ok so I know very little about 7.3 IDI, but have owned 6.5 chevy non turbo in the past. This 7.3 seems to have no ***** what-so-ever. I mean i can't pass anyone at highway speeds unless there is zero traffic and they are running 45-50. My 6.5 chevy ran like a scalded ape until you hooked a load to it. My transmission is slipping in overdrive and in the next month I plan to replace it, but it's the only old diesel I've ever been around that has zero(and I mean absolutely can not make it period) throw black smoke. I understand black smoke is wasted fuel/ incomplete combustion and a bad thing(and I hate a-holes that love black smoke because they have no understanding of the workings of a diesel engine), but non turbos and this old are inefficient I expect some due to design properties. So that being said is it probable that the previous owner turned the injector pump down in a futile attempt to prolong the life of the transmission? The engine runs good once its warmed up but has zero *********. how do i find the correct setting without EGT readings? I don't want excess fuel only good fuel mixture.

 

I also have a huge cold start proble(clicking solenoid 3 or more glow plugs bad, just ordered 8 new motocraft plugs that should be in at O'rielly's tomorrow) I also don't understand a fuel injected motor starting better pumping the fuel pedal like a carbureted motor if someone could explain(probably an indirect vs direct fuel injection thing??) honestly this truck has been a huge disappointment, I'm starting to wish I had found one with a 460 even after not driving a gaser since 2008

 

make certain the throttle peddle is reaching full throttle, have some one step on the peddle while you check travel...the PO may have turned it down, or replaced it and the replacement was set at the rebuilder to a fuel saving or emission setting?? could be out of time, give your local, maybe some one is close to you and can set timing for you, and you are supposed to hold the peddle down some when you cold start it. but not necessary when warmed up.

 

I haven't checked pedal position to throttle position. I have to pump fuel when cold starting(starts instant when plugged in), but even with brand new batteries cold start pumping or holding full throttle. It stalls after about 5-10 seconds and will not start without running brand new batteries dead and jump starting full process about 30-40 minutes

 

once running it runs smooth clean diesel knock doesn't sound like any internal issues(haven't checked compression, but sounds amazing for 200k miles. Some white smoke when revved at start up in fall temps(70-80 degrees didn't try at 90+ temps), but no coolant loss. local is west Texas midland odessa area

 

Timing may be a bit retarded; it should clatter a bit cold, until it warms up enough for the high idle to kick off at which point it should clatter less.
Also, when crusing along at 60 in high gear, you should hear just a little clatter; if you don't hear anything when under load like this, it's retarded.

Once you advance it and play with the timing until it feels pretty good, by all means, crank up the fuel until you get a little smoke at WOT, then back it off a flat.

Remember that your IP and injectors are probably worn out by now, so it's a matter of either replacing them, or compensating for the wear. Wear tends to manifest in retarded timing, and sometimes less fueling.

Another thing I've run into is fuel starvation caused by a clog somewhere in the lines to the tank or the tank pickup. This manifests with a truck that runs fine at idle and revving it in neutral, but once you get on the highway it feels like it doesn't have much power above 45... and you get /zero/ smoke(because it's not getting enough fuel).

If you think this might be it after doing the other adjustments, one test is simply to grab a can of diesel and strap it to the front bumper.
Run a hose from it down to the mechanical fuel pump on the passenger side of the engine, and drive it around.
Note that you'll want to cut a V shape into the hose end in the can, so it can't get stuck to the side or bottom of the can.

 

the start/die/then take forever to restart is classic sign of air intrusion through the return line system. you will most likely need a return line kit to replace the o-rings, return caps, and lines that go between the caps. .
to test for air intrusion, remove the fuel filter after it sits overnight and see if it is full, or part empty. if not full, you have air intrusion.
another trick is to park on a hill with the engine pointing down. if it starts up and stays running every time, it is air intrusion.
parking with engine facing up hill, should make it start/die/not restart.

for the lack of power, try bumping the timing about a dimes width.

 

check the fuel heater, its in the top of the filter head, it has several o rings, they can leak, this will alow your filter to drain back to the tank, filling the filter head with air. and if your truck has no check valve in the return line connected to filter head, it could be a leaking injector cap press down and twist the cap some when engine is running, if the slid up some they can start to leak. ther is no accelerator pump, so (pumping)the throttle does nothing.

 

yeah its definitely air intrusion, and its getting worse. even stalled at a red light this morning. I jumped out bled the lines it fired up and ran the rest of the way to work. Can't you just block off the return line instead of replacing it? I'm pretty sure I saw that here somewhere.

 

I also got my injector pump turned up. That was a disaster. The bolt twisted off in the pump when i was putting the cover back on about to be finished... Luckily I was able to find a replacement at 8 o clock at night, but damn that was a lot of work removing and reinstalling for one little old bolt. I can tell it had more power, but the transmission is too far gone to put it to the ground. One more week till I should be able to order a new one. I'm going to change the starter while its off swapping the tranny. Probably put in new injectors and check compression. If i end up rebuilding at 200k is it worth it to pay the $1,200 on a master rebuild with pistons cam and everything or just a re-ring and gasket kit for around $600?

 

Check compression first before spending money on a rebuild.
Also, if you put new valves in it... you have to have them ground properly. There is a /very critical/ spec on the valve recession, and if you don't have it done right, your valve guides will die quickly as the valve beats a depression into your piston...

If it's still in good shape... don't mess with it. Spend the money on performance parts if you have it; a turbo will really wake up any IDI.

If you are having problems with performance, make sure you are getting enough fuel in the first place. If something's clogged, it just won't have much power.
If it's working right, even NA, it should be able to haul a 250 gallon tote of water(~1 ton) up a decently steep hill at 60 MPH.
Loaded with a 5k+ trailer, yeah, you'll slow down going up a hill(until you put a turbo on it), but unloaded or lightly loaded, it shouldn't do badly.

 

yeah I only plan to rebuild if I'm low on compression(on the valve note I tend to leave them alone or a light re-seat with compound and the suction cup thing to easy to screw up good sealing heads). Which I plan on checking when I pull the tranny because well If its out its a good time to go ahead and pull the motor. On that note how do you check compression on a diesel? glow plug holes?? I've never wrenched on a diesel before only gassers. If compression is good and it's still sluggish with a good transmission, then I think the entire fuel system is next step. replace all lines, injectors, play with timing, switch to an electric fuel pump, that kinda stuff. Once I get it reliable I do plan to install a turbo. probably buy an intake turbo and exhaust out of a wrecked powerstroke 7.3 from a junkyard.

 

Yeah.
And really, you are just looking for major differences between them. We've seen new motors up above 500 PSI, and even down to 350 PSI should be fine.
Remember that the hardest thing for a diesel is starting. Once the engine runs, it really needs a /lot/ less compression(and can have /really/ leaky rings and still work fine).
Last engine I had rebuilt, well, half the rings had broken, it had at least .020 of bore taper(with a .010 ridge at the top of the cylinder), and it still ran well enough. Fired right up when cold, with working glow plugs.
I only rebuilt it due to a tick; probably due to a bearing somewhere.
On that engine, yeah, it was slightly sluggish; felt like it had just a little less power than it could have had. Well, until the turbo kicked in at around 1600 RPM, that is. After that, well, the rebuilt engine did /nothing/ different.

The fuel system is generally the weakpoint here. Remember; the IPs are only really designed to have a life of around 100,000 miles. They will last somewhere between that and 200,000, but the longer they run, the sloppier they get and they just don't work as well.
There's a reason it's a $500-800 IP instead of a $3-4K IP like a P-pump.

Switching to an electric fuel pump is fine... but you have to make sure your pump can supply enough fuel at the right pressure. Most e-pumps... don't. Not without a lot of money.
The mechanical pump works quite well for what it is, and is cheap. In good working order, it'll supply far more than your IP needs.

The powerstroke 7.3 is a completely different engine. Nothing crosses over, except perhaps the oil cooler core piece, and the lifters.

Sure, you might be able to use the turbo itself, but everything else would have to be fabricated - up-pipe, down-pipe and intake hat.
And, if you are going to spend that much time and money fabricating piping, go with a better turbo.

If you are looking for a cheap power boost, the kits from Banks, ATS and Hypermax fit the bill, and can sometimes be found at the junkyard. Ford's own IDI turbo, in some 93-94 trucks is a modified ATS kit, and generally works the same way.

If you want more than the 5-10 PSI of boost and perhaps 220 HP at the wheels you get from one of those, you can find performance turbos and other parts at idiperformance.com. You'll need headstuds if you want to do more than the kits will provide, as well.

 

wow 220 just seems so low on horsepower, I know these engines are mostly torque and bulletproof when well maintained. My issue is I assumed the entire truck was taken care of due to interior and exterior appearance. Now I'm realizing they took care of cosmetics and got rid of it with the onset of mechanical issues.

 

while 220 sounds low for HP, it is the torque that really matters.
once you put a turbo and free flowing exhaust on the engine, it will be like getting out of a volkswagon and getting into a V8 mustang.