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186k but I don't trust the dash or that the engine hasn't been changed out. The radiator lines were definitely cut and patched at some point which indicates to me that the motor was likely pulled out.
Mine has 315000 on original motor and 6 original injectors. The previous owner rode it hard and put it up wet. It towed 15-20k pounds 5 days a week for many years. I've put some money into it and i trust it to go anywhere. I know that's not really on topic, but you want reliability and I'm trying to give a testament as to how reliable these engines are. They're damn near worth their weight in gold these days and good running 7.3s fetch big bucks. Enough so that I wouldn't consider selling mine and trying to find another. They'll need plenty of work as they age, but they are easy to work on and parts are readily available. Good luck with whatever you decide to doa
Unless I am missing something, the only real cost here would be the sticks and tunes, maybe cups.
I have 305K miles and went for new sticks, got a Hydra, and had to replace my cups (don't forget the coolant if you're not going to try and re-use it...which I didn't). Just that portion was about $3K.
Originally Posted by beef ****
#6 would be fun but is not priority over #1 and #2. I certainly don't mind dropping money on the truck. I'm already so far into it ($$$) that I'll never recover.
I'm right there with you. Over the past three summers I've sunk enough cash into my truck that I could have bought a new car and hold the title in my hand.
Originally Posted by beef ****
Can I really have it all? Will getting the right injectors/tune get me all that I want or is there anything I am missing?
Depending on the power you might want to consider traction bars. While you can beef up the engine to handle the power and be reliable, other components on the truck will have a reduced life above OEM power levels.
I have 305K miles and went for new sticks, got a Hydra, and had to replace my cups (don't forget the coolant if you're not going to try and re-use it...which I didn't). Just that portion was about $3K.
I don't have any signs of fuel or oil in the coolant, so hopefully cups wouldn't be an issue.
I'm right there with you. Over the past three summers I've sunk enough cash into my truck that I could have bought a new car and hold the title in my hand.
Yeah I priced a new Super Duty and thankfully I am not even halfway there yet with what I have spent... though a new one would be a lot more comfy.
Depending on the power you might want to consider traction bars. While you can beef up the engine to handle the power and be reliable, other components on the truck will have a reduced life above OEM power levels.
Haha jesus are you drag racing? I don't really plan to launch or race the truck. Those are typically for keeping things from binding when taking off from a stop right?
Haha jesus are you drag racing? I don't really plan to launch or race the truck. Those are typically for keeping things from binding when taking off from a stop right?
Yes but axle wrap is a real thing for our trucks even with stock power, especially with old leaf springs in the back (mine are 15 years old). More power = more twist. You always hear us 4R100 guys talk about beefing up the transmission with more power but all the rest of the driveline gets more stress too.
Originally Posted by beef ****
I don't have any signs of fuel or oil in the coolant, so hopefully cups wouldn't be an issue.
I didn't either so did not plan on cups. I'm not saying this is going to happen to you but you never know until you get in there. This is what half of my cups looked like a week after I pulled my sticks and sent them off...
Depending on the power you might want to consider traction bars. While you can beef up the engine to handle the power and be reliable, other components on the truck will have a reduced life above OEM power levels.
Originally Posted by beef ****
Haha jesus are you drag racing? I don't really plan to launch or race the truck. Those are typically for keeping things from binding when taking off from a stop right?
My 7.3 with camper springs, getting on it to get onto the main road, with it on the +50 tune... I can tell the springs are wrapping and the rear is hopping. And I have a +150 setting I haven't even used.
If you unleash the beast and plan to use the power, prepare to put some work into managing and controlling the fury.
Haha jesus are you drag racing? I don't really plan to launch or race the truck. Those are typically for keeping things from binding when taking off from a stop right?
Traction bars can help in all sorts of situations, including drag racing. I installed OUO traction bars (see video below) in an effort to cure axle wrap and what turned out to be clutch chatter. Since installed the OUO bars and a new HD South Bend clutch, the truck pulls the 12K lbs 5th wheel wherever I point it to. Sometimes what others consider overkill, is just right for your situation.
If you unleash the beast and plan to use the power, prepare to put some work into managing and controlling the fury.
Great way to put it! Unfortunately I can't rep you for it so I'll have to settle for this shout out.
Originally Posted by Sous
Sometimes what others consider overkill, is just right for your situation.
Overkill is usually just enough (some call it OCD ). I prefer the term 'adequate margin'. While I have done more than required for most of the work on my truck I consider it insurance (peace of mind) knowing that I have raised the threshold for failure. Since my truck is my daily driver I like having that extra margin of reliability.
In the Navy we have what's known as a Design Factor. A design factor of '1' means that part or system is designed to handle 100% of what it is designed to do. My goal is that anything I work on will have a Design Factor higher than '1' when I'm done.
I went through a very similar cold start issue with my 01. If it wasn't plugged in below 60* good luck getting it started. I swapped glow plugs, relay with the big white-rogers one, wiring harness, all with little change. I finally shimmed the armature plate on top of the injector back to the factory specifications and now it starts better than new. I run conventional 15-40 and it will start in negative temps without being plugged in. Just something you might want to try. I have 245K on the original injectors.
My GPR was buzzing.... loose contact on the hot side. I took some pics with an infrared thermographer I have through work... just for ****s. You can see the GPR terminal glowing at 199F (these are all surface temps).... that is too hot and indicates it was likely arcing and causing the buzz.
I shot the wires at the harness as well. This is all just with the key on, engine not running. Even with the buzz I was still getting juice to the glow-plugs which makes me think they are likely fine. Am I correct? Or would these still flow current even if they were bad?
I had a new Alliant GPR in the garage and swapped it out, tightened the terminals and will re-test it tomorrow once it cool off again. The buzz is gone.
I too was concerned with the clearance of the OUO traction bars, but after I installed them there were no more concerns. You can see at the beginning of the video I posted earlier I am panning along the side of the truck. You can see the bars under it just in front of the rear tires.
Watch the video closely a few times, you will see that the mounting points for the bars are no lower than the shock mount and higher than the differential (I think). Either way, the lowest point is on the axle, which will be raised when you go over an obstacle.
If you would like any specific pictures, let me know. Although, I feel the video has just about everything you would need to know about them.
As far as the IR photo shots on your glowplug system is concerned, yes you glow plugs are working. In one photo the wires are 50 something degrees and the other nearly 90, I would guess the cooler wires were the first photo taken and probably the same temp as the others when it was taken. The photo of the relay is hard to tell what is what but if you changed it out and now it doesn’t buzz you should be good there also.
). I prefer the term 'adequate margin'. While I have done more than required for most of the work on my truck I consider it insurance (peace of mind) knowing that I have raised the threshold for failure. Since my truck is my daily driver I like having that extra margin of reliability.
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