Powerstroke question....

[bill50cal]

it was used in 2000 - 2001 years and was a totally different design from a overrunning sprag. it sounds more like a ratchet when you turn it buy hand. ask if it has a performance chip and exhaust work as these mod's are hard on a stock trans if it was used to pull heavy.

I found a 2001 w/7.3 automatic. Seller says have had good luck with trans, but they only put 25,000 miles on it since they bought it '07. it now has 168,000. How do i determine which diode it has, I assume by manufacturing date. Anyone know where the cutoff is? Also, any idea of what i else i can look for problems? Horse people has the unit, so it's not from a hotshotter. Truck looks clean from the pics. getting close ups of a few areas tonite. New way to buy a vehicle, i am in Maine this truck is in the south.

 

[flyingcow]

Thanks for the info. No performance chips, still stock. That was one of the first questions i asked.

 

[Highbeam]

Exhaust work has nothing to do with the transmission.

 

[flyingcow]

The only small flag i would have if it's exhaust with a ECM thats been chipped.

 

[Dargo]

The only small flag i would have if it's exhaust with a ECM thats been chipped.

Many companies make programmers that are "phantom" programmers. It's not 'chips' that really make the truck go, it's custom programming through tuners. I can tune the living **** out of my truck, and have, yet take it in for a small oil leak under warranty and there is zero sign of any tune ever being on the truck. It all boils down to how much you trust the fella telling you that it has never been juiced. I've posted video's of my 8700 pound 4X4 dually diesel running in the high 12's in the 1/4 yet in about 2 minutes I can remove any fingerprint that it's ever been worked on.

Internally on mine I've added ARP headstuds, or it would have blown the heads right off the engine, but unless they take the engine apart, that wouldn't be seen anyway. Besides, even if they did see it, that would only assure them that the chances of my truck blowing the head gaskets would be almost nill.

 

[bill50cal]

when you do mod's that increase the torque output of the engine and any kind of chip (programer ) along with EXHAUST will do exactly that. on the ford's of those years the down pipe from the turbo is a pretty good restriction. removing it WILL increase torque and more torque is more strain on the tranny.

Exhaust work has nothing to do with the transmission.

 

[Highbeam]

Another case of people not knowing what they're talking about. The powerstroke history is too complicated to just guess about.

The OP asked about powerstrokes from 98 and up. Ford didn't make a 98 model so 99 is the first year of the powerstroke in question. In late 2003 they went to the 6 liter trucks so we'll have to assume that the OP wants a 99-2003 model which would qualify as "older". Well, these trucks never had a smashed downpipe like the older pre99 non super duty powerstrokes that Bill50 must be remmebering. The only exhaust restriction in the super duty's system is the muffler and even that restriction only resulted in higher EGTs when the power was increased through a chip.

I have actually replaced the exhaust with a performance system on my superduty powerstroke and I can verify that the only change was sound. Anybody who knows diesels knows that exhaust upgrades are considered supporting mods which simply allow you to safely increase the power but do not make extra power themselves.

Do be afraid of chips. You can be suspicious of a truck's chip history if supporting mods are evident such as gauges, exhaust, or a fancy air filter. These supporting mods alone are actually good to see but if you find the actual chip or even holes drilled into the dash then I would walk away.

An exhaust system alone on a 7.3 powerstroke has never hurt anybody's transmission, that's just silly and an obvious grasp at straws.

when you do mod's that increase the torque output of the engine and any kind of chip (programer ) along with EXHAUST will do exactly that. on the ford's of those years the down pipe from the turbo is a pretty good restriction. removing it WILL increase torque and more torque is more strain on the tranny.

 

[56FordGuy]

Do be afraid of chips. You can be suspicious of a truck's chip history if supporting mods are evident such as gauges, exhaust, or a fancy air filter. These supporting mods alone are actually good to see but if you find the actual chip or even holes drilled into the dash then I would walk away.

I couldn't agree more. I've been working with 7.3 liter Powerstokes since 1996. It's not that the chip in and of itself is bad. They can safely improve fuel mileage to a degree (not enough to justify the $400.00+ cost), and engine performance. However, the odds are Grandpa didn't buy a chip to haul his cattle to the sale barn. Odds are, some 18-20 year old put a chip in it, then dogged the crap out of it running around town, blowing black smoke out the exhaust at stoplights and drag racing it. While that isn't -always- the case, 95% of the time it is.

I personally would avoid any 7.3 liter truck with an aftermarket intake, aside from the Ford factory Severe Duty Intake, or a big paper filter. I've seen every other type of reusable air filter let dirt into the engine, some more than others. The Ford Severe Duty Intake (AIS) is the best intake kit you can get in terms of filtering performance, and it flows better than the standard filter as well. You can tell the difference by looking- a standard factory filter will cover the driver's side battery with part of the plastic housing, and be a flat, rectangular filter. The Severe Duty intake will have the driver's side battery exposed, and be an oval shaped filter.

 

[flyingcow]

Been a heck of a thread for me. Hopefully one of you two can respond before i leave. I plan on being in Atlanta fri am(flying out thurs pm). Looking at a couple of different trucks. My preference is a 2000 250 crew 7.3PSD. 260,000 miles( a little more miles than I would like), but it has a "Diablo" something or other for the shift points of the tranny? Any concerns?

All the pics i have shows it as a clean looking unit, w/5th set up. Offered $8,000. he's chewing on it. was asking $9700. carfax and title search thru georgia are clean and verify's what he's telling me. NADA and KBB is listing as $11,500 to $12,000.

plan on picking up a Kaufman 24ft gooseneck up on the way home(saves $500+ shipping). Will be doing some local hauling for the Amish. Might click out 15/20,000 miles a yr.

 

[56FordGuy]

...it has a "Diablo" something or other for the shift points of the tranny? Any concerns?

Big one for me. Diablo is a performance tuner. I believe it was one of the early ones for the 7.3, and they were a bit more dangerous to the engine with regard to EGTs (exhaust gas temperatures) than newer chips/ tuners. The only way to safely operate a chip or tuner is with gauges, specifically EGTs, and transmission temperature for an automatic. I'd be leaning away from it already, if there are no gauges then I would pass. The previous owner could have been abusing the truck and not even realizing it.

Is it the original transmission? A good rebuild will cost you $4-5,000.00. Considering it's been chipped, and used for towing, I would expect transmission problems in the near future, if they aren't already there.

If the truck blue books at 11,500, and a transmission is 5,000, then that means you'd have more in it than it's worth if you paid more than $6,500-7,000.00 for it, presuming there are no other issues. At that mileage, I would expect other issues. Check the front end well, tie rods, drag link, and ball joints.

Is it a 250 or 350? 4x4? Dually?