01 f250 7.3...what did I get myself into?

[GMCYA]

We were getting rid of some of the older fleet trucks here at work and my old service truck came up for bid. Well...since it would not start(it sat up for 9 months) no one bid on it. Instead of seeing my old reliable unit go to the auction I gave $500 for her. I removed the fuel filter and know that the lift pump is working, it fills the bowl. I removed the plugged air filter and she still would not fire off. I placed my small propane torch in the air filter box and would let it sit for 30 seconds or so and she would run for 5- 10 seconds on propane. About the 6th try she fired up...barely. It runs rough...I think only half of the cylinders are hitting. I am going to take off the valve covers and check all of the wiring. Anyone know where I could borrow a good scan tool for a 7.3. My plan is to get it running and sell it for a work truck. Up to this point, it was our most dependable truck for pulling trailers (light loads less than 5K Lbs). It is an 01, XL, ex cab, LWB, 2WD, 235K miles. It served me well and I think it still has a lot of life left.

What is the life span of the injectors on this model? I can't believe they are bad with only 235K on them????

I am reading and learning a lot but it seems that without a diesel specific scan tool, I am taking shots in the dark and all these sensors are too damn expensive just to "try".

 

[Pepperidge]

I'd start by draining the tank and installing a new fuel filter and put in some fresh fuel maybe with some additives to disperse any water that may be in the system...If it used to run good before it sat up for 9 mos. then it's probably not lighting off due to bad fuel/water condensing in the tank...

 

[Acesneights1]

235k on the injs ??? I'd almost gaurantee they are bad. The cost of remans will outvalue the truck if it's in the condition it sounds like. They are insane money, figure atleast 350$ each if not more IIRC. That is why I sold my PS before it needed them...Also I don't know alot about these motors but I believe there is an issue with the high pressure oil pump that drives the injs or something. Hate to send someone somewhere else but best to head over to the dieselgarage. Lot of good Ford techs over there.
AFAIK a Snap on Solus can commuicate with a stroke.

 

[WarWagon]

Back in the day at the local construction company: After a snort of water in fuel and then $5000.00 later they will still never run quite right. I hope water is not your issue because parting it out would be the way to make $ on it.

 

[Acesneights1]

The scary part is there are guys out there running WVO in these. That is just plain nuts.

 

[GMCYA]

Pep, I took care of all that before I even tried to crank it. The fuel filter was nasty. It now has fresh fuel, oil is topped off, new filter, batteries, air filter, HPOP is full,....all of the general maintenance items. I am learning a lot and let's just say that I am glad I chose a Dmax because I was looking for an 02-03 F250 CC 4x4 7.3 when I gave up and bought my Dmax. Who designs this crap??? It took me 3 hours of reading just to decipher all of the damn acronyms for the sensors and injection system.

Aces, I would have thought that injectors would be good up to and over 300K....boy did I think wrong! After speaking to several Furd owners it seems it is a crap shoot. Some replaced as early as 70K and countless at the 150K mark. So much for the "It's a diesel...they run forever"

Warwagon, I have a couple offers for it already so getting rid of it for profit is not an issue. In between camping, holidays, and hunting season...I am just not quite sure how deep I want to get into this.

I am off next week so Monday I will degrease the engine ( the turbo piping boots are all loose) and remove the valve covers and start with the wiring and check the injector solenoids. My Bro-in-law's dad is a diesel mechanic and he said that we can replace just the solenoid if the injector is still good. He is going to stop by and give me a hand. BTW...he drives an older toyota P/U...Ha!

I will post what I find. Until then I am reading all I can.

 

[saratoga]

A guy I know through a former employer (he was a customer) had a 98 or 99 F250 that ran his own hydraulics repair business and drove that thing everywhere. It had well over 150k on it when he ended up getting a bad tank of fuel with water in it. I remember him showing us the rough, lopey idle it developed; sure enough it needed new injectors at over $3k back in the 01-02 time frame.

 

[rpresley96]

bad ecm will cut off 4 cyls,also have had problems with in tank screens.

 

[iamdave0887]

Friend of mine had issues with his 94 PSD. I know his is much older but i'm guessing if your still has the valve cover "gaskets" that have the wiring harness running through them they can be an issue. Not sure if any of that wiring is for the injectors, or if it's for the glow plugs though.

 

[GMCYA]

Well it's alive but I have another problem! It was the plug under the valve cover. I checked the connector and found no corrosion so I used two small ty-wraps under each fork and zip tied it together. I put it all back together, tightened all of the clamps on the boots, and gave it a good degreasing. The engine runs perfect but now the transmission is acting up. It is fine in reverse but in drive it doesn't want to go. If I cycle through 2,1, and OD on and off it will start to work and work perfect for a day and at any random time when you start it and put it in drive it acts like it is in N. Yesterday I hooked it to a 6K lb trailer and it pulled it fine. last night I unhooked the trailer and it would not engage in drive. I am assuming the tranny needs a rebuild but I was hoping for an issue like the LB7 NSBU switch. Time to do some more research.....

 

[Pepperidge]

glad it wasn't the injectors Vince...keep us up to date...it's interesting to find out what they (PS)see as problems vs the Dmax...

 

[red]

with it being intermittent trans issues i'd be looking at either a loose/dirty wire connection somewhere on the trans or dirty fluid.

 

[Acesneights1]

Convertors come apart on those. Metal could be in the valve body. I'd drop the pan and see if there is any schratnel. Ask me how I know this...Good thing I bought ht e extended warranty. 3k$ for a tranny. Cost me 100$...

 

[GMCYA]

The fluid was replaced at 200K so it has 35K on it and looks good, bright red. IIRC the fluid was always serviced at 50K intervals on this truck and the oil every 5-7K. I am going to drop the pan and do some digging. I tried asking questions on some of the ford forums but all I get is "it needs a rebuild response". You don't get specific answers, I guess no one works on a ford themselves. At least on here Mike L. will jump in to help out with alli issues but getting info on the ford diesel is like pulling teeth. This trans acts just like a NSBU switch on the earlier allison's. I scrubbed the truck inside and out, passed a clay bar over it and waxed it. The truck looks great, now I just need it to go LOL! I'm going hunting, I'll get back on it next weekend and post what I find. If I can't find something simple I will just have it rebuilt, I can't consciously sell a truck with a bad trans.

 

[GMCYA]

Project update....It will not go forward at all, but you can drive it backwards all day:WTF:...that's a ford for ya'...ass backwards!It is being towed to the shop this weekend. It is getting a rebuild with upgraded valves. $2K for the rebuild. I plan to hook my little camper to it once I get it back in a week or so just to compare pulling with the F250 to my Dmax. I already have an idea which I will prefer:rolleyes5:. I will give it one thing, I have been starting it and letting it run for 30-40 minutes every 5-6 days and it starts right up, even when it was cold. Someone is going to get a good truck when I am done with it. I haven't settled on a price yet but I am thinking $7K with a new set of tires on it. With all of the fema campers being hauled up and down the roads here all day I should be able to sell it fairly quick.

 

[GMCYA]

Forgot to update my post. My transmission mechanic bought the truck from me while it was still on the rack getting the trans rebuilt. He is using it to pull his race cars to the track. I never got to drive it after the rebuild but I do get to see it now and then. it seems to be holding up well. Deposited the money in to my house savings. Now if I could sell that jet boat I could start to see some grass in my yard again. It was starting to look like a Sanford and son episode.