92 7.3 questions just bought

[Aaron1981]

1992 f-250 ext cab 4x4. 5 spd. rattles an is real loud on cold starts.smokes its ass off when I run it hard or Iam under a load. I like the black smoke.runs good.Is the black smoke a bad sign???????? Iam going to cut the bowl out of the air cleaner an took the muffler off for a straight pipe.its has 190.000 miles on it. its got 3;55 gears pull good but not like my 460 did in my 90 reg cab. But I love the fuel mileage.
1.What is a pyro an will it help me??????
2.I dont want a turbo cost what can I do about turning th epump up is it something i can do>>>>>?????????
3. Is the black smoke bad?
4.IS 190,ooo miles bad>?
5.just tell me anything I can do to it I love this truck.I paid $4500 for it. its very reliable


its pulls a bobcat all the time an my trail jeep it works its ass off.

[deanj]

1. Normally installed in the exhaust manifold to measure exhaust gas temperature, if you have the pump turned up and are running high EGT (exhaust gas temp.) you cuold melt the pistons. My max under hard excell is 1150.
2. Turning up the pump, plenty of threads on how to --- but with out a pyro you are on your own.
3. black smoke = unburnt fuel = $$. Under WOT (wide open throttle) you will get some black smoke.
4. No, if it has been seviced.
5. What can you do other than a turbo? Put a larger exhaust 3 inch from down pipe back. Make a ram air inlet. Check your timimg with a shop that has the right equipment (if they say we time by ear - run). Check your coolant for ph and nitride levels.

[twelve0six]

You just bought it....what do you know about its reliability?

That aside, the 7.3IDI is a reliable engine.

The Diesel will have more grunty torque than your 460 did...it will hang longer than your 460, it may not apear like it but your 460 had at least 1000 rpm more, safe, operating range.

1. a pyro is short for a pyrometer (exhaust temperature gauge) it WILL help you in knowing just how hot all that "black smoke" is making your engine get. Get one! especially if you want to turn it up more.
2. If you are mechanically inclined, you can turn up your injection pump. There is a write up about it somewhere on here, im sure someone knows the link, i dont.
3. black smoke is not bad, i like it, many on here like it. It IS a sign that your truck has already been turned up, these trucks somked VERY LITTLE when they were new. Too much black smoke can is usually a sign that there is high exhaust temperatures which can be BAAAAD. Get that pyro!
4. 190,000 is NOT bad...if your engine has been taken care of, it will last several hundred thousand miles longer, given that YOU take care of it. Now, this may mean that the rest of the truck like the front end, clutch and flywheel, or E40D, whichever could be getting towards the end of their life. Thats something you need to scrutinize more.
5. check the Ph level in your antifreeze....you can do this buy using Ph strips that check the acid & nitrate levels in your antifreeze...the 7.3's have a slight rep. for cavitation, which is basically when your antifreeze coolant goes AWOL and tires to escape by any means necessary; READ: cylinder wall. If your unsure...just buy a bottle of coolant conditioner and dump in 2-3 times a year FOR SURE. Jump around and check your oil levels in all of the spots that...contain oil. keep them full and treat it well. and it will treat you well.

Shawn

[Snotzalot]

My previous E350 had a 460, it was 20 times faster than my current E350/7.3 but got less than half the fuel mileage.

[Mr_Roboto]

If the truck is smoking black heavily, then the IP has already been turned up and you may be in danger of destroying your engine.

I recommend staying away from heavy throttle that will create the black smoke until you have installed a pyrometer and can get an EGT reading and determine if your temps are safe or not.

Don't get lulled into the belief that if a little fuel is good, that more is better.