Good Service Help Needed

[stlpsd]

Please help
I am looking for a good, reliable, trustworthy service person/garage for my 1997 7.3 PSD. I really do not have much trust in the dealership garage.

I am begining to have some performance issues. First, my mileage has slipped from around 19 mpg on the interstate to under 14 mpg. Second, I feel something that I can only describe as a miss or a slight backfire while accelerating. And last, I have a vibration when the auto tran shifts and sometimes I notice it when in any gear (not shifting).

So those are my problems. I am looking for a service person in the St. Louis, Missouri area. I need help due to that fact that I am slightly disabled and can not do much of the work myself. Lifting and bending or leaning over the engine are things that I just can't do. I trust that someone on this site knows of a good and trusted place I can go for service in the St. Louis area. The closer to Cedar Hill the better.

Thanks in advance for the help and direction.

[blageurt]

If you can use a computer , buy a good scanner. I have an Autotap, Autoenginuity also is good , there are others . They plug into a laptop via USB , and you can configure a virtual dash to see for yourself , what the truck is doing. Its only like 3 bills ( 3 Ben Franklins to you guys), That way you can see whats wrong yourself and more importantly , Not get raped buy the meccanic. I have already saved thousands with mine. There are like 11 sensors and 2 computers on our trucks and they are not cheap. If you start to throw parts at it can cost you a fortune . As far as your truck goes I would start with an Injector contribiution test and check the UVC harnesses for burning. Also it would not hurt to see what kind of HPOP pressure you are making and IPR duty cycle . As far a mileage goes I just replaced my MAP sensor for that reason , cleaning the FPR screen and changing the fuel filter / clean air filters and driving style mostly affect that Rear end ratio also is paramount . . . In my understsanding of the 7.3 , as complicated as it seems , you basically need three things . Good oil , good fuel , and make sure all electronic stuff is solid and water free ( dielectric grease ). Regardeless , good luck on finding an honest guy , it will be a challenge . . .

[pigdog]

I have used Carsmart at Watson and Laclede Station for a few things and RPM in Brentwood on Manchester for others. I trust RPM with all the work on my wife's Honda, but I find that I do need to follow up with them on my truck. Things like they needed to add coolant additive after they replaced the water pump, stuff like that.

supposedly, there is/was a guy in Eureka that did WONDERFUL work on diesels. But he doesn't advertise, or have a listing in the phone book. They did do an article in the paper years ago, so I know he does/did exist.

If you are not a member of SLAPS, go here and join:

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Someone there will be able to help you out.

[stlpsd]

Blageurt and pigdog, thanks for the replies.