7.3l steal

[Keith Richards]

I ,on the spur of the moment, today purchased a Ford truck.The deal seemed too good to pass up,(which i'm usually a bit leary of),until I drove it.It's a 89 f350 crew cab 4x4w/7.3 diesel,with 140,000 mi.It's in really good shape considering the age,but needs a little brake work which I'm tackling with a friend tomorrow,and the steering has a little play,other than that it seems really tight.I'm not a huge ford fan but for $3000, I couldn't help myself.I'm planning on beating on it at work hauling lumber and towing and keeping my 6.5 nice,for personal use ,r.v. towing etc.I know this is a chevy site,mainly,but I'm pretty excited.I love diesels period.My first choice would have been an 89 6.2 chevy crew cab 4x4 1ton, but where am I gonna find that for 3 grand?I think this will make a fine work truck,and wont care so much about scratches.Anyone have experience with these motors?I've heard alot of good.

[markrinker]

Sounds like a good buy. IMO, any running diesel that can be put to work is worth 5-6K.

[triggerman]

The 7.3s are good engines. I have a beat up 88 and am surprised it still runs! Do your self a favor and pull the glow plugs out ( if they will loosen) and get some never seize on them ASAP. Never use starting fluid to start it. Or you will destroy the compression rings. If it fires right up on a cold winter morning, ya did good for 3K, if not, how much do you want to sink into the truck might be another story! Its user friendly to work on and decent on milage. Good Luck. Oh, try dieselstop.com for 7.3's.

[jbell]

congrats on your truck. And I think this is an appropriate place to discuss your truck. The 'pre-powerstroke' 7.3NA motors share the same db2 IP that the NA 6.2/6.5 motors use. Which makes it a larger stronger cousin to the 6.2/6.5 detroit's in terms of how to get performance. Any of the NA wisdom on the 6.2 board should apply to you -- open up the exhaust, biggest air cleaner you can fit, turn up the pump, and enjoy.

[Keith Richards]

Thank you for the reply's.Thats interesting to know it shares something with the 6.2.I will be looking to enhance performance.This was the only diesel site I am familiar with, so I wanted to ask you guy's about the engine,I will also check the diesel stop.This is one brute of a truck.I was wondering if it was direct injection,by the sound of it,but did a search and found out it is an IDI engine.

[jbell]

On a 6.2 a 1/4 turn on the db2 seems to be where most people go. On the 7.3, people turn it as far up as it will go, and then back off 60 degrees. The backing off is more for the life of the pump, not a fear of overfueling, like you can do on the 6.2.

[sidedump]

I was told that if you turn the pump up to far you could break the cam. Never turn more than a 1/4 turn.