• DCRC 2024

7.3 Powerstroke question

Chase39

Chase39

Active Member
Location
West Valley City, UT
Ok, I picked up a 97 f-350 Powerstroke 7.3 for a hell of a good deal cause its got some problems. 150,000 miles and clean

Bad blow-by and the coolant in the oil. Thinking he didn't run the additive for the coolant and the block is shot. What are some other possibilites?? I haven't played with diesels...Yet. So its time to start asking questions
 
SLC97SR5

SLC97SR5

IDIesel
Location
Davis County
Cavitation is a possibility with the older 7.3's or any diesel for that matter, however in '94 (perhaps a bit earlier) Ford was equipping their diesels from the factory with the proper charge of SCA's in the coolant.

Older Ford's that were not equipped with SCA's were sent a letter instructing owners to add it to the coolant. I would say the chances of having block worm is rare, especially given the low mileage.

Other possibilities would be the oil cooler. It is the long tube mounted to the drivers side of the block. Generally when the O-rings leak there is oil in the coolant since the pressure is higher on the oil side of things.

The injector cups may be leaking.

Any history on the Truck? Was is run hard? Maintained well?

The 7.3's I've messed with have all had a bit of vapor exiting the oil fill but never enough to blow the cap off when it was just sitting on top of the spout, not threaded in. That has been my gauge for acceptable blow by.
 
Chase39

Chase39

Active Member
Location
West Valley City, UT
The truck is immaculate. I've heard rumors of it being Ken Garff's personal truck but you know people and their talking. Well taken care of. Very babied. The blow-by is very strong. The truck is not in my possession as of yet. picking it up monday so i cant tell you if it will knock the cap off but i'm sure it will. The owner had no clue of the additive.
 
SLC97SR5

SLC97SR5

IDIesel
Location
Davis County
Any evidence of heavy hauling/towing?

The rings could be sticking if it was really babied around town and never got hammered on. Auto-RX is supposed to be good at gently breaking everything up.

Any maintenance records or recent oil changes? If not I would freshen up the oil and see if the coolant is still present.
 
Chase39

Chase39

Active Member
Location
West Valley City, UT
I'll know more when I meet the guy monday haha. I haven't met him or really talked to him much. A friend told me about the truck, I looked at it and bought it. It was too clean for the low price so i jumped. Even with a reman engine I wont be even close to paying high blue book. He doesn't own a trailer and the truck rarely moved from what my friend said so I wouldn't think so. He waxed the truck two times a week since taking ownership haha. I know he did drive it a few times lately and it was at least drove/started once a week.
 
Chase39

Chase39

Active Member
Location
West Valley City, UT
I think so! Just a little bit of work and she is sitting pretty!

Haha I love guessing acronyms. Yes it's CCLB ill get a couple pics uploaded but they don't do it justice.. The OBS is sweet. Especially taken care if.
 
mbryson

mbryson

.......a few dollars more
Supporting Member
Location
Bountiful, land of rocks
If I had that truck and had a dead motor, I'd seriously look at slipping a lower mileage common rail Cummins in there with a stickshift. You'd have the best of both worlds. A SOLID truck and a sweet powertrain. Nothing wrong with a 7.3L but the stock common rail is a nice motor. I really don't know if that's even remotely financially feasible? Just fun to think about having a NICE engine in a solid truck
 
Chase39

Chase39

Active Member
Location
West Valley City, UT
mbryson said:
If I had that truck and had a dead motor, I'd seriously look at slipping a lower mileage common rail Cummins in there with a stickshift. You'd have the best of both worlds. A SOLID truck and a sweet powertrain. Nothing wrong with a 7.3L but the stock common rail is a nice motor. I really don't know if that's even remotely financially feasible? Just fun to think about having a NICE engine in a solid truck
Click to expand...

Haha i've thought about it. Right now ill just dink with the 7.3. I dont want to start hacking up the thing just yet! ive got about 3,000 to play with. If the block becomes unusable then yeah its definitely an option.
 
Chase39

Chase39

Active Member
Location
West Valley City, UT
So when i had the guy start it, we pulled the oil cap off there was coolant on the cap. He started it and you could hear it and see it coming out the oil fill pretty aggressively. I didn't put the cap on to see if it would blow it off but at the rate it was flowing, I know it would have shot it about a foot in the air at least haha.
 
Chase39

Chase39

Active Member
Location
West Valley City, UT
Haha nice! I looked at it more today. It sounds like it's got a dead cylinder. Coolant in the oil. Blowing white smoke. Gas engine I would say headgasket. But these I heard it's rare.
 
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