7.3L Ford Diesel

[Lgreen]

I friend of mine has a 2003 F-250 with the 7.3L Diesel for sale that I am going to look at tomorrow. It has 75,000 miles on it, and I know it has had meticulous care (he is a retired heavy diesel mechanic).

As a reader of this forum, I am familiar with the reported issues with the Ford 6.0 and later engines (and do not want to restart that discussion in this thread). I am wondering what the known issues with this engine are, and what the expected longevity of this truck would be.

If I buy this truck, I will also be buying his 10,000 lb (empty) fifth wheel. I know that this engine does not have the power of the current generation of diesels. However, the complexity of the current diesels scares me, along with the cost.

I appreciate all the input that you all can provide.

[cummins2014]

majorgator wrote:

up2nogood wrote:

Limited experience 16 years :h Lets see ,I replaced the ball joints at 60K, I replaced the transmission cooler with the 6.0 ,the intercooler with the 6.0, replaced the exhaust with 4" turbo back, replaced stock air intake with the AIS air intake. Ran the Superchip for a few years ( remember now we are talking the 16 inexperienced years ) Switched to the DP tuner, finally started to run half decent for towing . Added gauges to monitor transmission ,boost, and ETG's. The early 99 had to run the conventional coolant with SCA, because injector cups etc. would not tolerate the extended life coolant, some tried without problems, I chose to flush ,and run the conventional every 30K. These thing were all done by this wannabe driveway mechanic.

Yes mine accelerated better with the upgrades, but towing was a different animal.The limiting factor with all the upgrades was ETG's , unless you replaced the intercooler with something that would let it run ,the 7.3 intercooler would not allow the power that was there. The 6.0 helped ,but still wouldn't let it run like it could. We can debate this all day, I know how they perform.

As I said...you had your experience with your truck. Other people have their own experiences with their own trucks. Its OK if your experience doesn't match theirs, but your experience doesn't automatically become the gospel. Congratulations on getting totally worked up for no reason and going on silly rant in response to something you took completely out of context.

What part of limited experience do you think I took out of context,.Limited experience, your words not mine. Silly rant pointing out things that need or should be done to make a 7.3 run , and perform half decent for towing, otherwise they are gutless, you may call it a silly rant, I just call it the facts.

My experience was the exact same experience that anyone who hooks up a heavy fifth wheel to a 7.3 . Some face the facts about them, and some don't, thats the big reason I don't tow a heavy fifth wheel with a 7.3 anymore.

The 7.3 is still yesterday's truck, and performed accordingly. It was a great truck with a great motor. My point was to let the OP know what he was actually getting into, instead of this nostalgic cult following he was getting to hear from some of you.

[Targa]

So op, did you buy it?

[majorgator]

up2nogood wrote:

Limited experience 16 years :h Lets see ,I replaced the ball joints at 60K, I replaced the transmission cooler with the 6.0 ,the intercooler with the 6.0, replaced the exhaust with 4" turbo back, replaced stock air intake with the AIS air intake. Ran the Superchip for a few years ( remember now we are talking the 16 inexperienced years ) Switched to the DP tuner, finally started to run half decent for towing . Added gauges to monitor transmission ,boost, and ETG's. The early 99 had to run the conventional coolant with SCA, because injector cups etc. would not tolerate the extended life coolant, some tried without problems, I chose to flush ,and run the conventional every 30K. These thing were all done by this wannabe driveway mechanic.

Yes mine accelerated better with the upgrades, but towing was a different animal.The limiting factor with all the upgrades was ETG's , unless you replaced the intercooler with something that would let it run ,the 7.3 intercooler would not allow the power that was there. The 6.0 helped ,but still wouldn't let it run like it could. We can debate this all day, I know how they perform.

As I said...you had your experience with your truck. Other people have their own experiences with their own trucks. Its OK if your experience doesn't match theirs, but your experience doesn't automatically become the gospel. Congratulations on getting totally worked up for no reason and going on silly rant in response to something you took completely out of context.

[jasult]

colliehauler wrote:
Jasult want to double your money? That thing looks like new.

thanks but NO THANKS :B
I feel guilty when I drive it

[FishOnOne]

Impressive... Our experience with Super Duty trucks for work and play are the best trucks on the road bar none.

[colliehauler]

Jasult want to double your money? That thing looks like new.

[jasult]

Kevin, nice truck there and looks like new

[Kevin_O_]

Kevin O. wrote:

jasult wrote:
I bought this sweet dually for four thousand dollars from a customer of mine or decided it was not worth the cost to repair trans. I have known truck since he bought it and always admired it. I all ready have four 7.3 trucks and know them inside and out so this was not getting past me. The torque was noisy and the feed bolts above the valve body came loose and caused no pressure in drive gear. I replaced converter, fixed feed bolts and added trans 6.0 cooler and PHP Hydra chip to improve towing.

WOW!! That's a deal of a lifetime! I paid quite a bit more for mine but it's still a fraction of the cost for a new one. My old girl might be coming up on her 15th birthday but she's lookin' damn good for her age!!!:B

[Kevin_O_]

jasult wrote:
I bought this sweet dually for four thousand dollars from a customer of mine or decided it was not worth the cost to repair trans. I have known truck since he bought it and always admired it. I all ready have four 7.3 trucks and know them inside and out so this was not getting past me. The torque was noisy and the feed bolts above the valve body came loose and caused no pressure in drive gear. I replaced converter, fixed feed bolts and added trans 6.0 cooler and PHP Hydra chip to improve towing.

bump

[jasult]

I bought this sweet dually for four thousand dollars from a customer of mine or decided it was not worth the cost to repair trans. I have known truck since he bought it and always admired it. I all ready have four 7.3 trucks and know them inside and out so this was not getting past me. The torque was noisy and the feed bolts above the valve body came loose and caused no pressure in drive gear. I replaced converter, fixed feed bolts and added trans 6.0 cooler and PHP Hydra chip to improve towing.

[cummins2014]

jerem0621 wrote:
Well, maybe I am crazy but I have had two 4R100's well past 130k and they were nearly perfect. A lot of them were replaced due to some shifting problems that may be able to be traced back to the valve body. Pretty easy fix.

Keep it cool, keep the fluid changed and don't join the HP war and the 4r100 is a pretty decent 4 speed transmission.

Add power...and yep.. you have decreased it's service life. That is NOT the fault of the transmission.

Thanks!

Jeremiah

You are correct, the biggest enemy was heat with the 4R100, the stock tranny cooler ,and no transmission heat gauge to know what was going on. If someone is going to buy one of these old 7.3's thats the first thing they better do is add a 6.0 cooler ,and gauge if they are going to tow anything very heavy .

Good friend of mine years ago towing a fifth wheel boiled the fluid right out the dipstick, and didn't have a clue until the damage was done. Bone stock 99 no gauge, and the crappy stock cooler.

6.0 coolers were the best thing that came along for 4R100, I have no doubt thats the main reason besides fluid changes that kept mine intact. I too was 140K when I traded it, and owned it since new until a year ago.

You probably proved my point a lot better then I did. If you want to start towing much over 10K most won't be very happy with the performance, so like many I started adding power, then dealing with ETG's, and transmission cooling etc etc.

As some like to point out its not a race towing, but its not enjoyable at 30 mph , when the new trucks of today pull the same hill ,with the same fifth wheel at the speed limit, and with ease compared to how hard that 7.3 was working .

We were all in the same boat more or less 10-15 years ago with these old diesels, we can go on ,and on about how great or not so great the old diesels are or were, but fact remains time has passed them by , and give a few years, and they will be forgotten just as the towing machines of the 80's ,and most of the 90's have been.

[jerem0621]

Well, maybe I am crazy but I have had two 4R100's well past 130k and they were nearly perfect. A lot of them were replaced due to some shifting problems that may be able to be traced back to the valve body. Pretty easy fix.

Keep it cool, keep the fluid changed and don't join the HP war and the 4r100 is a pretty decent 4 speed transmission.

Add power...and yep.. you have decreased it's service life. That is NOT the fault of the transmission.

Thanks!

Jeremiah

[cummins2014]

majorgator wrote:

up2nogood wrote:

No they don't do just fine ,they do okay. 10K empty maybe, but doubtful.

I thought maybe after owning a truck for nearly 16 years ( Early 99 Superduty 7.3 ) I would get a new one.

Somehow you guys ,and your nostalgic view of the 7.3 overshadow the facts . One of the worst transmissions ever built ( 4R100 ) CPS issues, wire harness problems, crappy OEM ball joints, and I could continue ,but its obvious its falling on deaf ears. Oh ! ya the 7.3 is a solid motor, thats been proven, but beyond that ,please don't try to tell me how great they are. They were great in their time, and it has passed. Get over it its a fact :S

Your opinion is apparently based upon your limited experience with your vehicle. That's OK, but there are countless others on this thread that have countered your opinion with their own/our own experiences. That's OK too. Nearly all the common problems that plagued the 7.3's are easy fixes that a driveway wannabe mechanic can fix inespensivley and fairly quickly. Nobody is debating that it has the same power as the newer diesels, but since most of us aren't looking to haul 18k lbs across steep grades, the 7.3 does JUST FINE. And as already mentioned, the 7.3 takes just a little bit of tweaking to get drastically more power out of it. That's a fact...

Limited experience 16 years :h Lets see ,I replaced the ball joints at 60K, I replaced the transmission cooler with the 6.0 ,the intercooler with the 6.0, replaced the exhaust with 4" turbo back, replaced stock air intake with the AIS air intake. Ran the Superchip for a few years ( remember now we are talking the 16 inexperienced years ) Switched to the DP tuner, finally started to run half decent for towing . Added gauges to monitor transmission ,boost, and ETG's. The early 99 had to run the conventional coolant with SCA, because injector cups etc. would not tolerate the extended life coolant, some tried without problems, I chose to flush ,and run the conventional every 30K. These thing were all done by this wannabe driveway mechanic.

Yes mine accelerated better with the upgrades, but towing was a different animal.The limiting factor with all the upgrades was ETG's , unless you replaced the intercooler with something that would let it run ,the 7.3 intercooler would not allow the power that was there. The 6.0 helped ,but still wouldn't let it run like it could. We can debate this all day, I know how they perform.

[cummins2014]

Kevin O. wrote:
Like I said, not everyone has the option of going out and purchasing a new $50-$70K tow vehicle. So if your having to buy used then the 7.3L is a damn good choice! Yes the 4r100 is the weakest link. But a one time purchase from BTS or John Wood along with a 6.0 trans cooler and you wouldn't have to worry about it again. Also if you think these trucks are well past their prime then why are they in such high demand and still fetching top dollar?? Now that's a fact...

Yes it is a great choice for a used truck, probably the best choice. I know they fetch top dollar, big reason I traded it after 16years , while it was still worth something. I agree thats a fact.

I agree the 7.3 is a solid engine, why do you think I drove it for 16 years. As with anything used, my point was to let the OP know more then this nostalgic view that most of you have. It won't be such a great truck when he has to start replacing transmission's, changing to the 6.0 cooler etc etc . Hopefully some of this stuff has been done, and it is not bone stock . If it is stock, he won't like the power, thats a fact.