Hi all! As the title says, I just bought a 1995 E-350 cutaway style truck with a custom motorhome inside the back cabin, and I want to learn how to do right by this engine, as it's my first diesel engine, and I've only ever owned gasoline cars. (and I didn't care much to learn about them.)

My dad is much more of a gearhead than me, but I love learning and I want to learn all I can.

This post is entirely about asking for advice from experienced members about how to properly give love and care for this engine. I want to treat her right. I'll be updating this post with any new information I can find from the internet at large.

I know all about the basic oil changes that need to happen every 5,000km, and also about other simple things like making sure the air filters are clean, and that tranny oil is new and full. All that jazz.

But I know that there are deeper maintenance tasks, such as fuel and oil filters, that I am not quite aware of yet. I haven't had the desire to treat an engine this well for any of my previous vehicles, and this is my first diesel engine, too.

Anywho, I would love any and all advice from you guys, anything at all will be super appreciated. Cheers!

 

Did the truck come with a manual? Mine came with the owner's manual and a supplement for the 7.3L Powerstroke. For me, when I was in a similar situation, the manual was a great starting point.

 

No manual, but I'll see if I can find it online. Thanks for the tip!

 

For the most part the maintenance on these engines is pretty straight forward.

Oil filter every oil change, fuel filter (on top of engine in the fuel bowl) every 10k to be safe, coolant changes, air filter.

If you want to get deeper into maintenance you can clean the ebp tube, can get you better mileage if its clogged, but this only has to be done every once in a good while. You can also shim the injectors if you really wanna get into it.

 

Can I ask you what shim the injectors means?

 

Basically attaining the original armature clearance. When they age, the clearance shrinks and changes the injection event. I shimmed my old ones and noticed it helped cold weather starts more than anything

How many miles are on it currently?

 

Thanks, is shimming something I can do in a home depot parking lot in a day? I unfortunately don't have my own shop.

370,000km, which is 229,908 miles

 

Dont mess with your injectors in a HD parking lot. If its running fine leave it until they need work. My suggestion is rosewood diesel, super nice people and after they are done with your injectors you shouldnt have to mess with them for a long time. Quite a few people here have used them.

 

Basic fluids... oil, transmission fluid, brake fluid, coolant, power steering, differential, grease fittings on ball and U-joints.

Coolant needs a "supplementary coolant additive" (SCA), to prevent cavitation erosion from coolant passages through cylinder wall and into cylinder. Fleetcharge and some other brands come pre-charged.

Fuel injectors are electronically controlled, but use high-pressure engine oil (like 3 kpsi, from high pressure oil pump, HPOP) as power source to fire the injectors. So squirrelly oil can do squirrelly things to fuel injection. Luckily, most times low engine oil level or pressure will prevent injectors from firing before bearings, etc. get damaged.

Easy way to partially change brake fluid is to suck some old fluid out of master cylinder reservoir and replace with fresh fluid. Drive, let fresh and old fluid mix, repeat. No bleeding required.

Besides general age and deterioration of old seals resulting in annoying fluid drips, some vulnerabilities:
--High pressure power steering line is vulnerable to fatigue failure just outside the fitting nut on the pump. May be worthwhile to replace that if it looks old.
--Vacuum pump drives your brake booster, as well as some of the heater/AC controls. Vacuum leak or failing pump results in weak or no brake boost. Double-leg-press to stop when that happens. Pump is vulnerable to fatigue failure in the narrow "neck" between pulley shaft bearing housing and "flying saucer" diaphragm section on top.
--Fuel pickups in the tank are known to get brittle and fall off. Usual result is sucking air at about 1/4 full.
--Exhaust up-pipes (exhaust manifold to turbine inlet) are known to become leak issues. Result may be power loss and higher exhaust gas temperatures due to less air pushed into engine.

I haven't worried much about fuel or air filters. I did the "6637" air filter mod, as the stock airbox and filter seems to have a reputation of bypassing dust into the turbo.

Otherwise, remember that it's a 30-year-old vehicle. Age-related deterioration and corrosion will occur, including electrical system (grounds, starter and battery cables, etc.). But they're generally simple and mostly have reasonable room to work on. Some TLC goes a long way, but if it ain't broke, be cautious trying to "fix" or "improve" it.

My $0.02. Some free advice (including mine) may be worth less than what you pay for it.

 

Welcome.

Your 7.3 is at a point in its life when symptoms begin but often ignored because the owner doesn't feel, hear, smell or know the signs.
Before spending money chasing bad advice educate yourself a little bit every day. Not all diesel mechanics are good or even close to good. Your best protection from these want-a-be mechanics is knowledge.

I would suggest you subscribe to a You Tube channel that is not sponsored to sell you something. This You Tube channel was a great place to help me learn: https://www.youtube.com/@CUSTOMWORKS7.3PSD/videos
The channel offers a fairly comprehensive library of shows that can help you understand what engine components do, how they impact other components, what symptoms to listen for and more importantly, what not to do chasing a cure. There are others out there, but this channel is a good starting point.
Enjoy your new truck.

 

Read the stickies....save a repeat thread of the same info over and over....then ask questions. You're welcome.

 

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...sel-truck.html

good read above