do you feel like you have lost power?
and you dont need to be a mechanic to install gauges.. you just need to pay a mechanic to do it if you dont want too lol....
no really.... you need gauges even on a stock truck.. esp a 7.3L because we have the dreaded 4R100 trans which is a piece of crap in stock form.... your stock trans temp gauge is useless..... it is no way accurate....
its very hard to diagnose whats going on with your truck if we cant know stuff like what boost your running..... black smoke is unburnt fuel.. which leads me to believe your not getting enough air....