Ok, since it has a 7.3 I figured this would be the best place cause I couldn't find a van section. I just bought this and drove it from Maine back home to Montana.

so what I have is a 00 E350 4x4 and 329k miles. motor was rebuilt supposidtly at 274k but no paper work to prove that. but runs pretty good from what I can tell.
things I have found out that it dont have an intercooler . the second battery is on the passenger rail.
its has a Quigley 4x4 system too.

down pipe gaskets are needed.

regards to the turbo and waste gate. it has something else below the turbo that is hard to explain. its like a wastegate, but its below or under the actual turbo that is has a cylinder with a rod on it (will get pics soon)

lots of oil in the valley so I will read up on that and narrow it down.

I guess my big question is what are the major differences I will come across that I have not already mentioned.
I do like the fact I can get to the back of the motor to do the up pipes or turbo stuff. but then the front is now a pain, where the trucks were the other way around.

in Maine I had a brake booster replaced, didn't work, so the dealer put in a vacum pump and the brakes still dont work well. so that is my first focus is brakes. cause I drove it that way all the way home to Montana.

can't do AIS like my truck darn it. dont think there is a mod for better air.

eventually I will get gauges and a tuner, but need to week out the bad first.
then I can start working on the home built SMB and play

I will have any more questions as I learn and find more. but a nudge is all I am asking. thanks a head of time.

 

Yep, no intercooler as no room. Cramped engine bay means not as easy to do mods such as bigger intercooler to allow more power without higher EGTs than on a truck which does have space for a bigger intercooler etc.

Maybe an exhaust brake? Once you post up pics, I'm sure the regulars will be able to help.

Perfect 'mission vehicle': van, 1 ton, diesel, 4x4.

 

I am pretty much a newbie here, so take everything I say with that in mind.

First, if you have a steel tank read my post and drop your tank immediately:

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...l#post12183281

Do the Hutch Mod, the Harpoon Mod, and add the frame rail pre-pump screen/filter, and drill out the gas version fill pipe restriction to accept truck stop nozzles if you have the fill pipe with the restriction (1 5/8" carbide hole saw on ebay - not Home Depot not Lowes not OSH - they don't carry that size).

Differences E350 vs 350:

Change the 2-wheel drive E350 transmission pan which doesn't have a drain plug, to the 4x4 F350 deeper transmission pan which does have a drain plug. Make absolutely sure that you buy the deeper transmission filter to go with it.

As you know, vans come or at least used to come with 16" rims. So, when fitting the larger rotors during a 4x4 conversion, the accepted upgrade is to go from 16" to 17" rims with spacers on the rear axle to fit the F350 bolt pattern (until recently, the van wheels had a different bolt pattern !!???).

BTW, the best way to change the rear axle bolt pattern is to replace the narrower E350 semi floating axle with a full floating axle from a F350. This also provides the necessary speedo output for the E350 4R100 which permits the use of the NV271 instead of the weaker BW1356. Full floating axles also have many more locker options.

Tires for 17" rims are harder to find. So, the available tires, tread designs (and even a small war on studs) are discussed in the below link:

Sportsmobileforum.com • View topic - Best tire choice??

Look up Death Wobble posts by TurboStew or E350 (me) on the Sportsmobile forum.

I am on my third mechanical vacuum pump. They go out and you lose your power braking. They are easily replaced and make a loud clacking noise when going out and go out gradually.

If you have vacuum operated front hubs attached to your mechanical vacuum pump like the 4x4 converter did to mine, you may want to cap off the line under the hood and use your hubs mechanically for a while. The vacuum on the hubs is supposed to be regulated with a surge of vacuum to engage and then less vacuum to hold engaged operated by a dedicated electric hub vacuum pump. The mechanical pump is unregulated and varies in strength with rpm and, as a result, it will rip the little plastic holder off your hubs and suck them inboard so they are impossible to disengage. Hubs are expensive to replace. This happened to me, so I know.

I am not the guy to help you with your engine. I am learning at this point. But there are many on this forum who can help especially if you are willing to put the time in doing your homework and don't waste their time. The guys here are united by their desire to know, work on and improve their 7.3's. They are really, really smart. But won't talk about their day jobs, because that's not what unites them. They are picky about grammar and punctuation, so if you want their help think through your posts before you post them then re-read your posts after you have posted them and edit them if needed.

I am going to get into big trouble here, but I found that Bill Hewitt's free online videos gave me some basic understanding of the 7.3 engine so that I could converse somewhat knowledgeably with the others on this forum who likely know more or at least as much as Mr. Hewitt. I also bought the three volume Ford factory Repair Manual (in paper!!! not cd!!!). Make it as easy for others to help you by being as informed as you can.

My van has a Sportsmobile "Cruiser" fixed fiberglass top, but otherwise it is a home brew. Some of the options are listed in my signature. I am not happy with all of the listed options and am in the process of changing out some of them.

I can help advise you with respect to the interior and house side of the electrical system at the time you are ready to get into it. For Blue Sea electrical parts see Peter Kennedy Yatch Services. pkys@pkys.com Best prices on the web. Acerbic like a New Englander should be, but a really solid and helpful yatch/rv electrician - a truly great person.

Buy the electric flush cassette Thetford Porta-Potti if you want to have a girl friend or a wife travel with you. I am a grinder trying to become a welder. But I did design and weld a nifty frame for holding the Thetford, and Engel, with the solar charge controller, inverter/charger and Auragen genset under it (your 7.3 has places for two alternators). (I really want to get the push-pull gun for my 350p and weld the frame out of Aluminum, but it looks like I will be buying the Auto Engenuity software first.)

I am writing to be helpful. And the only reason I am trying to be helpful is that others on this forum have really tried to help me. And I am trying to repay them by paying it forward.

It is probably not my place to say it, since I am a newbie too (and I have never been accused of having tact), but "Welcome to the forum."

 

Battery config:
Sportsmobileforum.com • View topic - Homebuilt battery box pics?

 

I Just found out that my front axle is a King pin style. not ball joints. so now I am confused on that cause I have never heard that.

thanks for the reply's. will have to take things in stride as funds are an issue

i also have noticed the speed sensor cables have either been cut, or not attached. what will this affect?

 

I bought the Elvis Beluga whale van on Sportmoble forum is the rig I am taking about.
cant seem to post pics as I have not figured it out yet. been a while since I have been on this forum

 

This is definitely the place to learn about the 7.3, these guys are whizzes.
Read the FAQ re posting pictures and see BigAls and the Aussie's post about how to post pictures in the following thread:

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...nal-miles.html

 

Under the heading of "If I Knew Then...", I would have ordered AE while licensing "Stinky" the first time. If you have technical savvy, AE will help you sort out all the alleged "mods" the previous owner conducted to keep the rig rolling.

$0.02