I just purchased a 1997 7.3L Powerstroke with about 120K miles. The question I have is I towed my 18" Travel trailer this weekend and when I was going up large hills the engine would make a grinding noise then I would lose all my power. The only thing I think it could be is that my turbos are geting to hot and kicking out. Has anyone had this happen? and what do I do to fix it?

 

Did it smoke a bunch? It sounds like a leaking intercooler boot, or maybe a malfunctioning wastegate. A turbo cannot "kick out" if the engine is running the turbo is too.

 

Well the the turbo is not inner-cooled because the truck is a 97. What else do you think it might be? if its not the turbo?

 

Well, I wasn't ruling out the turbo, it may well have a problem. I was just trying to figure out something easier. Do you have boost or EGT (exhaust gas temp.) gauges in the truck? It would be easier to troubleshoot with those numbers. Can you better describe the "grinding" noise? How often it happens, for what duration? Does it do it while running empty?

Generally when a turbo starts to go the oil seals in the exhaust housing will go first. Is the truck smoking an excessive amount, like it were dumping oil straight into the exhaust?

Also don't rule out the simple things. Is the air filter plugged? Clean fuel filter? etc.

 

It happens when going up a hill 7% grade. About a mile into the hill I lose all power and it makes a grinding noise for about 5-10 seconds but by that time I have went from 55mph to 35mph and it gets hard to regain speed. I don't know if it is the fuel filter could be. I have a new air filter and the gas was over 1/2. I dont think I have an exaust temp gauge. There is no smoke coming out that I can see. I had just got the oil changed before I went on the trip. Does the turbo have some kind of temp gauge???

 

willis ... is there a broken motor mount and the fan is eating the shroud?
I wouldnt think the turbo would make that much of a grinding noise that you could hear it so well without doing damage to the internal parts of the engine.
try removing the intake side of the turbo tubes and see if the turbo is wiggling or not ... do this with the engine OFF.!!!!!!
get back with your findings.

 

Not unless you add it. The best investment you can make in your truck is a good set of gauges. Boost and EGT gauges would come in especially handy right now.

There are only a couple of things that can be happening on your truck. We'll assume the turbo is good since it only does it climbing a 7% grade with a trailer and runs great the rest of the time.

1. You are losing boost-if you don't have a charge air cooler the prime suspect would be the point where the pressurized air leaves the turbocharger, or where it enters the engine.

2. You are losing fuel- dirty filter, bad pump, ???

Then we still have the grinding noise. Is it for sure a mechanical noise like metal to metal, or could it be a rapid psst, psst, psst noise like air escaping? In that case the turbo could be surging/stalling out.

 

When the bearing goes out, it can make an awful noise. Remove the inlet hose to the turbo and with the engine OFF (I know, obvious, but hey... safety first, right?) grab the end of the impeller and see if there's any play in the wheel. If there's a lot of movement end to end, or radially, then it's shot.

If there's enough movement, the wheel can contact the housing... use a good flashlight and you can usually see the evidence if it happens.