What's The Difference Between Ford's 6.8 And 7.3 Godzilla V8 Engines?

Super Duty Ford pickups offer a choice between gasoline and diesel engines. The 6.7L Power Stroke diesel engine provides more towing power than either gas engine from Ford. But not everyone can justify the diesel's higher cost — or needs that much torque. As such, for 2026, Ford XL, XLT, and Lariat Super Duty pickups come standard with the 6.8L V8 gas engine, with an option to upgrade to larger 7.3L gas-powered V8 — also known as the Godzilla — for $1,500. King Ranch and Platinum models feature the gas 7.3L V8 as the standard power plant.

The most obvious difference between the two 'Zilla V8s is their displacement. While both engines use cast-iron engine blocks with cylinders bored to the same 4.22-inch diameter, the 6.8L has a shorter crankshaft stroke. The Mini-Zilla's stroke measures 3.68 inches, 0.3 inches shorter than the 7.3L. Despite the shorter stroke, the Mini-Zilla sports a higher compression ratio at 10.8:1 compared to the larger engine's 10.5:1.

Despite its lower compression ratio, the Ford 7.3L Godzilla is the most powerful gas engine available in the 2026 Super Duty lineup with 430 horsepower and 485 pound-feet of torque. The 6.8L Mini-Zilla produces a respectable 405 horsepower and 445 lb-ft of torque.

When comparing 6.8L and 7.3L engines from Ford, it's important to note the existence of other Ford engines that shared their displacements. Ford's original 7.3-liter debuted in 1988 F-250 and F350 pickup trucks a diesel engine with indirect fuel injection. This 7.3L IDI was built by Navistar. Ultimately, Ford ditched Navistar and switched to the Power Stroke diesel. Ford's earlier 6.8L gas engine, the problematic Ford V10 Triton, was used in heavy-duty Fords from 1997 to 2019.

Ford introduced the 6.8L gas engine — the one we know as the Mini-Zilla — in its Super Duty trucks for the 2023 model year. Three years earlier, the 7.3L Godzilla V8 debuted for 2020 Super Duty trucks. Both engines feature pushrod architecture with overhead valves and a single camshaft located within the engine block. Prior to the 2020 7.3L Godzilla, the last high-performance pushrod V8 Ford produced was the 351 Windsor from the 1995 SVT Cobra R.