I have a 1999 Ford F250 7.3L. I have got a plan for upgrades laid out for it, but need to know if it is an early build. What is best/easiest way to figure out its build date?
thanks

 

1.) do you have 1 or 2 relays on top of the passengers valve cover? 1 is early 2 is late
2.) what is your build date?

 

rat49f6, i dont think he knows where the build date is on the truck.


look at the drivers side door jam, it will have a ford motor tag with all that good info on it including the build date.

 

very good call

 

If the Oasis thread is still up, you could post your VIN there and get your build date from that.

When I was shopping, what I used to check was the word "Garrett" on the turbo (curved with the E99 turbo, straight with the 99.5+) and the U-bolts on the front axle (square-ish with the E99, more rounded with the 99.5+).

Not scientific, but seemed to get the job done. Interestingly, mine is partial - I have the 99.5 engine but I'm pretty certain I have the E99 front axle assy.

 

Look at the spider in front of the turbo, if the orange boots going to the intake manifold are less than 3", you have an e'99. I think also coming out of the turbo to the IC pipe it reduces and expands. A late '99, everything on the spider will be the same diameter.

 

I believe build dates after 3/15/99 is considered a late 99.

 

I believe build date after 12/98 is late '99??

 

The confusion lies in the fact that they changed engine configuration in jan and they changed the front suspension configuration in mid march.

Just took pics of e99 spyder ill post when get home

 

here is a e99 spider

99.5 is taller and has a fitting in it on the passengers side


here is the e99 glow plug relay

the 99.5 will have 2 of the same relays

 

Nice pics Jim.

The E99 spider does not have a port for the AIH (Air Intake Heater) element, and there will be no AIH relay in front of the GPR.

 

oh and u should have a valve on the spider with a red and a green line attached
i do not have it because my truck has a non wastegated van turbo

 

I did not know that ....So I guess Calli is more correct considering we are talking about engines.
My truck was born 4 months pre-mature, (8/98) It could have had a bigger turbo.

 

Thanks for all the great replies & pics. Truck is built 7/98. So is there anything I should know about the early '99 that differs from the standard 7.3L?
thanks

 

Early 99 has a wicked wheel in it from the factory.

The early99 has 120cc(AB code) injectors and the late99-03 has 140cc(AD code) injectors.

The early99 has 2" intake runners. The late99-03 has 3" intake runners.

The early99 has a 15* swash plate HPOP. The late99-03 has a 17* swash plate HPOP.

The early99 has one glow plug relay. The late99-03 has one glow plug relay and one air intake heater relay side by side. Both relays are on the passenger side valve cover toward the front of the truck.

The early99 has a totally different air filter that is not inter changeable with the late99-03. But you can put the late99 air cleaner assembly in the early99 truck. The only three aftermarket air filters that work on the early99 are the AFE stage 2, the AIS and the KWIKK 6637.

The early99 track rod has smaller mounting bolts than the late99-03.

The early99 has shallower rotors than the late99-03.

The early99 has shorter hub-bearings than the late99-03.

The early99 front axle U bolts are square where they go over the spring pack. The late99 U bolts are round.

The early99 has a different pitman arm than the late99-03.

The early99 does not have the AIH like the late99-03.

The early99 does not have the automatic transmission fluid cooler in the radiator.

The early99 has no indicator light showing that "cruise" is on. Late99-03 has a cruise light that will come on when you set the cruise control. The early99 truck has the light in the dash already. A newer PCM(Yes it will plug in and will run better too) must be used to make the cruise light illuminate. It is a green light on the right side edge, half way up.

reps to ron's power stroke for the list