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What did you do to your 7.3 Today?

2M views 27K replies 1K participants last post by  GETFURIOUS 
#1 ·
Well I know the 6.4 guys have a thread like this but I've never seen one for us 7.3 guys, so I figured I would start one.

So like the title says what did you do to you 7.3 today? Maintenance, performance, washed the windows, whatever.


I tested the coolant and found that it was in need of a DCA additive in the coolant. So I went to the truck stop and got a pint of DCA and a 5" band clamp. Put about half the pint in the resivor and I'll see if its any better tomorow. As far as the band clamp goes, I finally got around to fixing my tip that was held on with 3 tack welds and got a good clean clamp on it.

So what did yall do?
 
#26,961 ·
My youngest pushed the down switch on drivers side rear door window and it went down but would not go back up. When I jumped the wires to the motor both directions worked. When I checked the switch connections with the key on I got a test light to work for both directions. Then I put everything back together, and it works normally. I guess loose connection.
  • Rolf
  • 1999 F350 CCLB SRW ZF-6
 
#26,964 · (Edited)
I confirmed that my truck will not start after an overnight cold-soak in the low 30s, without operational glow plugs. (I don't plug it in unless I anticipate temps in the low 20s, which generally doesn't happen at my place in Oro Valley.)

I noticed a few weeks ago that the amp gauge wasn't indicating the normal 100 A discharge with the glow plugs on, but it was starting normally as low temps at the house in SoCal are generally in the 50s. A quick check verified that the 12 year old solenoid was energized, but not conducting current to the plugs. I ordered a replacement solenoid, but it did not arrive before my departure for Tucson last Friday.

I got up this morning to ice on the hood and windows, the snow level across the valley was about the same as the elevation in my yard, the temp was 33F. It cranked great, but would not start. I jumped the solenoid with screwdrivers, and on the 3rd attempt, it fired.

Had a delightful drive back to Los Angeles, 500 miles, light traffic for a Sunday westbound (Everyone watching the game???) truck got 16.5 MPG at 78-81 MPH (GearVendors, for the win) and didn't skip a beat. I'll install the replacement solenoid when it gets here.

Have a great week!
 
#26,965 · (Edited)
The replacement Glow Plug solenoid was in yesterday's mail. I went out this morning and installed it. Took almost 4 weeks for it to arrive. I probably could have gotten one sooner from Eric and Corey, but I wanted the stock 90deg mounting flange configuration. I don't think the "snowplow" solenoid does, it only mounts with one ear.

Anyway, it is done, and it works. Truck is ready for the next trip, probably in July.
 
#26,969 ·
TODAY WAS FUN.....(NOT).....WE WERE INSTALLING A NEW STARTER AND DISCOVERED THAT THE LUG ON THE END OF THE LARGE STARTER WIRE WAS LOOSE AND FELL OFF.....AND IT LOOKS LIKE IT CANNOT BE FIXED WITHOUT A NEW LUG AND A VERY LARGE CRIMPING TOOL.....

HERE IS THE BACK STORY INFORMATION.....

ABOUT A WEEK AGO I NOTICED THAT MY TRUCK SOUNDED DIFFERENT WHEN I WAS TRYING TO START IT.....IT STARTED.....BUT IT DID NOT SOUND NORMAL.....THE NEXT DAY MY SON AND I WERE GOING TO PICK UP SOME APPLIANCES BUT MY TRUCK WOULD NOT START.....THE STARTER WAS SPINNING BUT NOT MAKING CONTACT WITH THE FLYWHEEL.....IN CHECKING THE PROBLEM.....WE DISCOVERED THAT MY STARTER BOLTS HAD COME LOOSE AND THE STARTER WAS ABOUT TO FALL OFF OF MY TRUCK.....AT THE TIME.....I DID NOT KNOW WHAT CAUSED THE STARTER BOLTS TO COME LOOSE.....BUT WE HAD TO GO.....SO WE TIGHTENED UP THE BOLTS AND THE TRUCK STARTED.....WE MADE THE APPLIANCE PICKUP WITH NO ISSUES.....MY TRUCK STARTED JUST FINE AT THE PICKUP SIGHT.....CAME BACK HOME AND PARKED THE TRUCK.....

I PLANNED TO DO AN OIL CHANGE THE NEXT DAY AND I DECIDED THAT I WOULD CHECK THE STARTER AND BOLTS WHILE DOING THE OIL CHANGE.....HOWEVER.....I RAN A SHORT ERRAND IN ORDER TO WARM UP THE TRUCK AND WHEN I GOT BACK.....MY TRUCK WOULD NOT START.....I CHECKED THE STARTER AND THE BOLTS WERE STILL TIGHT.....I WAS GETTING A HARD CLICK WHEN I TRIED TO START THE TRUCK.....AS THOUGH THE STARTER HAD LOCKED UP.....SO.....SINCE MY STARTER WAS UNDER WARRANTY.....I ORDERED A REPLACEMENT.....AND AS STATED ABOVE.....WE DISCOVERED A NEW PROBLEM.....

B-T-W.....THE STARTER BOLTS HAVE LOCK WASHERS MADE ONTO THE BOLT HEADS.....WE MADE SURE THAT THEY WERE CLEAN AND TIGHT 3 YEARS AGO WHEN THE STARTER WAS INSTALLED.....SO I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY WOULD COME LOOSE.....BUT THEY DID....

I GUESS THAT I WILL BE ORDERING NEW CABLES.....BUT MAN ARE THEY EXPENSIVE.....THE UPSIDE TO THIS IS THAT THE BREAKDOWN HAPPENED AT HOME.....(NO TOW BILL).....
 
#26,970 ·
TODAY WAS FUN.....(NOT).....WE WERE INSTALLING A NEW STARTER AND DISCOVERED THAT THE LUG ON THE END OF THE LARGE STARTER WIRE WAS LOOSE AND FELL OFF.....AND IT LOOKS LIKE IT CANNOT BE FIXED WITHOUT A NEW LUG AND A VERY LARGE CRIMPING TOOL.....

HERE IS THE BACK STORY INFORMATION.....

ABOUT A WEEK AGO I NOTICED THAT MY TRUCK SOUNDED DIFFERENT WHEN I WAS TRYING TO START IT.....IT STARTED.....BUT IT DID NOT SOUND NORMAL.....THE NEXT DAY MY SON AND I WERE GOING TO PICK UP SOME APPLIANCES BUT MY TRUCK WOULD NOT START.....THE STARTER WAS SPINNING BUT NOT MAKING CONTACT WITH THE FLYWHEEL.....IN CHECKING THE PROBLEM.....WE DISCOVERED THAT MY STARTER BOLTS HAD COME LOOSE AND THE STARTER WAS ABOUT TO FALL OFF OF MY TRUCK.....AT THE TIME.....I DID NOT KNOW WHAT CAUSED THE STARTER BOLTS TO COME LOOSE.....BUT WE HAD TO GO.....SO WE TIGHTENED UP THE BOLTS AND THE TRUCK STARTED.....WE MADE THE APPLIANCE PICKUP WITH NO ISSUES.....MY TRUCK STARTED JUST FINE AT THE PICKUP SIGHT.....CAME BACK HOME AND PARKED THE TRUCK.....

I PLANNED TO DO AN OIL CHANGE THE NEXT DAY AND I DECIDED THAT I WOULD CHECK THE STARTER AND BOLTS WHILE DOING THE OIL CHANGE.....HOWEVER.....I RAN A SHORT ERRAND IN ORDER TO WARM UP THE TRUCK AND WHEN I GOT BACK.....MY TRUCK WOULD NOT START.....I CHECKED THE STARTER AND THE BOLTS WERE STILL TIGHT.....I WAS GETTING A HARD CLICK WHEN I TRIED TO START THE TRUCK.....AS THOUGH THE STARTER HAD LOCKED UP.....SO.....SINCE MY STARTER WAS UNDER WARRANTY.....I ORDERED A REPLACEMENT.....AND AS STATED ABOVE.....WE DISCOVERED A NEW PROBLEM.....

B-T-W.....THE STARTER BOLTS HAVE LOCK WASHERS MADE ONTO THE BOLT HEADS.....WE MADE SURE THAT THEY WERE CLEAN AND TIGHT 3 YEARS AGO WHEN THE STARTER WAS INSTALLED.....SO I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY WOULD COME LOOSE.....BUT THEY DID....

I GUESS THAT I WILL BE ORDERING NEW CABLES.....BUT MAN ARE THEY EXPENSIVE.....THE UPSIDE TO THIS IS THAT THE BREAKDOWN HAPPENED AT HOME.....(NO TOW BILL).....
maybe the lug was getting red hot because the starter was loose, so bad earth. Crimping a new one on would be cheeper, or make a new one with welding cable. Be thankfull you dont have to pay freight to Australia and then get stung customs charges on top of that.. that really hurt
 
#26,972 ·
THANKS FOR THE INFORMATION AND THE FEEDBACK.....

IT WAS REPAIRED ONCE BEFORE.....AND I PLANNED TO UPGRADE THE CABLES IN THE "FAR" FUTURE ANYWAY.....BUT I WILL JUST BITE THE BULLET AND UPGRADE THEM NOW.....
 
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