7.3 Diesel Longevity?
Freshman User
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 35
Likes: 0
From: Royse City TX
7.3 Diesel Longevity?
light grey/white smoke when decelerating is usually a sign of cavitation on the cylinder wall... looks like your engine is starting its last leg... thankfully mine does not smoke what so ever that way..
if I get 50-100K out of this truck (paid only 1500$) I will more than happy!
>Hey "91F250DSL - Patrick Bureau" you mentioned piston
>compression at every 100k miles. I've got an F250 7.3l
>diesel with 218000 miles and it smokes after 3 hrs driving
>when I let off the accelerator. Smoke is light gray/white.
>Could this indicate rings or valves need replacing?
>
>Thanks
>DieselSteve
if I get 50-100K out of this truck (paid only 1500$) I will more than happy!
>Hey "91F250DSL - Patrick Bureau" you mentioned piston
>compression at every 100k miles. I've got an F250 7.3l
>diesel with 218000 miles and it smokes after 3 hrs driving
>when I let off the accelerator. Smoke is light gray/white.
>Could this indicate rings or valves need replacing?
>
>Thanks
>DieselSteve
New User
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
7.3 Diesel Longevity?
I don't get the smoke all the time. Will a compression test reveal cavitation? Are there other things to check so I can confirm or rule out cavitation?
I just bought the truck used, so I'm planning on flushing the coolant, putting in additive; getting the injector pump rebuilt, replace return lines, and get new injectors.
I just bought the truck used, so I'm planning on flushing the coolant, putting in additive; getting the injector pump rebuilt, replace return lines, and get new injectors.
Posting Guru
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 1,355
Likes: 4
From: Western NC
7.3 Diesel Longevity?
I've heard that if you once neglect the tranny fluid service, it's best not to change it. For example, if you go twice the recommended miles or something before thinking of doing the service, then changing it could cause more problems than just leaving it alone at that point. I'd say the best plan would be to service the thing like the book says, but if those sevice items haven't been done on a regular interval, and the fluid looks good, and the service man says not to change it, then I'd go by that. Just be prepared to "pay" for all those missed fluid changes eventually.........
Freshman User
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 31
Likes: 0
7.3 Diesel Longevity?
you're better off not changing the fluid/filter, if you do, expect a slipping transmission real soon, the reason behind this is the longer the fluid is in service the more cluctch material and whatnot is in it, the more like a friction material it becomes. when you drain this, there goes your fruction material, and tranny.
Elder User
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 541
Likes: 0
From: Victoria, Texas
7.3 Diesel Longevity?
Service the transmission. Changing the fluid will not cause a transmission to slip, even if it does have clutch material in it. Ask Mark Kovalsky, and I'll put money on it that he says you'd be better off changing it. Pretty much a myth from what I've learned that changing fluid that has been in a transmission a long time will cause it to go out.
Just what I would do
Just what I would do
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Elder User
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 541
Likes: 0
From: Victoria, Texas
7.3 Diesel Longevity?
I think that if the fluid change was the cause of the problem, the transmission would not have lasted even close to 10,000 miles. My truck was bought with 100,000 miles on it, with the only trans fluid change done at 60,000, so I immediately did it when I got it. Drives great so far.
New User
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
7.3 Diesel Longevity?
I have an 1989 7.3 in my F350 and it has just turned 400,000 miles. Only draw back is the injector pumps ... they seem to last about 105,000 miles before replacement. Same vehicle different part I have never replaced the front end it's still factory original even though I plow with it.
Freshman User
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 44
Likes: 0
From: South Eastern U.S.
7.3 Diesel Longevity?
I'm the fleet manager with a national ambulance company. For budgetary reasons, we keep our ambulances for up to eight years and many have over 300,000 miles when we get rid of them, running I might add. The 7.3L diesel is the best motor on the road for van and truck applications. Many people say " 300,000 isn't impressive", but when you consider the conditions by which these vans are driven, it is.
These vans are driven by different EMT's daily. Some have good driving habits, some have very bad. Regardless of driving habits, the fact still remains that these ambulances sit idleing for anywhere form 80 to 120 hours per week. When they run calls, it is usually full throttle, hard brake. Now, that is impressive when you compare it to normal everyday driving. We figure that an ambulance with 300,000 miles is equivelent to one driven under normal conditions at 500,000.
In my 7 years as the fleet manager, I have only replced " 1" motor. It only had 255k, but was run without oil.
These vans are driven by different EMT's daily. Some have good driving habits, some have very bad. Regardless of driving habits, the fact still remains that these ambulances sit idleing for anywhere form 80 to 120 hours per week. When they run calls, it is usually full throttle, hard brake. Now, that is impressive when you compare it to normal everyday driving. We figure that an ambulance with 300,000 miles is equivelent to one driven under normal conditions at 500,000.
In my 7 years as the fleet manager, I have only replced " 1" motor. It only had 255k, but was run without oil.
New User
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
From: Wetumpka, Al
7.3 Diesel Longevity?
Glad to hear about the long life of the 7.3l, as I jsut bougt my F350, Supercab, Dually. It has the Banks Turbo and Banks Engin brake installed, that baby really has some torque. Really nice to know it's going to be around for a long time