Want opinions on a high mileage 7.3 tune up

freddie

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Where to start..?
My dad's truck has 298k miles on it., and we don't know the history beyond the last 3k miles. It's a 2wd DRW '96 F350, with 4.10 gears and an E4OD. He hauls a truck camper and tows a boat with it, driving 200 miles round trip to the lake and back. He puts maybe 3k miles a year on it, although that would go up if it ran better.

He is a cheap ass - FYI. Keep that in mind while making your recommendations. Tested the compression and the engine has 340psi.

I have been preaching about a high mileage tune up for a year and a half now, and I think I have him convinced. I believe that with a few parts and some TLC, that it would be the best running, best towing truck he's ever owned. By no means will it win any races, but with 298k it is clearly down a bit on power.

The E4OD is currently out to be replaced - so I thought it'd be a great time to install new up-pipes. The truck desperately needs new injector o-rings- but with high mileage, I think an injector rebuild is more like it. I have suggested new bellowed up-pipes and a fresh set of injectors. I also suggest a tru-cool trans cooler and a modified valve body - to prolong the transmission life.

What's everyone's thoughts? What would you suggest, and in what order?
 

Back woods

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De-grease everything and check for leaks and then fix. Check the turbo play and shape of the compressor wheel, check oil pan for rust, all filters. Definitely a bigger trans cooler and up-pipes if needed. Tune is depending on the person. Being non-intercooled some like to play it safe with no tune. When towing I never run over a 40hp tune but it gives it a good boost. A set of gauges isnt a bad idea either.
 

freddie

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De-grease everything and check for leaks and then fix. Check the turbo play and shape of the compressor wheel, check oil pan for rust, all filters. Definitely a bigger trans cooler and up-pipes if needed. Tune is depending on the person. Being non-intercooled some like to play it safe with no tune. When towing I never run over a 40hp tune but it gives it a good boost. A set of gauges isnt a bad idea either.
Turbo is tight, compressor wheel looks great. Oil pan actually looks good as well - truck is pretty clean but high mileage.

Considering FFD injectors since they come with a free retune, and I do have an old TS chip laying around that we could install. The tuning would be on the conservative side for sure. I think fresh stock injectors will offer a power increase, not to mention possibly going with 160s. Thanks for your response! I agree about the gauges for sure, esp egt and trans temp.

Up-pipes, injector o rings if the injectors are fine, fuel pump.
Thanks! We actually replaced the fuel pump due to a fuel leak. Looks like up pipes and either injectors or injector orings to start.
 

lincolnlocker

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There is a comolete 38r setup for sale in the classifieds... pair that with some AC codes and a better hpop and fuel pump and you will have a nice tow rig.

Vb and tc for trans upgrades.

live life full throttle
 

freddie

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Is that TS chip for that truck? Tuner needs computer info
No, TS chip has old obsolete tunes on it for my truck, before I went with a Hydra chip. I would ship it out to them for tuning, and of course supply his truck's info.

There is a comolete 38r setup for sale in the classifieds... pair that with some AC codes and a better hpop and fuel pump and you will have a nice tow rig.

Vb and tc for trans upgrades.

live life full throttle
That 38R is for a SD though correct, so he would still need to buy different up-pipes, right..
Assuming you're referring to this thread
http://www.powerstrokearmy.com/forums/showthread.php?t=81069
 

lincolnlocker

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No, TS chip has old obsolete tunes on it for my truck, before I went with a Hydra chip. I would ship it out to them for tuning, and of course supply his truck's info.


That 38R is for a SD though correct, so he would still need to buy different up-pipes, right..
Assuming you're referring to this thread
http://www.powerstrokearmy.com/forums/showthread.php?t=81069
You would need to change one exhaust manifold to match it all up. But the rest of what i said would be a good idea.

live life full throttle
 

Magnum PD

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There would be a chance you might not need to change the manifold. My 96 wasn’t the older style.
 

freddie

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Thanks guys. I sent him a PM at least trying to get an idea of the price. I think it will be more than what my dad will spend.
 

Zeb

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Only problem with doing a 38R conversion on an OBS is (if you’re doing an L99-03 Super Duty setup) it doesn’t fit nicely without an awful lot of work. I did it on my OBS and it is not a budget friendly project, or for the faint of heart.
T-4 would definitely be easier, but once again probably not in the budget.
As has been said before in this thread, Stage 1 injectors, chip, up pipes, and rock on.
We recently did that on a 97 5 speed, 4x4, single cab, F350 and the guy was stunned, and ecstatic, at the difference it made.
Stock hpop, no intercooler.
 

freddie

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Thanks Zeb! If we didn't already have the trans out of the truck, I'd love to dyno or calculate (1/4 mile time) a before and after.
 

Zeb

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I wanted the 3” intake plenums, and an L99-03 turbo because there are/were more drop in turbo replacements, and I absolutely was not going to take a porta power or sledgehammer to the firewall.
I had all the parts I needed for the conversion.
3” intake plenums and spider meant the factory mechanical pump and filter had to go. I used a Marty’s 875 kit that I modified to make fit the way I wanted it to. I had to change the drivers side exhaust manifold, I had to mill 0.625” off the bottom of the L99 pedestal to get the collector out of the firewall, which means I had to section the spider and shorten the bellowed uppipes, I had to build the down pipe, intercooler pipes, and intake tube from scratch.
I used a CSF 6013 intercooler for a 6.0, built lower mounts, cut the upper mounts off and moved them out 1.5” to move the intercooler away from the grill. That meant I had to rebuild the a/c condenser mounts......
Like I said it was a BIG project, but I wanted it to look as factory as possible with out beating up the firewall.
T-4 would have been WAY easier.
 

Strokersace

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Degrease and fix leaks. Also check he uvch connections closely. Fix or replace if needed.

Vb in trans
Gauges, down pipe, intake
DIY intercooler setup with e99 spider
Stock mechanical fuel
Stage 1 injectors (since you need to do something injector related anyway)
Stock healthy 17* hpop
Stock turbo
Stock up pipes (don’t mess with them if no soot around the donuts and collector)
Tunes on the TS

Don’t even pull the turbo is there’s no soot and no oil leaks from the pedestal.

The above is the cheapest and one of the best setups I ever ran on my obs. Fun, easy, reliable, more power, pulls like a dream, etc. If I ever buy another obs, it will be the exact setup I listed above. Only exception would maybe be a diy SD fuel pump setup and reg return.
 

Zeb

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Degrease and fix leaks. Also check he uvch connections closely. Fix or replace if needed.

Vb in trans
Gauges, down pipe, intake
DIY intercooler setup with e99 spider
Stock mechanical fuel
Stage 1 injectors (since you need to do something injector related anyway)
Stock healthy 17* hpop
Stock turbo
Stock up pipes (don’t mess with them if no soot around the donuts and collector)
Tunes on the TS

Don’t even pull the turbo is there’s no soot and no oil leaks from the pedestal.

The above is the cheapest and one of the best setups I ever ran on my obs. Fun, easy, reliable, more power, pulls like a dream, etc. If I ever buy another obs, it will be the exact setup I listed above. Only exception would maybe be a diy SD fuel pump setup and reg return.
This is an excellent setup.
My up pipes and pedestal were both leaking, I wanted E-fuel, 3” plenums, and a factory look.
That created an awful lot of work......
 

freddie

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Degrease and fix leaks. Also check he uvch connections closely. Fix or replace if needed.

Vb in trans
Gauges, down pipe, intake
DIY intercooler setup with e99 spider
Stock mechanical fuel
Stage 1 injectors (since you need to do something injector related anyway)
Stock healthy 17* hpop
Stock turbo
Stock up pipes (don’t mess with them if no soot around the donuts and collector)
Tunes on the TS

Don’t even pull the turbo is there’s no soot and no oil leaks from the pedestal.

The above is the cheapest and one of the best setups I ever ran on my obs. Fun, easy, reliable, more power, pulls like a dream, etc. If I ever buy another obs, it will be the exact setup I listed above. Only exception would maybe be a diy SD fuel pump setup and reg return.

Thanks for the feedback! Guess we need to verify that the up-pipes do or don't leak as bad as I assumed they do. Works out great that I have the downpipe, intake, and TS chip laying around from my truck anyways. I don't love the thought of another IC install...

I do wonder about stage 1s with stock fuel pump, and possibly stock 15° pump. Will have to talk with tuner about it.
 

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