Ford's 7.3 gasser HP numbers - disappointing?

[bertschb]

It would be interesting to do an experiment with the people that are interested in buying a new tow vehicle for towing heavy loads (>10,000lbs)...

Outfit two trucks identically with the exception of the engine. One with gas, the other with diesel. Then have the perspective buyers hook up their 5th wheel and tow it up and down a decent sized hill out west with both trucks. Once complete, offer the buyer the choice of either truck for the same price. I would guess a 90% take rate for the diesel. In my experience, the vast majority of people who criticize diesel trucks for towing RV's either have never towed a heavy RV with one and/or they simply don't want to spend the extra money to buy one.

Having said that, there are some excellent reasons to choose the 7.3 gas over the diesel:
- Save $9,000
- Rarely tow heavy loads
- Tow in areas with no mountains
- Concerns about past reliability issues with older DEF/emission/fuel systems

I'm just glad we have such amazing choices for tow vehicles today. The performance of both gas and diesel trucks is SO much better than it was 10-20 years ago.

[RVRunners]

These gas vs. diesel threads always crack me up. There is a reason 100% of semi trucks have diesel engines. They perform better at towing heavy loads and are more economical doing it. If they weren't, operators would switch to gas engines. Period.

it took a few years for the manufactures to get their diesel emission and fuel systems figured out but the early teething pains are basically gone now. How many fuel/emissions failures have you read about for 2017 and later diesel trucks?

The 7.3 Ford engine will sell like hotcakes. It definitely has it's place in the market - especially for the people who don't want to spend the money for a diesel.

Enough said there. I’ve towed with both gas and diesel powered Ford Super Duty trucks. I prefer diesel - the drive is so easy. I can set the cruise at 70mph and rarely see much above 2000 RPM’s regardless of terrain (primarily towing between Louisville, KY and Florida). Also with diesel there are more options for auxiliary fuel tanks - ours is great - between the OEM tank and the auxiliary tank I have a 850+ mile range towing our 14000 lb fifth wheel. We can go through the rest stops for the restroom and snacks which saves time versus using exists with traffic lights and waiting in the often long lines in the diesel fuel lanes at Loves/Pilot. I do know from my own experience towing a 9000 lb. TT with a gas powered F-250 that they tend to run at much higher RPM’s in hilly terrain and merging/passing scenarios. It doesn’t hurt them but it is noisy. With all of that said, there is a place for gas powered 3/4 and one ton trucks otherwise they would quit building them altogether. Everyone has to consider the RV they are towing, other uses for the truck, daily driving habits, etc. and make the best decision about a truck that fits the bill - gas or diesel.

[ThePowells]

Geez, after reading all of the way through this, I am so ashamed.

I think I need to go out into the parking lot and shoot my GMC with the 8.1 as evidently I have a 3rd or 4th class truck.

[Bamaman]

It would be interesting to do an experiment with the people that are interested in buying a new tow vehicle for towing heavy loads (>10,000lbs)...

Outfit two trucks identically with the exception of the engine. One with gas, the other with diesel. Then have the perspective buyers hook up their 5th wheel and tow it up and down a decent sized hill out west with both trucks. Once complete, offer the buyer the choice of either truck for the same price. I would guess a 90% take rate for the diesel. In my experience, the vast majority of people who criticize diesel trucks for towing RV's either have never towed a heavy RV with one and/or they simply don't want to spend the extra money to buy one.

Having said that, there are some excellent reasons to choose the 7.3 gas over the diesel:
- Save $9,000
- Rarely tow heavy loads
- Tow in areas with no mountains
- Concerns about past reliability issues with older DEF/emission/fuel systems

I'm just glad we have such amazing choices for tow vehicles today. The performance of both gas and diesel trucks is SO much better than it was 10-20 years ago.

Ford has already provided some SuperDuty trucks to a YouTube road tester of vehicles. They've already done a walkaround online of the new model SuperDuty with the 7.3. But Ford will not allow them to hook up to trailers and show the videos until January 20th.

The trucks are now in dealerships on a limited basis. I've yet to spot any road test on the 7.3 equipped gas truck--as of today.

Despite what the number say on horsepower/torque, the 7.3 should be a great engine--for a $1,700 option. And it should tow very well for most people that tow Reflections and mid size fifth wheels and smaller. The 15,000 lb. plus trailers will still need a diesel truck in front of them.

[bertschb]

Despite what the number say on horsepower/torque, the 7.3 should be a great engine--for a $1,700 option. And it should tow very well for most people that tow Reflections and mid size fifth wheels and smaller. The 15,000 lb. plus trailers will still need a diesel truck in front of them.

I agree.

I watched the TFL Truck video (and a couple others). I find it interesting that none of them can talk about driving dynamics until late January when these trucks are already on dealer lots and people are driving them.

[Russ Olin]

Spoken like a clueless non diesel pickup owner! Diesel pickups\ can and do go 250K on original engine....And now, transmissions as well.....And Pickups now have almost as much Hp an torque as 80's Semis had!!

Actually I have owned 3 Ford Diesel pickups. I had a 03 F-250 6L. First generation binder diesel. You know the ones that they had all the problems with? But I got lucky & mine was never touched during the 50K mile warranty. By the way that truck was a short box super cab light weight small tires & wheels 16" & 373 rear end gears. Most awesome accelerating pickup I ever rode in my life. The wife called it the Red Rocket. It felt like being in a mid size airplane taking off. It would smoke any modern day diesel off the line easily. Then traded for a 06 L. Engine much tamer but not near the acceleration. Out of warranty got rid of it & got a 6.4. Got rid of it as soon as the warranty was off. So guess I'm not as "clueless" as some people think. And as far as the new ones & all the problems being solved from the earlier diesels. BULL!!! That's why you all buy those high $$$$ warranty's right? As far as the 7.3 gas wait until there is a blower kit for this engine. Rousch is selling a F-150 with a 302 Coyote V8 @ 550 horse power with a full 3 year warranty. Since the 7.3 gas is set up from the factory for the boost of a blower we could easily see 700 horse power or more depending on how much boost you want to put in the engine. That & 430 gears will be a match for any modern day diesel. And no you aren't going to see a Eco boost 7.3 gas engine from the factory. Because they want you to buy their over priced diesels. And they want you buy their overpriced warranty's. Not hard to figure that one out. So if you want to boost the gas aftermarket is the way to go.

[goducks14]

I wonder how many gas owners would be happy if there was way more sound deadening so that when that gas motor hits 4,000 rpms it's barley making noise?
I can barely tell when my Camry 4cy hits 3,000+ rpms. I can always hear my 18 Ram 6.4. At 4,000 rpms it's definitely making some noise. Not obtrusive like a crotch rocket at 10,000 rpms but much more than my 12 CTD at 1800 rpms.
At a 70 mph cruise my 6.4 is quieter than my CTD was. It's only when towing that a gasser gets noisy. So depending on where and how often you tow and of course how heavy you tow will equate to how comfortable you be. I tow a 9500 lb TT and my 6.4 gasser has it's share of noisy moments towing in the PNW. If I were towing 12-13,000 lbs I'm thinking I'd hate it. If I were only towing a 4,000 lb R-pod then the level of high rpms would be really low and not all that bothersome.

[Bamaman]

. . . . . . . . . .

As far as the 7.3 gas wait until there is a blower kit for this engine. Rousch is selling a F-150 with a 302 Coyote V8 @ 550 horse power with a full 3 year warranty. Since the 7.3 gas is set up from the factory for the boost of a blower we could easily see 700 horse power or more depending on how much boost you want to put in the engine. That & 430 gears will be a match for any modern day diesel. And no you aren't going to see a Eco boost 7.3 gas engine from the factory. Because they want you to buy their over priced diesels. And they want you buy their overpriced warranty's. Not hard to figure that one out. So if you want to boost the gas aftermarket is the way to go.

Just because a half ton truck has 550 horsepower doesn't mean its torque is at the right rpm's to be a good tow vehicle. And I'd prefer not to have any supercharger to cause trouble down the line. Turbochargers are much cheaper to own over the long run.

But I do understand that Five Star Tuners are in the process of performing their magic to remapping the fuel injection system on the 7.3. They did a great job on the 5.0 Coyote engine ECM modifications in a half ton truck, and it improved performance greatly.

The 7.3 engine is going to cost about $2,045 more than the 6.2--which is very fair. The 2020 model 6.7 diesel is a $10,495 option. Ford's getting more than a little greedy on these trucks on total profitability.

I think I'll just keep my 17 year old last of the 7.3 diesel truck with low miles--and a tuner. It's strong enough for my Reflection.

[Russ Olin]

Just because a half ton truck has 550 horsepower doesn't mean its torque is at the right rpm's to be a good tow vehicle. And I'd prefer not to have any supercharger to cause trouble down the line. Turbochargers are much cheaper to own over the long run.

But I do understand that Five Star Tuners are in the process of performing their magic to remapping the fuel injection system on the 7.3. They did a great job on the 5.0 Coyote engine ECM modifications in a half ton truck, and it improved performance greatly.

The 7.3 engine is going to cost about $2,045 more than the 6.2--which is very fair. The 2020 model 6.7 diesel is a $10,495 option. Ford's getting more than a little greedy on these trucks on total profitability.

I think I'll just keep my 17 year old last of the 7.3 diesel truck with low miles--and a tuner. It's strong enough for my Reflection.

Actually the 302 Coyote V8 is a good engine for towing in a F-150. The blower does not change where the engine develops horse power & torque. It just provides extra horse power & torque through all the RPM range & the motor. The RMP of the motor & the torque is determined by the cam shafts. Or I should say by the grind of the cam shafts. The blower has not effect on this what so ever. Except with the extra horse power the engine wont have to work as hard & run higher RPM as much. Best of both worlds. As far as the new 7.3 gasser, its a truck engine right? So it will be cammed accordingly. As far as turbos being better in the long run don't know about that. Its debatable. Plenty of them have shelled out & the metal goes right into the valves & pistons. Or the housings get hot & break.

[Dale G]

I for one would love to see Ford make an Ecoboost 7.3L (or any truck V-8, even use the 6.2L). I think there is an untapped market that all of the truck manufacturers are missing. Look what the technology has done with a V-6 and its ability to tow. This engine develops the majority of its torque down around 2000RPM. I rarely see over 2500RPM on hills on the interstate holding 67 to 68MPH, most of the time it stays around 2000RPM and pulls right up the hill. Now we have a heavy duty V-8 coming on the market made to take the punishment of towing. All we need is for the Ford engine guys to work their magic and boost the torque up to around 600 to 650ft/lbs (even 550 to 575ft/lbs) and I bet it would sell like crazy. Some of us don't need over 1000ft/lbs of torque (and the $10,000 plus price tag) but boosting a V-8 to increase its capability would be just perfect. Then you would have the best of both worlds, a one ton truck with a decent payload rating without having to give up 4WD so your diesel has a higher payload and the ability to tow something heavy while using regular pump gas. The 7.3L has the possibility to fill the gap between the 6.2L gas engine and the 6.7L diesel engine. The half way point for the torque of the two engines would be 740ft/lbs so 475ft/lbs (just 45ft/lbs higher than the 6.2L) for the 7.3L falls short of filling the gap between the two. I think 600 to 650ft/lbs would be an acceptable point to shoot for, even 575ft/lbs. My dad had a 2008 with the 6.4L that was rated at 650ft/lbs and before that the 7.3L diesel rated at 525ft/lbs and those two trucks seemed like they could tow anything. Hopefully Ford will keep massaging the 7.3L and see the need to create a 7.3L Ecoboost. Maybe I can put it on my Christmas wish list.