7.3 repair bill ouch
had my 7.3 to the dealer for Waste Gate actuator and heater fan stuck on defrost,,, $963.00 later runs like a champ. still cheaper than a new truck payment ok rant over!!
Forum Discussion
marcsbigfoot20b27 wrote:BigToe wrote:2oldman wrote:
I had all kinds of expensive problems with my 2003F450 7.3. Oil leaks from the high pressure pump was one... by 120k it was getting very expensive.
The original post, and this post above, both illustrate how the longevity/value ratio of any given tow vehicle cannot be judged on reports of how much people report spending on repairs.
Take leaks from the high pressure oil pump as an example. The resolution is a $15.00 bag of Orings. Yet some people get charged $1,500.00 for the repair, and are happy to pay it, because a high pressure oil leak looks so catastrophic. Streetwise service departments, as well as independents, know when and how to sooth a customer, and at the same time strike without their greed being noticed.
Should a tow vehicle platform be indicted as not a good long term value because a few people might pay too much for repairs? Of course not. Can everyone do their own repairs? Of course not. But while some folks find it useful to compare service bills, including charges for labor, I find it more instructive to compare what specifically went wrong, and what parts were required to fix it.
Knowing what exactly failed, and what parts actually needed to be replaced (as opposed to the parts that were just thrown at it, or unnecessarily replaced to generate more revenue) helps remove the opportunistic service departments / mechanics from the equation in determining the value proposition of a tow vehicle platform, and shifts the focus solely on the longevity and failure frequency of the product itself.
Here is what that stupid little oring looks like when it goes.......
Yeah that looks very bad and scarry when you're on the road. Had the same thing happen to mine coming home from a campground 80 miles from the house. I pulled over and opened the hood and oil was everywhere and I could see it flowing out. I bought a gallon of oil and topped it off and drove home.
I was quoted $300-$400 to stop the oil leak. I hosed the engine down and stared it up and looked for the leak. Bought a $30 kit from Guzzles Diesel O-rings and a hour and a half on a saturday and leaks fixed.
