I got a 1997 7.3 powerstroke about 3 months ago it has 212000 miles and runs good and idles good cold but when I drive it around the longer I drive it the more it feels like it is losing power and also will start sputtering between 1500 and 2200 rpm, yesterday it sputtered to the point that I couldn’t go any farther it idled rough. I turned it off then back on again and it would only rev to 2100 rpm and it would shake like crazy but would idle like normal, this morning I tried starting it and it would idle and run fine, but I didn’t drive it, does anyone know what might be wrong with it

 

IPR O ring. Is the easiest test . Injectors after that .

 

Im assuming oil level is good and the oil condition is also good?

 

The oil is a little low but not much maybe a quart and it only has 2500 miles on it

 

As Action4478 posted. IMO all symptoms point out to injector O rings.

 

I would recommend getting a dongle and perform some live data tests. The information from the tests will help to ensure a proper diagnosis.

Your symtpoms appear to be injector o-ring related. Have you checked the fuel filter lately? Did it look really dark and a little slimy? If so, that is another symptom of failing orings

 

The other day I was looking in the valley of the motor and realized it was full of diesel, I didn’t know whether it was from me taking the fuel filter out and spilling everywhere or something else so I dried it out and drove it a mile or so and what do you know it’s full of diesel again and appears to be coming out of the back of the lift pump

 

Time for a new fuel pump. Get some new lines for the pump to the fuel filter housing while you are there.

 

I replaced the lift pump with a motor craft one and the truck runs better than ever thanks for all your suggestions on things that could be wrong

 

My vote is with user HST.
Full Synthetic can be a major problem for the valve train.
This may be a long post but bear with me.
In the 1970's when synthetics were coming on the scene I thought I would give them a try.
First bad experience: 1969 Mach ! Mustang 351 Winsor. I started using a synthetic for gas mileage at 40,000 miles. After a couple thousand miles I started getting lifter noise. It got worse until I had to replace all of the lifters and camshaft.
2nd bad experience: 1977 F150 Cleaveland 351. This was a new motor and I heard that bad experiences were on old motors so I gave Mobile 1 full synthetic a try. Bad choice. I replaced 2 rocker arms.
I am a Mechanical Engineer, so I did some research. General Motors had done a study on synthetics which showed that motors run with full synthetics had galling on the high pressure in valve train components.
I have seen other problems with synthetics.
I have a good friend who sells synthetics at his business. He uses them in his personal vehicles. He has a fairly new Jeep JT. The other day he asked me to listen to his engine that had lifter noise. Guess What? He had a couple of lifters replaced under warranty.
Full Synthetics don't provide enough protection. Also 0 weight oils are not good in high temperature climates.
I drive a 2020 SD with the 7.3 Gas and the only synthetic it sees are the blend that Ford recommends and the heavier Synthetics in the axles and Trans and Steering.

 

i dont see a poll

 

Oil debates are purely anecdotal until there is proof by oil analysis shown. Blackstone will give you a PPM of metal content in your oil that indicates wear. You can't have galling on metal parts with low wear numbers on a oil analysis. Use what you want but saying that synthetics don't proved adequate protection IMO is false and there are tens of thousands if not hundreds of thousands of oil analysis to back that up.

 

i think its posted in wrong area

the page always jumps when on mobile

 

Mobile. I can hardly find my saved phone numbers let alone post on forums from my phone. Times, they are a changing.

 

i have been posting on mobile since 2008