I have a '01 7.3 powertstroke, and i'm thinking about getting another truck soon, but the 8.1L engines have caught my eye...what do you guys think?

Hi---You should drive both the Ford with the 6.0 powerstroke and the GM with the 8.1 gas motor--I've talked to alot of people about these trucks--the ford 6.0 diesel seems to get more possitive feedback than the GM 8.1 gas. The GM to my thinking drives alot nicer than the Ford,although the new Fords are supposed to have coil springs--that could make the difference!! If I were thinking about an 8.1 GM, I would take the next step--DURAMAX!! The economy of the 8.1 is going to kill ya!! Good luck!!

Greg Carter Vermont

Great engine makes good power suckes lots of gas (9-13mpg) some of them burn oil.

Do ya tow anything?? A stock diesel will outpull a stock gas with ease. The GM 496 big block is a runner though, lots of grunt off the line!! If you decide to go with a ford, I'd wait a while for the 6.4 to come out. It seems the 6.0's are hit or miss, you get one that runs awesome, or you get one that doesn't run at all. Both Ford and GM make a good rig, you'll be happy no matter what. Good Luck!

J-HEFF

I would have to go with the 8.1. The truck will drive better the noise is a lot less and the fuel economy is not that far off of each other. We had a 7.3 and now have the 8.1 and the mpgs is real close.

Democap... an 8.1 gasser close to the MPG of a 7.3 diesel? This statement could use some more explanation...

How is it that a gasoline burning motor with a 14-1 air fuel ratio, that is of larger displacement than the compared turbocharged diesel motor with up to a 50-1 air fuel ratio at idle, be "real close" in fuel economy when otherwise identically equipped with the same axle ratios, pulling the same loads, with the same curb weights and frontal areas?

What specific vehicles were compared?

In answer to the original question, usually once people tow with diesel, it's hard to go back to gas. But if one is not towing, it is hard to deny the convenience of being to buy gas at ANY station, be able to change oil using a few quarts instead of a few gallons, and to not have to worry about water in fuel, gelling, fuel filters, etc.

But the 7.3L won't get as hot and worked up as the 8.1 to do the same job.

It's hard to deny the low end torque diesel make for towing. The 8.1 power range is higher than a diesel. Most think that the 8.1 has to down shift in a hill it does make power but its just trying to get to its power range. I was towing a friends car. He made a commit about my truck struggling to pull a steep hill because it down shifted out of OD. So I dropped the hammer the truck down shift to 3rd and quickly started to execrate. He was dumb founded. Either way I've own both a 7.3 and now my 8.1 they are both dam good truck and engines.

The 8.1 power range is higher than a diesel.

Yep, diesel engines produce high torque at low rpm and normaly sustain that torque over the entire rev range. The rev range of diesel engines is typicaly lower than that of gas motors (3500rpm max on diesel vs. 6000rpm max on gas), but the 6.0 is a higher reving diesel (over 4000rpm).