# Duramax diesel vs. Ford powerstroke question



## lawnandplow42 (Mar 22, 2005)

Hey guys. 

How does the Duramax Diesel compare with the 7.3 powerstroke as far as power, torque, and dependability.?


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## roidman81 (Nov 19, 2004)

*Duro Max*

Gm is a little less in the power area BUT sound my friend .. the duro is so quiet i sounds like a gasser in the truck.. dont buy a ford


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## Triton Snow Systems (Aug 6, 2004)

I have a 7.3 Ford. It is loud but lots of power.


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## fordman89 (Mar 4, 2005)

i would also go with the 7.3 becouse my dad has one and he pulls a 30' 5th wheel camper with it and it blows of his friends Chevey duro.


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## derekbroerse (Mar 6, 2004)

Odd,  all of the reviews I read on them when they were new claimed the Duramax absolutely destroyed the Powerstroke and Cummins in terms of power, smoothness, and efficiency. They said it "sets a new standard is diesel performance".

Having owned neither myself I cannot say personally.

A friend has had a 1996? 7.3 PSD, 1998 Ram 5.9 24V Cummins, and currently a 2004 GMC Sierra Duramax 6.6. The Dodge was totally gutless when he bought it but a Bully Dog turbo kit w/programmer took care of that (very impressive)... it outpowered his PSD quite handily then. He claims the Duramax is nearly as powerful feeling in stock form as the Cummins was modified... so far he hasn't bothered to modify the Duramax for that reason. It will actually light up the rear tires from a standing start (with posi and oversized tires).

Remember, the 7.3 and 6.0 PSD's are totally different animals. Thankfully, they are not really a Ford product at all  (International/Navistar) so even the most die-hard GM fan can appreciate them without need of feeling bad .

Realistically, ALL three are excellent engines. None of the trucks are perfect. Pick your preferred brand and colour and buy a truck!


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## ratlover (May 5, 2003)

derekbroerse said:


> Remember, the 7.3 and 6.0 PSD's are totally different animals. Thankfully, they are not really a Ford product at all  (International/Navistar)


Exactly. The old 7.3 is a good reliable motor. But the 7.3 also needs a chip just to hang with a stock duramax. The new trucks though I wouldnt buy based on HP or torque. They are all so close its a non issue IMO New cummins is a good motor. Duramax is a good motor. IMO I wouldnt buy a new ford 6.0. Every body gave the chevy crap when it first came out about them aluminum heads were going to blow and you would always lose gaskets. New 6.0 has alot more isues stock keeping gaskets in than the duramax ever did. 10 head bolts per head on a diesel is a bad idea IMO. A big block chevy uses more. As of now a powerstroke with a ton of work(injectors turbo ect) still wont hang with a duramax with just some bolt ons if your into the perf side of things. A cummins can beat a duramax but you need to do work to hard parts on a cummins. Duramax just takes a chip/intake/exhaust to hit 450-500 rwhp. The duramaxes are also holding together with programing, nitrous and a wee bit of propane and that combo puts them into the low elevens in the 1/4. Its so easy to get power outa a duramax it feels criminal.


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## Gmgbo (Jan 18, 2005)

a guy i know halls port-o-poties and he said his duramax's do circles around his powerstroke's


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## ratlover (May 5, 2003)

If he is used to the older 7.3's then I believe that but all the new trucks pull about the same and I dont think someone could tell SOTP witch one is actually stronger. 

Derek, tell your bud I got a hot juice/attitude for sale for a LB7(up to 04.5 modle) that will make his truck feel like a sports car(and he will be able to piss of mustangs  ) We cant have a dodge running harder than his max now  

My Duramax will not roll over the tires with 265's on it from a dead stop.....now granted I move about 5' and the turbo lights and they go up but my truck wont break em lose from a dead stop. Turbo lag. I can light em up at will though from a roll since i have a bit of boost. Now if i build a bit of boost before I let of the break and mash the throttle in 2wd I will lay strips through all 5 gears and go every witch way but straight, 4x4 I hook and go unless I launch with more than 10psi and then all 4 go up.


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## derekbroerse (Mar 6, 2004)

I'll mention it to him, not sure if he will mod it or not as it is still on lease (and he is already over 60k km's)... any idea what you want for it, or what kind of additional output it would produce? Are all the instructions etc. included?


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## ratlover (May 5, 2003)

Everything is included.......I was more joking. Its a "hot" juice. Its thier comp box, he should stay outa the 2 top levels if he dosnt want to toast his allison. Especially level 5  Thats pretty much instant limp mode. Top level would produce a solid 400 RWHP if his trans didnt get pissed off. The top level he would want to run would be the 90 HP added. I dynoed at 340 or a hair over RWHP on a stock truck with that level. The juice is nice because it senses trany slip and also EGT's and it will back down automaticly if it sees danger. Thats why some guys get buy on the 125 level(the juice pulls out power) but the power of the top tune comes on so fast it cant really pull out and pisses of the trans in short order. 5 minutes for well over 300 lb ft of torque......its so easy it just feels wrong!


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## jrodgers (Feb 14, 2001)

Ratlover sometimes I think you speak another language........Sounds good though  I am on the fence about another Dmax. I was stewing over the idea of one of those Tittans( for about ten minutes) but bagged the idea. Now I am trying to deciede on a 6000, 8100, or 6600. I really love the Dmax, but I never really use the power. Maybe I'll just buy a big machine to pull around......


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## Silver Bullet (Mar 28, 2005)

My last work truck was a 2004 Ford with the new 6.0 ford diesel. I liked the power, but wasn't very smooth at idle. My friend had at the time had a 2002 Duramax. We were at the shop one night a decided to have a pull off. I figured I would stomp him, with him having the older Duramax. I now own two Duramax's.


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## ratlover (May 5, 2003)

Unless your going to drive alot of miles or tow a deccent amount a diesel dosnt make sense economicly. They do rock if you have a bit of hot rodder in you though. You could buy a new Dmax and put a mild tune program in it for 500$ and have 150 foot pounds of torque in all of 5 minutes! There are some other programs that are better or worse and offer more bells and wistles just like everything. Ummm.......to put things in perspective I can leave a new GT mustang like its tied to a tree in my darn near 7k# truck. It really seems to piss em off 

A 6.0 and 8.1 are good motors though IMO. 8.1 seems to get about the same milage as the 6.0 though. 8.1 you get the allison trans though  The 6.0 has tons of power and has mor than enough to push any amount of snow.

I didnt buy a duramax becasue I need the power, I bought it becasue I _want_ the power......ok......maybe I have a need for power


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