88 f-350 diesel? - Diesel Forum

hcr400ex · 10-09-2005, 08:28 PM

I am looking for a cheap plow truck for the winter to make some money, so i can get the truck I really want come spring. I have found an 88 f-350 diesel with a plow, which looks to be in decent shape, and only has 100k miles. I was wondering if these are good engines, or if I will have alot of troubles. Also what engine is this, I know they weren't powerstrokes back then. Here is a link:
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The only real reason I was interested in this truck was for the diesel, but it doesn't seem like they compare to the present day diesel's at all? I have found a couple other newer trucks with around the same miles, some with plows and mason dumps, but all with gas engines. Are these diesel engines going to be as reliable, or should I just go with a gas engine. Do they make any more power, or get better gas mileage then V8 gas engines.

exekiel69 · 10-09-2005, 10:06 PM

More power and millage I dont think so unless it has a turbo on it. Reliable yes very [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smokin.gif[/img].

icanfixall · 10-10-2005, 12:23 AM

These motor are very strong and long running. The des. says it has a drivers side air bag. I don't think so. Not for this year. Find out if it has a dual mass flywheel. If not then its got the better upgraded clutch....

Gibson · 10-10-2005, 09:14 AM

yes they do get better fuel milage than a gas engine of same displacment. the 7.3 as that one has is 444 cubic inches. a 454 chevy has 454 cubic inches of displacment. the 7.3 ussually get around 13-14 mpg with a 4:10 rear end and a 454 chevy gets about 10 with a 4:10 rear end. the 7.3 has a great low end torque power compared to a chevy. if you governed a chevy to 3300 rpms you would out pull it in a heart beat. i would sya ge tthe diesel. if you get it, be sure to change all fluids (oil, coolant (fleet charge from Tractor Supply is good-3gal of coolant to 2 gal of water), tranny and differintial fluid. luck...........Gibson

Mr_Roboto · 10-11-2005, 10:37 AM

Diesels are good for plowing because you can run them at a lower RPM during a push. I started plowing with a 351W, and beat the hell out of that motor. My next truck was a 7.3L PS, and it was a whole different world. Now of course the PS is turbocharged, but I rarely got into boost at the RPM's I was pushing snow at (all parking lots).

CompuDoc · 10-11-2005, 07:42 PM

I would not compare a chevy engine to a Ford/International diesel engine. I would compare the 460 to the 7.3 litre diesel. The 460 gets about 6mpg as opposed to the 7.3 diesel gets about 14.

Recently I was talking to a guy that has a similar ambulance to mine. He said he purposely bought one with a gas engine because of the lower maintence costs. He also said he gets 6mpg. I myself get 14mpg.