Looking at possibly buying a 2002 f350 7.3 Diesel -- Need help! Photos included
- Thread starter vdog98
- Start date
You're welcome.
I have saved a lot of people a lot of money and trouble, doing PPIs (Pre-Purchase Inspections) over the years, and I'm happy to help here as well...
Cpfistner
New member
I second the comments above: Lots of coating on the frame and several repair patches - lots of bad stuff hidden underneath. --> Steer clear of this one.
Just bought a 2002 F250 with a 7.3L myself, but it had one owner, a firefighter from Fresno, and you could basically eat of the engine. It was that clean! 7.3L PS are generally great engines, but you need to address a few known weak spots. The same goes for the 4R100 if get the automatic transmission. A manual will be less problematic.
Just bought a 2002 F250 with a 7.3L myself, but it had one owner, a firefighter from Fresno, and you could basically eat of the engine. It was that clean!
7.3L PS are generally great engines, but you need to address a few known weak spots. The same goes for the 4R100 if get the automatic transmission. A manual will be less problematic.I agree with what the above posters already said about the truck in question, but thought I'd add my own experience, as your post sounds like me right before I bought my first diesel. I researched the heck out of the different trucks and engines available, and decided the 7.3L was the best out there. I purchased a '99 F-350 SRW with 260k mi on its 7.3L.
A few things I learned the hard way (as someone who's serviced & maintained gasoline engines for 25 years):
- When people talk of the longevity of these engines, they're really referring to the block (pistons/crankshaft/etc). All peripherals (water/oil/PS pumps, alternators, sensors, injectors, filters etc) have similar lifespan to their gas-engined counterparts. Neglect these parts and the truck's out of service. It won't last "A million miles" without the significant cost of replacing these parts outside of the block.
- Diesel maintenance tends to be more expensive: dual batteries, (some have) dual alternators, injector/glow plug replacement is $2000 (for parts alone). Coolant and oil changes are same intervals as the gas engines, but take 4 gallons of oil, 7 1/4 gallons of coolant. (Aside: for some interesting reading, try researching which coolant to use. It's a huge debate, depending on your engine's year)
- I bought my '99 F-350 hoping to keep things simple (i.e. staying away from the emissions changes post 2007: DEF, particulate filters, EGR, etc). Even with the older truck, the amount of gadgetry and complexity present seemed absurd at times. Oil/engine coolant heat exchanger (I rebuilt myself due to oil in the coolant, VERY MESSY job), fuel bowl heater, two fuel filters, exhaust back pressure system, block heater. Don't forget the turbo, which requires its own oil plumbing system and a proper cooling down sequence before shutting off the engine after a heavy run. (If I sound whiney here, please note I'm a mechanical engineer. I understand all these systems, it's just that the complexity was unexpected).
- The 7.3 (like all engines) has its quirks. The Cam position sensor may fail unexpectedly (you'll be advised to carry a spare in the glovebox, with required tools to change it). The fuel bowl heater will eventually fail, and may blow its electrical fuse. Unfortunately, this is the same circuit as the PCM, so your engine cuts off when this happens. Hopefully this is while parked, not towing a 10,000 lb trailer downhill in traffic.
- Even with a block heater on all night (at 1KW, by the way. Electricity isn't free!), mine had trouble starting at temps below 40°F. What if I was out boondocking (no power, so no block heater) and there was an emergency and we had to leave? Not starting in cold weather was the nail in the coffin for me. It had to go.
Not trying to dissuade you, but just add a second opinion. In short, diesels have their place - they're more fuel efficient (due to higher compression and the fuel's higher energy content), but it takes a certain type of owner to keep them. Happy diesel owners are either people who need the power of a diesel (commercial vehicles, buses, etc) and are willing to pay the price to keep them running, or they're diesel enthusiasts (because, lets face it, diesels are cool)
who don't mind the maintenance or costs and enjoy working on them. I thought I was the latter, but sold mine five months after I bought it, after many hours of replacing parts and catching up on maintenance.Hope that helps you make an informed decision, happy hunting!
PS - just bought an '02 F250 5.4L 4WD last weekend and couldn't be happier with it. The cost in parts to get that 7.3 running right would've been more than the purchase price of my new truck.
