Mileage question

[regan]

We just purchased our 3rd PSD for my girlfriend to drive, its a 97 extended cab, short bed, f250 4x4. It has 189000 miles on it and it appears to be bone stock with exception of a K&N filter....we have run about 4 tanks of fuel through it now and its not doing any better than 10, kinda depressing considering its a 5 speed and she doesnt hot rod anything. I had one of the same exact truck brand new and was getting 15-20 easy...any ideas?

[mschn99]

Originally Posted by regan

We just purchased our 3rd PSD for my girlfriend to drive, its a 97 extended cab, short bed, f250 4x4. It has 189000 miles on it and it appears to be bone stock with exception of a K&N filter....we have run about 4 tanks of fuel through it now and its not doing any better than 10, kinda depressing considering its a 5 speed and she doesnt hot rod anything. I had one of the same exact truck brand new and was getting 15-20 easy...any ideas?

weak turbo, bad injector.....etc. could be quit a few things. see if you can pull any codes first, and if not get back to me and we wil see what i can help you check.....is there anything noticable...like smoke, or a lack of power.....maybe a fuel leak at the fuel pump at the back of the valley......anything like that that would indicate a place for the unneeded fuel to go????......Marc

[regan]

Well she does puff a bit of smoke on startup but it clears up within a minute or two. Lack of power? Well compared to my new truck or a big block, yes, but I would say its typical of the first of the 7.3's, boost really comes on about 2650, down low its not really there, but I am pretty sure mine ran about the same. I will try to pull some codes this weekend and see what that holds. We park it in my shop every night and havent seen a leak one as of yet, so I guess that is a good thing, although a leaky tank would be an easier problem to diagnose for sure. I had heard that a MAP sensor could do that to mileage, ever try that?

[mschn99]

Originally Posted by regan

Well she does puff a bit of smoke on startup but it clears up within a minute or two. Lack of power? Well compared to my new truck or a big block, yes, but I would say its typical of the first of the 7.3's, boost really comes on about 2650, down low its not really there, but I am pretty sure mine ran about the same. I will try to pull some codes this weekend and see what that holds. We park it in my shop every night and havent seen a leak one as of yet, so I guess that is a good thing, although a leaky tank would be an easier problem to diagnose for sure. I had heard that a MAP sensor could do that to mileage, ever try that?

a map sensor can really mess with milage and power....and could very well be the culprit. if the map sensor does not see the boost....even though its there because the sensor has a failure, it will not allow the fuel to be delivered. the puff of smoke is normal on a cold start ....its just a tad bit of unburnt fuel from start up and then a little unburnt fuel due to a cold motor after it starts...your rpm for boost sounds a little high...but that also could be due to not seeing the boost presant lower if the map is out of range.....sounds like a distinct possibility..check the codes and we will go from there......Marc

[regan]

Thanks alot!!!!!!!! I really did well getting this truck and I want to make it more dependable than her last rig. I want to do some performance stuff to it, but I understand that I am limited on what I can do without hurting the wallet too much. The worst part of the deal is, hers out pulls my 6.0 now, and I have done a bunch to it...wish they wouldnt have changed. Maybe the new engine will redeme the Powerstroke name lol

[mschn99]

Originally Posted by regan

Thanks alot!!!!!!!! I really did well getting this truck and I want to make it more dependable than her last rig. I want to do some performance stuff to it, but I understand that I am limited on what I can do without hurting the wallet too much. The worst part of the deal is, hers out pulls my 6.0 now, and I have done a bunch to it...wish they wouldnt have changed. Maybe the new engine will redeme the Powerstroke name lol

if a 97 7.3 is out pulling your 6.0....it almost sounds like we should be looking at why your 6.0 is weak.......lol....cause that motor runs like a raped ape if they are running right.....just a thought...they usually outrun a moderately modded 7.3 with no problem...it usually takes major mods to make a stock 6.0 look bad.......Marc

[regan]

I had an 02 that I had a chip, exhaust, and airbox on, that got phenominal mileage...I just thought that it was the time to sell it before the bottom fell out of it. The one I have now, man...I loath it, blew off the plastic intercooler hose on the way to a truck show pulling a truck, had to get bobtail 40 miles to the nearest dealer to get it fixed. Then when I got home it pulsed really bad in cruise...took it in, they replaced the turbo and something else. Now the tranny is slipping, and I took the chip totally off. My 90 model F350 with a big block will out pull and get better mileage lol. And the worst part of it is, the local dealer is clueless on diesels and they say that is the way it is. I am also not very happy about how it handles the load, it sags 4 inches with a truck and trailer on it, god knows what it would do if I put my gooseneck with 3 jeeps on it. Dont get me wrong, it will scream with no load, almost like a V8 mustang, but when strapped, its like you neutered it lol.....its going bye bye the first of next month, as soon as I can order a new one.

[mschn99]

all i have to say to that is its too bad your dealer is clueless...that is not a normal "sick-0". im not a big fan of the motor as a mechanic since ford has had problems that are extremely tough to figure out and dont pay once you do......and those problems are pretty consistant throughout the line.....but i will say that i have driven them, and trailer or not, a properly running sick-0 is a scarey thing power wise. they run like a gas motor on steroids.....they just keep pulling and dont seem to power down much loaded......sounds to me like either you just got a bad one or your dealer is just that stuped. the fuel milage isnt great with them, but its not that bad either.....if your planning on staying ford though....you may want to wait. they are releasing a new motor, rumor has it mid year in 07........and if the rumors about it are true....it should be a manace to socioty.......twin turbos amongst quite a few other things.......Marc

[regan]

I have heard that also, about wrenching on them. I had a feeling that mine is one of the bad ones, but I really don't trust the local dealer working on my stuff, and the only one I do is 60 miles away. Actually I have heard that the new motor will be available for order in April. I do some liquid chroming for Bob Chandler and the Bigfoot guys, one of which is building some crazy 67 F100 for the SEMA show next year, and he told me that its gonna be a 6.4 with twins. Who knows? It cant be any worse than the turd outside in the shop lol....honestly, I wish Ford would make a deal with Cummins and put that dude in there...then they would have something.

[mschn99]

Originally Posted by regan

I have heard that also, about wrenching on them. I had a feeling that mine is one of the bad ones, but I really don't trust the local dealer working on my stuff, and the only one I do is 60 miles away. Actually I have heard that the new motor will be available for order in April. I do some liquid chroming for Bob Chandler and the Bigfoot guys, one of which is building some crazy 67 F100 for the SEMA show next year, and he told me that its gonna be a 6.4 with twins. Who knows? It cant be any worse than the turd outside in the shop lol....honestly, I wish Ford would make a deal with Cummins and put that dude in there...then they would have something.

here is what i know about the new motor....it will be 6.4 liters....twin turbo in sequence...one varibale vain and one waistegated....ford is getting rid of the high pressure oil system and going to high pressure fuel. the HP fuel pump will be located in the same place as the HP oil pump in the 6.0. the fuel pressure reqired to run the injecors will be 30,000 psi....guess i better buy a new fuel gage...lol.....it will be the exact same block as the 6.0, bored out to 6.4......and will have a four valve per cylender head design just like the 6.0, but the heads will not be the same, and i hope they fix the head bolt streatching problem along with it. the cab will be designed for taking it off, as a lot of techs, myself included, remove the cab with the current configuration for motor work. rumor has it the new design will even include quick release brake and power steering lines. if you research the 4.9 liter v-6 motor ford is putting in the low cab forewards....it is basically this motor with a high pressure fuel system. the 4.9 is just a 6.0 with the back two cylenders cut off and also it is already a twin turbo motor...it has been available for over a year..i also heard that realease was scheduled for early build 07's (late 06 release) but that they hit some snags and delayed it to mid 07 for the release......thats what i know......at least by rumor.......Marc