7.3L Gas vs. 6.7L diesel

This is jefe. I joined this forum intending to buy a Tremor.
I bought a 2001.5 Dodge 4WD SB 2500 HO Cummins TD, NV5600, Camper Package, new in 2001. It is singularly the noisiest oil burner you will ever hear. I built the front axle to Dana 70 specs and the rear Dana 80 both with True Trac torque biasing, clutchless limited slips. The rear springs have 8 leaves: 3 on the upper overloads, and 5 in the main pack with Stable Loads, and on and on with a build. It has no D.E.F. tank or smog device.

On the bed is a new 2350 pound (dry) Northstar Laredo self contained truck camper.
It really is a reliable and worthy beast to haul my truck camper. With a 3 inch lift and 35 inch tires we do off-road with this lashup and it's predecessor the 1998 Lance Lite 165-s.

However, time marches on and with the camper on, Jeanie doesn't want to drive the 6 speed manual anymore, and it's so loud (we call it the rattler) we can't carry on a conversation while on the road; and we're out camping and travelling a lot, especially during Covid Times.

We've had 7 diesel motive devices over time and it was time to reconsider. One reason is the cost of No. 2 in CA. We live at 4K feet on the West Slope of the Northern Sierra Nevada. On a recent 60 mile trip from CA to NV, the price of diesel dropped from $3.75/gallon to $1.99 in NV, in 90 minutes.

I think we're done with diesels.

So to make my queen happy, the dilemma was to replace the Dodge HO Cummins with a gas engine truck with an automatic trans. that could take the load and move a truck camper. This means GVWR trumps towing capacity.

Looked at RAM. The Hemi is a good race car or small pickup engine but not a good goods hauler.
Looked at GM. Pretty good, but the mpg dropped way down with a load and the thing was screaming to keep up.
The fact is, the 7.3 gas has no competition. The only distant competition would have been the discontinued V-10 Ford or Dodge.
Tried to find a Tremor with most of the upgrades I did to my RAM Cummins already on board. None found.

So after more cogitating, I looked up the specs on a 2020 Super Duty XLT, F-350, SRW, 4WD, 7.3 gas engine, 10 speed auto trans, 11,400 pound GVWR, super cab, SB pickup and found....a winner. It has a 4066 pound payload capacity. Now we're talking. I searched some nearby dealers and found what I was looking for.

TODAY
#6-Goler Wash Death Valley.JPG
we bought a new 2020 XLT F-350. After a bit of negotiating we got it for invoice price. That's about $4K under sticker (msrp).

It has the torquey, quiet, and capable gas engine we wanted and the transparent 10 speed auto. The only thing it doesn't have, compared to the Tremor, is the 2 inch lift, slightly lower crawl gear, front limited slip, trimmed air dam; and maybe higher load rated springs on the XLT. I can do much of the rest of this aftermarket.

Once we have it a while I'll report back a comparo between our CTD RAM, manual trans, and the new XLT F-350, 7.3 gas auto trans.

No, I'm not selling the RAM. It will still be in the mix for those wild off-road trips.
 
I chose the 7.3 based on the simple fact 95% of my driving is not on the highway.

Yes, I live at 5k feet, so a turbo would have helped quite a bit, but I also only tow a Polaris General, and my mountain bikes lol.

I put about 7k miles a year on my truck, and I’d guess over 50% of those miles occur below 40mph. In Reno, I have no reason to use the highway, and I off-road quite a bit to get to trails around the Sierra’s.

The 7.3 wasn’t chosen for cost saving, it just makes sense in my scenario.
 
Has anyone with a 7.3 later regretted not getting the diesel? I will be towing a 9000 pound 33' RV trailer all over the country for about a year, then we'll settle down and the F350 will be my daily driver. I've had both a 7.3 diesel and a 5.4 gasser. Loved the diesel, hated the gasser.

Not only is the diesel $8500 more and the fuel cost extra, but the potential for down the road issues scares me. I love the simplicity and lower cost of the 7.3 but I don't want to have buyer's remorse. It's also much lighter which is a bonus too.

I do my own maintenance so I don't care about a few extra quarts of oil or more expensive filters. I just don't want to get stuck spending thousands on failed emissions crap after the warranty is up.
 
Has anyone with a 7.3 later regretted not getting the diesel? I will be towing a 9000 pound 33' RV trailer all over the country for about a year, then we'll settle down and the F350 will be my daily driver. I've had both a 7.3 diesel and a 5.4 gasser. Loved the diesel, hated the gasser.

Not only is the diesel $8500 more and the fuel cost extra, but the potential for down the road issues scares me. I love the simplicity and lower cost of the 7.3 but I don't want to have buyer's remorse. It's also much lighter which is a bonus too.

I do my own maintenance so I don't care about a few extra quarts of oil or more expensive filters. I just don't want to get stuck spending thousands on failed emissions crap after the warranty is up.

The only regret I have is the range over my old diesel, and there is not a good solution for aux tanks or a larger tank for the gas engine (unless you get a long bed that is not avail on a tremor), I suspect its coming as this 7.3 tows very well, similar power to the diesels of 10 or so yrs ago, but with a 10 speeds trans it really helps keep it in the powerband sweet spot.
 
Has anyone with a 7.3 later regretted not getting the diesel? I will be towing a 9000 pound 33' RV trailer all over the country for about a year, then we'll settle down and the F350 will be my daily driver. I've had both a 7.3 diesel and a 5.4 gasser. Loved the diesel, hated the gasser.

Not only is the diesel $8500 more and the fuel cost extra, but the potential for down the road issues scares me. I love the simplicity and lower cost of the 7.3 but I don't want to have buyer's remorse. It's also much lighter which is a bonus too.

I do my own maintenance so I don't care about a few extra quarts of oil or more expensive filters. I just don't want to get stuck spending thousands on failed emissions crap after the warranty is up.
No regret here pulls well. A larger tank would be nice especially if you don’t want to stop often, but not a deal breaker for me. In all fairness I am usually pulling gas power toys in my bigger trailers so have extra fuel on hand if fuel if a station is not available when I need it. I might think differently if wasn’t usually carrying lots of extra fuel.
 
My main reason for being a diesel hater is the 'availability'. I have a diesel tractor and need to fill up 5 gallon jerry-cans to fuel it up. Getting access to a certain pump (shared by gas/diesel users) usually means waiting 5-10 minutes in my area. There are only 3 stations around here in my path of travel that have diesel so it would be pretty random for me to depend on that as my regular fuel source (5-miles away, 10 miles away and 20 miles away). Luckily my tractor will run most of the day with 5-10 gallons and the station I use for fuel in my jerry-cans is on the way to my property. I usually always have a full 5-gallon can in reserve. But if I needed to fill up my vehicle on a semi-daily basis, it would be very inconvenient and even going out of my way or picking off-hour times to fuel to avoid the long wait times. The gasser will handle all of my towing needs, so I see zero reason to even look at the diesel option.
 
My main reason for being a diesel hater is the 'availability'. I have a diesel tractor and need to fill up 5 gallon jerry-cans to fuel it up. Getting access to a certain pump (shared by gas/diesel users) usually means waiting 5-10 minutes in my area. There are only 3 stations around here in my path of travel that have diesel so it would be pretty random for me to depend on that as my regular fuel source (5-miles away, 10 miles away and 20 miles away). Luckily my tractor will run most of the day with 5-10 gallons and the station I use for fuel in my jerry-cans is on the way to my property. I usually always have a full 5-gallon can in reserve. But if I needed to fill up my vehicle on a semi-daily basis, it would be very inconvenient and even going out of my way or picking off-hour times to fuel to avoid the long wait times. The gasser will handle all of my towing needs, so I see zero reason to even look at the diesel option.
Interesting. Where I go, it’s diesel which is the more available fuel. In remote areas, the only unleaded you can get is low octane , or opal unleaded, used to combat those who sniff it, which is even worse.
 
My last 3 were diesels and yes, I loved them. No doubt about it. However this time around I ordered a 7.3 for several reasons and here are the primary ones
I wanted/needed the higher payload capacity for my 5th wheel and I really did not want to spend the upfront cost again on the diesel for the 1/2 dozen times a year that I tow. I never keep anything long enough or put enough miles on it where the up front expense would eventually even out.
90% or more of my drives are very short, I’d say 3-5 miles, which isn’t really ideal use for the Diesel engines and all the emission equipment
I think the 7.3 will do just fine for what I need it for and if it’s not, in 2 years I’ll just buy another diesel.
i think anyone should and has the right (for now at least) to buy whatever they want.

I just hope I don’t end of being one of the assholes who’s getting GAS at the only diesel island at the station though. Of course it’d be out of habit, but us diesel drivers know how annoying that it’s.
5 available gas islands and some asshole is using the diesel pumps while you have to sit and wait. lol
 
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At my Ford Dealership, if you have a Diesel, it goes to the Diesel side of the service dept. I once experienced an intermittent no Start. Unfortunately, the truck sat at the dealership 4 days before anyone looked at it. (no appointment) The diagnosis was a corroded Starting Relay. Plug in a new one and it's fixed. Had it been a Gas truck, I could have been driving it much, much sooner. Waiting for a specialist, is a Diesel thing. So is being concerned about the quality of your fuel, Changing the Fuel Filters while your on Vacation because the 15,000 mile mark is approaching, forgetting to buy Def, when you do, you buy two and it barley takes one, should I add an Fuel Additive or not, idk .. don't forget to drain the water from the separator. And ya gotta drive it. It's not designed and engineered to be a daily errand vehicle. It's meant to work. All Diesel stuff. I love my 450, it's the Beast of Beast. If you live Rural, ( I don't ) Pull heavy and often enough, the 6.7 is the epitome. For me, It's an $88,000 truck thats sits while I drive my 150 around town every day.
 
My last 3 were diesels and yes, I loved them. No doubt about it. However this time around I ordered a 7.3 for several reasons and here are the primary ones
I wanted/needed the higher payload capacity for my 5th wheel and I really did not want to spend the upfront cost again on the diesel for the 1/2 dozen times a year that I tow. I never keep anything long enough or put enough miles on it where the up front expense would eventually even out.
90% or more of my drives are very short, I’d say 3-5 miles, which isn’t really ideal use for the Diesel engines and all the emission equipment
I think the 7.3 will do just fine for what I need it for and if it’s not, in 2 years I’ll just buy another diesel.
i think anyone should and has the right (for now at least) to buy whatever they want.

I just hope I don’t end of being one of the assholes who’s getting GAS at the only diesel island at the station though. Of course it’d be out of habit, but us diesel drivers know how annoying that it’s.
5 available gas islands and some asshole is using the diesel pumps while you have to sit and wait. lol

Thats funny about the diesel pumps. I catch myself on occasion at the diesel pumps putting gas in my 7.3 truck and freak out for a sec after owning a Cummins for so long. Usually the diesel filler wont fit in the gas fill hole so not likely to screw up. Now the other way is much more likely especially with BP green gas pump handles.
 
Thats funny about the diesel pumps. I catch myself on occasion at the diesel pumps putting gas in my 7.3 truck and freak out for a sec after owning a Cummins for so long. Usually the diesel filler wont fit in the gas fill hole so not likely to screw up. Now the other way is much more likely especially with BP green gas pump handles.
I’m not talking about filling with the wrong fuel, I’m more referring to using the island that has diesel and gas pumps.
usually only 1 island has a diesel pump so that’s the one diesel owners have to use.
nothing is worse then seeing 5 other available gas only islands open and you’re sitting being someone using the diesel island to put gas in their vehicle.
 
I’m not talking about filling with the wrong fuel, I’m more referring to using the island that has diesel and gas pumps.
usually only 1 island has a diesel pump so that’s the one diesel owners have to use.
nothing is worse then seeing 5 other available gas only islands open and you’re sitting being someone using the diesel island to put gas in their vehicle.

Yes I understood what you meant. I drove a diesel for years and got used to pulling up to the diesel pumps, around here they are on the outside.
 
One thing I hear a lot and something that should be rephrased is this statement......." if you tow a lot then go diesel " lol
I tow often and went 7.3 but I'm nowhere near capacity.

I'll rephrase this for everyone.
If your towing a BIG 5th wheel, go diesel. ?
 
One thing I hear a lot and something that should be rephrased is this statement......." if you tow a lot then go diesel " lol
I tow often and went 7.3 but I'm nowhere near capacity.

I'll rephrase this for everyone.
If your towing a BIG 5th wheel, go diesel. ?
My toy hauler is 13,500 empty and 16,500 max weight. I think I’ll be ok for my few trips a year. Most my trips are 50 mile local camping trips. We do one long 3-4 hour trip a year. we shall see how it goes
 
As always, my take on this is always that if you can afford the 6.7, get it. Unless you have specific reasons why you absolutely want the 7.3 (which is doesn't sound like you do). The diesel will also have higher resale/trade-in value.
 
Most or all of the financial comparison calculators for gas vs diesel don’t factor in the opportunity cost of the additional $8450 for the diesel. If the truck is a cash purchase the $8450 kept and invested will grow. If the $8450 is financed interest is paid and it ends up costing more than the $8450. Factoring in opportunity cost, fuel cost, resale value, maintenance costs the decision to get diesel vs gas probably should be made based on intended use instead of cost. If towing heavy loads often the diesel is the probably the way to go. If not, probably gas. I went with gas because I off-road a lot and only tow a small ATV trailer occasionally. But sometimes I wish I had the more powerful Diesel engine just for the fun of it. Fun is a legit factor too.
 
All depends on need in my opinion. I originally needed the additional payload of the 7.3L for my truck camper. When I replaced it with a 9k pound caravan, the 7.3L was having a bit of a time hauling on steep grades at altitude. The 7.3L would pull it but at 4k+ rpm and 8 mpg, which I believe could be a contributing factor for bad spark plug wires. The 6.7L will be better for towing but has a weight penalty when off-road. I am one that a daily drive consists of a least 50 miles one way and at least 1000 foot elevation change so I don’t worry about short trips and the diesel. I will have a better assessment of the diesel after my trip next week but so far, throttle response and shifting seems much better on the 6.7L.7BF37A5F-FE02-4B06-8B18-564E15936728.jpeg0EE22091-8B7E-495F-AF3A-CD9D2326644D.jpeg
 
From someone who’s driven neither, the cost and maintenance doesn’t really scare me off when the performance and capability is brought into the equation. Pragmatically I’m looking for good performance in high altitude mountainous areas, and I’m looking for range between fill ups.

Plus as a car guy the idea of ‘adequate power’ doesn’t really make sense to me. If they had a 600 hp / 1200 tq option id probably spring for that too. ?
 

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