpriced compared to the competitors, and I can’t for the life of me figure out why anyone would want a 3/4 ton gas truck. But, if you’re wanting anything to last a long time, good luck.

So 14k in repairs after paying the extra 12k for diesel, so extra 26k for the diesel, not counting regular maintenance and cost of diesel and it didnt make it to 100k miles. Like I said it was the deciding factory for my gas truck purchase. My buddy's 6.7 is almost 6 weeks now waiting on parts, his will be covered under warranty so they are probably slow rolling him. Problem is now that pretty much any diesel in the US has that pump and they are failing...so replacement parts are getting harder to get your hands on. Hopefully he is joining the class action lawsuit...Apparently air in the system is the biggest killer of those fuel pumps.