Need 7.3 Help/Info/Advice please...

[Cuz-Pat]

Hello All,
I found this site several months back and have been visting from time to time. I just registered a day or so ago.

I hope it's not out of line to seek the kind of info I need on a first post. If it is, please excuse my ignorance.

I own a 2001 Ford F250 XLT SuperCab with the 7.3 liter Powerstroke/auto transmission and my truck is 2 wheel drive. I now have 67,500 miles on my truck. EVERYTHING on my truck is completely stock/original with the exception of a K&N air filter that fits right into the stock air intake box. It has never had anything but on-road/highway diesel put into it. I run a quart of Lucas fuel conditioner through the tank every 3 or 4 fill-ups. My truck was averaging about 18-18.5 mpg driving it back & forth to work and sometimes on the highway I have gotten 19-20 mpg out of it. Here about 10-12 months ago I noticed that my fuel mileage had decreased, dropping down to about 16-16.5 mpg. That's the best I can get out of it with trying variable driving habits. I have often wondered if the new lower sulfer diesel fuel is what caused the decrease in fuel milage?? Could that be the culprit in the lower fuel mileage??

I have had some aquaintances suggest to me to buy a chip or programmer for my truck. I have been told that they will increase performance and fuel mileage. I DO NOT have a clue as to what to look at or buy as far as a chip/programmer is concerned. My primary objective is to increase my fuel mileage in this truck as we are now paying well over $4.00 per gallon here in Alabama. Can any of you steer me in the right direction concerning chips/programmers? What do I need to purchase? Will a chip/programmer cause any kind of adverse affects or damage to my truck?

Are there any other things that I can do to my truck to help with the performance and fuel mileage? If so, please let me know what I can do.

I apologize for the long post and I thank any of you in advance for any info, advice or help you can give to me.

God Bless,
"Cuz-Pat"

[CoalRollinRoosterCruiser]

First piece of advice to you is ditch the K&N Filter, as soon as possible

Welcome to the org by the way!!!

[99bigred]

nobody likes the kn but my truck had one for 70k and the turbo looks fine but we did change it just to be safe. the low sulfur fuel does hurt mpg fairly dramatically. as far as a chip goes everyone on here love the tony wildman tunes but i dont know how much it would help mpg. the first mod that might help would be an intake and an exhaust.

[BlackPearl03]

have you changed your fuel filter? that will cause fuel mileage to drop.

And welcome to the org!!

[Cuz-Pat]

Fuel filter is changed every 15,000 miles, oil every 5000. I am running Michelin LTX M/S tires in the OME size and I keep the air pressure checked in them regularly (60 lbs. psi).

Thanks for the replies and I welcome more of them.

[southmike]

actually as far as the K&N goes..first check to see if your tabs are broken..
that hold the lid down...baby those . that is the biggest dust culprit..
but the K&N is not the best filter..some have had good luck with them , others haven't.
the ford ais is the cheapest bought sytem...look at powerstroke shop.com for them.
the DIY tymar ...aka napa, fleetguard etc.. is the cheapest...picture a big shop vac looking filter laying next to your battery. performance wise afe2 is the king..king of price as well. personally I like the s&B ..or diy.

as far as milage goes don't believe the overhead console it is a guess at best.
you have to reset your trip odometer at fill up..run a lil then fill up again and do the math. if you changed tires etc..you will throw that off as well.

but if all is good have a look for black soot on the firewall behind the turbo...
not on the front pipes near the boots (that just means your air filter has been neglected)
but on the back pipes ..that idicates a turbo boost leak..robbing power and milage.
and above all do not ask the dealer to fix it less it is under waranty, else you will get a free ride. like a $3 o-ring set I got charged 250 bucks for a 30 min job for. always ask how much before you say sure go ahead and change them.

[Hank]

Ditto to everything above. Go ahead and do the DIY Tymar. It is 100% reversible. (It sounds cool, too.) Just double check all of the suggestions and maybe use Diesel Kleen or some additive to your fuel to increase cetane and lubricity. My mileage drops off before an oil change. Unlike gassers, your oil is VERY important to the performance of your diesel. Good luck and welcome to the org.!

[Cuz-Pat]

My truck does not have an overhead console. I check my mileage via the odometer at every fill-up. I also fill my truck up all the way to the top of the fuel tank neck every time I fill it up. I can touch the fuel when I put the cap back on. Tabs are not broken. Just checked those recently. Tomorrow I will check for a turbo leak at the firewall. Also gonna look into the DIY Tymar filter.

Thanks!