Right or wrong(7.3 motor swap)????

[EArmsF350]

I have a 2000 F350 7.3 with 225,000 miles. Two glow plugs gone bad. One is broke in the head the other dead shorted to the head. Mechanic says around $2000+/- to fix this and a couple small issues while we are in it. I bought this truck for $8900 last Feb. and didn't know much about it. Or I have an oppurtunity to buy a 2001 E450 ambulance cab and chasis with 167,000 and all of the work history since it was new. I have worked at this ambulance service for 10 years. I was here when this truck came in new. My mechanic says he will do a motor swap for $1500. So my concern is the ambulance has 8400 hours on it. Now I have tractors at home with over 7000 hrs on them with the original motors and some with 4-5k hours on them in original condition. Is this a go ahead deal or not. I spend $2000+/- to fix some issues on my truck or buy the old ambulance and install it's motor and have around $2500 in it. Remember the 8400 hrs. The ambulance is in everyday use now but we were granted a new truck so this one will retire and I can buy it driveable, and cheap. There isn't anything mechanically wrong with it at all, just needs updated. Enlighten me please, what would you do. I use this truck everyday in NE Kansas as a farm truck, everyday driver.

[nielsencc86]

I would get the ambulance. It is always great to have spare parts around. Then you would also have a engine to build as the funds are available with your old block. I bet you could even sell your old engine for enough to pay for the ambulance if it is cheap enough!

[FuturePharmD]

It is just me, but I would buy the ambulance, swap the motors, and piece out the rest. Cars are crushing for $13 a 100# here so after you get the usable parts and sell what you can you could just crush the rest for cash, and I bet come out almost paying for the whole thing. Did a similar thing with an old celica and MR2 a few years ago ended up 2k in my pocket.

[03_Turbo7.3]

well if your doing a full swap..rip the heads off it and check everything you cant go wrong, inspect it good and you should be fine..

the 01 may have PMR's in it though

[dieselcrawler]

I agree, spare parts!!! Buy the amb. You know it runs, and if you get it cheap, you can't go wrong. You'll want to swap your accesserys on to the long block, diffrent turbos and such on the van motor, but long block will be worth it. Does the van have power window and locks? I'd like to put them in my van that doesn't. Too bad you're so far away, I'd deal you out of them if they were up for grabs.