# Does anyone know about 7.3 powerstrokes?



## UniqueTouch (Dec 25, 2013)

Looking for some help with my 1999 f250 7.3 auto. Hope I am allowed to post this here. Not sure if this forum is just for plowing issues. I have a performance issue. Been hard to figure it out. Hoping to find a guru on here who can help me.


----------



## dieselss (Jan 3, 2008)

And what is it doing?


----------



## UniqueTouch (Dec 25, 2013)

I have rulled out any issues with the fuel tank and screens inside.

Anyway I spoke with Diesel Technology Chattanooga he was great and wrote this to me :
THe P1668 & 1670 are more likely to be IDM related than PCM related. You
can ignore the P0470 unless the EBP valve is stuck shut or something,
but you'd hear a loud hissing all the time if that was the case.
The B1871 is a a Body code, not a Powertrain code, and I don't know
about the Ckt 818. P1396 points to your truck being a California model.
Is that correct?
The engine going quiet points to a loss of ICP (Injection Pressure).
That's very unlikely to be a PCM problem. A sticky IPR or damaged wiring
are much more likely.

The Hydra problem is almost certainly from improperly cleaning the contacts.

Based on these codes, the PCM is NOT causing a loss of power, but your
IDM, injectors and injector wiring are suspect.
If you want to get things tested, do the IDM, PCM and Hydra, because PCM
testing includes cleaning and resoldering the chip terminals and making
sure the Hydra works.

I spent some time today now that it warmed up to the low 30's. I checked every fuse with light. My one question to all of you is fuses 1-11 have no power to them when i put the tester light on them. Is that because they are only used for gas trucks? Every other fuse under the hood lit up no problem. Under the dash fuse #16 and #20 would not light up while all the other ones did. I also tried to replace the ebps but didnt have a 1 inch deep socket and it started getting dark quick on me after waiting a lot of time under the truck trying to replace the cam shaft positioning sensor. I bought these last year and never installed them and figured let me swap them out and see what happens. I unplugged the ipv but didn't have any oil inside the plug so i just plugged it back in. I also took the tube of the cold air intake to check the wheel on the turbo which spun freely and had no play in it. I also was looking for the injection control module and failed to locate it. I have no idea where it is. I heard maybe under the driver front wheel well but no success.


----------



## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

And what have you done to attempt to fix it?


----------



## UniqueTouch (Dec 25, 2013)

Thought it was clogged fuel screens in sending unit so dropped tank and installed pre pump external filter.


----------



## dieselss (Jan 3, 2008)

Did I miss something....whats the problem?


----------



## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

So what is it doing? Specifically other than performance and/or going quiet?


----------



## UniqueTouch (Dec 25, 2013)

Also was wondering what is the easier way to access the cam shaft positioning sensor? Can I take off the front passenger wheel liner to get better access. I have a plow mount on the truck which made it a nightmare getting under there yesterday so I stopped bc it was getting dark and nervous I’d get the old one out but struggle on putting in the new one and trying to get bolt threaded in there


----------



## UniqueTouch (Dec 25, 2013)

If I am pulling or not pulling my landscaping trailer up a hill it doesn’t want to move. On the highway it drives better but seems sounds like the motor is not running at certain times while driving. I had the trans and torque converter replaced and rebuilt in March.


----------



## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

Not sure you have to remove anything but the CPS.


----------



## UniqueTouch (Dec 25, 2013)

Gotcha. I was able to ulplug it yesterday but ran out of time and needed the truck so i plugged it back it. IT was just a Pain in the ace to reach it. plus my belly almost got stuck 3 times. I would get under there and realize i needed a different size extention. then a flash light and so on lol.


----------



## UniqueTouch (Dec 25, 2013)

Gotcha. I was able to ulplug it yesterday but ran out of time and needed the truck so i plugged it back it. IT was just a Pain in the ace to reach it. plus my belly almost got stuck 3 times. I would get under there and realize i needed a different size extention. then a flash light and so on lol.


----------



## Kinport (Jan 9, 2020)

Not an expert, but have spent a lot of time wrenching on my 7.3’s.

-CPS will be hard to get to with a plow in the way. you’ll need to come if from behind, which means having to probably squeeze under or by the front diff and then snaking your hand in and around your plow. Consider dropping the plow or lifting the front end (with proper safety precautions, of course) to improve access. Pretty easy to swap without the plow on. Does your tach needle bounce slightly when you crank the engine? If so, your CPS is fine and does not need replaced.

the 7.3 has a litany of electronic valves and sensors, all of which cause similar issues (poor performance and hard/no start) when they go bad, so it can be difficult to verify exactly which one is bad. My advice is invest in a decent scanner(we use a SnapOn Solus)


----------



## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

Have you replaced the wiring harnesses going into the valve covers? The connectors get brittle and cause all kinds of cool problems.


----------



## Kinport (Jan 9, 2020)

-Meant to include this in my earlier post but i got busy and it timed out and I couldn’t add it-


Auto Enginuity makes one specifically for the 7.3 that is good) or pay a repair shop to scan the truck while it is running. Aside from showing codes(which it looks like you got), it will show you data like ICP and IPR Duty cycles, MAP, Baro, and EBP numbers,fuel pulse widths, and more. Any discrepancy from the factory numbers will point to the valve/sensor that has gone bad. Much better than guessing and throwing parts at it. You can also run cylinder contribution tests (CCT) and injector buzz tests to look for issues with individual cylinders.

if you get your hands on a scanner let us know what the numbers are and we can check them against what they should be.

After reading your issues my first suspicion, and perhaps easiest to check, is if your lift pump is working. Easiest way to check is to pull the lid off of your fuel filter, pull the filter out, and turn the key to the on position(no cranking, just ACC position). The fuel bowl should fill quickly. If it’s has poor flow, no flow, or bubbles, your lift pump is failed or failing. I’d start there and then get your truck scanned for real time data


----------



## UniqueTouch (Dec 25, 2013)

Thanks guys. While I have you. Any idea where my idm could be not behind driver fender well


----------



## Kinport (Jan 9, 2020)

red circle is IDM. Never heard of one being in a different spot


----------



## UniqueTouch (Dec 25, 2013)

How the hell do you get in there?


----------



## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

Kinport said:


> red circle is IDM. Never heard of one being in a different spot
> View attachment 230531


Furd engineers are the bestest and smartestest!


----------



## UniqueTouch (Dec 25, 2013)

Lol unbelievable


----------



## Kinport (Jan 9, 2020)

Pull the fender skirt(the black flexible liner above the wheel). Not hard. There should be a few screws that hold it onto the inner lip of the fender, then a few screws or push pins on the engine bay side and then fold it a little and it should come out. If you have fender flares or a chrome fender trim piece it will probably need to come out. Haven’t pulled one in a few years but that should do it. IDM is connected to truck with (I believe) some 10mm bolts. A little fuzzy since It’s been a few years


----------



## Kinport (Jan 9, 2020)

Mark Oomkes said:


> Furd engineers are the bestest and smartestest!


Story I heard is a mechanic ran off with a FoMoco engineer's wife. The wrench's have been paying for it ever since…


----------



## Kinport (Jan 9, 2020)

Before you pull the IDM, did you verify the lift pump is working?

the fact that it dies on hills screams lift pump. Gravity pulls all the fuel back towards the tank. The Hpop can generally pull enough fuel without the lift pump to get the truck to run, but not enough to suck fuel uphill clear from the tank. That’s the lift pumps job.


----------



## UniqueTouch (Dec 25, 2013)

Going to try the fuel bowl tomorrow. Ran out of time again as usual


----------



## UniqueTouch (Dec 25, 2013)

Kinport- when you say lift pump do you mean the one on the frame under driver or sending unit


----------



## Randall Ave (Oct 29, 2014)

You need a good bi directional scanner and run the tests on it, also you need to check fuel pressure under load. But my bet is a bad under valve cover connection, or a bad IDM.


----------



## UniqueTouch (Dec 25, 2013)

Hey Kin- sorry just read some posts from you that i didnt see earlier. When i crank the truck none of the needles shudder. Also with autoenginuity i have to have a lap top for that correct?


----------



## Kinport (Jan 9, 2020)

UniqueTouch said:


> Kinport- when you say lift pump do you mean the one on the frame under driver or sending unit


I mean the lift pump under the driver. The red WARNING sticker in this picture is the lift pump. It sits pretty much right under your feet on the inside of the frame rail when your driving 







It's job is to suck fuel out of the tank and send it up to the fuel bowl. The fuel bowl is the black plastic lid in the middle of this pic







That lid unscrews, some, like mine, use a 15/16 or 1 inch socket, some have a square indent where you can insert a 1/2 inch ratchet extension, either way it comes off. You'll probably get a little diesel spill when you pull the lid. The filter will lift right out as well. Turn your key clockwise to ACC position. You should be able to hear the lift pump run and it should only take a few seconds to fill that bowl up and start spilling over the sides. If it won't fill, or slow fill, or is spitting air, you need a lift pump. Takes less than 5 minutes to check. Try that before pulling IDM. In my experience, lift pump failure is more common than IDM failure.


----------



## UniqueTouch (Dec 25, 2013)

Thank you brother appreciate it. Your not in New Jersey by chance? lol need a mechanic like you so i can just write a check


----------



## Kinport (Jan 9, 2020)

UniqueTouch said:


> Hey Kin- sorry just read some posts from you that i didnt see earlier. When i crank the truck none of the needles shudder. Also with autoenginuity i have to have a lap top for that correct?


Does the truck start? If it doesn't, and your tach needle doesn't bounce slightly while your cranking it, your CPS is bad.

if the truck starts your CPS is most likely ok. You may lose mpgs and have a stutter on acceleration if it was going out but total failure leads to a no-start and no signal being sent to the tach in the dash.

and yes, AE is software you install on your Laptop. To be honest I'm not familiar with it because the Snap On scanner we use tells us all the same stuff but it's pretty much the go-to diagnostic equipment for 7.3/6.0 guys.


----------



## Kinport (Jan 9, 2020)

I'm not….but I know someone who isssss….

@Randall Ave 
@Randall Ave 
@Randall Ave


----------



## UniqueTouch (Dec 25, 2013)

the truck runs pretty good. its just pulling my landscaping trailer going up hill no good even without trailer sometimes slug. when the truck is running in the driveway it sounds like its cutting in and out occassionally the long it runs. I dont remember if the needles moved when starting will do that tomorrow im not where the truck is at the moment or i would do it now. my fuel milage is like 6 miles a gallon without towing anything. its insane As far as the snap on scanner, what kind of money does that run? I also have a 2016 ram 2500 with 6.7 that i would love to have a good scanner for as well.


----------



## Randall Ave (Oct 29, 2014)

Kinport said:


> I'm not….but I know someone who isssss….
> 
> @Randall Ave
> @Randall Ave
> @Randall Ave


He retired. Put belts, idlers, and tensioner on a 6.4 today, no fords for a while.


----------



## Kinport (Jan 9, 2020)

UniqueTouch said:


> As far as the snap on scanner, what kind of money does that run?


We'll it's SnapOn so I'm sure brand new they're quite reasonable

we actually got it used on marketplace. $500 or $300 or $900 or something like that, I forget. It's outdated and the guy wanted the new one. My trucks are outdated so it was fine for us. Good purchase as once you learn how to read the data it's easy to see where somethings not right. I think to get a decent one that tells you what you need to know you'll need to spend a little cash but again, it's been money well spent. Last time I looked the AE software was like $300 but that was a few years ago. It's probably more now

you mentioned hydra so it sounds like it's been chipped, so there are a lot of things it could be, but you should rule out the easy stuff first. Occam's razor.


----------



## Randall Ave (Oct 29, 2014)

Kinport said:


> We'll it's SnapOn so I'm sure brand new they're quite reasonable
> 
> we actually got it used on marketplace. $500 or $300 or $900 or something like that, I forget. It's outdated and the guy wanted the new one. My trucks are outdated so it was fine for us. Good purchase as once you learn how to read the data it's easy to see where somethings not right. I think to get a decent one that tells you what you need to know you'll need to spend a little cash but again, it's been money well spent. Last time I looked the AE software was like $300 but that was a few years ago. It's probably more now
> 
> you mentioned hydra so it sounds like it's been chipped, so there are a lot of things it could be, but you should rule out the easy stuff first. Occam's razor.


You got a deal, had to update the snapon scanner, $4500.00, the H.D. scanner, a whole other story. He needs to clear codes, run it, see what returns, then run tests and live data, see whats kooken.


----------



## UniqueTouch (Dec 25, 2013)

Randall- do you have a shop or a mobile business? or just know you sh*t? if so what county are you in?


----------



## UniqueTouch (Dec 25, 2013)

I ordered AE and it should be here wednesday. Can't wait for it to come and get it hooked up.


----------



## UniqueTouch (Dec 25, 2013)

okay so the weather has been crazy here last few days so hadnt had a chance to pull fuel filter cover off and check how quick it fills up. I ordered AE and it will be here today. Should I delete all the codes first and then hook it up and run the tests? Not sure where to start.


----------



## Randall Ave (Oct 29, 2014)

First you write down all the codes you have to log them. Then you can clear them, run it and see what returns.


----------



## UniqueTouch (Dec 25, 2013)

Thank you brother.


----------



## UniqueTouch (Dec 25, 2013)

Ill post the numbers once I do it. I appreciate your guys help


----------



## Kinport (Jan 9, 2020)

Check the following:

-verify the lift pump works by pulling the lid and watching the bowl

if that works, you then need to:

-Replace fuel filter. Your gonna pull it anyways when you test the lift pump. Have a new one on hand and throw it in.

-Replace air filter.

Both air filter and fuel filter will cause performance issues when dirty that won’t throw a code. You should verify they are clean and in good shape. They are relatively cheap so this is a good time to replace them.

-Check/change the oil. Besides lubricating the internals, 7.3’s use oil to run the injectors. If your oil level is low or the oil is in poor shape due to water or diesel fuel intrusion, engine performance will suffer, sometimes greatly. Make sure your oil level is good and check oil to make sure it’s in good shape. Change it if necessary.

check all these things before worrying too much about codes. The scanner won’t tell you if any of these things are bad, but they could certainly be causing your issues. Once these basics are done, hook up your AE and start watching the numbers


----------



## Randall Ave (Oct 29, 2014)

Kinport said:


> Check the following:
> 
> -verify the lift pump works by pulling the lid and watching the bowl
> 
> ...


I do not know why they never put a fuel pressure sensor in these, it would have saved a lot of Diagnostic time.


----------



## UniqueTouch (Dec 25, 2013)

Okay sorry forgot delay guys. Couldn’t get AE to communicate with my truck. Finally got FORScan working. I installed a new fuel pump last week. Attached are the files I saved from tests I did. I wasn’t able to find how to see the injector pressures on the graph and ipr numbers like everyone seems to have when running it on their trucks from videos I’ve seen. Let me know what you guys think.


----------



## UniqueTouch (Dec 25, 2013)

Here the other two things I have.


----------



## Kinport (Jan 9, 2020)

Any notable changes in how the truck runs since installing the new lift pump?


----------



## UniqueTouch (Dec 25, 2013)

its pretty much the same. I feel like i screwed my pcm up when trying to install that hydra chip a year ago. When i did the injector test number to was the lightest of them all but didnt should too bad. def drives better once it gets warm though. been smelling fuel after it sits for a day or two and a decent amount of smoke in the begginning once started after not being used in a couple days but clears up quick


----------



## Kinport (Jan 9, 2020)

UniqueTouch said:


> and a decent amount of smoke


what color is the smoke? Grey, blue white?


----------



## UniqueTouch (Dec 25, 2013)

white


----------



## Kinport (Jan 9, 2020)

I have just a few thoughts-

On the P0284 code:
the injectors are driven by oil as it pumps through the high pressure oil pump. As the internal parts of the injector wear out, they struggle processing thick, cold oil. As the oil warms up and thins out it becomes easier for the wore-out injectors to use and the truck will run better and smoke less. 
Based on what you said, I think your injector is the source of your P0284 code. It's also very likely that it is the cause of your poor performance. Other symptoms of bad injectors are:

Haze from the tail pipe at idle. Go kneel by the tail pipe at idle. Do your eyes and throat burn? That's haze…
An extra knocking or ticking in the engine 
Hard starting when hot 
Low ICP pressure(visible with a scanner).
Smoke at startup.
White/grey Smoke when running.

injectors are a wear-item, and do not have a infinite life span. seems like the usually last anywhere from 100k-200k miles so if you think they may have that much mileage on them you may want to start there.

glow plug monitor fault:
Many possible causes for this fault, with the most common being the glow plug relay going bad. 
I think @Mark Oomkes mentioned the small wiring harness under the valve cover. They run the glow plugs and injectors. If these go bad, your injectors lose signal and stop running. So even though I said earlier it sounds like your injectors are bad, it could just be the wires that run them. These harnesses are relatively inexpensive and easy to replace.

Personally, I think your injectors are wore out. Since the lift pump didn't fix your issues and based on the other symptoms you've mentioned, that what it sounds like to me.

any luck getting a scan on the systems while the truck is runnning?


----------



## UniqueTouch (Dec 25, 2013)

I appreciate the insight. im going to start buying injectors. which do you suggest? Id love to get some more power without having to change anything else. buy new harness, glow plugs and anything else? Also wondering what kind of labor cost entails with changing all that out. Have you guys ever used forscan? not sure how to do the live data or which test it is on there


----------



## UniqueTouch (Dec 25, 2013)

Ok did some more tests. Does this mean I have a bad ipr ?


----------



## Kinport (Jan 9, 2020)

UniqueTouch said:


> Ok did some more tests. Does this mean I have a bad ipr ?


was this at idle? Can you take that same reading at wide open throttle?


----------



## UniqueTouch (Dec 25, 2013)

I think it went up on high idle


----------



## UniqueTouch (Dec 25, 2013)

Here’s with my foot on throttle


----------



## Mountain Bob (Nov 12, 2017)

As Kinport said-
-Check/change the oil. Besides lubricating the internals, 7.3’s use oil to run the injectors. If your oil level is low or the oil is in poor shape due to water or diesel fuel intrusion, engine performance will suffer, sometimes greatly. Make sure your oil level is good and check oil to make sure it’s in good shape. Change it if necessary.


----------



## UniqueTouch (Dec 25, 2013)

just changed oil two weeks ago. Oil level is correct and I also checked oil level in the hpop and it was about an inch from the top


----------



## Kinport (Jan 9, 2020)

UniqueTouch said:


> Does this mean I have a bad ipr ?


Not likely, as a failing IPR would generally cause lower than usual ICP readings, yours are on the high side. I've never heard of a bad IPR valve causing high ICP values

had an IPR go bad at 3 in the morning in a blizzard 20 miles from home. Truck died and wouldn't start. Called and had our little towns only cab service come and get me. Went back out the next day to get the truck and amazingly it started right up and sounded awesome. Ran it back into town but died again and wouldn't start about 10 minutes from my house. Turns out the IPR went bad and was killing the engine when it got warm. Common symptom of them going bad, as well as uneven idle on deceleration. Since you haven't mentioned either of those symptoms and your ICP reads higher than usual, I would guess it's not the IPR valve.


----------



## Kinport (Jan 9, 2020)

Sorry I missed this earlier:



UniqueTouch said:


> When i did the injector test number to was the lightest of them all but didnt should too bad





Kinport said:


> So even though I said earlier it sounds like your injectors are bad, it could just be the wires that run them


if you ran a buzz test and could hear all 8 injectors, then they are all plugged in and communicating with the truck(wire harness is functioning). So you can rule out what I said about the wire harness being bad. If the "buzz" sounds weak, that is a sign of excessive wear in the injector


----------



## UniqueTouch (Dec 25, 2013)

I have no idea. sucks. I wonder if it could be the shift solenoid in trans. Had trans rebuilt in March of 2021 but I doubt they touched that. I just don't know what else it could be.


----------



## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

Have the injector wire harnesses ever been replaced? Those cause all sorts of weird issues. You need the harnesses and valve cover gaskets and a couple or so hours. The connectors get brittle with heat and age. 

Hate to suggest just throwing parts at it but if they've never been replaced they're long past due.


----------



## UniqueTouch (Dec 25, 2013)

I mean im up for upgrading the the injectors anyway. Would nice to be able to get as much power out of it that i can. What size injectors can i do without having to change out turbo or other parts? I would just buy the injectors, harness, and glow plugs. Just wondering what labor should cost to do it and where I can find a diesel mechanic here in NJ to do it for me.


----------



## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

Kinport said:


> Sorry I missed this earlier:
> 
> if you ran a buzz test and could hear all 8 injectors, then they are all plugged in and communicating with the truck(wire harness is functioning). So you can rule out what I said about the wire harness being bad. If the "buzz" sounds weak, that is a sign of excessive wear in the injector


One of ours was intermittent, would run fine then no power and I don't remember exactly what but there were several issues.


----------



## Kinport (Jan 9, 2020)

Mark Oomkes said:


> Have the injector wire harnesses ever been replaced? Those cause all sorts of weird issues. You need the harnesses and valve cover gaskets and a couple or so hours. The connectors get brittle with heat and age.
> 
> Hate to suggest just throwing parts at it but if they've never been replaced they're long past due.


agreed, but if I read an earlier post correctly, he performed a buzz test and heard all 8 injectors, meaning that each one is plugged in and communicating with the pcm. So I think his wire harnesses are working


----------



## Kinport (Jan 9, 2020)

Mark Oomkes said:


> One of ours was intermittent, would run fine then no power and I don't remember exactly what but there were several issues.


Didn't see this before I posted my response, and your absolutely right, a short or bad connection could lead to it passing the buzz test with the engine off but losing connection during operation due to motor/road vibration


----------



## UniqueTouch (Dec 25, 2013)

wish I had a garage so i could work on taking off valve covers. I never have enough time before it gets dark or wet weather comes rolling in. Plus im afriad ill screw something up even worse lol


----------



## Mountain Bob (Nov 12, 2017)

Sometimes it is best just to take it to a reputable shop.


----------



## Kinport (Jan 9, 2020)

UniqueTouch said:


> I mean im up for upgrading the the injectors anyway. Would nice to be able to get as much power out of it that i can. What size injectors can i do without having to change out turbo or other parts? I would just buy the injectors, harness, and glow plugs. Just wondering what labor should cost to do it and where I can find a diesel mechanic here in NJ to do it for me.


this is a deep, deep rabbit hole and lots of options. For a work truck that is always loaded and pulling, I would hesitate to do anything bigger than stage 1.5 aka 160/30%. Anything bigger and your fighting EGTS. with tuning and turbo you can go to a bigger injector, but it becomes a very delicate balance. If your the only one driving the truck and you have a gauge to monitor EGTs you could probably get away with stage 2's, but anything bigger and you'll have more injector than the stock turbo can deal with. Your also going to have to start worrying about the trans at this point(if it's an auto) or the clutch if it's manual. I'm sure some will disagree


----------



## UniqueTouch (Dec 25, 2013)

Yes im the only one driving this truck. what kind of increase in HP do you get with the 1.5 stage? I have an automatic trans but yes i hear you on all that. Not looking for anything crazy just figure im at 130k miles and if they are getting to the end of their lives I mine as well upgrade them while i have someone in there im thinking.


----------



## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

We went with Swamps Stage 1 on or '00 and '02. Could really notice a difference in the '02 but not quite as much in the '00, but it still woke it up nicely but kept them reliable.


----------



## Randall Ave (Oct 29, 2014)

Mark Oomkes said:


> We went with Swamps Stage 1 on or '00 and '02. Could really notice a difference in the '02 but not quite as much in the '00, but it still woke it up nicely but kept them reliable.


I think they had gone to split shot injectors by then. Get a little more out of them. His IPR percentage looks good. I have seen where they all buzzed but some were weak. But I only work on 6.0s now.


----------



## Kinport (Jan 9, 2020)

Randall Ave said:


> But I only work on 6.0s now.


Lot more job security in those than the seven three


----------



## Randall Ave (Oct 29, 2014)

Kinport said:


> Lot more job security in those than the seven three


I like posting the pics of them, some like em, some laugh at them. A few months ago my UVC harness took a crap, there was no smoke cause the injectors were not firing. He needs to clear his codes, take it out and run it like he's mad at it. Then run the codes again and see what he's got. Just my opinion anywho.


----------



## Kinport (Jan 9, 2020)

UniqueTouch said:


> what kind of increase in HP do you get with the 1.5 stage?


Hard to say. The condition of your Hpop and fuel delivery system as well as the tuning your running will all affect that. If your Hpop is healthy and you have good tuning you'll probably get 60-90hp on stage 1's and 130-150 on stage 1.5s. That puts you around the 350-375 hp mark, which is where I would start getting nervous about stock parts and longevity


----------



## Kinport (Jan 9, 2020)

how you coming on this? I had a couple things I wanted to add but have been too busy to post much

couple more free/easy things you can do to further troubleshoot

unplug your ICP and take a 10 mile drive. If your ICP sensor is going bad and giving bad info to the trucks computer you will have poor performance. Unplugging it should cause a check engine light since the computer lost contact with the sensor, and the computer will revert back to pre-programmed ICP values. All this means is that if your truck runs better with it unplugged, your ICP sensor is bad. The ICP sits on top of the drivers side head towards the front, right behind the alternator. Here's a photo









next, with the key off, take a pry bar or long screwdriver (something with a handle so your not touching the bare metal part of the tool) and jump the two large posts of the starter relay. Starter relay is bolted to the inner wall of the passenger side fender. This will spin the engine without firing it. Hold for 5-10 seconds. Your listening for a uniform, consistent sound as the pistons turn over. Any miss or "lopey" sound indicates a bad cylinder. Here's a pic (I used a set of channel locks for the pic cause they happened to be close by, they worked well)









Finally, do the old tried and true blow-by "test". Unscrew the lid on your oil fill neck and place it upside down over the opening of the neck with the engine running. The lid should slowly rattle off due to engine vibrations. If the blow-by blows it off, you've got internal wear/damage. If the blow-by puffs and choo-choos like a freight train, you've got engine damage. Some blow-by is to be expected with a 7.3









I once paid a mechanic lots of money to install new turbo/injectors/other stuff on one of our 7.3's cause I was drinking the "million mile motor" kool aid pretty heavy and didn't want to accept that the excessive smoke I was dealing could be the result of internal damage at "only" 260k. I didn't know about these simple tests and neither did my mechanic and I spent thousands throwing new parts on a truck that ultimately had a destroyed piston. I'm a little wiser now and won't perform any major work on one of our trucks without quickly doing these steps, just so I know we're working with a good foundation. Obviously a compression test is the best way to determine engine health, but in a pinch these will give you a loose idea of where it stands.


----------



## Kinport (Jan 9, 2020)

UniqueTouch said:


> I feel like i screwed my pcm up when trying to install that hydra chip a year ago


Any way to test that? Can you unplug your chip and run it and see if your issues go away? I'm not familiar with Hydra



UniqueTouch said:


> wonder if it could be the shift solenoid in trans.


Possibly some of your issues but not the smoke or (probably not) cold weather performance 


UniqueTouch said:


> Just wondering what labor should cost to do it


I'm not a professional (or even close) and (assuming no crazy issues) I can swap a set of 8 injectors out in about 3-4 hours. That's taking my time and double checking stuff as I go. I would imagine a shop would probably charge you with 8ish hours of labor. 


UniqueTouch said:


> Not looking for anything crazy just figure im at 130k miles


The whole truck only has 130k? Have you seen what low mileage 7.3s are listing for right now? Sell that thing!!!payuppayuppayuppayup


UniqueTouch said:


> i could work on taking off valve covers. I never have enough time before it gets dark or wet weather comes rolling in. Plus im afriad ill screw something up even worse lol


Don't be. It's pretty easy. Air filter assembly comes off back to the turbo. Intercooler pipes come out, each valve covers come off. Maybe a few other things but that's the gist. There's a few heater hoses and a wiring harness that you'll work around but it's really not that bad. If you don't mind the mess you can unhook the heater hoses on the passenger side and get them totally out of your way. I just leave them and work around them. There's a wiring harness that's sits in a bracket on the driver side valve cover. Unplug the harness(pretty sure it has a screw in the back that you unscrew and then unplug) and take the bracket off and the driver side should be wide open. Basic tools, make sure you have a swivel socket extension for the rear valve cover bolts on the driver side and the far left bolts on the passenger side. From there it's just swapping the injectors, glow plugs, and wiring harnesses/VC gaskets(those are a one piece assembly). When I'm working in the cold I like to let the engine run for an hour or so and then work on it, it keeps my hands warm for a few hours while I'm working on it. There's a few tricks to swapping the injectors so let us know if you decide to tackle it yourself and I'll post them also


----------



## UniqueTouch (Dec 25, 2013)

Sorry guys been away for a month helping my sister. Just got back and fired up my truck and it ran like **** and smoked like I’ve never seen before. Air filter is stock and I opened it up. It def needs replacing. I couldn’t get the truck over 2000 rpms. Pulled air filter out and was able to get it over 2000 rpms and could hear turbo finally but just a little. Drove it and and when pulling away from a stop sign didn’t want to really move and then it would basically get some boost and take off. Pulled in my driveway and put it in park and Reved the engine and then the over drive blinked. I’ve had the truck sit for a week and start up and smoke for a second and clear up immediately and not smoke when on throttle but this time it was a straight chimney. Here are two vids I made. Whatcha y’all think.


----------



## UniqueTouch (Dec 25, 2013)

can’t post a vid


----------



## UniqueTouch (Dec 25, 2013)

these are the vids not sure if they will play


----------



## UniqueTouch (Dec 25, 2013)

wont allow the videos to be posted. if anyone knows a way around this or the way to do it let me know. thanks


----------



## cwren2472 (Aug 15, 2014)

UniqueTouch said:


> wont allow the videos to be posted. if anyone knows a way around this or the way to do it let me know. thanks


You can't upload a video directly to the site due to file size restrictions. You need to upload it to another site, like youtube, then post the link to it.


----------



## UniqueTouch (Dec 25, 2013)

Gotcha okay ima do that later when I get home. Their only 10 seconds long


----------



## UniqueTouch (Dec 25, 2013)




----------



## UniqueTouch (Dec 25, 2013)




----------



## UniqueTouch (Dec 25, 2013)

At my nieces talent show was able to upload while waiting here due to how short the vid are. Hopefully they will play for you guys


----------



## jonniesmooth (Dec 5, 2008)

Kinport said:


> Story I heard is a mechanic ran off with a FoMoco engineer's wife. The wrench's have been paying for it ever since…


My wife says her dad used to say that. LOL!


----------



## Kinport (Jan 9, 2020)

UniqueTouch said:


>


That's quite a bit of blow by. Put the oil fill cap on upside down. Does the blow-by push it off?


----------



## UniqueTouch (Dec 25, 2013)

It’ll vibrate off if you give it enough time. Won’t blow off. Never had that much until it sat so long


----------



## Randall Ave (Oct 29, 2014)

Kinport said:


> That's quite a bit of blow by. Put the oil fill cap on upside down. Does the blow-by push it off?


Me thinks his motor might be a little dusted.


----------



## FordFisherman (Dec 5, 2007)

She purrs like a kitten…


----------

