# 99 Ford 7.3 Powerstroke too quiet (no engine noise)



## Chev2500 (Dec 29, 2009)

Just picked up a 99 F350 P-stroke 7.3. My problem is above idle it has just about no engine noise. Idle sounds about normal but above idle all you really hear is the turbo. It's slow until 1800rpm when the turbo comes on. I know for a fact the glow plugs are bad, but that wouldn't make it sound like this... it sounds more like a gas than a diesel. Anyone ever have this problem? 7.3 has always beat all for having the most engine noise, but this thing has beat all for having the least engine noise.


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## bry03 (Nov 14, 2008)

is it lacking power? is this the first 2 gen powerstroke you have ever drove? the 2 gens are quieter then the first gen trucks..


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## FordFisherman (Dec 5, 2007)

We're gonna need some audio on this one....


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## Chev2500 (Dec 29, 2009)

First diesel I have ever owned (aside from diesel farm equip). I have a friend that has a F350 7.3 and as the rpm increases the engine "knock" goes up, like a diesel should do. Mine after you get off idle (600rpm) the "knock" is just about gone. Power isn't what it should be, as my last plow truck was a 1999 Chevy 2500 6.0 and it would have smoked the socks off this thing. I'll try to get a audio clip. audio is worth 1K words


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## Chev2500 (Dec 29, 2009)

Could it be timing? Injectors? Friend of mine has a 75hp tune and mine is stock... maybe they never were loud??? IDK? His is super loud, but.....


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## mwalsh9152 (Dec 30, 2008)

check your air filter? So simple that it could be the problem

a friend of mine had one of the first F-550s I ever saw....mid 98, and in 2000 after putting 3726 air filters in the truck, he took it in to the dealer for a hard start when cold. There was a tsb on the filter housing because it drew from the wheel well, even though he changed the filters nearly every other month it still lost the engine and turbo. We never noticed much wrong other than the hard start....but once it came back we now understood the pulling power of that truck with a big trailer


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## Chev2500 (Dec 29, 2009)

Truck has new air and fuel filters. I think I'll prob just have to take a stap at the injectors. Do you know if I can just do a rebuild kit (new 0-rings) or if I need a new injector? Also, do I need to use the different style for cyl #8?


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## show-n-go (Feb 5, 2009)

Mine is quiet once Im rolling, like while driving if i step on the gas all i hear is the turbo spool up. 
My turbo spools up way before 1800rpms though.


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## Chev2500 (Dec 29, 2009)

So the "clank" you have at idle goes away once you get off idle? If I pop the hood and have the truck in neutral once it gets past idle all I hear is the turbo. Turbo comes on alot faster than 1800, as in I can hear it at idle, but it doesn't start pulling hard til 1800.


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## Dobber (Dec 8, 2009)

Do you have a stock exhaust setup? I know that turbos eat alot of noise. my 7.3, though an IDI, is pretty much the same way, and its a 3' straight pipe. if i stand next to the hood i hear engine, anywhere else all i hear is turbo. when i got her, not a single glowplug was working(found that out a week later) and the injection pump timing was WAAAAY off. i timed it properly, replaced the glowplugs and turned the pump up a half a turn, and its only louder over 2200rpm. as for the power issues bown low, i have always heard that. the 1st gen(boxy body) powerstroke that i drove at work is like that too. the turbo has alot of lag. if there isnt anything wrong with the engine mechanically, my suggestion would be go to banks performance. they have a wastegate actuator that says it should help correct that. part number 24400
~Joe


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## Chev2500 (Dec 29, 2009)

If I park it in a heated garage she fires right up, It is lacking in the power department, but isn't missing. Can you tell me how to time the pump on it? Truck is a later style 1999


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## stroker79 (Dec 2, 2006)

What are your turbo PSI #s? You should be able to hit 15-17#s of boost at wot. If you arent you have a leak somewhere. Its likely one or more of the 6 rubber boots, There are 1 in an one out of the intercooler and 4 up by the turbo. 

You either need to get a gauge and check your PSI or charge the system using an air compressor to test. But having a boost leak with definitely quiet the engine down when you are driving it. My 99 has the same issue right now as well, I have 2 ripped boots.


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## 7.3 Plower (Jan 19, 2009)

If you're checking for boost leaks make sure you check the up-pipes. Ford in their infinite wisdom used a crush type rubber donut to seal them that does not last very well. The common upgrade there is to just use the International up-pipes that use a metal gasket to seal.

http://www.riffraffdiesel.com/mm5/m...duct_Code=IH1837872C93&Category_Code=F731-OEM

The more I think about it the more it would make sense that it would be a boost leak. I know when I blow boots off mine from too much boost all you can hear is turbo and it lacks a lot of power it otherwise has.

For what it's worth up-pipes are a b*tch to do but once you've got the bellowed uppies in there you're good to go never have to touch em again.


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## Dobber (Dec 8, 2009)

Chev2500, my engine is an IDI, not a powerstroke so i dont think its the same procedure. they ARE the same engine, but its kinda like a chevy 350 small block and a chevy 350 LT1. same but different. there is a stalk with 2 nuts on mine that controls it. i would recommend you buy the HAYNES DIESEL REPAIR MANUAL. its a blue book and should be avalible at the local auto parts stores. thats how i figured out mine. there is also a helpful section in there that has some "this is the problem if this happens" stuff. it covers gm and ford diesels. as I am no mechanic that is the best that i can do for you, but that book will help you one way or the other. sorry for not being too much help.
~Joe


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## cold_and_tired (Dec 18, 2008)

What is the build date of your truck? There are early 99 and 99.5 trucks out there. Early 99's had a different turbo compressor wheel which resulted on a lot more turbo whistle than the late 99's. That may be the reason that you are hearing the turbo a lot more. That compressor wheel is now sold aftermarket. It is called a Wicked Wheel and helps reduce turbo flutter.


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## stroker79 (Dec 2, 2006)

Im pretty sure that turbo wheel was changed in 2000. My late 99 has a loud loud loud turbo whistle. Much louder than my 03


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## damian (Jan 29, 2009)

there is no timing adjustment on 7.3 power stroke,it does not have an injection pump.my guess is you have an intake leak,climb on the engine while someone puts it in low and brakestand it,listen for hissing at the intake hoses,also the glow plugs have nothing to do with running just cold starts.i would also check fuel pressure.but before all this guessing you need to plug into this thing and check codes and data.not all codes throw a check engine light.the codes and data will usually reveal the problem,low boost,low injection pressure etc good luck


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## Chev2500 (Dec 29, 2009)

I got a sound clip of it, but have no way of posting it. The big problem with it is the low end bogg. I pulled a car trailer with a '97 GP 600 miles yesterday and aside from being hard to get rolling w/o using super low she pulls like a freight train. I have to say I avoid clutch slippage at all cost, I could of gotton it rolling in 1st, but I would of been letting the clutch out at around 1200rpm. Using granny gear I was able to let it out at around 800rpm. 70mph mpg is right around 18, pulling the trailer (70mph) I was getting right around 13mpg.


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## stroker79 (Dec 2, 2006)

I'm telling you, it's either an exhaust leak or you have a broken boot somewhere. And standing on the engine whke a buddy does a brake stand is stupidly dangerous. Check your up pipes and manifolds. If it's not that then make or buy a boot leak detector.


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## damian (Jan 29, 2009)

i wouldnt suggest such a harrowing and scary stunt to a woman or an office type,but feats of such danger and cunning are pulled off every minute of every day by sane capable men.i wouldnt suggest you try anything like it . hey wouldnt you think an exhaust leak large enough to reduce boost would be painfully obvious? what would i know,i just work on these for a living.you could kill an hour fooling around with intake plugs and other such flights of fancy or you could just check it my way in 1 minute and go on with more important things,just one mans opinion.


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## stroker79 (Dec 2, 2006)

And how do I know what your lifes experiances are? And how do you know what mine aren't? I think that if you act like such a dbag with that reply that surely your just some cocky know it all. To each thier own but plenty of 7.3s are known for bad up pipe donut which do not hardly make a noise. One good sign is to look for black soot on the firewall around the area of the up pipe connection. 

And how not looking for a boost leak is un important when his problem is no boost pressure is beyond me. And how can an air intake leak? It's not under pressure lol. It is supposed to take in as much air as the engine needs. 

You obviously have some sort of social disorder because it is apparant you do not know how to have a conversation without belittleing someone. Quit being a dbag and make an appropriate reply. Or better yet, don't even bother.


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## stroker79 (Dec 2, 2006)

And just so you know, I work on cars and trucks all day long and have a very lovely wife. But thanks for trying to insult me, it's amusing at least haha


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## Chev2500 (Dec 29, 2009)

stroker79;978380 said:


> I'm telling you, it's either an exhaust leak or you have a broken boot somewhere. *And standing on the engine whke a buddy does a brake stand is stupidly dangerous.* Check your up pipes and manifolds. If it's not that then make or buy a boot leak detector.


Right on. I don't care if doing a break stand would fix the truck, I'm not into smoking clutches, flywheels, tires... anything for that matter. The truck is making good boost (I think, sure feels like it) over 1200-1400rpm... still think it's a boost leak? Could I just tap one of the pipes, put an air valve in and use a tire tester to check it?


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## stroker79 (Dec 2, 2006)

No that won't work. Search for boost leak detector on google and you'll see what I'm talking about. But if your making good boost at higher toms then it probably isn't a leak. You need a boost guage to really know though.


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## damian (Jan 29, 2009)

you dont understand english. a large exhaust leak big enough to affect boost is noisy.the intake pipes are under pressure even if the turbo is low performing. i did not know this truck was a manual trans otherwise i wouldnt have suggested loading the engine with a brake stand.you should talk about judging folks,i think people can figure out for themselves what is within their comfort zone of safety your is obviously different than others.as far as wives go,i never mentioned anything about yours or any other,but if yours was as good as you say, i doubt you would be geeking on the computer so much.ive got nothing to prove just trying to help this poor shmuck with his perceived problem.with the spare few minutes i had.


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## daninline (Nov 1, 2004)

didn''t the pre-1999.5 have the small turbos and the later ones have the larger ones.
I know my 1999 early they didn't put the insulater on the turbo tubes so it's much lounder the my brothers with the insulaters.
could a cam sensor make some odd things happen or how about a clogged CAT that would lower the power out put.

Just tinking out loud


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## Chev2500 (Dec 29, 2009)

Cat has been hacked along with muffler


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