Originally Posted by A&M F150

If you go with a 7.3, which is IMO the best diesel ford ever had, go with a late 99- early 01. These still had the forged rods, so they can actually take a good amount of power. After early 2001, ford started experimenting with powdered metal rods (PMRs) and they tend to bend under a lot of hp. Now I've heard of people throwing down 600hp on PMRs, but it's rare. If you plan on doing any high hp mods in the future, look for a forged motor