cummins or 7.3

i have been going back and forth on this and not shure what is my best option
i have a 86 f350 crew cab 4x2
it currently has a 6.9 with an ats turbo and a gear vendor on the tranny
motor is getting bad it has about 240,000 on it
so my thoughts were to put a 12v cummins in it with a nv4500 tranny
well i found a few 12 cummins motors but not luck on a nv 4500 for a good price anyhow
but i found an older 5speed that will work but i was told they are not very good
but i found a older non turbo 7.3 with low miles and a 5speed
so now i dont know what to do?
i was told you can make good power with a 7.3 non turbo with some help with turning up the pump and playing with the timming
and the 7.3 is a cheaper way to for me
i pull a 30ft 5th wheel loaded to about 8,000lbs
i would like to get 12-15 mpg
from what i know witch isnt much
is that mpg is about the same from a cummins to a 7.3
and was also told that a diesel with out a turbo will go much longer than one with a turbo
thanxs

7.3

The 7.3 using the 6.9's ATS setup will kick ass. I'm still trying to get my powerstroke to make as much power as my old ATS 7.3 did.

Greg

Greg_P wrote:The 7.3 using the 6.9's ATS setup will kick ass. I'm still trying to get my powerstroke to make as much power as my old ATS 7.3 did.

Greg

That aint hard..........

I would look for another 6.9 (less prone to cavatation) but, If you can get a good buy on the 7.3, Bolt the turbo on, turn the pump up and go another 200,000. While the Cummins is a great engine, The swap/Adapters do get expensive.

7.3

richter69 wrote:

Greg_P wrote:The 7.3 using the 6.9's ATS setup will kick ass. I'm still trying to get my powerstroke to make as much power as my old ATS 7.3 did.

Greg

That aint hard..........

Where's that dam allen screw?

thanxs for the great advice guys
i am not worryed about the adapters for a cummins i was just gonna make all my owm mount's
i am a welded so that kinda stuff is easy for me
but i can buy a 7.3 with a good 5 speed less than i can buy a cummins motor with out a tranny and it will drop right in plus i will have extra parts from my 6.9
so i think i am gonna do a 7.3 with a 5speed and use my ats turbo
i am gonna call on a motor and tranny tomorro i will keep ya all updated
i am new to the smokers and dont know crape about them but it is fun making smoke

I love my PS,hope the new Ford diesel is as good as it was.

i found a 7.3 out of a 89 f350
it has 147,000 on it and a 5speed
i can get it for 1,200
not shure if it is a good deal or not
he said he is gonna pull it in the shop and check the oil psi and the compression
i know there is better deals out there
but i cant find one untill i buy one than i find them all over for close to nothing

bbf-falcon wrote:I love my PS,hope the new Ford diesel is as good as it was.

still get them 7.3's rollin in with 4, 5, 6, and 700,000 on them. The last few weeks have diminished my enthusiasm for the 6.4.

is 1,200 a good deal

My vote is def for the 7.3 IDI turbo. 8000# is nothing for them. I hauled 20000# of haybales down back roads, and i could get up to 60 mph no problem.

For a good running 7.3 AND the Trans i'd say that is a reasonable deal. I know there is deals to be found cheaper than that nowadays but..... you'll never do the cummins swap for that.

Diggindeeper wrote: I know there is deals to be found cheaper than that nowadays but..... you'll never do the cummins swap for that.

Heck the kit to put one in costs that much. The ole 7.3 is a great motor, if you take care of it. Have one neighbor that didn't get 100k out of his and another that has one with 225k and it's going strong with all of the original accessories still on it. The one that died early looks mint and the one with 225k looks like a pile. Maintenance is everything, because as the saying goes some people can break an anvil in a sand pile with their bare hands.