Question about some problems in a 7.3 Im looking at buying

[wanta7.3]

I went and looked at a 2002 F250 with the 7.3 with 160,XXX miles on it today and planned on driving it home but it has a couple of problems. while going over the truck while it was dead cold i noticed a small oil leak coming from somewhere above the oil pan, I popped the hood and there wasn't any place on top of the motor where I could see oil leaking. So I then started the truck up, it turned over fine and ran nice and smooth, as the truck was sitting there running I walked around it listening to it, I checked the transmission fluid and it looked and smelled fine. I then noticed some white smoke coming from the exhaust pipe, I then got in the truck and gave it some gas, as I stepped on it, it blew a lot of white smoke out, I then drove it and the smae thing, it blew out white smoke for the most part of the test drive, it also seemed to be lacking some power as I was driving it. When I got back to the dealership I popped the hood and took the oil fill cap off and it had alot of blowby, there was quiet a bit of pressure as I was unscrewing the cap and if I turned the cap loose the blowby was trying to push the cap up. Other than this the truck rode great and ran great, no miss or skip in the motor.

The truck has a Cold air intake, an edge programmer a shift kit for the transmission, a deep aluminum transmission pan, and an extra transmission cooler, as well as a 5" exhaust pipe. From what I have read and researched, it is sounding like the white smoke may be coming from a turbo that is coming out which I think would also explain the lack of power, as far as the oil leak and the blowby, I dont really know, I guess it could be a blown head gasket or intake gasket.

Anybody have similar problems or any advice on what may be wrong with the truck.

[highraven99]

the best way to see if the blow by is excessive is to turn the fill tube cap upside down and set it on the tube. 7.3 do have blowby from the factory. if the cap lifts off of the tube thats alot but dont mistake it for vibrating off. white smoke usually is excessive fuel or water. if this is a reputable dealership have them diagnose and fix it before you leave. how much do they want for the truck also.

[97powerstroker]

white smoke is prolly just bad glow plugs,not a hard fix.oil leak may be a little harder to diagnose,but most small leaks like that never turn into anything but a little anoying.>>>>brian

[simone0414]

It may be simple problems but make sure you know what they are. If you trust the dealership( if that's possible) then have them check the truck out. Or take it to your mechanic & have it checked out there. Just make sure you know what your getting yourslef into.

Also check the oil pan for leaks. They are known to rot out & the engine has to be taken out to replace it. A real big job.

[Zaairman]

Uh, unless he's in Alaska or deep north Canada (where its COLD now), the white smoke isn't cause of glow plugs... And even if it was glow plugs, it'd go away after the truck was warmed up.

[tekemp]

also on the drivers side look through the wheel well there are two oil lines there and they are known to rot out after a while so that may be your oil leak.

[monel_funkawitz]

Ive been working on diesels of many different kinds for many years. Sometimes the best advice on smoke or fluids is to smell them. Smells like diesel? Guess what? Unburnt diesel. Smells sweet? Coolant.

As far as the truck, something is wrong. My truck has so much power, I never need more than half throttle for every day driving. Blow by when excessive is a DEFINATE indicator of a problem. By the description of what you are telling me...

Excessive blow by
White smoke
Noticeable power loss

With

Cold air intake
Programmer
Oil pan cover
Exhaust
Oil cooler


That tells me off hand that it was either used to tow alot, or possibly ragged on. I'm going to say it has a cracked piston.

These Strokes are quite plentiful in other locations. Unless you are getting one hell of a deal on it, I'd walk. I just picked up a 2002 crew cab super duty with 220k for $5900 that was owned by the State of Ohio. Mechanically, it is pristine.

This truck you are looking at, you have to keep the mind set of "I'm gonna have to throw money at it" If you want to get a better idea of the cause of the problems, when it is cold, pull the dip stick and smell the engine oil. See if it smells like diesel or coolant. Whiff the smoke too.

[wanta7.3]

Thanks for all the advice, it is a well known dealership and I had to drive almost two hours to look at the truck, but the dealership put gas in my car and the salesman that I had been dealing with gave me $20.00 for my time. They are supposed to have the truck looked at on Tuesday and then let me know what they find out.

[wanta7.3]

Well I heard from the dealer today and he said that a deisel tech looked at it and said he's pretty sure that uts the injector o-rings and the fact that somebody in the service dept. put to much oil in the truck. So I'm hoping that fixes the problems and I can get the truck soon.

He said they checked the turbo and it is fine.