I have to admit these are probably some of the best trucks ever made period.


I like talking to these old goats who bought these new and took care of them. He had a 1999 F 350 CC 4x4 with 415,000 original miles and the only engine work done was 3 new injectors that were taken out from running bad fuel.


He had the 6 speed, did not ask him if he ever put a clutch in it but the truck engine had been totally flawless except for a fuel problem.


I have consistently talked too original owners of these trucks who have taken care of them and these things are great if you treat them right.


I have a IDI turbo and I don't believe any IDI is going to be like that, he did some pulling as well....

 

who you calling an old goat? Sounds like my truck which I just put in new injs and glow plugs for the first time at 415k. I dont want a new truck as mine is just about broken in

 

why do you think your IDI wouldn't be as reliable? they're infinitely simpler and cheaper. i bought 8 injectors and inj. pump for $600cad!

 

The IDI's are good but how many do you know with over 400 thousand miles and it still has the original glow plugs and injectors. I know of a PS 7.3 personally with 880,000 miles on it and it still goes. Show me a IDI 7.3 with that.


A IDI has a lot of advantages But I think a PS is made better and has better engineering, if they would have made a mechanical PS 7.3 that would have been the bomb.


As stated a well taken care of PS not one with a lot of issues.

 

I had a 7.3 idi and by 225,000 needed injectors, ip and second set of glow plugs but was stupid simple.

I have had 7.3 DIT trucks that have been maintained religiously which have been rock solid reliable but have very low miles so hard to compare. I also have had very poorly maintained and abused DIT 7.3s that did not make it to 125,000. In fact, just replaced an engine on one that had been ethered for who knows how long and made low compression (air filter box open to elements and truck driven in sand a lot). The best I ever got out of injectors was around 300,000 though.

I like the 7.3 DIT more than the idi, just wish there were no computers.

 

Original owner 350,000 still OEM glow plugs and injectors. Good CLEAN living is the key!

 

Hey now, don't go bashing my IDI! It's got 23,000 factory original miles on it and it's never given me a problem. Except for all of the problems that I've had with the pre injection pump fuel system. Oh, and the driver's side front wheel jumped off and tried to race the truck down the highway once. And that time the exhaust fell off. And the constant air intrusion problems on the return lines. And those two alternators...

Comparatively the powerstroke has given me little grief and never stranded me. But has cost me so much more money just to get running "almost" right. And the day I need injectors or a turbo is the day a single repair is going to cost me more than everything I've ever put into the IDI. That and it has very few angry pixies to wrangle; very refreshing.

 

My pops has an 01 7.3 that had the rear axle, radiator, and water pump blow all in the same day. 150k miles. Cost $6300 to repair.

My 88 7.3 IDI has 140k on it and i paid $500 for it. If something breaks I go to the junkyard, buy a cheap part, replace it using standard tools and keep driving. Bought an IP for $35 and this truck cruises.

 

That is why the Cummins 1994-98 are the best, I have talked too several people who have done the conversions plus they pull better around town because the lower torque power. Even they are no match from what I have seen on longevity to a 7.3 PS however.


The Cummins have been known to go 700 or 800 thou without a rebuild and the PS over a million. The IdI's less than both but the Cummins are so easy to work on.


I am talking correctly maintained, that is why I like talking to the original owner and the old timers usually treat it right. Even second hand the conversation is mute because that owner has no real idea what the other owners have done.....

 

True on original owners especially with paperwork! I will say the machine shop here has way more 5.9 12V blocks needing to be rebuilt than DIT 7.3s.

I will say I have seen poorly maintained trucks of all brands come in ruined at 100,000 or less just as a disclaimer that I am not saying a 7.3 is junk. Love all of the 7.3s.

 

If they are taken care of they are legendary, now most of the mechanics I talk to seem to prefer the IDI T just because how easy they are to keep going on the long haul if you have issues.


The NON turbo IDI is a toad if you haul at speed plus no turbo kills the mileage if you pull.


I would not buy a PS unless I know the history of it unless it's a really good deal but people are realizing how good they are so prices have become high.

 

oNE LAST THINg HERE, DOES ANYBODY KNOW IF WHEN THEY WENT TO NON BILLET RODS IF IT SHOWED UP IN LONGEVITY ?


Thanks....

 

Well, do you mean forged to pmr? Billet rods were never factory installed. I know the pmr rods can fail even on stock engines and early on it seemed like with a chip they would fail more frequently but tuning has gotten better to where pmr can last at 400+ hp.

The failures I have seen have been piston skirts breaking off and cracks in pistons. I have seen a lot of automate glow plug failures where the piston breaks due to tip falling into cylinder.

 

Sorry, Yaa I was reading the first few years they used better quality forged rods then they changed them...JUST CURTOUS HOW THEY STACKED UP Is ALL.

 

Every Powerstroke built after around mid '01 has PMR rods. Some may have been built a little later to finish off the old stock and some earlier production engines were the guinea pigs.