1997 F-350 CCLB Powerstroke

[newrider3]

Sold the Subaru and picked up a new project/soon-to-be daily driver: 1997 Ford F350 crew cab longbed 4x4, 7.3 Powerstroke/5spd manual...Got it for a steal because it's a little ragged on the outside as an ex-oilfield truck, but the engine, clutch, and trans are apparently fairly new, just needing a couple fuel sensor parts to get it up and running. Just got a couple pics of it before I had to head back up to school this afternoon:

http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa239/newrider3/2013-03-19_18-54-25_269_zps48610ca1.jpg

http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa239/newrider3/2013-03-19_18-54-47_448_zps2ed9eb40.jpg

http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa239/newrider3/2013-03-19_18-55-04_481_zps9d845ee1.jpg

...and thanks for making the pics look annoying as hell...

 

[cumminsbayou4x4]

How many miles is on it? I herd the oil field people run the motors like all day and sometimes where the motor out by just idling them, i don't know if it is true tho.

 

[fowler]

That is one long vehicial


Not turning the engine off is good for it
To a point

Most wear is caused during warn up
Why most cars are stuffed
People just jump in their city car and flog it to the shops for 5mins
That's all it does and it ruins it
Then wonder why u get a 90s country car with 3x the Ks and its better condition than their late model car

Alternately idling for long periods is not good at all

 

[jamyers]

The 7.3 Powerstroke is a great engine! Around here they're hard to find and command a premium.

They also lend themselves well to burning alternative fuels, due to their internal fuel rails / injectors. Weak link seems to be that the air intake hoses let dust in behind the filter, which erodes the turbo - but some really nice improved replacement impellers are available.

 

[fowler]

We put rtv sealant around all intake joints

Not always required but its cheap insurance

If its a common problem with these engines then there's a cheap fix

 

[newrider3]

It's creeping over 350k miles, but more than half of that was most likely on the previous engine. All the tie rods and ball joints look great still, and there's really no leaks. Around here oilfield guys mostly run highway miles to get to out of the way places.

Good to know on the air cleaner, I may just dump the chintzy stock airbox and adapt a big industrial air filter element...

 

[B.M.800]

you gonna burn veggie oil through it?

 

[newrider3]

If I could find a source for it, probably. If I get some extra cash I'd like to buy a centrifuge for cleaning waste oils, and put a big transfer tank with pump and fuel nozzle in the bed. That way I could clean and run practically any waste oil I want and run around on free fuel

 

[B.M.800]

If I could find a source for it, probably. If I get some extra cash I'd like to buy a centrifuge for cleaning waste oils, and put a big transfer tank with pump and fuel nozzle in the bed. That way I could clean and run practically any waste oil I want and run around on free fuel

Im sure you know, but check out your local fast food/bars/gas stations, often they just set it out back. Maybe call some up and ask about getting their oil.

Friend of mine has a fancy centrifuge, he found it was more effective to filter the oil through a furnace filter. I think my brother uses a big round air filter.

 

[newrider3]

I'd be fine with the filter route for WVO, but if I get a source for waste motor oil or ATF it seems that a centrifuge is the only good way to get any particulates out (removes water at the same time) without spending a fortune on cartridge filters.

 

[jamyers]

If you haven't already visited, tons of good info over at http://www.powerstroke.org/forum/

 

[newrider3]

Got this thing running a couple weeks ago and have been troubleshooting some stuff over a couple weekends; seems like I'm going to need a clutch, clutch master and slave, and/or a trans rebuild...thinking the PO drove it too long with a bad clutch master bushing and it smoked a few synchros. Guess that's what you get into when buying a 350k mile truck without driving it, but I guess I still got a good deal on the truck all things considered...

 

[Doc Sprocket]

That's a bit of a setback, bummer. Now, are you referring to the input shaft pilot bearing, or am I thinking of the wrong part?

 

[fowler]

Mmm bummer

At least it's a manual
Not too hard to rebuild

What did the oil look like (if u have drained it yet)

I assume the clutch master bushing is the bushing in the master cylender
Allowing too much bypass

 

[newrider3]

The end of the clutch master pushrod on these trucks has a plastic bushing where it connects to the pedal linkage that wears out often. You end up with 1/4" of slop in the pedal, which translates to only getting 1/2 or less clutch disengagement. Most people are smart enough to replace this bushing when they notice hard shifting or poor clutching, or even upgrade it to a rod end or bronze bushing. But the PO decided to just weld the snap ring on the end of the pedal linkage to keep the rod from falling off

I ended up cutting the boss off of the linkage arm the pushrod rides on, drilling it out, and using a stainless bolt and a bronze bushing, hoping this would fix the shifting issue, but I'm still only getting about 1/2 travel at the clutch fork. A new master and slave assembly may well fix the issues, but I'm skeptical because the trans has a habit of popping out of fourth as well.

http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa239/newrider3/IMG_20130331_140646_613_zpsb6267b3e.jpg

I have yet to drop the fluid; I went to pull the fill plug to check the level and sheared off a 3/8" ratchet stub in the square socket hole, which is now stuck there.

 

[Doc Sprocket]

Aww, SNAP!