Off topic: Anyone here have experience with Excursions?

[NUKEMAN]

So my wife has decided she wants a Ford Excursion. After hearing about the '03 and '04 6. 0l problems, I would really prefer it with the old 7. 3l diesel and that kind of limits me to the pre-2003 models. Anyone here have any experience with these things?

 

[hintonJ]

Well I guess this is as good a topic to place my first post on.



I'm rejoining TDR, and have an '02 7. 3 4x4. It's been pretty reliable, has 104k on it. I bought it strictly for the body style. I train retrievers for field trials and often need a place to keep dogs secure inside, and heat and A/C for the dogs is nice too. At the time I bought it, I needed more interior room than Dodge could offer. Today I would buy a mega and place a shell on it.



Only problems so far have been in front hubs, replaced RF @ 80K and soon will be time to do LF. I actually love the truck, just wish I had the coin to drop the engine from my '03 CTD in it -NO comparison between the two engines, though the 7. 3 has been more than adequate for my needs. Routinely tow a 6 ton trailer, no problem except 11 mpg hwy. Mileage empty is 13-14 city, and 17-18 hwy, but it's always loaded with hundreds of pounds of gear. 44 gallon tank is very nice, though. Any q's I can answer for you?

 

[MFalkinham]

Maybe consider a V-10 Excursion? Those engines are really sweet, although they are gas hogs around town.

Flip side, V-10 Excursions are dirt cheap compared with 7. 3's, and gas costs much less per gallon.

 

[MMiller]

Dad has a 2000 2wd excursion with a 7. 3. Over all its been a good truck. The mileage was poor compared to his 95 cummins farm truck(15-16 mpg). A superchips programmer set on economy, and 4" exhaust has pushed the excursion into the low 20's by hand calculation.



The cam position sensor failed once, if you live in a hot climate(arizona, texas) you should probably have a spare CPS in the glovebox, and the tools to replace it. When it fails the truck will not run. Guys in hot climates refer to their glovebox as thier CPS box.



Other then normal wear items, its been an ok truck. Mom and Dad both hate the seats, theirs is top trim package, without leather seats. My wife and I took the truck to North Carolina last fall. We average 20 mpg on the way down. Hooked onto a loaded uhaul trailer and came back and got 18. I was pleasantly suprised with the power of the 7. 3 with the help of the superchip. Not impressed enough to trade a cummins, but impressed enough to think about getting and excursion. FWIW after about 1 hour in the excursion, my back started to hurt. My wife had no complaints though. The truck has over 150,000 miles on it. Mom is wanting to trade for a Megacab cummins though.



Michael

 

[oneshotkyle]

they are the best suv hand down when you have two or more kids and a dog in the family. i like you have looked for a 7. 3 for my wife for almost a year, finally buying her a 03' eddie bauer with 91 thousand miles. i lifted it 6 inches and put toyo 35's on and have been getting 12-14mpg around town. still no long hwy trials, but i feel really good about my wife and small kids riding in such a large vehicle since we live in the cold, icy, snowy seasons with lots of deer on the roads. besides all of that it still has decent power and lots of luxury, so i can now sit in the back and watch dvd's with the kids. LOL. only thing i want to try is a chip or programmer to help with mileage. any one reading this have any suggestions?

 

[MMiller]

Does the '03 have the 6. no? If so, I have nothing to say... ...



Michael

 

[midlife crisis]

I have an 02 Limited with a 7. 3. All stock. Odometer is right at 150k. This truck has been run <extremely>hard its entire life-you name it-foot to the floor from the hit of the key. Jack Rabbit starts, and looong periods of idle if I am out on a job and leave the heater or AC on.

Not too many bad things- ball joints just starting to wear, needed a ps pump a few weeks back, shocks @ 140k, 3rd starter @ 145k and a bad CPS @ 148k left me on the side of the road for the first time in my 24+ years of drving.

Its been a good truck-tows good, has comparable power to my SO CTD, shifts like a auto should, interior is roomy & comfy. 6 way CD sounds good & my Kid likes the DVD-although that does act up once & awhile I must go in after Shrek.

The 3rd seat lives in my barn 90% of the time. I made a platform level with the rear cargo area to hold more tools & parts for the job. It has been a good CO truck and I hate to think of the alternative.

I have waxed it once-still shines nice. I usually just hit it a few times a week with a soapy brush-paint has held up very well, as I am typically a fanatic with my personnal autos. I wouldnt dream of putting a brush to my Dodge.

The wife likes to drive it and it is big in tight spaces-but it has never really become a issue.

Oh-it stays in park when you put it in "Park"... no horn blowing required... .

 

[oneshotkyle]

Does the '03 have the 6. no? If so, I have nothing to say... ...



Michael

03' is 6. 0 or last year for 7. 3 mine is a 7. 3

 

[Msilbernagel]

When our '93 Sub hit 248k miles on the original 454/OD-auto we pulled the powerplant and dropped in an 04. 5 5. 9L Cummins/6-speed from a totaled truck with less than 1000 miles.



If I had to do it over again, I've always liked the way the later model Excursions looked and would be tempted to go that way.



At any rate - I'm happy... and, I've an abundance of waste vegetable oil (WVO) used to make blended fuel (not bio). Even at almost 20MPG, the lower fuel costs are nice.



Run it till it drops and then put a good Cummins in there! :-laf



Mark

-

 

[MMiller]

03' is 6. 0 or last year for 7. 3 mine is a 7. 3

Dad bought a Superchips programmer for his 7. 3. When set to economy,(I don't know alot about it but) it upshifts quicker, and it goes into OD quicker. Mileage when stock was about 16, then they gained about 1-1. 5 mpg with 4" turbo to tailpipe exhaust. Then with the programmer on economy, mileage had upped to lower 20s. They loaded it up and went to help with the Katrina damage, and knocked down 22 mpg on the trip, loaded up with 4 adults, and tools. I've driven it since then and power is up from stock too, get a nice shot of smoke out of the tailpipe when you stand on it. It also gets funny looks from car guys at the stop lights. He has since put a new set of Michelins on it and reports better fuel economy yet. He was warned to not tow in the economy settings. I suppose if he were to do that gauges would be in order. But they have a perfectly able 12 valve for all towing projects.



Michael

 

[AzCattle]

We have had two excursions over the years. We had a 2001 with the 7. 3 and loved although it handled like a barge. The current 2004 with the 6. 0L has been nearly flawless in 70,000 miles. The only issue with the engine was a leaking exhaust manifold replaced under recall. The engine has been perfect. And I dont like the 6. 0. My company has many cummins powered trucks and would love to put one in our excursion when the 6. 0 blows up. If you end up getting one, buying the "landyot" stabilizer bars for the rear make the truck handle lots better than stock. Althought the 2004 was a huge improvement over the 2001. Good luck

 

[MChildress]

My neighbor has an 03 6. 0 Excursion. Helped him put an alternator on about 6 months ago and that has been the only problem he has had. The 6. 0 made me convert to Dodge but I still have two 7. 3's in the drive.

 

[MMiller]

If you end up getting one, buying the "landyot" stabilizer bars for the rear make the truck handle lots better than stock.

I know what you mean on the handling, leaves a lot to be desired. Are your's 2wd or 4X4? What are the stabilizer bars you speak of, will they work on Dad's 2wd 2000?



Michael

 

[EMD-Run8]

Probably hard to find but there are some early '03 7. 3s in the pickups. I know one guy who has one and loves it. Don't know if they put any in the Excursions before the changeover to the 6. 0. Forget the V10 unless you're planning on swapping in a Cummins (Hmmmmmm ) The difference in the price of gas and diesel isn't THAT much. A V10 X will get maybe 10 mpg.

 

[AzCattle]

I will dig up the info on the stabilizers. I think they have one for the 2X4. Not sure. Mine are/were all 4x4. Let me see what I can find.

 

[AzCattle]

Try this. They are called radius rods. Made by a guy on fordexcursion.com. They really do wonders.



http://www.supermotors.net/clubs/fordexcursions/forums/posts.php?threadid=4523

 

[robertyoke]

I want to find one with a 6. 0 that went bang and then stuff a cr with twins in it.

do the 05's have the coil spring front like the trucks? and 18" rubber?



It would take too much time anyway. Wish gm would stick a d-max in a burban. actually I wish dc would build a big suv with a cummins in it.

-robert