Since I am new to this truck (88 F-250 4x4 7.3 ATS Turbo), what is the expected life for the injection pump and injectors? I inherited the truck from my father and it only has 113K on it. Runs fine, just wondering what normal replacement life is? I read that many people have replaced the IP and then the old injectors fail, so you should replace them both at same time? Also put new return line kit when you do it?

A (maybe) related question on fuel additives, like Diesel Kleen or similar. What do they do and are they worth it? I don't mind to run some if it has benefit. Do the new ultra low sulfur fuel or even some with 5-10% biodiesel mix cause any IP issues?

Thanks for the help and advice. So far two months have learned a lot from the board here. Terry

 

most last around 100,000 miles or so. If you swap out new injectors and dont change the ip, you can easily finish it that way, and if you swap out the pump and leave the old injectors, it can start leaks and all kinds of things. Best to go together.

As for the additives, you nearly have to. Using ultra low sulfur diesel with these trucks is really hard on them. So anything adding lubricity is a good thing. I always do it every tank.

unless you have retrofit your truck with viton orings and rubber, i would avoid as much biodiesel as you can. most pumps say "may contain up to 5% bio diesel" so just dont go looking for pure 100% and youre ok.

 

We still have the higher sulpher diesel here in montana, we also have both the ultra low sulpher and the old stuff mixed 50/50. i pay $3.20 a gallon for that and $3.55 for the old stuff.

BACK TO THE TOPIC:
Replace the return lines as well. It can't hurt anything and it will save you future hassle. FOr the additives, get anything that has lubrication in it because that is what the higher sulpher diesel did for these IDI's and the Ultra Low Sulpher doesnt have that. I have noticed that my 6.9 burns more black smoke with that diesel, the older diesel when i put that in and the smoke goes away.

 

I find that hard to believe since nobody is producing it anymore...

 

White Sulpher Springs, Montana. Exxon Mobil in the middle of town. I travel through this town all the time going back and forth from my Fiance's place because we are planning to get married.

 

Thanks for the information. I suspected the new low sulfur fuel was not the best for the old systems.

What are some indicators if you need a new IP? Are there symptoms or is it just a gradual decline in power/mileage/other???

 

You will start seeing white smoke when your turning it over due to the fuel not atomizing correctly and the timing of the pump will be off, the idle be off, a tired IP and worn out injectors will work harder to keep up with the demands of the engine therefore gas mileage goes out the window lol. Black smoke out the exhaust pipe constantly.

 

How to tune up the IDI diesel every 100k for peak performance and economy.

timing the ip every 20-30k miles:
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/3...mp-timing.html
(needs to be checked and adjusted manually because we have no computer to do this for us of course.)

 

Excellent references, thank you. I have some studying to do now.

 

I love that part the best though. We dont have inspections by the state every year so we have no worries about that kind of thing