New 250 Owner Needs Help

[brian42]

I just purchased a 03 250 4x4 (diesel obviously) and had a few questions:

1. What is the alternator rated output amperage with the tow package (I have 2)?

2. The coolant is mostly water. I have read that I need to maintain the color that came with the truck. It has a gold color to it but I don't know if that's what came with the truck. Did the 03 7.3 come with a specific color or do I need to guess when I do the flush?

3. There is a very small amount of oil weepage on the bottom of the trans housing/oil pan. I am going to change the pan gasket (some also looks like it is coming from the crush washer on the drain bolt). I haven't really gotten under there to look but I remember reading about it being a PITA due to the crossmember. I was also thinking of changing out the rear main oil seal and oil pump while I was under there (it's got 144K miles) for peace of mind. Is this something I can tackle in a day or am I better off draining my wallet and paying a mechanic?

[bigcountrysg]

Welcome to the site.

Well your alternator maybe bad. The rating should be 14 volts around 100amps.

Coolant most likely you have the gold coolant. You should replace with the Gold color antifreeze mixed 50/50. That is 1 gallon antifreeze to 1 gallon of water.

Your oil leak is it trans fluid or motor oil. To change the transmission pan gasket and filter is not that hard. Even with the cross member there. I have done this a few times. Rear Main in a 7.3L hardly ever goes bad. I have 150,000 miles on my truck and I have yet to have any oil leak other then the oil pan gasket, and a o-ring leak from the High Pressure Oil system. So if you are leaking engine oil I would be looking around the top of the engine. Check the turbo Pedastal as those o-rings tend to leak some times, check the valve covers. Check everything on the top of the engine as the oil maybe dripping down. As for replacing oil pump if it is working now why replace it. I understand the piece of mind but again I have 150,000 miles on my truck and I have yet to replace the oil pump.

Being you just got the truck I suggest you change all the fluids, check the leaks repair the leaks as needed.

The 7.3L can take a beating and keep on ticking. I beat the heck out of mine alot. The 7.3L likes to be ran hard. If you don't run it hard you may end up with problems. I have had transmission problems. But I have yet to have any engine problems. Keep up on the routine maintanence on the engine and truck and the body of the truck will fall apart before the engine stops running.

[vitalidle]

Not sure on the amps for the alternator. The cross member can't be removed unless you cut it out and you don't want to do that. The engine has to be removed to pull the pan and it has some special sealer that ford makes for the seal. The gold coolant is the correct coolant for the 03 and I believe its either 5 years 50thousand or a hundred thousand, but it might be a good idea to flush it anyways.

[brian42]

Thanks forthe info. The fluid is oil (not tranny fluid) and the intake valley is dry as a bone so the leak is from down below. I'm going to try to tighten the oil pan bolts (and replacing the crush washer when I change oil). I am flushing the coolant since it is mostly water. Any brand to recommend?

I was curious about the amperage since I don't know if the dual alternator setup used 2 slightly lower amp alternators vice a higher one or if they just threw 2 higher outputs on it. I know that my old F-150 came with a 90amp normally but I got a 120amp with the towing package.

I plan on changing all fluids to give me a starting point for maintenance. I'm just trying to gather all the info I can since I've never owned a diesel before. Lubricity, anti-foaming, warm-up, egt and ULSD were never important to me with my old gasser F-150 and I want to make sure that I start off with the good stuff. I bought the 7.3 specifically because it is mostly bulletproof. I plan on keeping this for 15-20 years. I have read that the 6.0 (besides problematic) was meant to be driven like a gasser but that the 7.3 needs to be driven like the diesel it is.

I'm looking forward to never needing spark plugs again but want to make sure I start off on the right foot.

[bigcountrysg]

Ok so you have a dual alternator set up. If so then I do not know what your amp out put would be from the alternator.

[vitalidle]

You could use motorcraft gold or any compatible. Zerex brand I think its the G-05. Yeah good idea to change all the fluids and change out your fuel filter every 10-15 thousand also.

[brian42]

Thanks for the tip vitalidle. I would not have thought about the fuel filter. It's going to be hard to get rid of the gasser in me...

[vitalidle]

No problem glad to help. I kinda like that Charleton Heston one liner "From my cold dead body" refering about the govt taking our guns away. Thats how I feel about my truck now that I have made the switch. I don't think I will ever go back to gas unless I absolutely have to

[brian42]

I will miss the rumble from my 5.4L but I've already become addicted to my diesel rattle!

FYI it looks like the alternators are rated for 110amps each.