99 & up 7.3L Power Stroke Engine and DrivetrainDiscussion of the 99 & up 7.3L Power Stroke diesel engine and drivetrain in the 1999-Up Super Duty trucks and Excursions. No gas engine discussion allowed except on transmissions and drivetrain that pertain to all models. Please confine discussion of topics in this forum to those items that are specific to the 7.3L Power Stroke engine.
I'm gonna have to throw in the 6.0 l tranny cooler. Best investment I've made. I consider regular maintenance just another part of owning a vehicle.
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2002 F-350 CC Longbed
DIY Tymar intake
4" Turbo back with no cat/muffler
Full set of gauges
Superchip Flashpack
6.5" Lift with 37 x12.50 BFG
Currently,I have 924,284 mi. If I had to pick one thing to my trucks longevity it would be maintenance. Everyone's opinion on oil and change intervals is different mine is every 7500-8000 mi Rotella 15-40 with 1 qt.lucas full synthetic oil stabilizer and motorcraft oil filter.Rest of the fluids is whatever ford recommends.The original rearend had to be replaced at 874,xxx mi I was pretty happy with it's longevity.The tranny has been the weakest link I'm on my third and hopefully last since i'm no longer hauling campers,boats and horse trailers for a living anymore. I still drive her on a regular basis and pull occasionaly and the engine still runs and pulls great. Hoping to hit the million mile mark before dropping the new engine in.Mike
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I have a 95 F350 PS/DRW/LB which I bought in 05' with 102,000mi from original owner as of 6/29/12 it has 920,798 mi.on the original engine.It runs great and pulls even better.It pulls commercially anything and everything that pays me money Ha,Ha.Uprades done are an all steel cowl induction hood to help get the heat out of the engine bay,Banks inter-cooler hardware kit using a cooler from a 99 PS,TRUCOOL tranny cooler,Magtech alum.finned tranny and rear diff.covers,DP tunes 40T,60T,60E.S&W guages BST/Trans.Temp/EGT,K&N cold air intake,BD 4"exhaust,HPturbochargers did my upgrades on turbo with banks impeller(a little diff.pitch and height than the stock garrett splitter wheel) and 1.0 exh.for faster spool-up WOW!I'm hoping to hit 1 million miles or more before having to put my drop-in crate engine in.I can only hope that it will be just as good.Hopefully! I can be of assistance to any one needing help with thier PS with problems that I may or may not have encountered.GOOD LUCK!
Last edited by themule67; 12-31-2012 at 06:56 PM.
Reason: gave wrong mileage
For new or even more "seasoned" owners on a limited budget of the best truck Ford has ever built , what would be the one only thing you could do to it, based on your personal experience, that has increased its longevity.
I start this thread in hopes it will help some new owners who might not have had the benefit of being on our great forum for many years or have time to do extensive research.
So I will go first. My one favorite upgrade/mod has been the Ford Severe Duty Air Intake System.
Mike
well for longevity my .02 would be 2 stroke oil or equivalent....help keep thos expensive injectors lubed up and hey a little extra oil in the cyl wont hurt there either.
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2002 f250 lariat 7.3 220k(motor has 190k)
original 4r100 tranny....220k and counting
knock on wood....
red elc good for 150k
4r100 1-2 2-3 3-4sonnax accumulator valves,.427 sonnax line pressure mod valve
4.125"yes thats 4 1/8" diy tymar intake(size matters...lol)
AIH delete,ccv delete,zoodad mod,
4" exhaust no muff
built my own leafs for 4.0 of lift!!!!!!
18" xd bronze revolvers with 325 nittos to wrap them
isspro pyro and boost guages on pillar mount....
My 03 f350 the best mod to increase longevity is ...5-40 Amsoil synthetic.
Amsoil sales pitch gibberish.
The trucking industry has proven over and over than synthetic motor oil does NOT increase engine longevity. Their engines need an overhaul at around 800K to one million miles whether they used dino or synthetic motor oil.
Synthetic motor oil won't hurt anything, so if it makes you feel good, then pay extra and use it. But don't expect your diesel engine to last any longer just because you pay more for your motor oil.
Bypass oil filtering? It works to extend oil change intervals with either dino or synthetic motor oil.
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My Sierra Blanca in the sig pic was a great pickup for 11.5 years. I sold it a coupla years ago. I drove a hand-me-down 2003 F-150 SuperCrew 4.6L 2V for a while, but it was unacceptable for towing more than a rowboat. Replacement is a 2012 F-150 EcoBoost SuperCrew Lariat that tows my 5,000-pound TT like a dream.
So far, regular maintenance, including clean fluids and air, seems to be leading the pack as about the single best thing a first time owner on a limited budget can do to increase longevity.
Most diesel oils, such as Rotella and Delo, power steering fluid, brake fluid, automatic transmission fluids, differential fluid and other lubricants are readily available at a good price at Walmart or local auto parts stores.
Fluid change-outs can be done on a progressive basis monthly for the new owner on a budget to prevent a large one time cost if he/she can do the work themselves. Searches on this excellent forum can provide how-to instructions if one wants to do the work themselves.
(Edit) One of the fluids I have found really takes a beating when towing and hauling long distances is differential rear end fluid. Each time mine has been changed, it needed changing. But we sometimes pull in the southern Rocky Mountains a lot, between 7K to 10K feet, so that may cause more heat in the rear differential than normal.
Mike
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2002 2WD XLT CrewCab, 3.73 Limited Slip, Assembled 08-09-01 in Ford's Cuautitian, Mexico plant. BTS Tranny with 6.0L Cooler, KC reverse backup lights with separate on/off dash switch, Undercover Bed Lid, Bilstein shocks, Gentex K-21 auto dimming/temp/compass mirror, Michelin LTX/MS2 tires, Factory Aluminum Wheels, Door Seal Mod, Ford Severe Duty AIS w/Zoodad, Royal Purple 75W-140, Fleetrite ELC Coolant, Billet Aluminium Thermostat Housing, Ford Factory Bed Liner, Sylvania Silverstar Ultras. Tekonsha P3 Brake Controller.
Last edited by TooCoolTwo; 01-01-2013 at 06:47 PM.
For smoky wren Why do you say it's good to just get in your truck and go I have always let mine warm up before driving off. There must be something to it I don't know about I would like to know my truck has to last me a long time and I try to take care of it best I can afford. Thanks
My first truck was a 1976 F250 'highboy" with the venerable 390cid & Dana gears front & back. Maintenance was always a given, but usually a must, as it experience just about every terrain you could suggest. During the 3rd. year of possession, I installed front & back ARB Air Lockers, mostly due to where I took it & because it made MUCH more sense to have only one drive wheel on the streets but "instant" posi in the trees. Consequently, I drove it for another 15 years before lack of motivation of the constant maintenance tip my hand in favour of parting with it to a youngster with a lot more P & V then me. Strong carriers those ARB's, & that's my two-bits worth.
For smoky wren Why do you say it's good to just get in your truck and go I have always let mine warm up before driving off. There must be something to it I don't know about I would like to know my truck has to last me a long time and I try to take care of it best I can afford. Thanks
You never want to "warm up" a vehicle on idle. It will take longer and the combustion is not good, allowing too much unburned fuel into the oil. You should drive off in 30 seconds or so (not less than 15). Drive slowly (1000 rpm or so, depending on engine) for the first mile, bus still easy for 5 miles or so. You not only want to warm the engine and its oil, but the transmission and differential with their oils as well. Until all the oils heat up a bit they will not flow into all the bearing surfaces correctly.
Answer is a Coolant Filter. Reason is the Ford blocks have a lot of "casting sand" residue constantly flowing round and round inside your cooling loop. Tearing up your water pumps and worse. Worse means plugging up your oil cooler which is a heat exchange unit. Coolant is supposed to flow through a tiny radiator one way and oil the other way. The tiny tiny tubes in the coolant side become plugged with a sand like substance. Now your oil gets hot and stays hot. Now your temperatures rise. Now your trying to cool your turbo with super hot oil. Your EGR plugs next, then ruptures. Now coolant can enter your pistons right through that split EGR. You turn off the engine and coolant can flow in through an open intake valve. You try start the truck and the piston is full of coolant. BLAM. OK total cost so far about 8000 and it can get worse.
Order a coolant filter 140 bucks (free shipping). Two day delivery to your door. First do a coolant flush. then let it sit overnight. Do not warm up the truck, just follow idiot proof instructions. 20 minutes and your done. This should have been done by Ford.
This is by no means a FIX it is the first step in preventing the disaster that awaits 95% of ALL SIX LITERS. Its not if a 6.0 will fail its When it will fail. Due to coolant issues. And at 150 bucks you'd be a loony toon not to do it.
Last edited by howpilot; 01-03-2013 at 07:26 AM.
Reason: forgot last sentece
For new or even more "seasoned" owners on a limited budget of the best truck Ford has ever built , what would be the one only thing you could do to it, based on your personal experience, that has increased its longevity.
I start this thread in hopes it will help some new owners who might not have had the benefit of being on our great forum for many years or have time to do extensive research.
So I will go first. My one favorite upgrade/mod has been the Ford Severe Duty Air Intake System.
Mike
Correct me if I'm wrong here , but THE SEVERE DUTY AIR INTAKE SYSTEM .............was for the International Harvester 7.3L Turbodiesel ..........................I'm waiting on a 2013 F-250 PLATINUM w/6.7L Turbodiesel ..............exactly how does that help me ???
Correct me if I'm wrong here , but THE SEVERE DUTY AIR INTAKE SYSTEM .............was for the International Harvester 7.3L Turbodiesel ..........................I'm waiting on a 2013 F-250 PLATINUM w/6.7L Turbodiesel ..............exactly how does that help me ???
You're right, the Severe Duty AIS was developed by DoD, Donaldson and Ford only for the 7.3L PowerStroke engine that was used in the deserts of the Middle East - the '99 thru '03 7.3L. Newer trucks have different answers.
The title of this forum is: 99 & up 7.3L Power Stroke Engine and Drivetrain. So that's the only engine that is on topic here. Newer Ford PowerStroke engines have 6.0L. 6.4L and 6.7L engines. So for the new trucks, go to the forum for 6.7L engines.
And by the way, International Harvester stopped making trucks decades ago. The company reorganized and busted into two parts - the farm equipment part was still called International Harvester, and the truck and truck engine part was called Navistar. Navistar called their engines Navistar, but they continued to call their trucks by the International name - but not International Harvester. International Harvester was later merged with Case to form Case International. While the 7.3" engine was under production, Navistar changed their names around again. Trucks and truck engines were produced by the International Truck and Engine division of Navistar.
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My Sierra Blanca in the sig pic was a great pickup for 11.5 years. I sold it a coupla years ago. I drove a hand-me-down 2003 F-150 SuperCrew 4.6L 2V for a while, but it was unacceptable for towing more than a rowboat. Replacement is a 2012 F-150 EcoBoost SuperCrew Lariat that tows my 5,000-pound TT like a dream.
For smoky wren Why do you say it's good to just get in your truck and go I have always let mine warm up before driving off.
widman gave an excellent answer. I'll just add that allowing a cold diesel engine to idle results in incomplete combustion, and incomplete combustion slowly causes wet stacking. Even if you never allow the cold engine to idle, you'll get some incomplete combustion because even when working to move the truck, the engine is still cold and will not achieve complete combustion until it warms up some. But the increased load on the engine by driving the truck will cause it to warm up faster, and thus minimize the amount of time that incomplete combustion is occurring.
Your engine is an electronic marvel that has built-in help to minimize incomplete combustion for those that insist on allowing the cold engine to idle. It has an elevated cold idle and an exhaust pipe stopper-upper that adds some load to the engine and thus helps speed up warmup. But it's still not as good as gently driving the truck.
If your engine is ice cold and you let it idle to warm up, your transmission and differential will still be ice cold when you finally begin to move out. So you should still take it very easy on the go pedal (less than 2,000 RPM) until the tranny warms up enough to automatically shift into overdrive and lock up the torque converter.
widman gave an excellent answer. I'll just add that allowing a cold diesel engine to idle results in incomplete combustion, and incomplete combustion slowly causes wet stacking. Even if you never allow the cold engine to idle, you'll get some incomplete combustion because even when working to move the truck, the engine is still cold and will not achieve complete combustion until it warms up some. But the increased load on the engine by driving the truck will cause it to warm up faster, and thus minimize the amount of time that incomplete combustion is occurring.
Your engine is an electronic marvel that has built-in help to minimize incomplete combustion for those that insist on allowing the cold engine to idle. It has an elevated cold idle and an exhaust pipe stopper-upper that adds some load to the engine and thus helps speed up warmup. But it's still not as good as gently driving the truck.
If your engine is ice cold and you let it idle to warm up, your transmission and differential will still be ice cold when you finally begin to move out. So you should still take it very easy on the go pedal (less than 2,000 RPM) until the tranny warms up enough to automatically shift into overdrive and lock up the torque converter.
WoW! I've been going at it completely wrong. THANK YOU for the wealth of information. I assume the same logic applies although I'm running a 6spd.
ON that same note, I also have to ask, is there any truth to, "only driving a 7.3L a couple miles and turning it off before it warms up can cause damage"?
Thanks again.
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2000 F350 XLT CC DRW 7.3L 6spd; BANKS Git-Kit (Exhaust + Chip) 179,000mls {NEW TO ME JUL2012 YAY!}
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1993 BMW K1100LT; Russell Daylong Seat, PIA 1100x, 50W HID 146,000mls
1988 BMW 535i 290,000mls
1997 Triumph Adventurer 900
Deceased 2004 Chevy Suburban (Totaled by spouse... not bitter, really)
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