I just bought my first diesel pickup. A very nice 1997 Super Cab 190+K F250. It's been a continuously maintained truck I have the proof in reciepts. Having never owned a truck like this I'm curious to know some of the 7.3 characteristics. Here's some questions I hope I can get answered.

1. It's an early turbo. I would have thought that the truck would have had more giddy-up from a dead stop. Seems sluggish.

2. If I'm on a flat roadway @ say 30 mph and I floor board it the truck down shifts as it should and does increase speed but it seems to hold back with what seems to me as half power and I can feel a skipping that feels like a vibration Like a gas motor with a spark leak and retarded timing best way to describe it.

3. Mileage? I know it won't be 28 mpg but was wondering what to expect.

Thanks

 

I am assuming this is an automatic.... the slush boxes are known weakpoints...

1-2 You could have exhaust leaks in the up pipes reducing your overallboost, intake restrictions, exhaust restrictions, etc... The 7.3l is no racecar. The way to start deciphering what is or isn’t wrong would be to get eithertorque pro app and a blue tooth adaptor or AE in order to see what is really happeningnot just seat of the pants..

3 Depending on gearing, speed, type of driving (city-highway), etc 17mpg iscommon on an engine that is in tip top shape…

This would generate better response if posted in the 94-97 7.3l forum

 

Yes it's an Automatic. Having never owned or driven one of these trucks I'm just wondering about it. I agree it's no race car for sure! I checked for and don't hear any exhaust leaks. Not sure how to check for intake or exhaust restrictions. I'm going to check out the torque pro app. Thanks

 

Check the fuel pressure at the Schrader valve on the fuel filter drivers side. I just replaced my mechanical/lift pump after lurching/noisy for a mile or two and then quiting. Original fuel pressure was 10 lbs idle or revved. New pressure is oscillating between 50/60 lbs and runs great.
I also just purchased a TS 6 position chip from Thoroughbred Ford in Kentucky for $170 on sale. Runs even better by itself and haven't hooked/towed 5th whl trailer yet to see how much it helps on the hills between Topeka and Manhattan, Ks.

 

I'm all set with the performance. It's the way they are. I took it to Power Stroke Specialties in Buford, GA. They went through the trucks engine with no faults. Having always had a gas motor in all my trucks I expected the same performance out of a 7.3 Power Stroke/turbo. That's the way they are. Very capable but not rocket ships. I did add a mild power programmer with 7 settings that allows me to...from #1 setting have a 1100 rpm fast idle then going up to 7, 2 is stock, 3 is 25 hp+, 4 is 40 hp+, 5 is 60 hp+, 6 is 80 hp+ and 7 is hush mode or as it's nicknamed "The Drive Through" mode, it shuts the engine down to a 1/2 as loud an idle, it takes the diesel clackity out of the engine so you can hear the person on the box talking to you and they can hear you. I'm really liking the setup.

 

the power will depend on what programmer you added, and what other modifications were done.
#1 mod for these trucks is to open up the exhaust by getting rid of the crushed down pipe and putting on a low back pressure muffler, or a muffler delete pipe. then open up the air intake.
the programmer style is another big point. "canned tunes" offered by a generic programmer are a "one size fits all" type deal. will they work? yes, but nowhere near as good as custom tunes.

 

1. It's a stock 7.3, it has about as much get up and go as a 4.6 gas truck unloaded

2. That's pretty normal, those transmissions are weird. Torque converter may not be locking up. Or it may be normal. Other than driving other trucks, the only way you'll ever know is to pull live data (I have a cReader 123pro). Even with my BTS transmission and tonywildman tunes, that tranny still shifts weird but at WOT it locks up and shifts good so that's all that maters to me.

3. Best I've ever gotten was about 20MPG with a modified truck... Stock... maybe 17? MAYBE. In town, moderate performance mods (big turbo, big intercooler, stage 2s)... Get like 10? 8? But it's a hotrod so I don't really care

 

[QUOTE= Depending on gearing, speed, type of driving (city-highway), etc 17 mpg is common on an engine that is in tip top shape… [/QUOTE]

I just did a 1000 mile trip straight through from western North Carolina to Cape Cod Massachusetts. I did the math several times during the trip and came up with 21-23 mpg. I tried to keep the speed at just under 70 mph with the tach was running at no more 2000 rpm. The trip odometer showed 350 miles on the front tank. It seems to have gotten better mileage that it is supposed to get!

PS...how do I do a QUOTE! I'm know it's easy but I guess I'm not smart enough

 

Just a normal 7.3, slow from the start
check fuel pressure, filter..
I am getting 15 city 19 HWY

keep it around 2K RPM your mileage will improve..

 

"I can feel a skipping that feels like a vibration Like a gas motor with a spark leak and retarded timing best way to describe it."

I finally got to the bottom of what the skip I'm feeling is. It's not a skip at all! It's the torque converter not being able to figure out if it's going to lock up or not. It's as simple as that and as expensive as $1,250. Ugh on the price butt at least they know what the issue is.

 

I'll show you using what I quoted above:

Use the word QUOTE inside of square brackets [ ] at the beginning of the text you want to quote. That signifies 'Begin quote' and at the end, use 'slash quote' inside of square brackets, like this, [/QUOTE] which signifies 'End quote.' You can use upper case or lower case letters within the brackets. Below I will reverse the direction of the brackets so you can see what it looks like as it won't post as a quotation because the brackets are backwards.

]quote[ PS...how do I do a QUOTE! I'm know it's easy... ]/quote[

Now I'll switch the brackets back to the correct way:

That shows the use of just one of many Bulletin Board Tags (BB Tags) that can be used at virtually every web forum where BB Code is ENABLED. In fact, the buttons above the window where you are composing your message will insert BB tags (or html tags) automatically for you. Example: if you want to underline a word select the word to highlight it and then push the U button.

Anyone interested in learning more BB tags can scroll down to the bottom of this web page and on the left you will see the 'Posting Rules' box. Click on BB code to open a page that lists all of the BB tags that can be used in the FTE forums (or other forums) and below the list are instructions on how to apply them.