I'm looking at buying a 95 f350 7.3L with 118K miles and the engine looks and runs nice. I just had a few questions for those of you who know:

The belt tensioner wobbles alot at idle and I'm wondering if that's normal?
I took off the oil cap and the rocker arms look really clean. A ford service manager told me that it had probably been recently flushed if it looked that clean. Does this sound right? He said it would be dirty even with regular oil changes.

 

in three words "yes very good" engines.

the belt tensioner bearing can be changed very easily with a 10.00 bearing from napa 6203 2rsj.

my rocker arms are always clean. ill post pics if you want.

 

Sounds like a great engine. It will need a new tensioner bearing, but those aren't terribly expensive.

I think that service manager is full of it. There is no reason the rockers wouldn't be clean, especially directly under the filler cap where fresh oil is poured over them every time it's changed.

 

diesel engines are always clean inside. don't know why but its doesn't matter if the small kubota i just rebuilt or an over the road truck with 500k on the clock.they don't sludge up like gas engines.

the tensioner wobbles back and forth or twitches with the belt? if it just bouces with the belt thatd normal if it wobbles side to side it junk put a new one on.

with 118k on it it should be good to go just check the fins on the intake side of the turbo for a sand blasted look. they should be straight with sharp corners at the tips if not its ingested dirt by way of fords junk airbox and poor maintainence.

 

The pulley is in line with the belt. I mean the tensioner bounces alot. On my 302, the tensioner moves very little with the engine rotation. I am concerned because I thought the tensioner would be moving very little.

I'm glad to hear what your saying about the engine. I have pics of the truck on a post in the Super Duty section. Look for my signature on the first page of posts. I'd like to hear whta you guys think about it.

Thanks!

 

7.3 are very good and as our more resonable to repair when they do go down.Been on the side of the road with a dodge 3500 in Winnie, Texas and it was not cheap,had less problems with my ford.I wonder if that foreman was really trying to sell a you a truck.