Project 7.3

[Bduck]

Bob, injectors are in the future and could be very near. As much as I've been wanting a newer truck (used, won't buy new), I don't need a mortgage payment and loving the life I have without a vehicle payment. The newer ford diesels have had costly issues with repairs & some replacement motors. Cost of injectors for my truck can be $1200+ depending the performance grade type and or replaced by dealer amounting to $5000+. My labor since I know how to do it might involve a special tool if any for a far less expense. Their newer ford diesel is getting better now but the 7.3 (1992-03) is made by International has been a proven motor. I've owned mine for 23yrs now. My other 2 vehicles are gas operated with injectors. My goal is to get another 10yrs out of my truck.

[dubob]

Bob, injectors are in the future and could be very near. As much as I've been wanting a newer truck (used, won't buy new), I don't need a mortgage payment and loving the life I have without a vehicle payment. The newer ford diesels have had costly issues with repairs & some replacement motors. Cost of injectors for my truck can be $1200+ depending the performance grade type and or replaced by dealer amounting to $5000+. My labor since I know how to do it might involve a special tool if any for a far less expense. Their newer ford diesel is getting better now but the 7.3 (1992-03) is made by International has been a proven motor. I've owned mine for 23yrs now. My other 2 vehicles are gas operated with injectors. My goal is to get another 10yrs out of my truck.

Roger,

One last tip.  When it comes time to replace your injectors, do it with factory rebuilt/certified injectors.  After I had mine repaired, I was told this by a friend that shopped auctions, rehabbed the purchases, and sold them to dealerships.  OEM injectors for that Chevy were about $800 X 8.  The factory rebuilt injectors at that time were $120 X 8.  $6400 vs $960.  Your money; your choice.  

[Bduck]

Bob, injectors are in the future and could be very near. As much as I've been wanting a newer truck (used, won't buy new), I don't need a mortgage payment and loving the life I have without a vehicle payment. The newer ford diesels have had costly issues with repairs & some replacement motors. Cost of injectors for my truck can be $1200+ depending the performance grade type and or replaced by dealer amounting to $5000+. My labor since I know how to do it might involve a special tool if any for a far less expense. Their newer ford diesel is getting better now but the 7.3 (1992-03) is made by International has been a proven motor. I've owned mine for 23yrs now. My other 2 vehicles are gas operated with injectors. My goal is to get another 10yrs out of my truck.

Roger,

One last tip.  When it comes time to replace your injectors, do it with factory rebuilt/certified injectors.  After I had mine repaired, I was told this by a friend that shopped auctions, rehabbed the purchases, and sold them to dealerships.  OEM injectors for that Chevy were about $800 X 8.  The factory rebuilt injectors at that time were $120 X 8.  $6400 vs $960.  Your money; your choice.  

That is a good tip, Bob, we both are on the same track. My research has taken me to factory origins or to a reputable business that deals in rebuilt injectors, I have been making certain purchases from one business. When it comes to the sensors surrounding the 7.3 motor its best to stay with OEM, same would be for any motor. Sold on eBay are a lot of repackaged to look like OEM sensors. I won't purchase any type of performance product from eBay. 

[Bduck]

I was watching a movie one evening, since it was the holidays, I just happen to have my laptop. For a longtime always wanted to install a new front bumper on my truck but everything was on the expensive side of $2G+. I don't do a whole lot of looking at eBay but this time I did, found a bumper that caught my eye. Showed it to my wife & to my surprise she said go for it. It was well within the budget of temptation at about $850. Triggered pulled and within 4days delivery made. Opened box and found it was well packed, a 3-section bumper with each piece wrapped individually with a heavy bubble wrap & packed in a separate thick mill plastic bag. Next, I spent a good day bolting together the 3-piece bumper. At the seams where the 2 wings attached to the main section, I put a bead of sealant to keep out moisture & dirt from migrating in. Over the outside of the seam a bracket was supplied to bolt over the seam to hide seam. After installing bracket, took more sealant around both side edges of bracket. 


      
         [i]Old                New, behind license is a rectangular     Bumper came with[/i]
                              slot for a winch                                            5 lights

The old bumper was an easy removal with 6 bolts accessible from front. Had it removed in 2 minutes. The original OEM tow hooks had to be removed, easy peasy. New install brackets came with bumper.  

[wiperhunter2]

That's a nice bumper Roger, did you have to run new wires for the lights?

[Bduck]

Yes, ran my own wires. The wing lights are tapped into the high beams, the lightbar is on a separate switch from the 2 front mounted lights. 

[Bduck]

Next Task, there is a fuel pressure regulator spring located in the top of the engine mounted in fuel/water separator housing, very easy access with 2 screws in its own external cover attached. This stock spring is a noted culprit for engine to quit running which weakens under heat cycles of the engine not supplying adequate fuel press to fuel injectors. So, prior to replacing spring I installed a fuel press gauge in the cab. Fuel press at idle was 62psi, when accelerating to 75mph on interstate fuel press as it should drops off between 50-55psi and once speed is stabilized press recovers to 62psi. Truck runs really well which I would think its ok. Now, I replaced the spring and surprisingly fuel press at idle came up to 92psi which is 30psi more than old spring. I then drove truck on a lessor speed trip at 55mph, acceleration press dropped off to 76psi and recovers to stabilized 92psi. I don't know if the limits of the fuel press has changed but previous limit was 75-85psi. Research indicated the original stock spring was not heat treated and was the issue of weakening. The new spring is treated. New spring is $25.


      
Original spring            Comparison with
                                   ink pen spring

[wiperhunter2]

That's amazing that one little spring could make that much difference in your fuel pressure.

[Bduck]

Both pics provided are before & after spring change


   
Before After

[Bduck]

Oil Leak at oil dipstick mount on passenger side of oil pan. 
This is one I avoided doing after finding out what needed to be done. This dipstick mount is inserted from the inside of the oil pan with an Oring that fits in a groove and a large thread protruding thru pan with a large nut attaching on the outside. The oil leak has been going on for a long time, dealer said back in the early years it would require engine removal to gain access inside oil pan. A $5G job I'm not willing to part with. I was able to stop the oil leak for a while just by snugging large nut, did this 2twice over the years until nut finally bottomed. Now I am that crossroad of having to address a fix. In the past 3yrs I found a couple of new fixes from diesel shops that sell those fixes. A tool was designed to insert into mount after dipstick removed so mount would not fall into bottom of oil pan. This aides into removal of Oring from outside. There are a couple of YouTube videos on the different methods of fix. One method was a total replacement redesign mount for the outside of oil pan. I didn't like this one which required old Oring removal and letting the OEM mount drop into bottom of oil pan, it has been claimed that it poses no threat to any moving internal engine parts. The threat would be the old Oring floating around if it fell in the pan bottom. What I opted to do is replace Oring on mount and Oring on dipstick about a total of $6.50 to OEM. 


                  
Starter must be         Large nut securing          Double twisted .041     Small needle vice       Final, notches on mount
removed for easier     dipstick mount              wire with hook on end  grip for solid hold      for dipstick position
access                                                             to grab lip inside 
                                                                        mount with a wedge
                                                                        as added security 
                                                                        holding hook in place.
                                                                        Groove for Oring & 
                                                                        Oring can be seen

[Bduck]

As I stated before I wish I had a new starter to install after oil dipstick mount leak fix. At over 208,000mi now it was one of those things that settle in the back of mind I need to change this starter. Last time I broke down was with a rebuilt starter 400mi away from home & 300mi from my destination. Lucky for me the starter was in warranty at 1mo old and a Checker Auto parts business I purchased it from was in Winnemucca, NV, this experience I decided I would never buy another rebuilt. After milling about the pricing between rebuilt to remanufactured to new, I settled for a new upgrade for $250 with more power & torque less than a dealer OEM price and more than a rebuilt and about the same as remanufactured. My new starter arrived 3-14 and now waiting for a weather break to install. The old starter still working strong and will be a spare. No trade-in core required.

Powermaster Starter

[wiperhunter2]

My guess is all these repairs are cheaper than what monthly payments would be on a newer truck but wow, with your bad knees, it must be tough doing all these repairs. By the way, how do you hold all these tools and take pics at the same time? That being said, I'm still working on a lot of my old stuff too, so I totally get it.

[Bduck]

My guess is all these repairs are cheaper than what monthly payments would be on a newer truck but wow, with your bad knees, it must be tough doing all these repairs. By the way, how do you hold all these tools and take pics at the same time? That being said, I'm still working on a lot of my old stuff too, so I totally get it.

Taking pics is not that difficult, only requires the right position to be in. Sometimes the knees can get into awkward positions, pushing thru most instances I can tolerate. In the case of this starter its a lay down under the truck task. There will be a time I will eventually succumb to age but hopefully not in the near future. Too much fishing still on the horizon to be done. Maintaining my truck will ensure my adventures and paying for a new truck is a mortgage payment I'm not willing to deal with. Work smarter not harder
Next, soon to be task is replacing my stock OEM flex brake lines with braided steel coated brake lines.