Hey guys I just turned 18 and I'm about to graduate high school. I've recently started to get into diesels and I've decided I don't wanna drive anything else. I'm looking for a truck to mess around with with my buddies, that i can upgrade and will be reliable on my commute to school next year. I won't be doing any towing or hauling, no off roading, just haveing run and blowing tons of black smoke. I want something thats loud and looks cool which is why I'm leaning toward to Powerstroke or Cummins. Any help you guys could give would be great. Like I said I'm new to diesels...

Thanks
DF92

 

welcome to db and cant go wrog with a cummins

 

dodge ford chevy they are all descent trucks all have their problems look for the one you want and research it find out everything about whatever you want and go from there and welcome to diesel bombers and stick around because you will find the help you want and need right here on this site because we are the #1 diesel site around

 

I've done some research on powerstrokes and found that the 6.0L was a serious piece of junk but that the 7.3L was really good. Any big time problems I should know about concerning the 7.3L?

 

just the cam sensor really, and its not even that big of a deal, it may go out it may not, and most likely it already has been fixed and replaced so you really have nothing to worry about, i have a 2003 7.3 and its a work horse, i can pull anything i please, blows ALOT of smoke when i want it to, sometimes when i dont want it to too ha, but really man i love my 7.3, not the fastest but the damn thing wont break, i am knockin on the door of 200 thousand miles and its still runnin hard

 

A good-running modern diesel under stock conditions shouldn't be blowing ANY smoke. Besides, it's people who run around blowing smoke 24/7 that give us diesel owners a bad name. If you want mileage and easy of modding, go cummins. If you just LOVE Ford, get a Ford.

The 6.0 was a GREAT motor and very easy to make fast and get decent mileage. Some headstuds and egr and the 6.0 is just as good as the 7.3

7.3's cam sensors go out nonstop. Granted, they are like 30 bucks to replace. Most 7.3 guys keep a few spares in their glove box.

 

i have only had to replace one cam sensor in 200,000 miles

 

Heh. Im driving a 00 F350 dually at work right now, needs a sensor. 223k miles of non stop work, from a lineman's truck then to a farm truck. Still kickin!

How much is your budget? That would help give an idea of what truck to go for.

 

Only problem with the 7.3 is the lack of power (at least by my standards) and if your in a place that gets super cold a 5.9 cummins will start better.

 

^Eh 500lbs of torque isn't exactly weak on the stock 7.3's. Hell cummins "high output" motors deep into the 2000's were barely making more tq than my stock '99 7.3