Sorry for not keeping this up to date but with my current job there just never seems to be any extra time to do projects.

The truck continue to run great with very few issues @ 269000 miles. I still think that the injectors need new o-rings and/or new injectors too. It seem to get a little bit of blue smoke when it starts and is nearly unnoticeable when idling. There is also a slight hint of exhaust when idling in one place which leads me to believe that it is in need of donuts and up pipes but I think the manifolds should be replaced too. Every thing works well on the truck with the exception of the ABS (need to dig into that rear ABS wire that I thought I fixed)

I pains me to say this but the body is at the end of its life. The drive train and frame are fine but the body is shot and desperately needs a new body or truck. I hope to find a solution by next year, maybe a truck in need of a motor.

 

Pictures? I grew up in Michigan and fought rust there for years.

 

Sorry, I don't have a current picture but it looks far worse than it does here. I'll try and get an up to date picture in my garage. Rust sucks!

I've never kept been a huge Ford fan but I've been very happy with this truck for it's over all quality and robustness. Its just a shame to see it getting ate up like this and the thing of it is; you cant justify putting money into it if there's not going to be a body on it in two years.

If I had a garage or a barn I might just keep it, collect the parts and work on it but I just don't have facilities right now. It might just have to go to another loving home that can do the work that needs to be done. If the wife and I can get into a home with a barn and/or garage space by fall, there might be a change in plans. I would love to have another body to set on it.

 

The 7.3 trucks are amazing. My 99 F550 has 235K and a rebuilt trans and will be making weekly trips from Phoenix to the Riverside auto auction with a wedge trailer very soon. My son has a 2002 F250 with 383K on the clock. Runs like a champ. They are bullet proof. I have the luxury of living in Az. NO rust. Now that you got her mechaniclly sound it's a shame to give her to somebody else. Body parts are not that expensive. Question is can you find a clean rust free bed hood and fenders in Mi.? Here in az they are all clean and rust free.

By the way thanks for the thread it was informative and enjoyed reading it.

 

Need to update the thread just a little.

These last few weeks with the truck have been Hell! The truck was cutting out on me just like I turned the key off. I had updated the cps and the ipc with new sensors but the ipr was far too much money for me at the time. Long story short, I bought a used one off of ebay and kept running for the last two years or so. Ended up pulling the coil off my old ipr and putting it in the truck and no more problems, until last Monday. No start, I mean the starter motor would not even click! My leaky roof and windshield finally caught up with me and filled the fuse box; game over.

Truck is dried back out after getting out of the repair shop and has a clean bill of health after checking the lpop,hpop and fuel pressure. All check good! So I guess now its a matter of spending a bunch of money to get all the other stupid stuff taken care of.

 

I had issue with water get in GEM module. How I fix by use Gorilla duct tape over top of seal on windshield it WORK. Mine is rusted though.

 

Had to reshoe the fleet. Here's the truck riding on a new set of BF Goodrich All Terrains KOs. Oh, ya and a new windshield, no more cracks and stone pits!

 

Thank You FTE for all of your help over this past year in keeping my truck going!!

Hope everyone has a safe and Happy Thanksgiving!!!

 

If you decide to repair the body, you can use a newer bed. Up to an 08 I think.

 

Time for some oil pan TLC. I'm not sure why I even bother any more.

 

there was an article in the last issue of Four Wheeler magazine talking about the rust problems on the 7.3 oil pans. They replaced theirs with one from Moroso and it is built a lot better than the OEM pan.

 

A new pan would be the best solution but with the overall condition of the truck it's just not worth it. A good paint job should hold it for quite awhile for what I do with it.

 

New shocks this week and hoping to put in a radiator next week. Also picked up a new coolant tank and cap and still have a fan clutch and thermostat to install.

 

Just a few more pic of repair work that went on this summer. Its sad to say but the truck will be moving on in the near future, it needs to go to some one who has a garage and can do body work. Its been a good truck and has done every thing I have asked it, I'm sorry to say that there's no more that I can do for it. I hope my dumb questions and overly long thread has provided you guys with a few laughs. Thanks so much for every ones help on helping me figure a few of these things out!!




Old radiator before replacement<br/>



Broke off the EBP sensor, replaced now, tube cleaned. Picked up 1 mpg




New water pump with a Motorcraft t-stat and temp sensor being installed.




Power steering pump and high pressure hoses being replaced