Any leads on a nice 7.3L diesel?

[Dad03]

Looking for a nice F250/350 (single rear F350) Crew cab,4x4, auto, 7.3L diesel. I have found several....In Texas. Nothing around here? Prefer the pre 99 body style but pre 02 will work.

[Magiccarpetrides]

Extremely hard to get a hold of these days...and I sell cars for a living...if you find a decent one at a below retail price I wouldnt think on it too long.

Best wishes in your search!

[oldogy]

Drop over to fordtrucks.com and monitor the classified section. Like Magiccarpetrides said, If you find one, buy it. The later series Ford diesels do not enjoy the same reputation.

[ironsniper1]

goodluck with your search im searching for a diesel aswell, but im looking for more of something like this TheSamba.com :: VW Classifieds - Diesel Rabbit *Trades?*

[frankmako]

don't feel bad, i been looking for one for several weeks. the one i find are over 250k miles and priced like new.

[BLACKVANDRIVER]

goodluck with your search im searching for a diesel aswell, but im looking for more of something like this TheSamba.com :: VW Classifieds - Diesel Rabbit *Trades?*

Hey luke, not to hijack this thread where you located at? I am next to DCA in Donelson

Back on topic.

We sold our 2003 Excursion Eddie Baure 4x4 with around 230K on a 7.3 that we loved for over $12k The engine was super, but the front end was on its 3rd round and the rear end on its 2nd round.

I am on the ford forum also as well as a few other so will keep an eye out. Might be easier if you gave a ball park $ that your looking to get into one.

I my self am looking for a 7.3 4x4 ambulance (van body) to do a swap..

[BrasilNuts]

So what's a '99 7.3 automatic crew cab long bed single rear wheels 4x4 with 225k miles going for these days?

Edited October 31, 2011 by BrasilNuts

[56FordGuy]

I'm a big 7.3 fan, have owned 3 of them since 1996. I love the 7.3 trucks; heck for a while I ate, slept, and breathed 'em.

I've seen a white, crew cab, 94-97 body style Ford sitting on the side of Highway 109 between I-40 and highway 70. Has a for sale sign, but no phone number. Not sure if it's diesel, or an automatic. A good 7.3 is hard to find, that body style is even harder due to the fact that the newest one is 14, almost 15 years old. There was a 99-00 model of the same truck at Cars Plus in Hendersonville, not sure if it's still there. AutoTrader and Cars.com are some good places to start looking.

Finding a good 7.3 is tough. I searched for two years to get my latest one, but I was being very picky and specific. I wanted a Super Duty body style, manual transmission, manual transfer case, and a chassis cab truck. I wound up buying one that needed some work, but fit my criteria almost exactly. If you're a little less picky than that, you should be able to find one more quickly.

Fortunately, the truck you want (single wheel, crew cab, automatic) is one of the most popular styles they built. I can't even count how many of them I found when I was shopping. I'm not sure how familiar you are with the trucks, so I may just be pointing out a bunch of stuff you already know. In any case, there are some differences in the OBS (old body style, 94-97) and the Super Duty (99-03). Aside from the truck body, the 99+ trucks use an electric fuel pump, where the OBS trucks have a mechanical pump between the heads of the engine, below the turbo. The 99+ trucks also have factory charge air coolers and utilize a hydroboost system for the brakes, where the OBS trucks don't have intercoolers and use vacuum boosters for the brakes. The exception to that rule is the 94-97 F-Super Duty, which was the precursor to today's F-450/ F-550. The older F-Super Duty also utilized a hydroboost brake system, but that doesn't matter to you. Just wanted to cover all the trivial bases. The only other thing that comes to mind right this second is the air filters. OBS trucks had some issues with the air box design, and it could be tough to get the filters to seat properly and seal. The airbox (along with a lot of other things) was changed for the Super Duty trucks.

If you have any particular questions, feel free to ask. I could talk trucks all night. :)

[dlm37015]

i have 3 of them 2 7.3s and 1 6.0 if you do the work on the 6.0 its as good as a 7.3 but cost a lot of money.i tried to order a new one a few weeks ago but wanted a 6 speed couldnt get it autos only so i guess i will just keep my old ones

[Dad03]

So what's a '99 7.3 automatic crew cab long bed single rear wheels 4x4 with 225k miles going for these days?

Trade you a SKS

I have seen them with asking price between 9k-14k. I appears many get new trannys around 225k miles.

To me I start at KBB and then adjust up based on recent work (new trannys, fuel injectors, etc) if all the work has been verified by service records. Basically if the asking is above KBB it needs to be justified by service records.

So my price range really depends on the truck. I have a few in consideration.

[Handsome Rob]

I've got a '96 7.3 F250..........wouldn't part with it

It had a new tranny at 198K, new A/C compressor at 220K & now it needs a new steering box, but I paid a lot for it & I figured I'll just run it into the ground. Had a 4" lift fitted last spring & is wearing 35" Dick Cepeck's. 2 new batteries this year, glow plugs (A VERY expensive job, so make sure when you buy one, it starts from cold easily) & solenoid. I change the oil every 6000 miles & filter ever other oil change.

The motor is absolutely as it left the factory. No chips, standard turbo & a PROPER silenced exhaust. It ain't going to win any races, but it'll climb the side of a house in 4WD low

It's done 4 non-stop trips to West Texas, Wyoming and back, Montana & back, the UP of Michigan & back & I'd trust it to do it all over again!

Last time I had it to Texas, it looked like this (pre-lift)......

Edited October 31, 2011 by robtattoo

[BrasilNuts]

Trade you a SKS

I have seen them with asking price between 9k-14k. I appears many get new trannys around 225k miles.

To me I start at KBB and then adjust up based on recent work (new trannys, fuel injectors, etc) if all the work has been verified by service records. Basically if the asking is above KBB it needs to be justified by service records.

So my price range really depends on the truck. I have a few in consideration.

That's about the price range I figured.

We're moving to Brazil next summer so I'll be selling mine eventually, I'm just not ready to part with it yet.

It's been a great truck that has only had very minor problems... brake line, alt. etc...

Edited November 1, 2011 by BrasilNuts

[dlm37015]

i buy used one from terry schreve in bartelsville ok best place i have found

[dlm37015]

i buy used ones from terry schreve in bartelsville ok best place i have found

[56FordGuy]

There's a place called Hand Picked Western Trucks over in Virginia. Might want to give them a look, also. I've read some posts on another forum by a guy that bought a truck from them, and he was very satisfied.

I took another route, because I'm probably too picky for my own good. I had to have a specific engine, transmission, transfer case, and frame style. As it turns out, ain't too awful many of those trucks out there anymore. I was actually seriously shopping for totaled trucks that I could put two or three together and get what I wanted when I found the one I bought. Not totaled, but rode hard and put away wet. I bought it because if I could order a truck, it would be this exact one; maybe with an extended cab and a darker color. Everything else was right with the configuration, though. Unfortunately, as a trade off I've spent many, many hours and quite a bit of money doing repairs on it. I guess fate caught up with me; my first two 7.3 trucks went about 14 years with only one of the common 7.3 problems, my third 7.3 has gone one year with so many things worn out, leaking, or broken that I've covered most of the common problems and then some. It's alright though, if I could order a truck right now it would be this one, almost exactly.

The configuration of truck you want should be easy to find, so spend a little more upfront if you can and get one that's in great shape, even if it means traveling to get it.

[10-Ring]

I'm planning on a new(er) truck sometime next summer. Very similar to what the OP is looking for, I'm not picky about year, I have a '92 F-150 now that has been great, it is just plain worn out. I want an F-250, 4x4, manual, manual T-case, Powerstroke, prefer extended cab but I'm considering regular if I get the right deal. This will be my first venture into the world of diesel and I'm looking forward to it. Question for the gurus, I've heard guys speak of 20+mpg with the right tuning. Is this for possible? If so which engines can this be achieved with? I was preferring a 7.3 but would consider a 6.0 as well.

[kb4ns]

2000 Ford F250

Edited to add: I have the seller's phone number if you are interested.

Edited November 3, 2011 by kb4ns

[56FordGuy]

Question for the gurus, I've heard guys speak of 20+mpg with the right tuning. Is this for possible? If so which engines can this be achieved with? I was preferring a 7.3 but would consider a 6.0 as well.

Highly unlikely you will break the 20 MPG mark. Most trucks get 15-18 MPG. If you can find a truck with 3:73 gears, and keep it below 2,000 RPM (about 65 MPH with 3:73s) you can get close to the 20 MPG mark.

If you're looking at 99+ trucks, the manual transfer case can be a difficult option to find. Most of them came with the ESOF system. All the 94.5-97 trucks should have manual transfer cases, though.

[kb4ns]

My '03 6.0 gets just under 15mpg.

[dlm37015]

if you delete the egr coolers and valve it will run like another truck .

[Dad03]

Well I went with Plan B. The year end dealer incentives and near 0% financing I got a smokin deal on a new 2011 Dodge 2500 CC, auto, 4x4, 6.7L Cummins with a 5yr/100,000 power train warranty.