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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?
 
#24,881 ·
Well, I noticed the smallest oil saturation buildup in the valley, upon further snooping around I see it’s coming from the bottom bolt on the turbo housing that super close the valve cover.

Is there any possible method to tightening that bolt without removing the turbo?

Please tell me there’s a way [emoji24]

It’s a new turbo I installed just about a year ago and all bolts were tightened then. Guess it’s just because it’s new it backed out a little. At least I hope!
 
#24,882 ·
Got out there and washed it this morning. Filthy after 7,400 miles cross country and back in the remnants of hurricanes. I put it in its space stern first so I could remove the front brakes and rotors. Going to have those turned tomorrow, and put metallic pads on it this time. I have another thread going regarding my chronic brake shudder. The past three episodes, I've turned the rotors but re-used the same pads and the shake goes away, but always returns. This time I'll try a different pad material.

Leaving Friday for a 5 day ski-boat outing in Central California. Looking forward to it, as the South Carolina trip didn't feel like a vacation at all. Too much like work to be enjoyable. Hence trying to fix the brakes again before this trip.
 
#24,883 ·
Well, I noticed the smallest oil saturation buildup in the valley, upon further snooping around I see it’s coming from the bottom bolt on the turbo housing that super close the valve cover.

Is there any possible method to tightening that bolt without removing the turbo?

Please tell me there’s a way [emoji24]

It’s a new turbo I installed just about a year ago and all bolts were tightened then. Guess it’s just because it’s new it backed out a little. At least I hope!
flex sockets and a prayer? 18 ft-lbs is the torque spec on the pedestal and 35-37 ft-lbs on the turbo housing, don't overdo it!
 
#24,884 ·
Noticed the past week or so when turning the A/C on it blows out the defrost vents for a few seconds the out the A/C vents. Had a problem with the dually, I had knocked off the tiny vacuum line, but they are all attached. Any ideas guys?
I’m having the same problem with my X. I had someone take a look and I was told the “gate” that diverts from defrost to the vents was getting stuck... I learned that if I turn the fan to lowest setting and select vent, it works as it should, then I turn the fan up all the way. Other than this, I was told I’d have to replace that part of vent system. Hope someone else has a less complicated fix.
 
#24,885 ·
flex sockets and a prayer? 18 ft-lbs is the torque spec on the pedestal and 35-37 ft-lbs on the turbo housing, don't overdo it!


Also noticed the boot under the spider was a little loose. Maybe a turn and a half. I tighened that stuff up so we shall see. Now I’m off to find a flex socket [emoji38]
 
#24,886 ·
Got out there and washed it this morning. Filthy after 7,400 miles cross country and back in the remnants of hurricanes. I put it in its space stern first so I could remove the front brakes and rotors. Going to have those turned tomorrow, and put metallic pads on it this time. I have another thread going regarding my chronic brake shudder. The past three episodes, I've turned the rotors but re-used the same pads and the shake goes away, but always returns. This time I'll try a different pad material.

Leaving Friday for a 5 day ski-boat outing in Central California. Looking forward to it, as the South Carolina trip didn't feel like a vacation at all. Too much like work to be enjoyable. Hence trying to fix the brakes again before this trip.
How could a trip to our fine state turn out to not be enjoyable? Unless you went to Myrtle Beach, of course. I could see where driving in & amongst all those people would put ripples in your pond.
 
#24,888 ·
Squeezed in some time yesterday to bathe the ol' feller. Probably been 1 1/2 month since I washed it. The Ol' Guy cleans up good.

Sure liking my Power Stop Z36 brake pads. They say they are low dust, they aren't kidding. With stock pads, in the same month 1/2 my front wheels would have pretty dark. With the Z36 pads, it was a very light tan-ish color not much different from the back wheels.
 
#24,889 ·
How could a trip to our fine state turn out to not be enjoyable?
Try our Georgia beaches next time or Hilton Head island.
I'm a long time member of National Corvette Restorers Society. The NCRS annual National Convention is always in July, at various locations around the country. I've attended 10 of the past 13 Nationals. I usually incorporate other activities or things into my annual Nats attendance trip. I call it my Corvette Summer.

This year the Nats were in Greenville, NC. 5 days of judging and activities, then I went to Hilton Head SC to a fellow NCRS member's house there to pick up a car I agreed to purchase from him earlier this year. I took the truck and trailer to pick up the car. I left the following morning and went to another Corvette friends house in Tucson. I got the car out of the trailer, drove it for emissions testing and got it registered in AZ.

Trip was 12 days and 5,400 miles, with 9 days in the seat driving. Most of the driving days were right at 1,000 miles in 16 hours in the seat. Had some weather, lots of lane closures, and oh my gosh, the TRUCKS! Trucks, trucks, and MORE trucks. For the most part, the drivers are courteous and safe, but they clump up, follow too close, pass each other on upgrades which takes them forever to clear the lane, and make driving arduous.

I also had an incident on the Eastbound leg as I entered Arkansas. A State Patrol right on the state line pulled out and followed me into the rest area 2 miles into AR. I obviously flunked his profile. He must have asked me at least a half dozen times "sure you don't have a little recreational cocaine or pot in the truck?" He wanted to seize my **** under Civil Asset Forfeiture. I also had a significant amount of cash with me for the car I was buying and I pay cash for fuel. To bankers "A low-four" amount. Long story short, they ran the dog around the rig, claimed they got "indications" (bull. the dog was playing. It didn't smell ****) so put me in handcuffs and tossed the truck and all my ****. 2-1/2 hours later they hadn't found anything except my unloaded .45 behind the rear seat, which turns out is not a problem in Arkansas. They refused to tell me what "profile" I failed as I entered the state. I was on my way, but the experience wrecked the remainder of the trip. And I'll never set foot in Arkansas again.

200 miles each way to Kings River doesn't present much risk of exposure to LEO or very many trucks. I can drive it towing the boat in less than 5 hours. I'm looking forward to just sitting on the shore, my toes in the sand, and a drink in my hand. And playing with my 50 year old jet boat I've owned for 43 years.

Today I took the rotors in for machining. (Got to keep the thread on-topic).
 
#24,890 ·
I also had an incident on the Eastbound leg as I entered Arkansas. A State Patrol right on the state line pulled out and followed me into the rest area 2 miles into AR. I obviously flunked his profile. He must have asked me at least a half dozen times "sure you don't have a little recreational cocaine or pot in the truck?" He wanted to seize my **** under Civil Asset Forfeiture. I also had a significant amount of cash with me for the car I was buying and I pay cash for fuel. To bankers "A low-four" amount. Long story short, they ran the dog around the rig, claimed they got "indications" (bull. the dog was playing. It didn't smell ****) so put me in handcuffs and tossed the truck and all my ****. 2-1/2 hours later they hadn't found anything except my unloaded .45 behind the rear seat, which turns out is not a problem in Arkansas. They refused to tell me what "profile" I failed as I entered the state. I was on my way, but the experience wrecked the remainder of the trip. And I'll never set foot in Arkansas again.



.
Dang sorry you had to go through that. I've been doing some research and many law abiding citizens have gotten screwed over civil asset forfeiture. Sounds like they cleaned up their act. Couple years ago they would have taken your cash without charging you with a crime soley because the Leo suspected it was drug money. Lots of departments have made it to where they have to charge you with a crime to seize your assets. And the dog hit, 80% unreliable test. That one bothers me. Glad you got it through it clean, I would have PO'd as well.

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#24,893 ·
Nice how do you like it so far. I put a Adrenaline HPOP in mine a few years back I love it. Hold pressure and idles awesome and starts fast.


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So far so good. Engine seems to be running smoother and the duty cycle on IPR seems to have evened out.

I've got some driving to do this weekend to give it a good run.
 
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#24,894 ·
Drove back home to Denver from Utah through Wyoming. Truck did great towing my 22ft enclosed trailer with about 8k load. 10mpg on one tank and 8mpg on another, scattered small mountain passes to climb. Really loving the Mishimoto trans oil cooler, thing doesn't even break a sweat anymore majority of the time. Now I just need a new turbo wheel as I get a lot of surging in certain situations, gets annoying trying to mitigate it with gear changing and slowing.
 
#24,895 ·
With the brakes again under control, I decided to do a couple of things I noticed from my recent trips. Today I installed cheap-o replacement headlight units. The original ones were so occluded that I really couldn't see much at night. And I ordered and will replace it tomorrow when it comes in, a new A/C clutch cycling switch. On two occasions I noticed it wasn't cooling very well, the air output was low, and the blower was abnormally noisy. The first time it did it, it fixed itself. Then it did it again a few days later. I stopped for fuel, and when I came out from pre-paying the fuel, there was a river of condensate running out from under the truck. The evaporator was icing. In a CCOT system, the only thing that can cause icing is a faulty cycling switch. That gets changed tomorrow.
 
#24,896 ·
Gave it a wash and i'm fixing to go fill it up with "diesel gas" as the high school kids calls it
 
#24,897 ·
Just returned home after a 700 mile camping trip, and WOW this new KC Turbo with the 86 spring, and the Hydra set to the 65HP tow tune was amazing the power the truck has now. Was averaging just over 11mpg running 68-70mph pulling the 10K 5th wheel, I'm so happy to be able to roll into the throttle going up a grade and actually accelerate. The turbo spools up so fast and the EGT's never went over 1100*:grin::grin:
 
#24,898 ·
Just returned home after a 700 mile camping trip, and WOW this new KC Turbo with the 86 spring, and the Hydra set to the 65HP tow tune was amazing the power the truck has now. Was averaging just over 11mpg running 68-70mph pulling the 10K 5th wheel, I'm so happy to be able to roll into the throttle going up a grade and actually accelerate. The turbo spools up so fast and the EGT's never went over 1100*:grin::grin:
You're making me want a new turbo instead of a compressor wheel!

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#24,899 ·
You're making me want a new turbo instead of a compressor wheel!

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I have their compressor wheel in my 01 F-250 and it is nice, but the turbo from them is the real deal, granted it's $800 more but when you lay into it pulling a small grade that you would normally say can I just hold this speed, but maintain or even pass people is amazing. You could go and look at their balanced kit which might give you better results, shot them a e-mail they will give you answer for what you are needing. They also have a couple Youtube videos you came look at also.
 
#24,900 ·
About to go check the oil and take it to get some dinner!
 
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