Hey everyone, I'm looking for some advice. We are planning a trip this summer to Alaska from Texas. We have a 2000 Excursion with the 7.3 that has 230K miles. I rolled her off the lot in 2000 myself. We put a BTS transmission in at about 90K. I just had the ball joints done with new axle seals. New front rotars and brakes, new alternator, recently flushed cooling system, new serpentine belt. I've had no engine work done at all.

I trust the truck around town, but I'm concerned with the possibility of having something go wrong and affecting our trip. Last year, a powersteering hose broke and dumped all the fluid. It was not a big deal when I'm 2 miles from the autoparts store and a mile from home. It just seems like there are too many things that could break that could strand us in the middle of nowhere until we can get a part. We've had a caliper seize up close to home. We've lost hub 80 miles outside of Farmington NM and had to be towed.

Is it time to sell? Everyone keeps telling me this engine will run for 400k+, but it's everything else that seems to be a problem. A new F150 sure would be nice.

Thoughts?

Doug

 

Only you can aw see that question.

I have had new vehicles with less that 20k leave me stranded.

I have ove 440k on my 7.3 and it left me stranded twice before it went over 250k. One alternator and one transmission. It hasn't given me any trouble since. I carry a spare powersteering hose and have caught a few things before they went out. Transfer case, 2 water pumps,carrier bearing. One thing I appreciate about the "relationship" I have with my truck is when something changes I can usually tell. With a new vehicle you don't have that " base line" established.

In the end it is whatever you are comfortable with. My truck I would head up the Alcan without a worry, we'll that's not entirely true. I feel we have been so conditioned by our society that things get replaced not repaired and sometimes I feel myself falling under the "I would be better off with a new truck spell"...but then I hear the old reliable clack a my 7.3 and .....well most of you already know that feeling.

 

Clem, how did you catch your transfer case?

 

I don't know if anybody can answer this for you. I can tell you I trust my truck within a breath of 300K. I have Torque Pro and AutoEnginuity, and I use them. I know the condition of every key component on the truck, and I have parts, supplies, and tools on board to handle standard road emergencies.

If you just drive blithely along and don't fix things until after an "event", then one could say you don't know your truck. If you get in there to inspect things on a regular basis and do preventative maintenance, then I doubt you'd be asking the question.

 

Agree,if I didn't perform preventive maintenance & repairs my self, then We would be driving a truck under warranty with plans for a rental/spare when it was in for warranty work.

 

HPOP hoses are probably due if you have not done any.

 

Yeah, with a motor that can go 500,000 miles and then some, that's the motor, not everything that's attached to it. You can not cover every eventuality that can occur. Just maintain the HIGH use items and carry a few spares..........

 

Some really good advice here. I know my truck inside and out, and no I wouldn't trust my tuck for a 100 miles.... but I am taking it off the road when this rain stops. Already have all the parts and will be starting a thread here soon and once all is done and I can confirm all is well I should be able to drive it to Alaska and back time and time again.

 

If i bought my truck new off the lot and did all the maintainance myself from day one, i would make the trip. Carry some extra parts ( cps), tools and do a thourough inspection of everything before you go. I have done the alcan and it was an amazing drive. Good Luck.

 

My previous 99 f-350 had 267,000 miles on the chassis and 100,000 miles on the replacement 7.3 engine, I drove it from southeast Texas to Northern California twice in 5 years and the only problem I ever had was a leaky radiator hose which only needed tightening the clamps to stop the leak. In the 10 years I owned that truck I only had to replace 2 cmp's, the belt idler, starter, and alternator. The 99 f-250 that replaced it with 207,000 miles has broken twice in two years with uvch problems and one fried idm. This leads me to believe that electrical failures will be more common than mechanical problems. Since you have owned it since new and you know its history as well as the most common problems these engines have, I say go for it.

 

Replace the belt tensioner before your trip if you have not already done so at 230k. When it goes, and it will, you will be stranded. About $30 and 5 mins for peace of mind. If it goes while turning some rpms you will be spending 4-10 X that much.

 

I started to get a new rumble, I checked the ujoints/carrier bearing and slip joint and they all were fine. Then I drained the transfer case fluid and strained it through some blue paper shop towels and found lots of pieces of chrome. $100ish dollars at the wrecking yard and about 2 hours and I had a "new " transfer case that was nice me quite.

 

This afternoon after I replied to your thread, I went out to finish repairing my truck and it was the IDM that had messed up because of the UVCH problems. That is the second IDM I have replaced in 14 months, so carry spare UVCHs and a spare IDM with you on your trip. Many years ago I was travelling across country in a home built Hot Rod truck and I carried a spare alternator, starter, water pump, belts and hoses, axle and differential, (it was a high horse power rig that was good at tearing the drive line apart). Because I had all those parts along with me and the tools needed to change them out, nothing broke at all. I firmly believe if you carry the parts you think will break on a long trip its like cheap insurance to prevent breakdowns. Good Luck on your trip.

 

Doug May I ask you a question? Ok I will ask.. How mechanical are you. Are you able to troubleshoot and remedy an issue on the road? Now ask yourself, would a vehicle that I have lived with since new and know a lot about, or a vehicle I just bought and is a lot more sophisticated and know ?? about. I myself would feel more comfortable with my truck with 426000 miles on it vs my wife's 2013 Cadillac Escalade (I guess I trust both. Hers is covered by warrantee,,,,, Mine is covered by me!!!!). Who am I going to find on the road other than a dealer for the Cadillac??? with experience for most problems that may come up. Not only that. if you take care of a lot of the Preventive Maintenance issues ahead of time,,,,,,, passenger fuel feed line, Hpop high pressure hoses, and I know there are more items that could be done proactively before the trip I am sure there are threads that other members know about. Besides that,,,,,, Where Is A Person EVER Going To Find A Group Of People More Than Willing to HELP one another especially when a fellow FTE member is on the road!!

 

All too true Clem, I have been looking at new pickups lately(still looking for a diesel tug rig) but when I get out of my GMC Gasser work truck and jump in my '02 PSD I can't help but love the way she purrs, the way she puts my kids to sleep immediately, the way I know it will run strong when I rely on it...I think I love my truck too much to trade it off, might just get a new (buddy) to sleep with her at night in the garage , boat will have to go outside at that point but that's ok haha