2001 7.3L PSD Rebuild Options
 

I have a 2001 Excursion and just turned 410k miles (I know this is the Super Duty thread but my question is not Excursion-specific and this forum gets more traffic). It's my work truck and I pull 7-10k frequently and it's starting to dog a little.

I credit great engineering and good maintenance with the longevity. The motor still runs pretty well but it's lost some power (seat of the pants guess) and is a little harder to start. My guess is the injectors are pretty worn.

No major repairs but a buttload of alternators/batteries, two water pumps, two power steering pumps and one power steering gear. The internals are original.

I'm going to keep the truck indefinitely and wanted advice on how to evaluate my engine to determine if I should rebuild the whole thing or just put in a set of injectors. I have some mild power mods (5" exhaust, K&N, tuner, Wicked Wheel among others) and a Suncoast transmission/converter which is still going strong (can't recommend them highly enough).

It's leaking a little oil from the back of the HPOP in to the valley and uses about a quart of oil every 2000 miles (not sure how much is being burned and how much is going on the ground). I get a thin film of greasy oil on my exhaust tip, but nothing major.

How do I objectively evaluate the engine? Is there a compression test for diesel engines or another way of determining wear without a teardown?

I'd like to add a little power (maybe just bigger injectors) but maintain longevity. I don't really get on it very often but when I need the power to pull in to traffic with the Bobcat in tow, I'd like to have it available. I drove a 2013 F350 for a week and was REALLY jealous of the power. But a new truck is not in my future. The Excursion is set up exactly as I want it (lift, tires, air bags, horn--you get the idea) so a trade is not ideal either.

Any guesstimates on how much a stock rebuild will run? I can add on extras like ARP studs, upgraded injectors, etc to the basic rebuild cost and estimate a final price to budget for but have no idea what the base cost and labor should run. I don't mind paying for reliability upgrades but other than injectors don't want to go crazy with power mods.

Any experience, suggestions would be appreciated.

Finally, anyone have a suggestion of where to go for the rebuild?

Scott
Sarasota/Tampa, FL