It really stinks to pay over $35K for something and you get a plastic dash, poor quality seats, and marginal braking system.
Have you ever worked on a farm? you can take a tank and destroy if its used as a farm truck. But, the dmax will last a long time, trust me. Isuzu has been around alot longer than the powerstroke has. I once heard that isuzu has been making diesel engines longer than most. Im not sure if that is true, but I do know they've been around a long time. The problem isnt the engine holding up though, its the rest of the truck. In my personal experience, GM and Ford hold up the best. I think the dodges come apart the fastest. The Dmax is actually a better highway truck, and farm truck, than the 7.3 though. If the 7.3 was just as good or better, it still be in production.:stir:
As I recall, Isuzu is one of the largest diesel manufacturer in the world, perhaps THE largest (I seem to recall being told that, though I don't know). I agree, the engine is fine and a perfect (IMO) fit for LD truck use. On the 7.3, it's a very good engine, just "old school" by modern standards. It probably would still be in the Fords if it were not for fuel and emissions changes. And NS still makes them for MD and over-seas use in Fords.
Lets see where to start first...Yes I farm. Izuzu has been around for quite a while now, but that has no bearing on the 6.6 duramax. International has been around just as long or longer as with Cummins. The Duramax itself has only been out since 2001 model year! The 7.3 Powerstroke since 1994. The isb Cummins, ooh, much longer than both. Anyways, my point is just because the company has been there doesnt mean that particular motor has. Farm conditions are quite different from otr road conditions. I dont doubt that it will last long, but, it wont on a farm. I cant prove that, but its all in the way the engine is set up. It takes the duramax high rpms to get max use out of the engine like the 6.0, on a farm, there wont room or time for that, you will need low rpm power like the 7.3 or the cummins. Idle time is also an issue for the dmax with those egr's. Everyone knows that on a farm, Our trucks idle quite a bit and run looong at extremely low speeds. You wont see the dmax in garbage trucks, 50ft busses, 40k cab and chassis trucks etc...but you will find plenty of cummins and 7.3's. Actually you find a few 6.0's in those applications too. Trust me the Dmax just isnt set up to be that kind of motor. You will find some farm trucks that have the dmax. Guess we would just have to find a farmer with one and ask his opinion.opcorn: For the record, I think the dmax is an awesome motor. Like baddog said, The 7.3 powerstroke is alive and well and still being produced for "real" medium and heavy duty IH trucks trucks in the US and light duty trucks everywhere but the US . The EPA made strictor emissions rules here in the US that the 7.3 could not pass. Therefore they had to stop using the motor. If not for the EPA, the 7.3 would still be the option. Why do you think that cummins is changing the motor in the dodges? EPA emissions rules! The EPS sucks big time IMO!
I agree these newer emission rules suck. I didnt know the 7.3 was still being produced. But I strongly disagree with you about the dmax not being a good farm truck. I know several people running em on their farms and have no complaints. They work good. Also, the dmax max hp is at higher rpm, but their max torque is at 1600 rpm,just like the cummins, and I believe lower than the 7.3.(NOT POSITIVE). My truck also has 5100 hrs on, most from ideling. No problems. I agree the cummins is more bullet proof, but the dmax is extremly tough. More than you realize. Yes, the dmax hasnt been around very long, but isuzu has been around long enough to know what their doing. When gm introduced the 6.0 gas, people didnt wait around to see how they'd last, they already knew about the reputation of their earlier engines like the 350. I know this dosent mean the dmax will last 500,000 miles, but i am still very impressed with em.
No doubt, the dmax is the bomb, as the young folks say. I am in no way implying that its junk, far from it. What i wrote about it being a farm truck is just my opinion, and you know what they say about opinions,lolrotfl Oh, and I stand corrected about the Dmax torque rpms, you are absolutely correct. Yeah, kinda suks, we cant get the new 7.3.
Now now, I'm not getting involved in this except to say that I live in the same town as RJF here, and I must say, that's bunk. Ford Superdutys are CLEARLY the truck of choice for the flatbiller crowd to lift 12 inches and mount tires that are entirely too small, with $3000 worth of shocks and chrome plated everything. Clearly. Sure, there are some Chevies and Dodges with the same ridiculous getup, but the Fords are dominant for that crowd. Marc
Out here, most people buy the Fords to lift and put bigger tires on also. You can drive down the road and see a bunch of 4 door F-250's with 4 or 6 inch lift, stittng on 35's or 38's. See more dodges now since the body change in 03.
That's because the Ford Super Duties from 1999(?)-2004 have the simpilest suspension to put a lift kit on. Same with the 1973-1987 Chevy and GMC's. Leaves in the front and leaves in the back. Not too difficult. Now that the new 2005 Ford radius arm/coil spring setup has come out, I've seen less and less lifted new Fords around here.
Off Topic, You guys do know that I used to have a 03' Duramax, didnt you. absolutely loved it to death. The only reason I got rid of it was I got spooked when an injector(s) went south (I know thats a lousy reason so guys give me a break). I was afraid that the fuel in the crank case would cause future problems. At the time I still had my '95 PSD 289k virtually trouble free, so I said what the heck, might as well stay with the PSD so Long story short, Just ended up getting a newer version of the same truck. My wife says Im stupid for doing that, she just doesnt understand.lol Here is a pic of it. Looking in hind site, If knew then that i could have disconnected and rerouted the egr, I would have thought twice about getting rid of it! Guys have been doing that lately and from what I here, having damn good results too.
How many miles were on your truck when then injector went out? I had one go out at around 95,000. Maybe you can answer a question that I am not sure about. The injectors that GM replaces em with, are they the exact same injectors, or are the updated so the problem should not happen again? How do like the 7.3 compared to the duramax. I was looking at fords before my dmax, I would have definitly gone with the 7.3 over the 6.0 We have a 95 powerstroke on the farm with about 260,000 miles. Still runs good. Dosent have as much power as it use to have. Gets the job done, but nothing like our newer trucks.
They are supposed to put the newer style bosh injectors in them. My truck had about 122k, if I remember right when the injector(s) went. After they fixed it, It still smoked a bit out of the tailpipe at idle, so they replaced them again:doah: Not knowing at the time that they were supposed to replace them all, so I agreed to them replacing 2. The '02 7.3 is kool, I like it, mainly cause i can take it apart and put it back together in my sleep. The dmax wins in most catagories. However it does seem that the 7.3 has more low end power. Id rather climb a grade with a trailer in the 7.3. After driving a duramax and climbing into the 7.3 you immediately notice the difference. More power and better throttle response on the dmax. I try not to get cought up in the hp wars because its really all about torque and how the motor achieves it, IMO. Also the later 7.3, like mine, are way quieter than the 94-99's. The only reason I chose the 7.3 is because thats what I had experience with. i feel more comfortable if I break down on the road in the 7.3. Plus im a big fan of the diesel rattle, lol On a side note, the 7.3 isnt as slow as many people think!
Looks like it was a nice truck Frank!waytogo I do agree, the 7.3 is a good motor. I'd pick it over the 6.0 any day.
I cant see owning a 6.0 Man, let me tell ya, That truck had everything possible! Times like now I am regretting ever getting rid of it. Like i said, my wife still to this day calls me stupid for getting rid of it. I had a bull/brush bar on the front and stainless running boards. xm radio and whole nine yards.
O.K. O.K., GM has the transmission, Dodge has the engine, and Ford has the body. How about that opcorn: Not really but I'm tryin to make everybody happy :stir:
