lookin at 7.3 what to expect

[navistardiesel]

lookin at a rust free southern ford 7.3. its auto with 240k and what should i expect out of the truck problem wise and fuel mileage wise. i really like the truck its mint and a real find. and id love to buy it but i dont know what problems are associated with a 7.3. i know its the best motor ford threw in a truck so far. but are there alot of quirks with this engine? and im concerned about fuel economy. i dont know what gears are in it

[Isakson]

i average about 15mpg in my OBS (old body style) truck. Keep the injectors lubed for sure!

[444 ci]

i get about 16 mpg with my 03 7.3 it has 3.73 gears normal things to watch for are cam position sensor, oil cooler leaking oil in to antifreeze or leaking antifreeze in the oil.they are pretty much bulletproof and should run for a very long time if ya take care of it.

[navistardiesel]

16mpg city? or highway. cause i might be buyin a rust free cummins idk yet. my 24valve has alot of rust. i could fix it and keep it but id rather buy somethin rust free. idk if i should go with the stroke or the cummins yet. my cummins gets about 15 city 18 highway

[navistardiesel]

97 does it have an oil cooler? if someone could give me the rundown on little quirks about this motor thatd be much appreciated

[ryandamo]

there is oilcooler on all powerstrokes and it is possible for the o o rings to leak with, but a rebuild kit is like 40 bucks and is easy. The cam position sensor is a sensor located just above the harmonic balancer and the most common problem with these engines, again you can get the part for 30 bucks and a single 10mm bolt holds it in place. Other things include oil leaks at the turbo, few fuel leaks, and injector o rings, all of which are pretty easy to replace.

There are 6 head bolts per cylinder so headgaskets arent a problem. The stock turbo huge so you can make some pretty decent horsepower with it using mild tunes. If you want to go crazy with power there are quite a few modifications that can be done, some a little pricey.
I dont care what anyone else says, check to see if the truck has an oiled air filter in it like a k and n. These tend to let more fine pariculate in and can "dust" the motor. If there is a oiled filter in the truck, check the turbo fins to see if they are eroded away. Also water pumps like to go out on these trucks, but if its got 240k on it, im willing to bet its been replaced and adding a coolant filter will substantially increase its life.

other than that, basic things to check for when buying any car, tranny shifts smooth, leaks, matinence records etc.

I bought a rust free truck last year with 200k on it and use it as a daily driver, thing runs like a champ.

ALSO read this article found in the technical section of the website
What to look for when buying a used 94-98 PSD



good luck any questions arise ask us, we can talk you through just about anything

[ridiculously_necessary]

ryan is dead on. mosly, unless you have compression or tranny issues, most problems/leaks are easy to fix. the only other thing i can think of is the occasional injector o-ring. failure of those can cause compression issues, i think a set is about $7 per injector. im about to roll 300k in my truck and it runs great. i cant say anything for the previous owners, but i have only replaced batteries, a starter (upgraded too), glows, and and axel seal. with exception to the axel seal the rest is maintenence anyway.

[polarisrider4life]

my 97 7.3 gets 16-17 suburb with summer fuel and 18-21 on highway, doesn't matter if im towing 8k pounds....mileage stays the same.

with winter fuel i get 12-13 with or without trailer in suburb and 13 14 on highway with trailer

[DecentDiesels]

i would say crawl under that thing all over and examine it underneath thoroughly with your mining headlamp and some safety glasses