I have just bought my first 93 F250 with 7.3 idi a few weeks ago. I used it the other day to pull a small skid steer with a 10,000lbs reese hitch. The trailer and machine together weights 8500lbs. The truck had to really work to get it up to 40mph and seemed over loaded and under powered. It would not accelerate much past 20mph on hills. I had to gain all my speed on flat ground or down hill. I see people pull much larger machines all the time. with these trucks. Why doesn't mine have the power. I know it has 185hp and 360lbs of torque and that is less than the power stroke but i expected it to be stronger. I have pulled much more weight with a 96 power stroke with a goose neck and it pulled fine (company truck). Am I expecting to much or is something wrong with my truck?

 

What's the mileage on the truck?

Could be in need of new injectors/injector pump.

You wouldn't believe the differents that can make just changing those 2 things!

From what your saying, something is diffenentlly wrong, shouldn't be that slow! It'll never be like your PowerStroke, but heck, way better than what your saying now!

 

welcome to the forums.
whens the last time she had a complete tune up?
ip/injectors/air cleaner/fuel filter.
did you do a fuel pressure and flow test?
did you do a compression check?
like gas rigs,diesels are not exempt from tune ups.many people neglect diesels because they seem to just keep running.over time ware items ware out of course resulting in poor performance and fuel economy.
the proper timing is also important.
after these things are performed then you can work on performance mods such as soup bowl removal,larger exhaust/cam swap/headers or turbo upgrade etc,then have it timed again.
i would be looking seriously for a nice used turbo if i hooked onto this much weight.---after a tune up and compression test though.

8500lbs hooked onto an approximately 6k lb truck = total of 14.5 k lbs.
hills will slow her down.otherwise you should be able to break any speed limit if wanted while towing this even with a N/A 7.3l.

example of a properly tuned and maintained N/A 7.3l:
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/9...owing+20%2C000
(read post #1 / #37 / #43 / #45 / #46 / #47

 

It has 275000 miles on it. I have just figured out that it has 3.55 rear end.

 

I'm sure the injectors have already been done, but probably in need again, and this time along with the Injector Pump.

Even with 3.55 it should do much better!

 

I think pump and injectors are stock. I don't know when it was tuned up last. I have not done any tests. I have only had it a month. I talked with the man for quite a while before buying he seemed to be very adamant about maintenance. I was very impressed with the way he talked about taking care of it and that's hard to do.

 

I don't have any experience with the idi 7.3 and pulling. Do you think 8500 is to much?

 

8500 is not too much, do a fuel pressure test and ya might try changing the filter and filling it up with diesel kleen, fire it up for a minute or two then let it sit overnight.... the next morning run the heck out of it. This will give the injectors a good cleaning out.

 

That thread answered the weight question. I was starting to worry that the pre-power strokes were not good at pulling.

 

your welcome.
it did for me as well.at that time period,this site had me worried about the idi's power too.
now iv been running mine and like then,i figured most people where driving worn out engines with low compression,or just not keeping fresh tuned up engines.
i was right. she's only slow when i want it to be...even with a good jag on that big bed,and pulling a 2k lb chipper.sure "real" hills make her work,but otherwise,she can haul.iv no need for a turbo,but want one in the future anyway lol.
so my total weight is nothing like you guys hauling big trailers with tractors though.i really doubt id be without a turbo for long for that kind of use.
the shorter tires giving me close (a little lower) to that of fords 3.73's (a happy medium between 3.55 and 4.10's) no doubt helps quite a bit for those hills.seems to work out really nice,w/ still decent fuel mileage.

with my trucks weight,and payload w/chipper hooked up,i can be at your total weight at times actually now i think of it.
no turbo required.
expect 2nd gear (w/the auto anyway) and 3k+ tach with her to the floor and 45mph+ and gain speed up hills if you hold her to the iron.
tach her up good pre-hill and she'll keep rolling along for ya.you wont hurt it.

 

Is there any way for me to test the injectors and pump myself.

 

Gets my vote and make sure the air filter is good. Do that first and see. But I would think you need 4.10 gears.

 

ya i would do a 4.10 swap and run some diesel clean or some lucas i prefer lucas it is more expensive but ive talked to guys who use it and they have loads of miles on original injectors and all so thats why i run the lucas what tranny does it have

 

All the filters were changed when I bought the truck a month ago. I ran a quart of diesel clean through it on the 2nd or 3rd tank. Would going from 3.55 rear end to 4.10 make that much difference?

 

It would, but not recommended for some different reason depending on what transmission you have.

Witch transmission do you have?