1998 E350 7.3 bad electronics, Elec ?'s
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1998 E350 7.3 bad electronics, Elec ?'s
I am looking at a E350 box van with 147,000 miles but all the electronics are supposed to be bad for the engine, do not understand how or why. He claims the whole engine is like electronic and the owner feels the electronics on the motor are overly complicated. He claims even the gas pedal is electronic and that after 1994 Ford made the 7.3 more complex.
It is a nice 14ft box van and I can get it for like 2000 but the computer components need replaced. How good of trucks are these in reliability? and realistically what kind of mileage can I expect and once fixed and maintained are these 7.3's as reliable as the older simpler ones ?
Thanks for any comment.
It is a nice 14ft box van and I can get it for like 2000 but the computer components need replaced. How good of trucks are these in reliability? and realistically what kind of mileage can I expect and once fixed and maintained are these 7.3's as reliable as the older simpler ones ?
Thanks for any comment.
Cargo Master
Joined: Oct 2010
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He claims the whole engine is like electronic. He claims even the gas pedal is electronic and that after 1994 Ford made the 7.3 more complex.
That is accurate. Everything is electronic from the firing of the injectors to the accelerator pedal. Whether or not everything needs replacing or not is another story. PCMs and IDMs do go bad. These trucks are 10 years old at their youngest so its not improbable. For everything to be bad is another story. It would be better to find out why he thinks it all needs replacing or exactly what its doing. They are not hard to work on and a $300 program for your laptop will be worth having to help with diagnosis.
How long it will last will most depend on how it has been taken care of. Mine has 200k. Several here have 350-450k. Some, more than that. 12 mpg is not unrealistic but it could be more depending on gearing, driving habits etc. I usually get 18 on a stock 250.
That is accurate. Everything is electronic from the firing of the injectors to the accelerator pedal. Whether or not everything needs replacing or not is another story. PCMs and IDMs do go bad. These trucks are 10 years old at their youngest so its not improbable. For everything to be bad is another story. It would be better to find out why he thinks it all needs replacing or exactly what its doing. They are not hard to work on and a $300 program for your laptop will be worth having to help with diagnosis.
How long it will last will most depend on how it has been taken care of. Mine has 200k. Several here have 350-450k. Some, more than that. 12 mpg is not unrealistic but it could be more depending on gearing, driving habits etc. I usually get 18 on a stock 250.
Thread Starter
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Posting Guru
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 1,012
Likes: 4
He claims the whole engine is like electronic. He claims even the gas pedal is electronic and that after 1994 Ford made the 7.3 more complex.
That is accurate. Everything is electronic from the firing of the injectors to the accelerator pedal. Whether or not everything needs replacing or not is another story. PCMs and IDMs do go bad. These trucks are 10 years old at their youngest so its not improbable. For everything to be bad is another story. It would be better to find out why he thinks it all needs replacing or exactly what its doing. They are not hard to work on and a $300 program for your laptop will be worth having to help with diagnosis.
How long it will last will most depend on how it has been taken care of. Mine has 200k. Several here have 350-450k. Some, more than that. 12 mpg is not unrealistic but it could be more depending on gearing, driving habits etc. I usually get 18 on a stock 250.
That is accurate. Everything is electronic from the firing of the injectors to the accelerator pedal. Whether or not everything needs replacing or not is another story. PCMs and IDMs do go bad. These trucks are 10 years old at their youngest so its not improbable. For everything to be bad is another story. It would be better to find out why he thinks it all needs replacing or exactly what its doing. They are not hard to work on and a $300 program for your laptop will be worth having to help with diagnosis.
How long it will last will most depend on how it has been taken care of. Mine has 200k. Several here have 350-450k. Some, more than that. 12 mpg is not unrealistic but it could be more depending on gearing, driving habits etc. I usually get 18 on a stock 250.
Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 18,849
Likes: 179
From: Puget Sound
They are good, adequate, sufficient, etc... for towing. If you tow, save up your pocket change for some mods to strengthen it. If you don't tow, it should be fine for a long time.
Depending on rust issues, the fuel tank, and what exactly going on with the engine, that is a very good price on the truck. 7.3L SDs start at $10,000 in my area and go up from there. I see $18k being paid for clean trucks with 100K - 150K miles. The vans have a metal tank, not the plastic ones our pickups have. It's very possible the tank is sloughing right now, causing running issues by clogging the fuel inlet screens, and the stealership is throwing darts at a board... with the owner's darts.
If I were in the market for a van, the rust is at bay, and understanding these systems the way I do now... I'd "rescue" the owner from his burden and put it in my driveway. There's work to do though, from the sound of it.
Depending on rust issues, the fuel tank, and what exactly going on with the engine, that is a very good price on the truck. 7.3L SDs start at $10,000 in my area and go up from there. I see $18k being paid for clean trucks with 100K - 150K miles. The vans have a metal tank, not the plastic ones our pickups have. It's very possible the tank is sloughing right now, causing running issues by clogging the fuel inlet screens, and the stealership is throwing darts at a board... with the owner's darts.
If I were in the market for a van, the rust is at bay, and understanding these systems the way I do now... I'd "rescue" the owner from his burden and put it in my driveway. There's work to do though, from the sound of it.
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