Power issues - Looking for ideas

[Sputnik]

First off, I'm posting this on behalf of my husband. He'll be home this evening to answer any additional questions, but asked me to post in hopes of some ideas in the meantime.

He has a 1998 Ford Econoline. 180,000 miles.

He was having some power issues and was advised by someone (sorry not sure who) that he should have the turbocharger rebuilt.

He just got that task completed last night and put it all back together.

Took off this morning and there isn't any improvement.

He says it runs fine and sounds fine on the straight and level.

If he encounters the slightest incline he has to put the pedal to the metal just to maintain speed. The engine will downshift but there is no extra power or acceleration when it does so.

Any ideas on what might be going on?

[md18]

Did he replace the fuel filters yet? That's the first thing you should do. The check the fuel pressure while driving to see if it drops under acceleration, that would tell you that you have a bad fuel pump or a restriction somewhere. Are there any check engine lights coming on?

[Sputnik]

Yes on the fuel filter replacement, the truck was taken to the dealership when the power issues were first coming to light. Fuel filter was changed and fuel pressure was checked then, but my husband will try to check the fuel pressure while driving.

I guess it was then that my husband was told that the turbocharger was the issue, so my husband rebuilt that and that obviously wasn't the problem.

[timsdiesel]

Was all the turbo pipe hoses ckd ,the charge air cooling (in front of radiator).Could have a hole that will make it have no boost .A boost gage and a short drive would eliminate that.Does it have any codes?

[Sputnik]

I DON'T THINK THERE ARE ANY CODES(WOULD THAT TURN ON THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT? IT IS NOT ON) I WILL LOOK AT HOSES IN FRONT TOMORROW, ITS AN ECONOLINE SO I WAS WORKING FROM THE BACK WHEN I REMOVED,REBUILT AND REPLACED THE TURBO AND DIDN'T CHECK UP FRONT. MY DEALER TOLD ME THAT THE TRUCK ONLY HAD 3 POUNDS BOOST WHEN I TOOK IT TO HIM(AND IT IS SUPPOSED TO HAVE 15?) HE SAID MY EXHAUST MANIFOLD WAS LEAKING ,SO HE RETORQED IT AND GOT THE BOOST TUP TO 8LBS., GAVE IT BACK AND SAID THE TURBO NEEDS REPLACED FOR $1100.00. I CHECKED THE WORK AND FOUND THE MANIFOLD STILL LEAKING (WITH NO GASKET??, I THOUGHT THAT IT WAS ODD THAT THERE WASN'T A GASKET SO I WENT TO THE LOCAL PARTS AND ASKED, THEY SOLD ME GASKETS AND I INSTALLED THEM AND TOOK CARE OF THE LEAK,BUT THAT DIDN'T SOLVE MY PROBLEM.) IS IT NORMAL FOR THERE TO BE NO EXHAUST MANIFOLD GASKETS ?

My wife just asked me why I was shouting? Didn"t know caps lock was on until most of this was typed, she said to apologize, sorry, I'm a forum rookie...

[timsdiesel]

the gaskets would play a part !! I ck the charge coolers with plugs in the hoses ,with regulator and air pressure .i would not hurt to eliminate that ,i have seen carbon on the 6.0 in the boost sensor hose and on the sensor where the hose goes on .

[jesilvas]

Sounds like they don't know what to do about your problem at the dealer. Was it actually a diesel tech working on it?
Anyway, yea there are gaskets on the manifolds. Carbon buildup wasn't too much a problem on the 7.3s. Usually boost leaks are it. Which seems like you have. Check all the connections from the compressor wheel all the way to the spider where air goes into the heads. The boots might be torn or slipped off or loose. Might be a hole in the intercooler but doubt it.

[BSR423]

Originally Posted by Sputnik

I DON'T THINK THERE ARE ANY CODES(WOULD THAT TURN ON THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT? IT IS NOT ON) I WILL LOOK AT HOSES IN FRONT TOMORROW, ITS AN ECONOLINE SO I WAS WORKING FROM THE BACK WHEN I REMOVED,REBUILT AND REPLACED THE TURBO AND DIDN'T CHECK UP FRONT. MY DEALER TOLD ME THAT THE TRUCK ONLY HAD 3 POUNDS BOOST WHEN I TOOK IT TO HIM(AND IT IS SUPPOSED TO HAVE 15?) HE SAID MY EXHAUST MANIFOLD WAS LEAKING ,SO HE RETORQED IT AND GOT THE BOOST TUP TO 8LBS., GAVE IT BACK AND SAID THE TURBO NEEDS REPLACED FOR $1100.00. I CHECKED THE WORK AND FOUND THE MANIFOLD STILL LEAKING (WITH NO GASKET??, I THOUGHT THAT IT WAS ODD THAT THERE WASN'T A GASKET SO I WENT TO THE LOCAL PARTS AND ASKED, THEY SOLD ME GASKETS AND I INSTALLED THEM AND TOOK CARE OF THE LEAK,BUT THAT DIDN'T SOLVE MY PROBLEM.) IS IT NORMAL FOR THERE TO BE NO EXHAUST MANIFOLD GASKETS ?

My wife just asked me why I was shouting? Didn"t know caps lock was on until most of this was typed, she said to apologize, sorry, I'm a forum rookie...

Are you from Maryland?

[Sputnik]

No. Not from Maryland.