Engine repair / upgrade after road trip

[adamis]

Somewhere between the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone, approximately 1000 miles into our 3400 mile road trip with the camper, the Ford 7.3 decided to run on 7 cylinders. I had gambled a bad fuel injector would hold for the trip and lost my bet. The rest of the trip including a run at the Homestake Pass on the Continental divide had me struggling with the roughly 16k lbs of truck, camper and trailer. My only usable rpm range was between 2k and 3k. Anything lower and it would shake too much.

So on return home, I took my trusty 7.3 to a guy I call the "truck whisperer". He knows his way around 7.3s as he used to race one at the track. I told him I wanted something "special" and could tow our current camper and cargo trailer with ease as well as a possible 16k 5th wheel should we have the need in the future.

I'm in it for upgraded injectors, new up pipes, new turbo, upgraded high pressure oil pump, new tunes and a host of other things I can't remember now. Yup, expensive but cheaper than buying a new truck, at least that was what I told the Mrs... Truck will be in the shop for at least a week. I asked what type of power I should expect. He estimated 400hp and 800lb of torque is a fair number (the truck has many other upgrades already installed). It's no modern 6.7 of course but that ain't to bad for an engine that started at 210hp and 425lb of torque (early 99).

My goal wasn't for track times but rather just being able to pull heavy loads and keep the EGTs in check. I know the 7.3 isn't the first motor gear heads run to for crazy power but I'll be pretty happy having the power I think.

My question to others is, just like we all like to tinker and upgrade our camper, how many of us are modding our trucks as well and to what extent?

[Kayteg1]

jaycocreek wrote:

Kayteg wrote:
I sold my truck already and went another route.

So,your not a truck camper anymore?

Still have Fleetwood camper.
You want to make me an offer?

[jaycocreek]

Kayteg wrote:
I sold my truck already and went another route.

So,your not a truck camper anymore?

[Kayteg1]

jimh425 wrote:

Kayteg1 wrote:
But just becouse you can get older vehicles cheaper, doesn't mean it makes much sense.

You don’t seem to be aware of what OPs vehicle is capable of with a tune and some other modifications. I didn’t buy a new vehicle because I couldn’t justify the 30-40K difference. I’m assuming the OP is the same except with a larger difference.

Your truck is an old one now, so when are you trading again. 😄

I sold my truck already and went another route.
So driving new, custom build truck cost me $5000 a year in depreciation, while saving a lot on fuel comparing to older trucks I used to drive. Maintenance was about $ 60 a year on DIY oil changes.
There is also time and money live traffic GPS saved you on avoiding road situations.
When it is not cheap, considering the money you have to put into old truck and especially the time (taken from family ?) is something you need to calculate.
Now I downsized and drive Sprinter conversion. 24 mpg highway, 22 mpg at 70mph on freeway.
Downsizing is tricky description as well. Long Sprinter has more floor than non-slide 12' TC. Most important, DW will drive Sprinter, when she would not touch Superduty.
It is good to have a choice.

[jaycocreek]

adamis wrote:
Sure, there are advancements in payload, pulling, braking, noise and electronic gizmos and those that can afford the new trucks good on you for it! Until I win the lottery, I'm sticking to what is paid for though

X2

[adamis]

jimh425 wrote:

Kayteg1 wrote:
But just becouse you can get older vehicles cheaper, doesn't mean it makes much sense.

You don’t seem to be aware of what OPs vehicle is capable of with a tune and some other modifications. I didn’t buy a new vehicle because I couldn’t justify the 30-40K difference. I’m assuming the OP is the same except with a larger difference.

Your truck is an old one now, so when are you trading again. 😄

I've not had the fortune to drive a brand new Super Duty so I have the benefit of not knowing what I'm missing. Ignorance is bliss as they say and every time I turn that 7.3 over and hear it roar to life it brings a smile to my face. I'm sure if I was given a brand new 2020 truck it would quickly become my daily driver but nobody seems to be offering them for free so I will just stick with what I have.

After all of the modifications I have into my truck, it probably puts out about as much power as a modern truck with the added benefit that I don't have to deal with DEF or an emissions system that will need to be replaced at 150,000 miles for $10,0000. Sure, there are advancements in payload, pulling, braking, noise and electronic gizmos and those that can afford the new trucks good on you for it! Until I win the lottery, I'm sticking to what is paid for though.

[jimh406]

mellow wrote:
Btw, according to the MPG on the dash I am getting 19 with the camper on now with the change to the 6637 air filter, I was getting 13 with the K&N filter in the stock box. I was really surprised to see that.

Try hand calculating because you should never see that big of an improvement unless the other filter was completely clogged.

[mellow]

Nothing is cheap on these trucks, my front passenger side breaks just locked up this past weekend so now I am replacing everything up front to the tune of $400 in parts. I did the rears a few months ago after one of them locked up.

I still consider myself ahead.

Btw, according to the MPG on the dash I am getting 19 with the camper on now with the change to the 6637 air filter, I was getting 13 with the K&N filter in the stock box. I was really surprised to see that.

[jimh406]

Kayteg1 wrote:
But just becouse you can get older vehicles cheaper, doesn't mean it makes much sense.

You don’t seem to be aware of what OPs vehicle is capable of with a tune and some other modifications. I didn’t buy a new vehicle because I couldn’t justify the 30-40K difference. I’m assuming the OP is the same except with a larger difference.

Your truck is an old one now, so when are you trading again. 😄

[adamis]

Not sure if I mentioned this in my previous messages but the Estimate Peter gave for HP figures was 450 at the crank. Obviously it is a guestimate but I trust his numbers as he used to race 7.3s at the track in his earlier days when he had a heavily modded 7.3 Excursion. Would be interesting to put it on a dyno someday but I'm in no hurry.

What I will say from just the little bit of driving is that I've honestly not even floored it yet and it's been scary fast. Putting the pedal down just 2/3rds of the way pushes you back into the seat hard. Since it redlines at 3000 rpm and idles at 900 rpm, there is really just 2000rpm to work with between each gear shift. 1st gear is pretty much useless as it will just smoke rubber, 2nd gear goes by very quik and 3rd gear is where the most fun is as it starts pulling HARD. Passing won't be a problem any longer.

I've not driven it with the camper on the truck yet. That will come this weekend once I pick it up from my friends place who let me store it there. Rest assured, there won't be any full throttle sends with the camper of course. I am looking forward to the next trip in the mountains to see how the EGTs hold up. That will be the ultimate test that matters for me. Before these mods I really wasn't lacking for power but the EGTs where always high so I could only go about half throttle on a steep grade when pulling the camper and trailer together.

[Kayteg1]

If you think you can buy running 2000+ MY diesel for $1, no wonder you can't get comparison.
But just becouse you can get older vehicles cheaper, doesn't mean it makes much sense.
I can understand that a hobbyist who lost a job is buying cheap, older diesel and with his labor having 0 value, he fixes and mods it.
I just polished aluminium pontoons on my patio boat, becouse I can't live without a project.
But if you have money to buy newer model, not only your driving comfort will go way up, but the newer engine will pay you back in fuel saving.
Not even saying that going from 250 HP in 7.3l to 440 HP in 6.7l brought whole new dimension to performance.

[jimh406]

Kayteg1 wrote:
Reminds me the 1969 Ford LTD I bought/got from my neighbor for $1 about 10 years ago.

I don’t get the comparison, but if you can buy a 2000+ model diesel that is running for $1, you better do that and turn them over as fast as you can.

[ppine]

Every mechanic that has ever looked at my 7.3 has said the same thing:
"do not ever sell it."
Fix it and get down the road.

[Kayteg1]

KKELLER14K wrote:
... There would be no reason to spend 90k on a new one when this one is paid for...just new upgrades will keep it in the now.

Reminds me the 1969 Ford LTD I bought/got from my neighbor for $1 about 10 years ago.
I repaired it, repainted and had some fun with 2 door 6 seater, but eventually found bigger enthusiast who paid me $500 for it.
The fun has its limit with new technology offering so much, beside more than 7 mpg.

[mellow]

I have been keeping my 02 stock but will start to slowly upgrade it now that I just upgraded the clutch to a South Bend HD and got the ZF6 issues sorted out. Should be solid for quite a bit of HP now. I just put in a 6637 filter in it and took out the stock air box and can tell a difference from just that alone. I will slowly upgrade other parts as I go along, new bellowed up pipes are in my future as well and when I do that I will do some turbo work and some valley work while that is out.