Ok I have to make an decision, a coupl of months ago my 7.3 cracked a piston and has a hole in it. So now is the time to do something about it.
I use the truck for towing my fifthwheel toybox, and boat, and just running around town. I have to spend money one way or the other, If i could get some extra ponies for towing and still have a reliable motor.
I have 200k on the motor turbo shows a little wear, injectors are stock.
Do I rebuild the motor, and have a hotter cam setup, go with a bigger turbo and better injectors, and try to get 400hp with out an tuner.
Or buy a reman 7.3 from clay and add just a new turbo setup and run a chip from dp
Ford wants 9,500 for a complete reman, thats a plug and play

 

It is possible to just replace the one piston, if all else is good maybe look into an overhaul kit, Riffraff Diesel: Ford Overhaul Kit, or complete long block, Riffraff Diesel: Ford Enhanced Long Block , then add say a Stage 1 Kit or Stage 2 Kit kit, which will keep you well under that price of 9500. I contemplated it as well, got lucky and found a good 7.3 on craigslist for $750 dropped it in with some fullforce injectors been going strong for about 8,000 miles so far, but I am working on my motor originally in the truck as a rebuild now. I looked at my relatively cheap "gamble" which has paid off so far, to buy me time to rebuild.

 

i think if you have the time i would rebuild. or find a used motor

 

i go with a rebuild, most likley worth it in the long run because u know wen and wat ur motor has and been thru and when

 

oh and actualy i have a 2002 with a 2001 motor that im clueles about everthing on idk how many miles are on it and u know how many are on yours and you will know wats inside unlike me so id keep the motor u got runnin unless its real bad

 

Rebuild! If you plan on doing any serious HP mods you will need to know exactly what you have as a foundation to work from, ie...bal blueprinting, crank treatment, NEW COOLING JETS!, camshaft. Not to mention heads it's just so much easier to put your faith into a local machine shop with a reputation to up hold that will give your engine the attention it deserves then to trust some unnamed guy who is just on the line to get a check and does not care if that rebuild goes bad, because chances are those rods are good enough for most and that head is flat enough for most ect...

 

slap a piston in there and be done with it