I'm thinking about purchasing a 93 f-250 with the 7.3l diesel. Anything come to mind that I should look for/ be aware of specifically? I'm familiar with older fords in general and own an early bronco but don't know much about the diesel or f series trucks from this era. I'm looking for a general commuter truck, that will be used for longer trips carrying lots of gear for extended back country stays. Any help or tips you have would be greatly appreciated

 

Keep in mind that the 7.3L Diesel found in '88-'93 trucks is NOT the the same engine as the 7.3L Powerstroke Turbo Diesel found in '94-'03 models. The 7.3L in the truck in question is known as an Indrecet Injection (IDI) diesel engine, whereas the Powerstroke is Directly Injected (DI). To add to the confusion, in '93, Ford offered the 7.3L diesel in two configurations: turbo and non turbo. In '93 Ford put ATI turbo's on some of the models. What to look for in earlier 7.3L diesels? The biggest issue is cavitation of the cylinder walls caused by not using a fuel additive to prevent it (such as Stanadyne, if I'm not mistaken). Also check for play in the turbo by spinning it. If the truck in question has previous service records and has been maintained correctly, it should last for several thousand miles. For more information, check out the diesel forum sections. Those guys can tell you more about the 7.3L diesel you're looking at, as well as the newer Powerstrokes. Good luck!

 

I had the old 7.3 non turbo in an f350 cab and chassis. we put 440 000kms or 275 000miles on it before I sold it. Lots of power after all those miles. Liked to go through #1 injector line once a year but other than that no real problems with it. I believe these pre Powerstroke engines were made by International like the older 6.9's.