SoCalDesertRider wrote:
I loved the truck and would still be driving it today, had it not burned down in a fire, a year ago today. It served me well for the 4 years that I got to use it.
Wondered what had happened to you. Do you know the cause of the fire? Did it start in/with the truck, or from an external source?
SoCalDesertRider wrote:
I often wished for 4.56 or 4.88 gears. The 4.10's were just not enough gearing. The 7.3 likes to run in the 2500-3000 rpm range when towing heavy. 4.10 gears, even with short 235 stock size tires, wasnt enough gearing to make it rev enough in 3rd to pull the hills. So, it was down in 2nd alot at 40 mph.
A great illustration of the impact that rear axle ratio gearing has on useable transmission gears on a grade. When 4th is too high, and 2nd is too low, 3rd would be just right. But if the rear gear is already too tall, then 3rd too, becomes unusable just like 4th, which reduces a 4 speed transmission down to just a two speed with only one practically useable gear.
SoCalDesertRider wrote:
My engine was all stock, 235 horsepower rating. The old body trucks dont have intercoolers like the Superduty body trucks have. Not sure how much that really makes a difference, since the '99-'02 7.3's didn't have much higher HP rating than the old body trucks had.
The intercooled 7.3L engines with manual transmissions and engine coolant temperature sensor inputs to the PCM had a 17% increase in horsepower rating, to 275HP stock, by 2001-2.
SoCalDesertRider wrote:
also had the turbo waste gate programmed to close when dethrottling, to use as a sort of exhaust brake.
How would closing the turbo "waste gate" when "dethrottling" serve as a "sort of exhaust brake"? Are you sure you don't mean the Exhaust Back Pressure Valve?
