Help buying a 7.3L Powerstroke

[bigdanarcher]

Hello all,

I am new to this forum and hope that I am posting this in the right section. I live in Virginia and am looking to purchase an 01-03 F-250 Crew Cab with a 7.3L Powerstroke. I have owned an 01 Dodge Ram 2500 5.9L Cummins and really liked it but would like to try a Ford now. I know nothing about the Ford Powerstrokes so I would appreciate any help. Basically, what do I need to be looking for when trying out trucks? What are the common problems with the 7.3L? What gear ratio and setup is best? I don't do a lot of pulling, but would like to know that I can if needed. Are aftermarket chips and programmers a good option, or do they cause problems? Thanks for all your input.

[jphelzer]

to the site.

I'd start here for sure: What to look for when buying a USED 99-03 PSD

The 7.3Ls are pretty much bulletproof if maintained well. The cam position sensor (CPS) can fail, but they're a $25 part. Pay particular attention to the transmission, as they can be a weak point if they're beat on. Also, try and get any and all maintenance records if you can.

Finally....consider becoming a Premium Member here. You can post 3 truck VINs a week and get what's call an Oasis report, which tells you when the truck you're looking at has been brought to the dealer for warranty work.

Good luck on the search, and post with any questions!