I have 3 Ford/ Navistar diesel F-250s.
1990 , 7.3 non-powerstroke, E4OD tranny, 3.73 gears
Truck has 451,000 miles on and has been just excellent. Never left me stranded. No engine work, ever, other than an injection pump.
1996 , 7.3 Powerstroke, 5 speed, 3.73 gears
Truck has 330,000 miles and has been a good truck, but has left me stranded far too many times, mainly due to serpentine belt component/bearing failures, and Powerstroke electrical engineering stupidity. However, engine had nice power.
2001, 2nd generation 7.3 Powerstroke, 6 speed, 3.73 gears
Just got it last fall and put it into service in March. 70,000 miles. I have put about 8000 miles on since I got it, with about 1250 in the last three days. There are lots of things that I don't like as well about this truck (tranny gear ratio spacing seems... odd, etc.) however, the main question/problem I have here, is that even though it is rated at 275 hp ('96= 215, '90=185)
IT IS A TOTAL DOG!
It just doesn't seem to have any guts. Passing can be downright dangerous. Just in normal driving I find myself winding it out to 2500, 2600 rpm just so it can stay in turbo boost range when I grab the next gear. All three trucks have pulled the same enclosed trailer, only about 3000 lbs, but with a lot of wind resistance due height and width, but this one is about the worst of the three for pulling. My foot is always on the floor.
And for the pleasure of this de-tuned performance, I am rewarded with decreased fuel economy- 11.5 mpg!
Air cleaner is new.
I don't see or hear any leaks in air/air intercooler.
It seems to run just fine with no missing or waste gate back pressure issues.
I can hear the turbo, so I believe that it is working as it's supposed to.
So- is this normal? Should I take it somewhere to see if there are any codes set in the compuker?
Have any of you experienced a power reduction in the later 7.3 Powerstrokes?
Do I just buy "the chip" so I can gain a bit of power and fuel economy? Do you really gain fuel economy with a chip? What is the recommended "chip" to get?
Kind of irrigated with this truck. Kinda makes me want to repower it with a Cummins 855 like I have in my LTS 9000.
Tanks for your toughts.
Paul
