Ford 7.3., tell me your stories good and sad

[MrJimi]

I have done some research on this engine and I have had good results. Tell me what you can about power, mileage and injectors etc.
I have read 15/21 for miles per gallon? sounds high to me
Thanks
Jim

 

[Skyco]

There are two highly different 7.3 engine series. The turbocharged DI PowerStroke which arrived in 94.5 and the non-turbo IDI 7.3 prior to that. Which are you asking about?

 

[MrJimi]

There are two highly different 7.3 engine series. The PowerStroke which arrived in 94.5 and the non-turbo 7.3 prior to that. Which are you asking about?

Please excuse my ignorance, I thought there was only one.
I am asking about the 2002 Powerstroke version
I am a truly newbie to Fords and I do need some education on these
Jim

 

[Skyco]

Just wanted to make sure you knew There have been cases of people passing off the older version as a PowerStroke and they are very different.
I have a 96 with about 165k miles on it. Great motor and have had NO internal problems with it at all. I have replaced the starter, the alternator, the power steering pump, the water pump, the fuel pump and the vacuum pump, but for a 12 year old truck that is normal! Mine uses NO oil between 4k changes and does most of that 4k in towing duty. I'm the original owner, ordered truck in July 95 and it was delivered in late October.
I have never ever gotten the kind of fuel mileage some claim but mine is 4x4 longbed crew cab with 4.10 axles. I am suspicious of fuel mileage claims because I have never owned a vehicle that gets what some claim I think sometimes mileage claims are like asking a guy how long his...well nevermind
Personally I think it is a very good truck- there is one thing to be cautious of- if you are looking at buying a used one- there is an additive that is required to be used in the coolant to prevent cavitation damage, ask the owner if he used it- if he doesn't know what you are talking about run like stink

 

[DieselPower]

I have a lot of experience with that engine. Over the years I had worked at International and Ford. In general it is a very strong engine that is very reliable. Like most things there are some gremlins that had popped up over the years but with it's age they have probably already been fixed.

Good power, average life easily goes over 250,000 miles, injectors never really had a problem, mainly the injector o-rings but that problem was fixed by 2002.

 

[themichelob]

Actually, if you have the gold coolant, you do not need to use the additive--only with the green. On my 2002, at about 100,000 miles, I have had to replace the CPS (cam position sensor) at 60,000 mi. and the aforementioned O-rings on the high-pressure oil pump lines. Otherwise, she's been flawless and I do get about 18mpg, but I only tow my small (17ft) boat during the summer months. I'm definitely a fan of this truck, and plan to keep her for many more years. Regards, Mike

 

[Z-Michigan]

I don't own one, but I have talked with several people who had early 2000's 7.3L diesels and were extremely happy with them. One person with an Excursion reported 21-22mpg in mostly highway driving (he is a building inspector in a rural area), and other people I've talked to with F350's have reported 18-21mpg highway. I think a lot of people would trade current mega-hp engines for the 7.3's mileage and reliability if they had the choice.

 

[themichelob]

Addition to my previous post--check out thedieselstop.com for anything and everything you could possibly want to know about that truck and engine.
Regards, Mike

 

[Ductape]

I currently have a 97 F350 4x4 standard cab auto SRW pickup. It only has about 74,000....... so i haven't alot of durability to report on this one yet. I can tell you i have topped 20mpg with 4:10 gears !! I was shocked also ! Doing so requires you to cruise a bit slower, 63ish though. Coming from the towing industry, i can tell you the motor has great reviews. I have seen them go well over 400,000 miles with no major work done to them.... and tow trucks WORK for a living. I even had one in a medium duty International ramp truck.... and though i found it a little under powered in that size truck, it ran well for nearly 250,000 miles before i sold the truck. Good luck.... i think you'll be happy with that motor.

 

[RayH]

For those of you that live in the rust belt, keep an eye on your oil pan.
I had a 97 PS and the oil pan rusted through and was seeping oil. When I bought it, I noticed it was a little wet under the pan but I thought it had a small leak. I didnt even consider that the pan was eat up.
Anyway, its not a small job to swap pans, it pretty much requires that you pull the engine out to do it. I never did that to mine, I sanded the pan down to metal and rust and JBWelded the holes as a temporary fix but it held up and turned to a permanent fix (at least till I sold it).