iam lookin at a new (to me) 250-350 diesel truck i want to know the.......


pros 7.3 VS 6.4


cons 7.3 vs 6.4


thanks brice

 

- The 7.3 has be proven. The 6.4 has not.
- The 7.3 will give you that awesome diesel smoke. The 6.4 looks like a gas engine running.
- The 7.3 offers more in the garden variety of BANKS exhaust systems with ease to install. The 6.4 has no options unless you want to mess with the DPF and some check engine lights.
- The 7.3 offers more in the mod value in terms of more bang for the buck, as in more hp and torque. The 6.4 on the other hand, is pretty much maxxed out unless you want to shell out some serious $$$$ on some mods.
- The 7.3 has more of a diesel grunt. The 6.4 sounds like an Izuzu diesel engine running on 3 of 8 cylinders.
- The 7.3 is a real diesel engine. The 6.4 is dumb because of all of the emissions restrictions, as you can thank your national greenthumbs against diesel.
- The 7.3 has a single turbo. The 6.4 has two turbos.
- The 7.3 will not catch your garage on fire. The 6.4 will when it goes into regen mode and flames shoot out your exhaust, not only setting your garage on fire, but a possible pedestrian walking by your truck.
- The 7.3 is loud. The 6.4 isn't loud.
- The 7.3 when modded can whip a 6.4 royally. The 6.4 will lose to a 7.3 that is modded.

Go with what's be tried, true, and Ford Blue, go with the 7.3l V8 Powerstroke TurboDiesel.

 

The 6.4 is only avaliable in the 2008s. I think you may have meant 6.0. If you are looking for a older truck ,99-up, go with a 7.3, if your wallet is fat enough for a newer one , 03-up, go with the 2008 6.4, I would not recommend the 03-07 6.0 powerstroke engine. Though it was not a bad engine, it was not a 7.3, if you are doing any serious pulling or hauling do not go with the 6.0, but if you are just driving the truck it should be fine. What is your price range? The 2008 6.4s are great trucks but cost a great price.

I bought a 5.4 triton gasoline v8, im perfectly happy with it.

Also check into a 6.8 v10, they are great engines also, the only trouble is finding one.

 

You say 'new to you' which sort of implies a used truck. Are you certain it's a 6.4 and not the 6.0? The 7.3's are very good, and '05 and newer 6.0 are pretty reliable engines.

All I can say in response to ManualF150 - have you driven an '08 with the 6.4L? Mods are out the window because of all the emission restrictions - no, he won't set his garage on fire - that problems was resolved - black smoke? WHY! Black smoke is a result of pouring more fuel into the engine that it needs, and it can't effective use it, so out it comes as smoke. That is unburnt fuel, and with the cost of diesel, why on earth would anyone want to waste itl? Proven? - the 6.4L is more tested (100 million + miles) than the 6.0 ever thought of being before it was released.

Finally, not everyone is in to moding engines as we are not out to put down everyother truck on the road. The 7.3 is a good engine to mod as it was way underrated right out the door - both the 6.0 and 6.4 are tuned from the factory to get just about all they can "SAFELY" produce without going into the 'self-destruct' mode.

Personally, I would not hesitate to have a truck with any of the powerstroke engines. For myself, it would have to be a stock 7.3, an '05 or newer 6.0, or a 6.4.

 

I didn't know smoke and clatter were good things to have.

The 7.3L's I have had were nothing to brag about reliability wise. But to each his own I guess.

 

Me personally, I'd go 7.3 for many but not all of the reasons above. One big thing is I don't have 70g's to spend on a new one and don't need another truck anyways. I love the sound and power upgrades the 7.3 and even the 6.0 has, but give the 6.4 time. My dad has an 08 and it kicks, he's got the dough for one because he's old and retired. Considering Ford is competing 3-4 other manufacturer's in this segment alone, they gotta keep up or ahead of the Jones'. More power, fuel efficiency, less noise, less smell unfortunately has to happen all as one to sell units. I kinda like the smell a bit, but whatever pleases the masses. Times are changing if offshore brands are outselling us in our own yard with innovative yuppie moblies and people diggin' it.

The 7.3 has been proven, but I was amazed to see that long 150 000 mile, 6 month test Ford had done on that F-450 towing a trailer throughout North America. That is pretty good considering too the size of trailer, 40 ft I think it was too.

 

One thing that REALLY makes me mad is the cost of the new diesel engine. I mean come on... I don't know what Ford was thinking. Even the 6.0 was highly priced. I wanted a F250 6 speed manual 4x2 with the 6.0l PS. But I couldn't see the justification in the price. Not to mention the overhaul costs down the road.

Think to yourself... is it really necessary? If you are big business, I'd say yes. But if you are just going out to buy one for the heck of it... then you are a fool, and you don't know how much is involved with owning a diesel... unless you are the one that disposes of their vehicle at first sighting of problems... or you can't keep a vehicle before the air filter needs to be changed. If you can afford to do that, then be my guest.

But if you can barely afford the diesel that goes into it... then I don't recommend buying one. You have to look at ALL of the costs before your determination to buy one. After some clarification from diesel mechanics, and the price it takes, for the average truck consumer is just isn't worth it.

I would love to have it... and could use it instead of ******* the poop out of my F150. However, I looked at it as if, do I really need it? After finally convincing myself no, then I bought the F150. Why? Because I knew the F150 is a workhorse in itself. The 4.2l is an industrial grade engine, and mated to a decent 5 speed (not the best, but a lot better than the current Dodge Getrag 6 speeds out there), and a heavy duty frame. The only thing my truck lacks in my opinion is a good pick up speed... but then again, it's a truck, not a race truck. As long as it can pull my crap around, I don't care what it is doing to the truck, as long as the truck is going to work the next day for me... and so on and so forth.

Personally, an average individual or small business owning the diesel is dumb. They don't need it. The v10, WSG-1068, shares the same idea as the ESG-642, is another industrial grade engine. However, as silly as this might sound, there is NO industrial application for the 5.4l Triton, 4.6l Triton, 6.0l PS, and the new 6.4l PS, but it's the truth. So why buy a non-industrial engine? But the answer can go two ways. One way would be: Well, I really like that engine, it pushes the truck well. Another way would be: Well, I like the engine because my friends said it was good. Which is all fine.

The 4.2l in the F150 in my opinion is the workhorse that if the government, large businesses, and is used for marine, power generation, and life support systems, then it is the engine deemed for use in that truck. My similar feelings are toward the 6.8l because I've noticed that National Grid, a large British and North Eastern power company is using for their emergency, and utility trucks and have went away from the diesel sector. As well as many telephone and cable operators in the local and national areas. I've noticed a HUGE selection in the 4.2l engine for selection in utility trucks as well.

Which brings me to the basis on why the demand for the 4.2 and the 6.8, and not the diesels, and other engine variants. Well, tonight I got off the phone with a very good friend of mine that works for PAR Government, and he works in the finance sector. The reason why they choose the 4.2l and the 6.8l for a lot of their trucks is because of 3 substantial reasons:

1. They last a long time, and can take a beating by the workers.
2. They have enough power to more than handle the tasks.
3. They have a low maintainance and MTBF rate.

So there you have it. From a government sector. That is why big companies, government operations, and other types of setups are choosing their trucks like that. My friend even said cost is no object, but they would rather have something they can get their best bang for the buck.

However, they still need to buy some trucks with the diesel... but this year, because of Ford, GM, and Chrysler's diesel price hike, their set aside for them is VERY limited, and only used for specialized task that can only take a diesel engine. But even then, my friend said, being that the V10 is an industrial engine, 99% of the time, it can be used to accomplish the task. That 1% is for the 1% of the trucks they are buying with the diesel. Which my friend couldn't give me a number on.

Now I am not trying make fun at the diesels... but jeez, they REALLY need to lower the price, and make them more cost effective.

 

Exactly what he said! I got the 5.4 because I didn't need the diesel or want to spend 6k extra, the 5.4 is a great engine and is all that I need.