# 2000 7.3 part - see pic



## MatthewG (Jun 16, 2009)

Getting my 2000 7.3 F350 ready for plowing season

I put in 2 new Interstate batteries and then wired in my strobe light.

When I went to start it, this gizmo as pictured started making a loud ticking/clicking sound and did so until I believe the truck warmed up.

This was on a cold start.

What is this thing, it seems I need to replace it.

Also truck cranks extremely hard even with new batteries, I thought the batteries were bad, but now im told it can be a starter going bad??????


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## alldayrj (Feb 28, 2010)

vacuum pump. common failure. just swap it out or your heat will default to the defrost position and leave you with cold toes


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## MatthewG (Jun 16, 2009)

alldayrj;1509547 said:


> vacuum pump. common failure. just swap it out or your heat will default to the defrost position and leave you with cold toes


Dam, thanks man, I would never been able to guess that

I also noticed recently when I turn on the heat certain settings make the ac compressor kick on

This dumb truck


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## alldayrj (Feb 28, 2010)

yea bought mine and that pump was bad. panicked, about to rip the dash apart but found this answer on a powerstroke forum


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## clark lawn (Oct 7, 2005)

If you are running the heat on defrost then your a/c compressor will run.


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## MatthewG (Jun 16, 2009)

clark lawn;1509567 said:


> If you are running the heat on defrost then your a/c compressor will run.


I believe it was the floor/face setting not defrost


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## Raymond S. (Jan 8, 2008)

Also both 7.3s I've owned had bad starters when I bought them. Good batteries and still very hard to crank. New starter will make it spin right over and seem like a new truck. Especially on cold days.


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## 2COR517 (Oct 23, 2008)

Measure the voltage at the starter while cranking. You're looking for at least 11 volts


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## abbe (Sep 8, 2009)

If that doesn't help your glow plug relay could be on its way out also


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## Plowtoy (Dec 15, 2001)

MatthewG;1509569 said:


> I believe it was the floor/face setting not defrost


AC compressor will run with defrost, mix (floor and defrost), norm AC and max AC. Most Fords only have 2 settings that the compressor wont run, Vent and Floor (on either side of off, on older fords). You could try unplugging the compressor clutch if you dont want it to run all the time in the winter, but you may have troubles keeping your windows defrosted with it unplugged


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## brad96z28 (Aug 21, 2005)

So you changed the batteries without even testing them??


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## dfd9 (Aug 18, 2010)

brad96z28;1510628 said:


> So you changed the batteries without even testing them??


What's cheaper: an old set of batteries that might go at any time and not start at the beginning of a storm or take a crap in the middle of the storm or the peace of mind of brand new batteries?

Do you do your brakes when they start grinding, metal on metal? How about tires?

It's called preventative maintenance. I have 2 7.3's that have weak GPR's and was thinking about replacing all 4 of them, then did some checking. I am going to order 4 Trombettas (thanks B&B) and install them, even though 2 aren't bad, yet. One of my 7.3s has batteries that are fine, but several years old. These will also be changed before winter sets in.

For a few hundred bucks, it makes far more sense to know that these issues will not occur during the first or second storm when time is of the essence. A truck that doesn't start is far more expensive than that few hundred bucks. Or a starter.


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## MatthewG (Jun 16, 2009)

Of course I tested the batteries, one was weak the other fine.
I get brand new factory blemished commercial interstate batteries for $39 a piece cash, I replaced them in all my trucks and Skidsteer, my father was convinced the starter was bad but I wasn't


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## PhilFromErie (Jun 29, 2009)

I get the same kind of deal on batteries at a place up here $50 for new factory blemish. There was even a factory service bulletin about the positive wire stud on the starters on them trucks. How did you test the starter? Just pulling it out and putting it on the stand wont really tell you, them starters just weak not just stop all at once like most do.


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## 2COR517 (Oct 23, 2008)

Did you measure the voltage at the starter? While cranking...


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## BPS#1 (Oct 16, 2011)

MatthewG;1509569 said:


> I believe it was the floor/face setting not defrost


All of my "newer" fords have done this.

I'm on my third 2000 and have an 02.


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## MatthewG (Jun 16, 2009)

Took the starter out, it's junk, rusted corroded etc, I'm getting a high torque starter, just need to find one local stores don't have them and I'm not buying a cheap made in china product


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## Shop's Lawn (Nov 9, 2008)

Just replaced the starter today in our 7.3! All three of our other 7.3 trucks were done last year. We get ours from o'reilly auto parts- new with lifetime warranty. Our gas ford has gone through two starters over 5 years but the lifetime warrenty is nice!


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## Shop's Lawn (Nov 9, 2008)

All of ours still worked but start to spin the motor really slow, Like said- its like a new truck how fast it will turn over with a new starter after many years of use. We now added cleaning the starter terminals each year before winter!


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## Spool it up (Oct 30, 2012)

MatthewG;1510719 said:


> Of course I tested the batteries, one was weak the other fine.
> I get brand new factory blemished commercial interstate batteries for $39 a piece cash, I replaced them in all my trucks and Skidsteer, my father was convinced the starter was bad but I wasn't


*
Matt , forgot to mention that I have (2) Diehard 65 cca batteries on hold at sears . I was in a jamb last storm when she wouldnt hold 14 . So I had to replace alternator a 2 batts from my mechanics shop .

I have a pro rated sears receipt for $114.00 take out price for the 2 . Call me if interested. you know them diesels need full 12 V and fresh oil . *


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