Welcome aboard to the SoCal crew! Good folks here.

I'm just south of you in Reseda, and have a 2000 CC/LB with a 7.3. I spend a bunch of time over in the 7.3-specific forum here, and would encourage you to do the same. There's a lot to be learned about these trucks, and the folks there are real good at problem-solving.

If you've seen something on your truck, the chances are VERY good that somebody else has seen it before you and has a fix worked out already.

Here's a link to that forum:
1999 - 2003 7.3L Power Stroke Diesel - Ford Truck Enthusiasts Forums

Virtually no ego problems there, either. Not necessarily older (though some of us are), but tending to be a bit more mature, and we kinda' "self-police".

Pop