For someone like me that uses the truck for towing a travel trailer or 5th wheel and the occasional haul to the dump, I don't need big power or big oil. At 241,000 miles now, I have a feeling that injectors are coming up due. Although I hope later rather than sooner.

I like to have a plan of action so that when the time comes I know exactly what I need and what I need to do in order to get back to 100% and start enjoying the 7.3 in all of its glory.

So, this leads me to my question about injectors. RiffRaff claims that Alliant AD injectors were installed in my 2000 F-250 from the factory. He also claims that Alliant AE injectors are to cure the "cackle" issue that AD injectors may exhibit.

Seems simple enough so far right?

This is where the road gets a few stray turns in it. Alliant AC injectors are apparently 160cc which is what a lot of FTE members claim is a good setup for a slightly modified stock truck with maybe an intake and 4/4 turbo wheel. The 160cc seems to be a happy medium between reliability and better performance. So, does that mean that someone like me is to go back to the Alliant AC injector which may in fact be moving in the wrong direction if you simply go off the progression of the design/model numbers? Again, looking from a reliability and common sense standpoint, not a big power perspective.

If that is not confusing enough, take a look at the Rosewood Diesel site where it lists the options for 7.3 injectors. They claim to sell "Brand new Alliant Power AA" injectors... So, based on the listing on RiffRaff, the Alliant AA injectors were installed on the 94-97 model year trucks. Why would a reputable shop like Rosewood Diesel sell injectors for a 99.5-03 truck that originally came in a 94-97 truck?

A recent post in this section where DP-Tuner had a comment said they sell a lot of 160cc injectors. I went to the DP Tuner site and saw they sell Full Force Diesel injectors, but was not able to correlate that to an Alliant A code series.

This is baffling to me and I like to think of myself as fairly intuitive. Again, I plan to get new injectors and am not looking for big power. I simply would like to know what is the best or slightly better option to replace the aging stock injectors in my truck.

Thank you for any advice or clarification you can offer and hopefully this will not only help me, but many others down the road with a similar question.

For reference sake, here are the links I gathered information from.

Alliant 'AE' Fuel Injector Ford 7.3L Powerstroke

Rosewood Diesel Shop

Full Force Diesel Injectors - Power Stroke 7.3l Injectors - 1994.5 - 2003 Powerstroke 7.3L Truck - Ford Powerstroke

 

Main difference here is do you want Single Shots or Split shot injectors.

Myself I don't care for split shots, I don't need a "quieter" idle or any other proposed feature splits offer.

If singles are for you (stock from 94'-97') then get the size you prefer.
As to the letter codes they are just that letters. They designate the details not an order of old to new or worse to better. The HP requirements of a 94-97 engine were not the same as the 99+ when the light diesel truck market started taking off.

I am going AC's all the way, my decision will be what size nozzle, stock, 30,80 100% over.

 

I didn't realize there was yet another aspect of the series of injectors in there such as single or split shot. I will have to research further in regards to that.

Based on what you have said, noise is not a factor at all for me. I am looking for solid power at or slightly above stock with reliability. Knowing I can get another 250K out of injectors is much more important to me than getting 50 more HP.

 

Right on, do some reading. A HEUI system is not the best at multiple injection events IMO.

MY logic now that I pull a 10,500 lb TT is to get the most reliable setup with the fewest quirks. Not to say that a BIG injector would be bad or unruly (I know they are not when tuned correctly). That level of tuning expense and custom parts is not for me, 20 years ago I was all into that but not now.

 

Sometimes it is easy to read yourself in circles, especially with different verbiage. If you have questions just give Clay over at Riffraff Diesel a call. I am sure he would be happy to run through it with you and it will save you a lot of time trying to read and pick out everything.

 

I'm looking at injectors myself right, I just turned 300,000 miles on my original injectors and they are starting to show signs. I like the thought of swtiching to the AC code but worry a little since you have to have custom tuning to run them of something going haywire with chip while out on the road pulling the 5th wheel. At least with the stock AD codes I could unplug the chip and keep on going.
Then you throw in the new versus reman options to make thing more interesting. There is enough reading on this to keep you busy for days. I am really leaning toward staying with the stock AD code and going with new Alliant's just for peace of mind and reiablity stand point, hell I've gotten 300,000 on the originals.

 

What I usually do is send my PCM to DP-Tuner and they can flash a stock tune for AC code injectors on it. That was if I ever pull my chip it still has the same stocking tuning.

I have used the new Alliant AC codes several times on my trucks and love them.

Alliant 'AC' Injector - Ford 7.3L Powerstroke

 

Like Duck Fan said, call Clay, he'll give you the lowdown. From his site:

AA - '94-'97, 90cc fuel (which is per 1,000 injections, IIRC)
AB - all early '99 trucks, 130cc fuel, split shot
AC - high-torque 7.3 non-PowerStroke engines (buses, etc.), 160cc fuel, single shot
AD - '99-'03 PSD stock injector, 135-140cc, split shot
AE - longer lead AD for cackle reduction

I believe the AE is typically used in the #8 cylinder.

The AC is popular because there is more fuel available per injection event (versus stock AD), but not so much that it can't be delivered by a healthy stock HPOP, and the stock turbo can feed enough air (for the most part). The single shot design makes more efficient use of the HPOP as well. Another benefit is that Ford/International dealers often have AC's in stock, as do most injection retailers.

A lot of people tout the AC as the best "get more from your truck without having to upgrade everything else." Of course, "everything else" needs to be in solid shape. You need at least a 6637 intake, turbo needs to be in good shape, and the HPOP needs to be healthy.

You will need tuning in order to drive the injectors properly. That'll make your head spin as well.

 

I have definitely decided on new injectors instead of re-manufactured or rebuilt. I am looking for reliability and efficiency, not HP gains.

I plan to get a GearHead Hydra tune in the next month or so, prior to the injectors. With that said, if I am understanding the information above, AC injectors require a bit of tuning even if you put the tune selector back in stock mode.

The AC injectors are not happy with a stock tune or no tune at all?

The AD is what my truck came with, but may not be as efficient as a single shot?

The AE is the same as AD, but slightly longer to reduce cackle and noise?

It seems that to keep things simple that I should be looking at the AD or AE injector with a basic tune from GearHead that has no high HP tunes on it. When I request the set of tunes, I plan to have daily drivers, 2 tow tunes and a high idle.

Thanks for trying to educate a new to diesel member. I prefer to learn from the mistakes and victories of others rather than making the mistakes myself. This thread is going in a great direction and should be helpful for many other FTE brothers and sisters.

 

Switching from split shot to single shot injectors absolutely requires tuning changes. Otherwise you'll have a truck that exhibits an extremely rough idle and sensitive pedal making it difficult to drive. Fuel delivery, timing, and injection pressure must be altered in the calibrations in order to run correctly.

Efficiency is a relative term. The split shots were introduced to quiet the idle and improve emissions. However, in some cases there can be a slight sacrifice in fuel economy due to the pilot injection.


Single shots do not have the pilot injection, so most people report a mileage increase. However that depends largly on the injector chosen, the tuning, driving style, etc.

It's not physically longer. It's referring to "long lead", as in a longer pilot injection.

To be honest, there's no need to have all AE injectors in there. It's only there in the #8 to take care of a slight dead-head fuel starvation issue in relation to the idle quality.

Hope this helps.

 

I'd wait on tunes until you get the injectors, if you're going to do single shots. Personally, for your description of what you want, I think the AC's are the way to go. You'll be able to drive the truck the exact same way you do now, you'll just have more fuel on tap for when you need to get up and move. With camper on board and trailer behind, I can easily accelerate (quite rapidly, I might add) to merge into traffic, etc. I'm sold on AC's with good tuning.

 

Technically all A-codes have the same multiplier of 7. B-codes and hybrids are the ones that drop down in multiplier.


The reason that singles are a bit easier on the HPOP is the lack of the pilot shot. But say if you modify a single to a hybrid, now it uses even less oil than a standard A-code single.


It gets real confusing real quick..........

 

As for tuning, you have a manual transmission. You really only need one tune. The driving tune can still have the regular cold-engine high-idle for warm-up. If desired, you an add a high-idle tune for jump-starting someone, but that's the only time I could see using it.

If the driving tune is written well, it will drive perfectly, whether with an empty truck or towing a big load. You're controlling the shifting with your right hand, and you're controlling fuel with your right foot (while paying attention to your EGT's).

Rather than spend money on a bunch of different tunes that you won't use after the first week, spend it on a live tuning session. You'll get the throttle pedal to react exactly how you want (not hyper-sensitive like some tuners like to program, just to make it feel like your truck is SOOOO powerful), you'll get the proper max fuel delivery (for YOUR truck) without spewing a ton of smoke, etc.

 

Thanks for the correction Curtis. I try not to mis-educate folks.

 

Curtis, don't the singles produce lower EGTs than the splits (apples to apples pulling the same load up the same hill)? Sous says he tows with his rig, and this should be a consideration for him.

Sous, I just put in a 38R after my stock turbo quit on me (didn't even put in a 2 week notice). Since putting it on, I have noticed something. My EGTs have gone way down. Pulling the same trailer up the same hill at the same speed, the 38R has lowered my EGTs from 1100 to 910 on that hill. When I go to singles soon (160/30), they should go down even further (I think/hope). Like you, I am after longevity and reliability. Something to consider.