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School me on diesels....

Workin' Rig

Stone Cold Bo Norris
Hey guys...

I usually hang out on the gen 6 forum seeing as how i got a 77 3/4ton...

Anyways....

In about a year or so ill be paying off my 2008 Colorado and selling it to buy a real truck...

What i have my sites set on is a 92-97 Crew Cab Dually, or 92-97 Crewcab SRW 4x4.....preferably with a 7.3L...but iknow NOTHING about them...

I have some questions....

As this will be my daily driver driving about 60 miles round trip everyday, what kind of mileage would we be looking at? I prefer a stick shift but will take an auto if the right truck comes along....

I know the 7.3L is usually dead nuts reliable....but how many miles are they usuallly good for....and what are any serious/known problems with these engines?

Since i work nights in michigan cold starting is an issue, i have no where to plug it in (at work) so how do they usually cold start???

I pull a 7000lb camper...what kind of mileage could i expect with the trailer? Right now i pull it with my 77 with a 400M and it has ok power but gets all of about 7mpg....

Any other info on things to watch out for would also be great....
 

Fellro

Moderator
Staff member
With that year spread, you are looking at two very different 7.3 motors. The IDI is generally reliable, with a few things that have to be attended to. They can have cavitation troubles if the additive that prevents it was not kept up. They aren't necessarily the fastest, but will pull well when set up properly. 92 did not come factory turbo, 93 had the optional turbo, and 94 typically was turbo'd. At 94.5, the early version of the Powerstroke came out.

With overdrive, typically upper teens was the norm for both motors. Both will start fine cold when glow plugs and engine conditions are proper. My 6.9 will get around 10-12 or so with the 4 speed, 4.10 gears and it would tow well over 7000 pounds and still get that.
 
a couple things to remember about diesels, (I just got my 1st one last year), obviously fuel is a bit more, and you really should add an anti-gel in the winter, I use Power Service, about a cap ful with every fill-up, it's about $8.00 a bottle, I get 14 or 15 mpg, and I tend to drive conservatively, (which I find difficult with a V8 and 5spd, lol). Ulta-Low Sulfur diesel isn't all that kind to IDI's so another reason I run the additive in the winter, I run some bio-diesel in the summer, but have not driven the old girl all that much lately. It's my winter truck and yes cold starting can be problematic, a few hours plugged in does wonders, getting ready to check and maybe replace some glow plugs, got lucky and found a place to plug 'er in at work this past winter. hope some of this helps, and what I really wanted to show you is this educational video on why IDI's are awesome:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFF2tvA7fKE
 

Workin' Rig

Stone Cold Bo Norris
Wow....that should be shown on every ford truck commercial.

The only experince i have with diesels are 2 that my buddies had in high school, one had a 85 Chevy with a 6.2L (didnt have much power, and never started when it was cold, and myother buddy had a 85 Ford with a 6.9L (started alot eaiser, and had more power, but sucked more fuel).

I am mainly after mileage and reliabilty. i prefer the powerstroke but would take an IDI if one came along....

Also....what is the oil change intervals? Ike isaid i have never ever owned a diesel before...
 

Fellro

Moderator
Staff member
Oil change intervals are largely the same as other vehicles. More highway time can get you longer intervals, but int he end, it is largely the same.
 
and be advised, it takes 10qts. Also smart to keep an extra fuel filter handy, they're about $40.00 from Napa.
 

Fellro

Moderator
Staff member
I typically buy 3 gallon. You will likely be topping off between fills.
 

primetime

sawmill slave
I love that guy. Here`s another one. Come on B****!

Sounds like mine when cold starting, lol.
"Where am I gonna put my beer?!" lol
that 'ol boy's been through the wringer, eh. And the truck as well, lol.

Alright, back your previously sheduled thread...
 

Workin' Rig

Stone Cold Bo Norris
Jesus....10qts and still change it every 3-5000 miles? Im guessing that between that and filters most of what i save in fuel would be gone with that....i might as well just stick to a gas engine....

That coupled with the fact i cant really work on them....I do like the idea of diesels for pulling and figure that pulling my camper they would do great....but my old 400 doesnt do to bad and doest cost me 75 bucks to change the oil and 3 dollars for a fuel filter....
 

Fellro

Moderator
Staff member
It largely depends what you want them to do. Getting a diesel ONLY for the mileage isn't really that good a choice. You have to use them enough to justify it. If you are looking to occasionally work it, then they aren't as good a choice. If you feel you can't work on them, and don't have the ability to learn any of it, then they really are not worth it. If you need it to haul only once in a while, you would be well served to not get one. I do my own oil changes and work, so that of course reduces the cost quite well. The old IDI's have relatively cheap parts and are fairly easy to work on, the Powerstrokes will cost a lot in parts when you have to get them. Comparison: set of injectors can be had for an IDI for $100, which is around the price of ONE injector for a Powerstroke.
 

Workin' Rig

Stone Cold Bo Norris
I could learn to work on one for sure...and we usually go camping like once a month, plus it would be my daily driver......

I can do my own oil and fuel filter changes, and am sure i could figure out the rest of it :).

Right now my DD is a 2008 Colorado that gets 30mpg, BUT...i dont think i could trust the 77 enough to take the camper 5 or 6 hrs away, (not syaing it wouldnt make it, just dont know if i could trust it), but i dont wanna sell the 77 so the colorado would be the one to go....

What i would really like to have is a Superduty with a V10...but i dont think i could afford to drive that everyday :)
 
didn't mean to discourage you, but wanted you to have all the facts, I went into diesel ownership a little blind. What's funny is my old 460 was killing me when gas was $2.30 a gallon. Now diesel is approaching twice that, but my life situation is different. And as you may know the diesel almost gets twice the fuel mileage, lol. Sounds like you have some time, look around, see what you can find. I got mine on Craigslist, clean low mileage old man truck.
 

Workin' Rig

Stone Cold Bo Norris
I appreciate your guys help...and yes i have plenty of time....

What i want is one like this....

27555049608.329599003.IM1.03.565x421_A.562x421.jpg


Diesel, CrewCab, dually with a manual trans. Im pretty set on the crew cab (we have 4 dogs we take camping, and someday, kids), and the regualer cab gets tight with only 2 dogs up there.

....and yes i know ill never get out of a Diesel what i get out of my 4banger/5sp colorado but its a useless truck....
 
I have an 02 F350 PSD 6spd manual SRW 4x4 on 35's and used to have a 40' Cyclone to drag behind it. The trailer weighed about 14k empty. I started out with 3:73's and would have liked 4:30's but they weren't available. I went with 4:10's rather than dropping to 4:56. It pulled it fine up some pretty steep grades. An egt monitor is important when working it this hard. Downshift to keep the temps undercontrol and you'd be surprised what it'll do. I get about 16 mpg empty and 12 pulling. Nothing out pulls a diesel.

I change oil every 7k miles. Put a new Wix filter on at 3500 and top it off. Used Delo at first but found Rotella to be a better oil. I have 97k miles on mine. One set of batteries two years into ownership replaced with Optimas, have gone through a couple CPS's. I have a cold air intake, larger exhaust turbo back, and edge juice w/ attitude. I had to bag the rear to level the truck with the big trailer on.

I'd never sell this truck.
 
WOW. what do you guys do to your trucks to make them sound so bad. Damn.

7.3 Powerstroke are the best of all the 7.3 and not just because of the power they make.

IDK. I got my truck New Its a 2000 F350 4x4 auto CC and it have a 14ft stake/work body on it and it weigh at lest 9600lb all the time. and it get 16MPG.
I had a 1995 PSD 250 4x4 auto it weigh 8800lb all the time that got 22MPG had 220.000 on all of the stock drivetrain. before it was sold ran like new when it was sold.
And My best friend truck and i think that about what your looking for F350 4x4 4 door XLT 6 ft bed all pressed out. has 118.000 miles on it. gets about 19 to 23MPG and get about 20 loaded with a 4500LB truck on a 2000LB trailer.
SO how are we Me Getting the MPG. Its the gears. For some reason ford didn't want to give the big GVW with the 3:55 and 3:73 Gears. so most got the 4:10 or the 4:56 gears and the MPG went down the drain. IDK why but ford didnt trust the Trans or the drivers

NOw when it came to owning one it does cost more. and it costing more to own one . is why its so hard to find a good one to buy. The truck is most of the time like new. But the drivetrain is sometimes so so.

Oil change every 6000 miles, Do NOT skip on this your $1600 for 8 Injector will die if you do not keep up with this. And you truck will not start if it hot out if not pluged in.
You need to do a Trans oil change every 30.000 miles . But that really doesn't mater if you buy a gas or PSD for that . I've had 4R100 go 300,000+ miles with doing that. Coolent need to be changes every 70,000 mile or less or you will eat your Injector cups. and then you will have fuel in you coolent system and you will have to replace ever hose and the cups in your truck.

But that on the really far of bad and doesn't ever happen to a truck that been taken care of.

Ive had 3 7.3 PSD truck that were my own. and looked over a fleet of 5 of them. and if taking care of right you can beat the hell out of them and they will just keep going.

Do get a get a stick 7.3 truck. They dont pull as well and the ZF trans are not that good. and the clutches they use are know for now being good.

And if the glow plugs are working and good the Injector are good and you wait for the light to go off and maybe do it 2 or 3 times if its really that cold. IDK im From NJ so its gets cold here. 0 and below some times, And I never had one not start because it was cold. Unless something was wrong with it. and if that does happen and you know what you are doing you can hop the relay in a pinch to get you home.

And as for how long will a psd live . Well Ive have them run with never having the heads off at 700.000+ mile. Now these were job site trucks but they did run 4 or 5 days a week. Now i did have trucks on the road with 500,000 miles
and the truck i have now was my service truck and when they closed shop and i had worked for them for 20 years they gave it to me. and its got 12?.000 on it and it has another 12?.000 of hours on it of just idling at job sites. and of all of its 14 years life . Ive had to but valve cover gasket,cam,sensor, and a water pump. Oh and some tires and brakes. And i did have to replace the front hubs once. LOL but thats it. You cant kill these truck if you take care of them. Just see if you can find a good one with all the repair bills with the 3;55 or 3:73 and you will get the MPG you want. And not with that weight its not going to hinder the trans life at all.

Good Luck and I hope this helped.
 
I have followed this thread with great interest. I currently have a '92 F150 with the 300 straight 6.

It has been a great truck. But, I am asking way too much out of it. I am currently researching and trying to figure out what would best suit may needs.

I have pretty much narrowed it down to two options. Either an F350 with a flatbed or preferably a utility bed or an E350 Ambulance that I will convert to a tool truck. I will look for the best deal I can find at the time I have the money.

After reading all of your great info, I have decided to shy away from the 460 and go with a diesel.

Thanks guys. Y'all rock.

Dave
 

Sparky83

Virginia Chapter member
5,566
219
Norlina NC
As this will be my daily driver driving about 60 miles round trip everyday, what kind of mileage would we be looking at? I prefer a stick shift but will take an auto if the right truck comes along....

Mpg will all depend on how much you can keep your foot out of the throttle... the 7.3's (and any diesels for that matter) get their best mileage if you can keep the rpms under 2000... depending on your gearing this can be about 65mph. but also keeping the maint up will help with this too...

i personally have a 6.0 and best ive gotten was 22mpg but ive heard of a few 7.3L's getting around 25mpg on the highway..

I know the 7.3L is usually dead nuts reliable....but how many miles are they usuallly good for....and what are any serious/known problems with these engines?

Reliability and engine life all depends on how well it was maintained and how they were used.. if they kept the maintenance up theyll last you forever... 300,000 about average before overhauls are needed.. but ive talked to a few that have 450,000 on their rigs and are still running strong.. if they've over stressed the drivetrain by pulling extremely heavy loads it increases the wear...

Since i work nights in michigan cold starting is an issue, i have no where to plug it in (at work) so how do they usually cold start???

starting in the cold even if theyre not plugged in can still be achieved.. biggest factors is fuel, battery health and glow plug health... cold starts will be the biggest test for their health.. if its really cold out and it hasnt been plugged in you can cycle the key (off to run.. not start) a couple times be for trying to crank over to get the chambers warm for combustion.. itll still growl and run rough like its pissed off and missing... itll smooth out within about 30 seconds... but just let it idle for a couple minutes till its warmed up before taking off... I know we dont get as cold as michigan does... but even with out 0-10 degree temps theyre still not happy. i let my diesel idle for 2-3 mins when its warm.. when its gotten below freezing ill idle it for 6-10 depending on how cold it is...

for those cold days youll want to do the high idle mod which will help with cold warm ups.. and itll make your diesel happier...

I pull a 7000lb camper...what kind of mileage could i expect with the trailer?

A diesel with that weight trailer, it wont even care its back there.. fords diesels were designed with enough power to pull double that and still have plenty more power to go...
 

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