Need MPG and Info on 2000-03 Powerstroke

I am looking at buying a 2000-03 Ford F-350 Dually Crewcab with the 7.3 Powerstroke and automatic trans. I need some actual MPG info from other owners and any info on problems you may have had with the truck, especially the engine and trans. On the MPG, make sure you tell me if it is around town MPG, highway MPG with no trailer, or highway with trailer and the type of trailer and weight if you know. I also need to know what gears your truck has, since it can come with 3:73, 4:10 or 4:30. Any help would be appreciated. I am looking seriously at a 2002 Ford Dually, Crewcab, 7.3, AT, 4x4 with 4:10 gears. I'm especially interested in the difference in MPG between 3:73 and 4:10 gears since I will use this truck quite a bit without pulling the trailer. I am going to be buying a 40-45 foot gooseneck trailer and hauling a Blown Altered and all associated tools and equipment. Thanks for your help!!

 

I bought a F350 4/w drive crewcab new in 2001. Kept it until 2006. Picked it up at the dealers and made a 3000 mile round trip from Houston to Atlanta.
Checked the milage very carefully. On the hwy it got 19 mpg. Around 15 in town. I made 15000 mile trip to Alaska with 11.5 overhead camper and pulling a small trailer. Average mpg was 14.5. I loved the way the truck drove and had good power however at about 40000 mi had to oh the automatic trans. Had to oh it again about 100000 mi. Water pump went out and had to replace the valvecover gsks as it developed a miss and the ckts that control the injectors are imbeded in the valvecover gaskets. Truck had the most comfortable seats of any vehicle I have ever owned. The later models had modifications to the trans that made them much better. If the truck you are looking at has had the trans oh they might have updated with the new mods.
If I were you I would think about a latter model say 2006. Don't know how the big truck sales are where you are at but for most of the country right now it is terrible. You might find a latter model with the updated mods. really cheap.

 

We have owned several 1999 and newer 7.3 Powerstrokes and wish that Ford still made them. The 6.0 is JUNK in comparison. The last one we had was traded in on a new duramax because we refused to own another 6.0 and it had 270K on it and still ran great.

 

buy a Dodge..we are getting around 22 to 23 mpg..Dave
www.myspace.com/daveloweswr

 

Diesels

I agree with the trans problem with the fords. I think the Allison used behind the Duramax is the strongest stock trans available. I get 17-18 empty light foot around town. Towing the race box (32' tall ceiling to clear wing) with cruise set at 75 I get 10.8-11.6 mpg. I can get 22+ no trailer but to do that you have to run 55-60 and I have a hard time doing that. This is hand figured with GPS averaged over the whole trip, not just one tank. I found that neither my rig or any of my buddy's (regardless of manufacture) have accurate odometers, they all to varying degrees have read fast (a way for the factory to get out of warranty sooner?) this raises the milage when you figure it. Good luck and happy hunting.

 

Thanks for the input. If Dodge had a back seat that was reasonable for adults, I would be shopping for one for sure . Unfortunately, unless you get the Mega Cab which wasn't made until 2006 and are all shortbeds they don't have any room in the back seat. I have a friend who has a Duramax, automatic and he has had it in the shop 3 or 4 times with transmission problems but I think they were electronic related issues. I know the 2003 and early 04 Ford 6.0 was junk but supposedly the 05 and later were better. So what is the deal with the 2000-03 Ford automatic transmissions, I had not heard that they had any particular problems? Thanks

 

TAD240.....You are so rite on the back seat issue...might be good for a midget..Dave
www.myspace.com/daveloweswr

 

fuel mileage

I tow a 40' triple axle, at 18,000gross with my dodge dually. I get 12mpg tow 70mph in alot of mountain country, dodge cummins. with all that Im spending the difference in fuel milage just doesnt matter. why do guys want to brag they get 20mpg and tow 20k with a small pickup? If I was getting 8mpg with a bigger truck I would adjust to what Im taking. or use a toter instead of motels somuch.

 

diesel

I have a Ford 7.3 turbo diesel and I dont check the milage either, all I know is it hauls my enclosed as fast as I want it to go. I have not owned a cummins diesel but they are well respected. From what I have been told the cummins will get better milage and the Powerstroke will give better power with its V-8 when pulling a load. Its how heavy your foot is that will determine yours or who evers milage and I like to run 70-80 mph, 55 mph would be way better milage to brag about.
Ken

 

the ford 7.3 is a great engine, Im a cummin fan. as for towing with a pickup, 1ton or less, I personally think a 40ft is max here min the mountain country. If I had a bigger trailer or more weight like 20k I would use a top kick or used semi. its safer, hauls the load better, as in total control, steering, braking , etc. most big rigs get about 8mpg, but haul alot more stuff. I would kill to own a top kick size rig. fuel (diesel) is down to 3.50-3.75 agallon out in the northwest.

 

I have a 01 f-250 4x4 4 door short bed and a 40' gooseneck enclosed trailer and it pulls it just fine.it has a supership programmer.it gets about 14 running 80 loaded.The transmission is sitting on my table with 150k miles on it.It appears a snap ring poped out and causes a piston to slip out of position.The transmission shop told me there is a updated snap ring.HeeHaa just my .02.I still am very happy with the truck.