7.3 DD/Tow Rig Questions/Suggestions

Stroker67 · Oct 5, 2011

Hey Brothers,

Looking at getting a used 7.3 F250. Basically what i would be using it for would be a work truck. Daily Driving and Towing, probably no more than 20k as far as weight goes. My question is, the truck will be a stock 7.3 platform with either a 5sp or 6sp tranny. What upgrades should i look at. Im not asking for huge power or anything, just curious about exhaust options, turbo's, intakes, that sort of thing. Not really looking for things like changing injectors or HPOPs, just some basic bolt on stuff. Thanks in advance guys.

Tyler

02BigD · Oct 5, 2011

Intake, exhaust, clutch, chip, 38r.

Mbrp exhaust, tymar intake. I liked Carson's clutch the best out of the 3 aftermarket clutches I had. One was locally built, the other was a South Bend.

Get a TS chip, allows for almost anyone's tunes.

bakerc167 · Oct 5, 2011

:whs: id go 350 for towing an maybe stage 1 single shot injectors

Jason · Oct 5, 2011

Unless you're getting that 350 as a dually, it's pointless. My truck came from the factory with auxiliary overloads, rear sway bar etc., essentially...a 350. I've towed all over the country with it, pulling my 24' car trailer, or 32' triple axle, and never once wished I had a dually.

Stroker67 · Oct 5, 2011

Thanks Dom, im actually thinking of the firestone airbags on the back. Mostly just a fifth wheel camper and the ability to tow a gooseneck trailer as well.

94.5 Stroker · Oct 6, 2011

I have a 95 F250 forsale.

psduser1 · Oct 6, 2011

I have a 2000 f250 with a chip, intake, and exhaust, pulls 20 k just fine. It'll kill the clutch with ease (fixing that now), but with only a 14k fifth wheel, no problem. Get good gauges first, that'll tell you if you need anything else, I.e. hpop, better turbo and so on.

Stroker67 · Oct 6, 2011

sorry 94.5 stroker, looking for a 99-03 7.3 truck. PSD, i plan on gauges on the a pillar. Yea i dont plan on towing 20k on a constant, just if i needed to on the rare occasion. Probably would only plan on towing 12k maybe the most. The fifth wheel camper would only be a handful of times a year as well.

Stroker67 · Oct 6, 2011

What gauges would you guys recommend on the A-Pillar?

Derek@Vision Diesel · Oct 6, 2011

ISSPRO is probably your best bet if you can afford them, tranny boost and EGT are the most common types of gauges. If you add a 4th gauge to the pod you could do fuel pressure or HPOP

SouthFlstrokin' · Oct 6, 2011

My next gauges will be autometer because they are NEVER going to go out of business

94.5 Stroker · Oct 6, 2011

Stroker67 said:
sorry 94.5 stroker, looking for a 99-03 7.3 truck. PSD, i plan on gauges on the a pillar. Yea i dont plan on towing 20k on a constant, just if i needed to on the rare occasion. Probably would only plan on towing 12k maybe the most. The fifth wheel camper would only be a handful of times a year as well.

Hey I understand, thought I would thirst it out there tho because it does have so much done already. Plus you said 5 speed or 6 speed which to me meant any 7.3 sd or obs.

02BigD · Oct 6, 2011

Stroker67 said:
What gauges would you guys recommend on the A-Pillar?

Scan gauge is a must, boost, pyro, and fuel pressure. Leave off fuel if you want only 3.

Stroker67 · Oct 6, 2011

Dom, i was told you didnt really need a tranny gauge for a manual, but im not sure. If that is the case, then it looks like Boost, Pyro, and Fuel Pressure, how hard is it to hook up a fuel pressure gauge on a 7.3?

94.5 Stroker, sorry, i thought i said 99-03 SD, but i may have not, and if i didnt i apologize for not being clearer.

turbodiesel_02 · Oct 6, 2011

id recomened autometer's,i ran isspro's and wasnt impressed.fuel pressure is easy just need an adaptor.there's a plug in the back of the fuel bowl.

Stroker67 · Oct 6, 2011

i got the Z-series gauges in my 06 now, so ill be staying with gauges, just meant what type of gauges?

Tree Trimmer · Oct 7, 2011

might be willing to sell my truck. E99 f250 xlt scsb, auto. kinda high mileage, at 258k. there is lots of new stuff on it. im just looking for a newer truck thats a ccsb is all. its towed 27k of trailer and round bales, so i know there is no issues of power, especially for the little your goin to put on it. the one in my sig.

but back on point. boost, pyro, scan guage. in that scan guage, use one of the optional inputs as a fuel pressure input. done.

after that, chip, exhaust, maybe a 38r. definitely would want to put a RR on it. other than that, clutch if you get manual.

Stroker67 · Oct 8, 2011

Thanks for all the replies so far guys. Tree Trimmer, the truck im gonna get will be a standard, thats the main thing i want in the truck. From what you are saying sounds like it would be easier doing a dual gauge pod on the A pillar and doing the scan gauge for other things. Just out of curiosity, why a RR?

Tree Trimmer · Oct 8, 2011

no, triple pod. boost, egt, scan guage.

a 7.3 stock fuel system is a dead head system. fuel goes fuel pump, fuel bowl, heads. the fuel bowl has a spot on it that is also a return. any air that makes it past the fuel bowl absolutely has to go through the injectors. there is no other place for it to go.

a regulated return, can use either the stock fuel bowl, or there are bowl delete kits, if you want to use your own filters. i went with my own filters.

it re-routes the fuel system. stock your go into the front of the drivers head, and the rear of the passenger head. you use the other two ports on the heads, to let the fuel come back out and go back to the tank. this way, any air that makes it though the bowl if you kept it, or your filters, has a way out other than the injectors.

stock fuel pressure is about 52-55 psi. my truck runs the best at about 63-64 psi. yes, it is noticeable. everyones truck is different, some ppl use about 69-70 psi, some ppl as low as 60-61 psi. its simple to make a kit, or buy one. here is a link, case your wondering what one is.

http://shop.strictlydiesel.com/store.php/products/73L_Regulated_Return_Kit

irate diesel has one also, and if im not mistaken, his are hard lines, instead of hose. its a preference thing, i guess.

Stroker67 · Oct 9, 2011

OK Thanks Tree Trimmer. Im not really familiar with the scan gauge or anything like that on a 7.3, but thanks for clarifying the three gauge pod. Also thanks for the info on a RR.

One thing ive seemed to notice with some of the 7.3 guys is you all are switching to the 6.0 tranny cooler, im assuming this is for an Auto trans only correct?