1997 7.3 Powerstroke upgrade

[JJZ 109]

I may just live with the old dog. I think a lot of it is turbo lag. Put your foot to the floor and give it a couple seconds and it'll pick up, but it sure is no ball of fire. But then again I never expected a 1997 diesel to be one.
I just wanted a little more zip and pulling power with smoother shifts, but I don't have time for major mods like transmission upgrades, reconfiguring the exhaust or turbo stuff. If it's tied up in the shop for a week it isn't pulling my seamless gutter down the road and making me money.
It sounds like the easy way out of adding a chip or programmer is a good way to grenade the transmission. I'd rather suck it up and live with it as is.
However, I do appreciate the replies and the tips. I just wish there were some simpler things to do for it.

 

[Diamondpilot]

I have ran Quadzilla chips on all my Fords and noted major improvements.

Chris

 

[paulwestski]

High Compression covered it well. I would only add one thing to his list: gauges!

If you intend to modify your truck, you need to add at least two gauges. Exhaust gas temperature (EGT) and transmission temp. Most folks add a turbo boost gauge as well.

I'll strongly agree the first thing to spend money on is gauges, Then depending on your budget four inch exhaust , turbo back (which is only slightly larger than stock) Helps keep exhaust gas temperature down. Then what ever kind of chip you think that you need, lots of choices here. Cold air intakes are waste of your money. The best bet for your money is the FORD AIS intake system. Just as much air flow as the aftermarket overpriced systems but something like four times the filtration.

I just replaced the water pump on my 2000 F350 7.3 PSD and performed some other modifications that don't claim to add any HP or better MPG but make the engine run a little quieter and make the throttle more responsive.

The mods were fairly inexpensive. All of them you can buy a kit or procure the parts your self. I sourced the parts locally and saved over half of what they charge for the kits Go to either the Ford enthusiast forum or the diesel stop forum and search for "Hutch mod", "Harpoon mod" & "regulated return"

Read up about diesel antifreeze additives, & cooling system cavitation you may need to do a heavy duty cooling system cleaning and flush.

While I had most all of the turbo CAC tubing, water pump and all off I checked the glow plugs, two weren't up to specs so I pulled the valve covers and replaced all of them. You can also torque the injectors and rocker arms while the valve covers are off. The next step would have been to pull all of the injectors and test and replace the injector o-rings.

I think a E-250+ van turbo is a direct replacement for our trucks and is a larger turbo.

Transmission:
Read up about how to properly flush the system and flush it. should be done every 30k.

 

[56FordGuy]

The best bet for your money is the FORD AIS intake system. Just as much air flow as the aftermarket overpriced systems but something like four times the filtration.

Unfortunately, it is not available for the 94-97 year model trucks. Didn't come out until the 99's were released.

Doing the exhaust and intake modifications aren't difficult or time consuming. If you're mechanically inclined you can do both in a Saturday at home.

 

[JJZ 109]

I have ran Quadzilla chips on all my Fords and noted major improvements.

Chris

Any other mods required or transmission issues that have been pointed out?
I certainly wouldn't run the max settings on a programmer, just a little more get up and go would be nice. I'm not the motorhead that I was in the 80's. Turning wrenches hasn't been my big thing since everything got all computerized and electronic. That and the weather is turning colder and the truck has a 10' 4" height even with the boom down so won't fit into either of my garages. :laughing:

 

[Soundguy]

have you serviced your tranny?

My 450 and 350 shifted a bit hard. serviced them with synthetic trans fluid and they are like butter now..

soundguy

 

[Skyco]

I have a 96 Powerstroke I put a Banks Git-Kit on way back when that was one of the few things available, IIRC it added 40hp and I can't recall how much torque. it was a chip and a replacement turbo downpipe to get rid of the smashed one Ford used...the downpipe alone added 15 hp according to Banks.

I then later added a charge air cooler, that was quite a job involving replacing the turbo output/intake manifold, and adding all the plumbing to route the turbo output to the CAC and back, luckily a guy out in the northwest sold custom prebent steel tubing to hook it all up.
My truck would do 0-60 in about 10 seconds with the kit, respectable I think considering it weighed 7700 lbs empty!
I now run around at about 10,000 lbs with a work top and a bunch of tools and stuff...and with a trailer I can get too high on EGT on a long pull, so the EGT gauge is a MUST.

Oh and none of this made any difference in my fuel mileage that I could detect...
I had my trans built by the famous Brian's Truck Shop at 109,000 miles just because I was gonna be near there, hadn't had any trouble with it...I'm now at almost 200,000. I love this truck and wouldn't part with it for 3x book value.

 

[Turbys_1700]

I am running a modified 03 F350 7.3...
In order of build start with gauges, intake, exhaust, programmer or chip...
I have the older style programmer that works great...
It is an Edge Evolution...
Big difference in power...
The Diesel Stop is the best resource on the net IMHO...

 

[johnecash]

Since the topic includes trannies ---

Have any of you changed a later model O.D. elec. tranny with a good older model C-6,TH 400 or Chrysler 727 ?

I have had problems out of all the later models --- (Gm.,Ford and Dodge)

I prefer the older trans but I've read that the newer vehicles electronics are tied to engine functions and can't be changed without redoing the puter.
The other "worms in that can" can be worked out (Speedo-cruise ect)

Does anyone have a way around the problem?

-J.C.-

 

[5030]

Most of the tuner makers claim to get rid of the transmission slam while under load. Wondered if maybe that was too good to be true.
Just looking for a little more power and smoother shifts while towing without huge expense. Thought maybe some of the guys here would have have some real world experiences to possibly steer me in the right direction.

In some ways, the slam is better than the 'slush'. The slush means the clutches are slipping for your comfort which glazes the linings and creates unwanted heat. The slam is the clutches locking (in the ramges) without slipping. I prefer that. Learn to modulate the throttle to reduce it. I actually chipped my E4OD to 'slam'.:thumbsup:

2 things kill an E4OD. Heat and dirty fluid.