Cost to overhaul a 2000 Ford 7.3????

I bought a Ford F350 last fall. I knew the motor was a gamble but I am setting alright on the truck. I finally got to check out what is wrong on the truck. (starting hard and white smoking)

My brother has the computer to read the motor on this truck. We got time Friday to run it and check out what the trouble is. It is low compression. I was hoping for bad injectors but it is low compression.

I have found a 85,000 mile motor in Florida for $2900+shipping. New re-manufactured engines for around $8000. So I am wondering what the parts cost would be for overhauling one of these???

Would have the block bored over size. The cylinder heads/valves re-machined/replaced. The crank ground if needed. New bearings and pistons and rings. I have a good set of injectors, they only have 500 miles on them. Buddy totaled his truck after just installing a new set. New lube oil pump and new high pressure oil pump for the fuel system.

So have any of you rebuilt one recently??? Just wanting a ball park number to help make my mind up on which way to go, Sell it as is, part it out, rebuild it myself, or install a used motor. All of these have positives and negatives.

I am leaning toward parting it out and buying something else.

Do a search for "Northern Auto" out of Sioux City. They have name brand engine kits to help you see what the prices on your parts will be. Other than that, you should have an idea what machine work and injector work costs.

how many miles on it ? does it use any oil ? you may be able to get by with just doing the heads , if the blowby is within spec. it is probably losing the compression past the valves.

There is a wrecked one with a new engine sitting in Grafton, WV adjacent to All About Auto For the 2900, I think you could get the whole truck.

Aaron

Find someone who has a fleet account with Ford. I have bought likely the same engine complete long block with injectors and most everything else for a whole lot less than 8000. I can't be sure what the current price is because I'd need the VIN number to be sure of the correct engine. Ford has an incredible warantee on their reman engines. Last I checked the warantee was 100,000 miles or 36 months. They have special pricing and promos during the year. For what is the current price and availability, I do not know. My WAG would be $5000. If the rest of the truck is in good shape, that might be a reasonable number. The install time for that engine is about 8 hours. I put a Ford reman 7.3 into my SIL's truck, but 6 months later she was hit by a car at high speed and the truck was totalled in California. Some parts yard got a dang good engine.

Paul in MN

Just got home in a 2000 F250 7.3 with a measly 155000. Runs like a wild Azz ape. If it really has 85000 should be like new. Did yours suck dirt sometime? Neighbor north of me pulled campers with a 7.3 Rolled the speedo over on the same rings and rod and main bearings. And never took the heads off. Hard to park a sharp 4 door 4X4 2003 and under F250-F350 at a Sale barn and not have someone want to buy it. You can get boot trading for a 6.0- l. Vic

The motor has about 200K on it. The trans has only 50K on a complete reman, New rubber all the way around, new turbo 500 miles ago. IT is a crew cab dually with zero rust. I have about $4500 in it.

I knew it had motor issues when I bought it. I hoped a good set of injectors and maybe a new high pressure oil pump would cure it.

Even if I have to go with a reman motor I will still have a truck for under book. I have even played with the idea of putting a Cummins motor in it. I see kits to do that with.

Looking to replace my old 1990 Dodge. It is getting long in the tooth. Great truck just getting up there in age and mileage.

I'm learning something here, and/or I missed something... your brother's computer code reader showed "low compression" on one or more cylinders?

They have been known to burn a valve or two... have you ruled this out for sure, and determined it is a piston(s)/bore? wear/ring sealing issue?

If so, that sucker's gonna have a LOT of nasty/fuely/smokey blowby!

Bob: We used his computer to check to see if we had a sensor or ECM issue. I actually did a cylinder by cylinder compression check (Pulled the injectors again, fun fun!!! LOL)

I bought the truck with the motor not running correctly. The seller told me all he knew about it. He was just tired of throwing money at it. He did not diagnose much just replaced whatever someone told it might be. Example was the turbo and inter-cooler. They have less than 500 miles on them.

He still had the hard start and white smoke on startup issues.

I actually found it surprising that the motor has low compression. The 7.3 have a pretty good reputation.

I am leaning toward rebuilding the current motor or a complete reman. I am real weary of buying a used motor from out of state. Might be having issues in a few years again.

WOW, what a LOT of work, doing a compression check, on those, not to mention the thought of replacing the engine!

You are a better man than I, JD, to even consider it!

Seems to me I saw a post from NC Wayne bemoaning business conditions. Perhaps you could get him to swap it out reasonably;-)

Cummins Repower, (IA)- Steve Mallicoat...319-366-7537

I have an early '03 with a 7.3 and I can say I really really love my truck.

With that said though, if the motor were to ever kick the bucket I would definitely do a cummins swap. they make everything now to make it a bolt in affair


Im a firm believer that if you could go buy a new superduty with a cummins, dodge and chevy wouldn't be selling any HD pickups :lol:

Sure sounds steep on the reman engine. An outfit in Oregon has had a permanent ad in the Capital Press, a farm newspaper in Salem, for probably 20 years, so I guess they're not "fly by night"- 7.3 PS for $3,695 with your rebuildable core. 100,000 mile warranty if they install. R & G Machining, Mulino, OR, 800-823-6038

Or build yourself a hot rod- Cummins Dodge late 12 valve, $3,195.

I was going to suggest Northern Auto Parts--Gambles beat me to it.
Here's a link: http://www.northernautoparts.com/Products.cfm?CategoryId=21
Price on a engine kit is right around $1000.
Looks like the link will have to be copied and pasted.

Don't purchase any parts befor you have the
Block/ front cover checked for cavitation..
Personally I like the sounds of the engine with
85K.. @ 200K your going to find things you
weren't planning on.

With all the new turbo, injectors ect that you have I would for sure pull the heads before I went any farther. You might need rings , bearings and head job. I am thinking less that three thousand since you have the new oil pump. Not a hard motor to work on.

Thanks fellows. I think I will try a rebuilding it myself.

Any of you know where to get a "GOOD" repair manual???? I looked on line and don't seem to be coming up with an actual repair manual for the motor.

I believe the motor in my '96 F-350 crewcab cracked a piston last fall. So I did a fair amount of research on which way to go.
The pickup is still in great shape, so I couldn't bare the notion of parting it out.
It looked like a reman long-block was going to be close to $10k by the time I put a few upgraded parts on it, a Cummins repower was going to be close to $12k. The guy who ownes the local auto machine shop has a long block that someone dropped off, then decided he couldn't pay for- he thought he could get me into for around $6k- but then I'd still be looking at another 3-4k for accessories, as I couldn't see putting 200k injectors, turbo, etc on a new engine....
All alot of money for a rig that would still only be worth about $10k all said and done(even though it would be worth more than that to ME...)
I ended up findin a nice low-mileage extended cab F-250 for $8500. Got me into a rig IMMEDIATELY, which I needed...
My plan is to put the lower mileage engine in the crewcab, and doing a bare-minimum rebuild on the bad motor, to put back in the extended cab, it will still be worth $5k, even with a questionable motor, and I will probly just keep it for a farm truck.

To ME, that plan made the most sense. I couldn't see spending $3-4k on an unknown used motor, only to potentially have more problems in a year or two.

Your mileage may vary...


Ben

I picked up this repair manual. Is really more of an overview, doesn't get into specifics like torque specs, but worth the few bucks I paid for it...

Ben
Rebuild Guide

There is a place posting in Cedar rapids craigs list for reman ford diesels . $4800 long block .

I believe the 7.3 and the Navistar 444e are the exact same engine. Maybe you can find a school bus that has a 444e. I always hear school buses sell cheap; maybe an avenue for you to try.
I don't know if that engine has sleeves or not, but Navistar sells complete rebuild kits in a box for the dt466, sleeves,pistons, bearings, and gaskets; only machine work would be the head. Mark