Ford
Ford pushed the 3⁄4-ton and 1-ton pickup market to where it is today when it introduced its International-engineered PowerStroke diesel engines in 1994. Before these diesels were poorly built and no match for big-inch gasoline engines. Today, 70 percent of SuperDuty Fords are sold with the optional 7.3L V-8 diesel engine. For '02, the 7.3 has for the first time the same horsepower and torque ratings for both automatic and manual: 250-hp and 525 lb-ft. This means the automatic picked up 20 lb-ft. However, the manual only gained 5 lb-ft and actually lost 25 hp. The other optional engine is the worthy 6.8L gasoline V-10. The base engine is a 5.4L gas V-8 that seems strong when installed in an F-150, but struggles when trying to move the mass of an F-250 or F-350, much less a trailer. If you plan on hauling any kind of a load on a regular basis, you'll want the 6.8 or the 7.3. The bottom line regarding Ford is that all its engines are the weakest of the three makes.
Ford 5.4L Gasoline Click...
Ford 5.4L Gasoline
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Ford 5.4L Gasoline
Engine type: V-8, cast-iron block and heads
Bore x stroke, in: 3.81 x 4.16
Displacement, ci/L: 330/5.4
Compression ratio: 9.0:1
Valve gear: 2 valves/cyl, SOHC
Fuel induction: Sequential multiport
Horsepower, hp @ rpm: 260 @ 4500
Torque, lb-ft @ rpm: 350 @ 2500
Recommended fuel: Unleaded regular
Max GCWR, lb: 15,000
Max towing capacity, lb: 10,000
Option price: Standard
Ford 6.8L Gasoline Click...
Ford 6.8L Gasoline
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Ford 6.8L Gasoline
Engine type: V-10, cast-iron block, aluminum heads
Bore x stroke, in: 3.55 x 4.16
Displacement, ci/L: 415/6.8
Compression ratio: 9.0:1
Valve gear: 2 valves/cyl, SOHC
Fuel induction: Sequential multiport
Horsepower, hp @ rpm: 310 @ 4250
Torque, lb-ft @ rpm: 425 @ 3250
Recommended fuel: Unleaded regular
Max GCWR, lb: 20,000
Max towing capacity, lb: 13,700
Option price: Standard some F-350, $600 F-250 & some F-350
Ford 7.3L Turbodiesel Click...
Ford 7.3L Turbodiesel
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Ford 7.3L Turbodiesel
Engine type: V-8, cast-iron block and heads
Bore x stroke, in: 4.11 x 4.18
Displacement, ci/L: 444/7.3
Compression ratio: 17.5:1
Valve gear: 2 valves/cyl, OHV
Fuel induction: Direct injection, high pressure
Horsepower, hp @ rpm: 250 @ 2600
Torque, lb-ft @ rpm: 525 @ 1600
Recommended fuel: Diesel
Max GCWR, lb: 20,000
Max towing capacity, lb: 14,500
Option price: $4840