trade in...

[hubcapsc]

Traded in the old truck...



On another old truck...



Got the old-old truck with 100K, it is gas, we put another 120K on it...

The new-old truck has 250K on it, it is diesel, hope we can put at least another 120k on it...
This one should be safer/easier for Carolyn to take the horse trailer into the mountains or other
longer trips. And it is automatic, so if she gets stuck in one of those Interstate traffic jambs it should
not be so miserable. I got stuck for 45 minutes or so on I85 one night, clutch out, go 10 feet, clutch
in, stop, clutch out, go 10 feet, stop, repeat... it would be awful on a hot day with a trailer...

97 Ford powerstroke diesel is supposed to be one of their best motors?

-Mike

[highcountry]

Congrats on the new ride.  We recently sold our '96 F350 Powerstroke with about 140K on it.  The diesel will eat auto transmissions; we had three in ours.  The engine had no problems that I can remember.  The PS does require a special additive in the coolant which you check with special paper strips.

[alph]

i've got a buddy with an F250 Diesel.  he gets 27MPG pulling a trailer at 75 MPH!!  (so he says).

they're great engines, if i had my way i'd have a diesel but they wife doesn't like the way they sound.  she says they sound like a john deere tractor!!

[big turkey]

That sure is a pretty red truck, hope you get good service out of it.

Ford, First on Race Day.

Big Al

Chevy Man.

[hubcapsc]

Congrats on the new ride.  We recently sold our '96 F350 Powerstroke with about 140K on it.  The diesel will eat auto transmissions; we had three in ours.  The engine had no problems that I can remember.  The PS does require a special additive in the coolant which you check with special paper strips.

Ick. I hope they put a better one in the 97s  ...

-Mike

[hubcapsc]

Ford, First on Race Day.

Fix Or Repair Daily is what I heard... 

Chevy Man.

The good old (but slightly wimpy) truck was a Chevy...

Hopefully it will haul stuff around with a minimum of trouble for a while. I really like the old
non-bulbous lower body style...

-Mike

[big turkey]

Put a bigger tranny Cooler on it Mike , that should do it.

Temp on tranny fluid is key.

270 and below is good.

Big AL

[JerryB]

That old International diesel is just getting broke in........JerryB.

[Tropic traveler]

You got a good truck.  
I have sold Ford parts for over 20 years & I can tell you the 7.3 PSD is a very reliable engine. Not so optimistic on the newer 6.0 & 6.4 PSD engines.    Highcountry is right however, that 7.3 will outlast MANY E4OD transmissions. Do add the biggest cooler you can find & change the fluid more often than recommended!
Had a beauty of a PSD a couple of years ago. Even though I have no use for the pulling power of the old F250 anymore I still miss it.    Had 85,000 miles on it when I sold it, just couldn't justify keeping it just to drive 3,500 miles a year. It was a real cherry!

[R J]

That sure is a pretty red truck, hope you get good service out of it.

Ford, First on Race Day.

Big Al

Chevy Man.

Firkin
Old
Recycled
Dodge.


Chevy, Dodge, and Chevy lover.

[Tropic traveler]

That sure is a pretty red truck, hope you get good service out of it.

Ford, First on Race Day.

Big Al

Chevy Man.

Firkin
Old
Recycled
Dodge.


Chevy, Dodge, and Chevy lover.

HA!!!
Maybe so but FORD didn't take any Gubbermint monies!
I hear you can buy a Chebbie with Food Stamps now.
And every Dodge comes with a can of Ravioli. 

[CamTom12]

i've got a buddy with an F250 Diesel.  he gets 27MPG pulling a trailer at 75 MPH!!  (so he says).

hah! Not likely!  My last truck was a '00 F250. 7.3l, 2WD, 6-speed manual, Supercab/SWB pulling machine! I got 17.5 MPG pulling 14k gcvw from AL to TN a few years back. Not to bad with all the mountains in between!

My new truck's an '08 F250. 6.4l, 4WD, 5-speed auto, CrewCab/SWB monster. Fuel mileage isn't nearly as good as the 7.3's was, and I miss my manual transmission at times, but this truck will pull (and more importantly, STOP!) more weight, and keep me more comfortable on long hauls while doing it.

I still miss my old rattlebox though, they're great trucks and that motor really will last a looooong time if maintained right!  I second the comments about E4OD servicing!

[alph]

i've got a buddy with an F250 Diesel.  he gets 27MPG pulling a trailer at 75 MPH!!  (so he says).

hah! Not likely!  My last truck was a '00 F250. 7.3l, 2WD, 6-speed manual, Supercab/SWB pulling machine! I got 17.5 MPG pulling 14k gcvw from AL to TN a few years back. Not to bad with all the mountains in between!

My new truck's an '08 F250. 6.4l, 4WD, 5-speed auto, CrewCab/SWB monster. Fuel mileage isn't nearly as good as the 7.3's was, and I miss my manual transmission at times, but this truck will pull (and more importantly, STOP!) more weight, and keep me more comfortable on long hauls while doing it.

I still miss my old rattlebox though, they're great trucks and that motor really will last a looooong time if maintained right!  I second the comments about E4OD servicing!

Yeah, I know it doesn't sound possible, but he put a 4'' exhaust pipe through the entire system, did something with the timing (put in one of those $500 chips), and a dual turbo system.  She really screams!!  That truck has a lot of power.  I've driven it, she's pretty fast!!  A couple of years ago he took it out to Sturgis, pulling a trailer with his goldwing, and his buddy's harley on it, and he says he got 27mpg.  But, if he's lying, I don't know.  I'm just repeating what he's said.

[Jabba]

Brother has had a '95 F-250 with the 7.3 PSD since new.  He's needed glow plugs a few times... but other than that.  It's been solid.  He's had some front end issues too. 

You can TELL when the oil needs changed too.  It'll demonstrate a noticeable loss of snappiness.  That engine uses engine oil to motivate the fuel injectors (So I understand) and when the oil is getting old... the hydraulic properties change and you can tell.  it's like an 11 qt oil change too.

Jabba

[hubcapsc]

I checked this morning, I think the transmission cooler is the OEM one... I looked around on google
and found a bunch of likely choices for improvement, including ones with fans - that should help
a bunch when you're backing a trailer into a gnarly spot after a long hot drive... the previous owner
(there's been two owners, it was bought new in Asheville, it's a local trade in, not an auction
vehicle) towed stuff... we'll see how long the current transmission goes, seems fine to me now. Fifteen
years ago I had a f150 4x4 that gave transmission trouble... I was pretty sure they used the
same transmission in the 150 that they put in pintos  ...

All the glow plugs were just replaced, for the purpose of reselling the truck... it was getting hard
to start, but is easy right now.

The preacher at church is retiring this week as service manager at the local Ford place, he should
be a good choice for opinions about service... I like to work on the Valkyrie, aint gonna work on
this thing 



-Mike

[Master Blaster]

In 04 I traded my 1993 F350 Dually Super Cab Dually for a new Crew Cab Dodge Dually.  The Ford was a great truck, and was the first year they came with a factory turbo.  I believe the Cummings is a better engine, and does get much better fuel milage, in fact my mileage doubled.  I have no complaints with the Dodge, and it has massive amounts of torque, but I would be driving another Ford if I could have found a dealer that wanted to get serious about trading with me.  Now I am just as happy that it worked out with the big Dodge.  That looks like a really nice rig, and you are smart in buying used over new.  I will have to keep the Dodge for the rest of my life to make it cost effective even though I got a deal on it.  The Ford was a 5 speed and the Dodge is an automatic, the first automatic truck I ever owned, and I like it.

[RLD]

Careful loading with that ramp. You will bend your kickstand cross member very easily. Talkin from experience here.

[Westernbiker]

Only problem I had with mine (Ford 350 Power Stroke crew cab 4-wheel drive) Was a fuel injector. $700.00 plus but had and extended warenty and dealership covered it all.

[hubcapsc]

Careful loading with that ramp. You will bend your kickstand cross member very easily. Talkin from experience here.

So many people have told me that, I made a picture... I think I lucked out... that was the day I picked up the
new-to-me Valk, I thought I was pretty smart getting the Honda Shop in Philadelphia to load it for me...



-Mike

[CamTom12]

Yeah, I know it doesn't sound possible, but he put a 4'' exhaust pipe through the entire system, did something with the timing (put in one of those $500 chips), and a dual turbo system.  She really screams!!  That truck has a lot of power.  I've driven it, she's pretty fast!!  A couple of years ago he took it out to Sturgis, pulling a trailer with his goldwing, and his buddy's harley on it, and he says he got 27mpg.  But, if he's lying, I don't know.  I'm just repeating what he's said.
[/quote]

yeah, he's full of it. I had a straight pipe and a chip on my 7.3l as well.

[highcountry]

Brother has had a '95 F-250 with the 7.3 PSD since new.  He's needed glow plugs a few times... but other than that.  It's been solid.  He's had some front end issues too. 

You can TELL when the oil needs changed too.  It'll demonstrate a noticeable loss of snappiness.  That engine uses engine oil to motivate the fuel injectors (So I understand) and when the oil is getting old... the hydraulic properties change and you can tell.  it's like an 11 qt oil change too.

Jabba

Actually, it is a 14 qt oil change.     My Cummins is a mere 12.