Miles on your old 7.3 diesel?

[5MilesBack]

I'm doing the full flush because I'm switching over to ELC Coolant, so I need to get all the old stuff out.

I can't remember exactly how I did it, but I do remember using something like 21 gallons of distilled water in the process to fully flush it out. I did mine in 2008 and again in 2016 with the Chevron ELC concentrate. It's nice not having to test it constantly. I put in a new water pump a couple years ago, so I'm ahead of what would have been this year's flush as well. Good luck.

 

[PredatorSlayer]

I want a 1996/1997 sooo bad. Always been one of my favorite trucks.

 

[Amos Keeto]

In '98 or '99, my kids were high school rodeoing pretty hard. The wife and me were working 12 hour shifts and couldn't always pull a horse trailer. One of their classmates dad said he'd gladly swap out when we couldn't make it.
Larry was a diesel mechanic for a RV repair facility.
He had 2 Dodge Ram p/u's that were original Cummins diesel.
Larry was no slouch! Those 2 pickups looked like they had just pulled off the showroom floor! Awesome!
.....and "NO!", he wasn't about to sell either one!

Larry on Cummins.
1) there is no reason to have an 8 cylinder diesel
2) the Cummins has a longer stroke
3) the Cummins diesel has more torque
4) the Cummins gets better mileage
5) you can't get into the engine compartment of an 8 cylinder, there's no room

 

[98045]

I did that! New full aluminum Radiator, hoses, clamps, T-stat, etc.....


I'm doing the full flush because I'm switching over to ELC Coolant, so I need to get all the old stuff out.

You’re probably fine with the ELC coolant in your 03 (and I like elc coolants) but just a heads up to other people…. some of the earlier 7.3 powerstrokes used an injection cup sealant that breaks down quickly when in contact with some additives within some elc coolants. I wouldn’t recommend it till at least 01. I’m blessed with my truck. It’s an early 99 daily driver with 626,xxx miles and going strong.


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[Lil-Rokslider]

You’re probably fine with the ELC coolant in your 03 (and I like elc coolants) but just a heads up to other people…. some of the earlier 7.3 powerstrokes used an injection cup sealant that breaks down quickly when in contact with some additives within some elc coolants. I wouldn’t recommend it till at least 01. I’m blessed with my truck. It’s an early 99 daily driver with 626,xxx miles and going strong.


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I've heard that same thing. Thanks!

 

[Bluefish]

Sold ours with 190k. Best thing to carry is a 10mm open end and a cam position sensor. Common failure. Had to replace 2 on the side of the road. Wasn’t a big deal as I had the part and wrench on hand.

 

[Stache Attack]

This doesn’t go for your exact pickup as I drive a 5.9L but I add stanadyne every fill up, lubricity is required in every diesel you buy even if it’s treated. Since ulsd fuel started its pry number one thing every one lacks. It’s a great anti gel aswell. Premium oil be it conventional or synthetic too. Change it no later than 5k if towing. I made it 8k last time on conventional but very little towing and still had excellent oil properties when I got the oil test back( more an experiment to see if I was having any bearing failures or contamination from leaks/blowby). Cheap insurance is oil and chassis lube. Expensive insurance is aftermarket fuel filters and water separators . They are worth their weight in gold though and why every truck pulling freight has them. Pickups should all come from the factory with real water seps and small micron fuel filters not the shit you get at o Riley’s

 

[Brownrice]

Sold my 97 Power smoker with 230k had last month owned it for 12 years. One of the happiest moments I’ve ever had selling a rig.

 

[wapitibob]

Sold ours with 190k. Best thing to carry is a 10mm open end and a cam position sensor. Common failure. Had to replace 2 on the side of the road. Wasn’t a big deal as I had the part and wrench on hand.

yep, forgot about that one

 

[stanginthe11s]

Sold ours with 190k. Best thing to carry is a 10mm open end and a cam position sensor. Common failure. Had to replace 2 on the side of the road. Wasn’t a big deal as I had the part and wrench on hand.

I bought all the sensors for the truck so I never got stuck, haven't had any of them go bad and don't even remember where everything is. now that I said that my truck won't start tomorrow lol.

I think I understand correctly that both hoses (inlet/ outlet) are referred to as heater core hoses? How can I tell which one is which? And which one should I splice the Flushing T into?

start the truck, put the heat on. the hose that gets hot first is the inlet. I would flush from the outlet side to remove any deposits in the heater core.

 

[commandoNate]

I had 330K on my 2000 F350 when I retired it. One of the most important things you can do if you tow is to upgrade the transmission cooler. The stock one is laughably small. Also, add gauges so you can monitor the trans temp! I used a ford trans cooler out of a newer (2008ish) truck that was 28 row instead of the little 7 or 9 row that was in them from the factory. It was basically a bolt in swap with a few plumbing fittings required also. with the exception of replacing glow plugs at around 250K and a valve cover gasket due to an electrical failure at the plug I was never inside the engine, transmission or the turbo.

I have some regret for having sold it but the bottom line was that I owned that truck for 12 years, put well over 200,000 miles on it and sold it for exactly what I paid for it.

 

[commandoNate]

I have a 2000 F350 with 208k. Doesn’t love starting when it’s cold, fine if it’s plugged in, but I usually bring a generator to plug it in if I’m at a trail head for a few days in November. That definitely gets annoying.

I like the pickup, and haven’t had any rust issues here in Montana, but it is in the shop for some front end issues now and getting the tranny checked out.

New glow plugs and a pair of strong batteries will fix that cold start problem. At least it did on mine! I could reliably start down to about -10 without the block heater.

 

[alecvg]

New glow plugs and a pair of strong batteries will fix that cold start problem. At least it did on mine! I could reliably start down to about -10 without the block heater.

Did all that. Going to test the HPOP next.

 

[Bluefish]

I bought all the sensors for the truck so I never got stuck, haven't had any of them go bad and don't even remember where everything is. now that I said that my truck won't start tomorrow lol.

in 140k miles I put in two cam position sensors. First left me stranded at a mountain trailhead. Luckily I had tools and a sensor. 10 min was going again. Second one acted like running out of fuel a few times, then quit on the highway. Didn’t have a wrench, but did have a sensor. Friend stopped with a wrench and got going again. know two others who had failures on 7.3’s as well. One was a no start on vacation on a weekend, no spare, so was stranded until Monday. Second one was an intermittent that almost got him hit doing a left turn. Lost power when it was go time. after a second loss of power, replaced sensor and didn’t have the issue again.

 

[Still Hunter]

My 2000 F350 had 220K miles. Never should have sold it. Get two Cam shaft sensors and put them in your glove box. 10 MM socket. Right in the front of the engine takes 4 minutes to replace. If they go out, you are down and out. Threw one of these in my glove box with a 10MM socket in the same zip lock baggie.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004QO9A6G?tag=bravesoftwa04-20&linkCode=osi&th=1&language=en_US



yes, I replaced one a second time. Dumbest thing ever installed on a engine.

 

[Still Hunter]

I had 330K on my 2000 F350 when I retired it. One of the most important things you can do if you tow is to upgrade the transmission cooler. The stock one is laughably small. Also, add gauges so you can monitor the trans temp! I used a ford trans cooler out of a newer (2008ish) truck that was 28 row instead of the little 7 or 9 row that was in them from the factory. It was basically a bolt in swap with a few plumbing fittings required also. with the exception of replacing glow plugs at around 250K and a valve cover gasket due to an electrical failure at the plug I was never inside the engine, transmission or the turbo.

I have some regret for having sold it but the bottom line was that I owned that truck for 12 years, put well over 200,000 miles on it and sold it for exactly what I paid for it. View attachment 677266View attachment 677267

I think I know this campsite!!!

 

[black dawg]

Did all that. Going to test the HPOP next.

If it starts good hot, it is not the hpop. If it has motorcraft glow plugs in it and a functioning relay, it should start ok.

Cranking speed is huge with these. also, would have someone familiar with these do a buzz test, to check injector condition....with engine near temps that it starts hard.

 

[bigeyedfish]

Did all that. Going to test the HPOP next.

What weight oil are you running? Going to a 5W40 can really help starting in the cold vs. a 15W40.

 

[Pharmseller]

Sold my 97 Power smoker with 230k had last month owned it for 12 years. One of the happiest moments I’ve ever had selling a rig.

Two questions:
Why so happy?

What did you get for it?



I’ll be listing mine next month. She needs a detailing.




P

 

[alecvg]

What weight oil are you running? Going to a 5W40 can really help starting in the cold vs. a 15W40.

15-40, I have been thinking of swapping to 5-40.

I’ll be honest, I keep trying to love my 7.3, and all I hear is how great they are, but I have not had great luck. I bet I’ve dumped 10k into the thing in the 3 years I’ve owned it.

I like Super Duty’s, but I wish I could go back to my F250 with a gasser.