225k miles w/massive oil leaks

[Greenwood_Ranches]

Howdy All,

New to the sight, and new owner of a 2000 7.3 4d short box 3/4 4x4 w/auto. I got it in exchange for a few days work for a friend of mine. It has over 225k miles on it and the last 60-80k miles it was used as a ranch pickup (aka- tractor) with a hydraulic flatbed hay hauler. It has spent the last two winters idling for at least 5 hours a day. It has been hammered off road so hard that both rear bump-stop brackets are broken off even though it has "helper" springs. It does have a rebuilt auto tranny so I would like to save this motor. The problems I have found so far are as follows:

1. Uses about 1 qt of oil per hour. It has so much oil on everything that its hard to tell where any one place is leaking but, near as I can tell there is oil in exhaust pipe, oil built up all around turbo and piping, and oil coming from back side of motor (could be more from turbo)

2. Has bad misfire/lope when cold

3. Hard starting when cold, sounds like a dead cyl or two.

4. No power at all when cold. A dog, at best, when warm

5. Blue/blackish smoke, bad when under power up hill

I think it has a hypertech chip (at least the sticker on the inside of the door and the programer in the glove box.)

All of that back story to lead into my question,

Is it worth fixing the motor? If it is, What parts? (timing chains/fuel sys/turbo?)

Since I got the truck for little to nothing and have nothing invested so far, would it be worth my time to get the old girl running? I am a good mechanic and very familiar with the diesels that we used in the military, but new to the 7.3's and their computers wizardry. I'm thinking that I will do a compression test and see if the rings are good. If they are I plan on replacing the Turbo, timing chain, ?lift pump?, glow plugs, and get re-man injectors and injector pump.

Does my plan follow sound logic? Is there anything I'm overlooking or that anyone with experience would suggest? I'm not looking to build a monster but I would like to keep up with our 99 24v Turbo Dodge ranch pickup (so I don't have to hear crap about my Fords.)

Is there a good aftermarket turbo/exhaust for a reasonable price that helps with the typical turbo lag down low that these trucks seem to have?

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

[01F350PwrStk]

Wow, sounds like that truck has had an extremely tough life...

[helander14312]

injectors... sounds like the injectors are bad, or the wiring. get a buzz test. could have damaged a cyl and that is where the blowby in the pipe is coming from..... just a thought. they do make a different wheel for the turbo that isnt that hard to install to help with the lag and it isnt that expensive. I had a motor that acted like that and it was someone that had drove through a sandstorm with a bad airfilter.... new motor!... likely that is the route you will prob have to go. Find a good used one at a boneyard. watch the years... different injectors, different sized turbos.

[Deeslfxr]

I think you're headed in the right direction. Like you said, a compression test will tell. Don't forget you can also do cyl. contribution and injector buzz tests with a good scantool. You mentioned reman injectors and injection pump. These don't have inj. pumps, just a high pressure oil pump (HPOP) that supplies the punch for the injectors. I wouldn't condemn all of that stuff without some testing first unless you're upgrading to bigger/better stuff.

[TexasR.N.]

Sounds like you've got some work ahead of you. These are good trucks if you decide to put the money and time into it.

Craig