sluggish '99 f350

[ltfire344]

hey guys my father in laws truck is sluggish on take off. When you hit second gear it does that loud whoosh thing then slowly picks up power, but compared to my '02 it is very sluggish. Is there anything you might suggest we check that might be robbing the power, or anything cheap he can do to give it some kick. any comments will be greatly appreciated. Thanks. Hes got the 7.3 with a k&n cone filter, zoodad, and thats about it for "mods".

[Demo250]

It it an early 99? They utilize components from the older OBS trucks. The power wasn't bumped up until the late 99 model.

If it is a late 99, it could have a boost leak. Up pipes are a common culprit, but it would be good to check over all the turbo plumbing. Soot on the firewall is a give away that there is a leak, but it is not always the case. There may be leaks with no visible soot.

Edit: And I might suggest to remove the k&n. They have a bad reputation for diesel engines. I don't have any first hand experience with them... but I sure don't plan on using one to find out what happens. He'd be better off with the DIY Tymar knockoff. All it takes is a small piece of 4" exhaust pipe or PVC and a 6637 Filter from Napa.

[ltfire344]

Whats the difference from the DIY tymar knock off from say a AFE stage 2 intake. Power? fuel mileage?

[150guy]

Originally Posted by ltfire344

Whats the difference from the DIY tymar knock off from say a AFE stage 2 intake. Power? fuel mileage?

mostly price lol
for your average builds a DIY will be fine but for a truck with the best of the best then maby shoot for a AFE

[ltfire344]

Do you think the k&n filter has destroyed the turbo? Maybe chipped the fins, and thats why its not picking up power?

[Demo250]

It's always a possibility. You could pull the intake tube off and take a look. Usually the turbo will help represent engine condition. If it looks chipped up or sand blasted, it's very probable that the engine was subjected to the same "sand blasting." It's known as a dusted engine.

I'm still betting there may be a boost leak though. It's VERY common for a truck of that age to start developing leaks. If you haven't checked for leaks yet, I suggest you consider it.

And you never did reply if it was an early 99? If it's e99, they are down on power to start with.

Anyways, good luck! Hope you can help him out.

[boominblueford]

You can uPgrade to a pmt1 or pmt2 ECM computer. It has better shift points and better power. If your looking to chip it, do a dp tuner, he can upgrade the PCM with the chip and add from there. The pmt's were from 01-02 and are a bolt in deal if your running an auto.