Older diesels have become extremely popular tow rigs and work trucks, as the sometimes over-$80,000 price tag for a brand-new truck is simply not as practical or feasible as it once was. Most diesel pickups built in the early 2000s can be purchased for much less than $10,000. Throw a few thousand dollars’ worth of smart upgrades/fixes, and you have yourself an extremely capable, comfortable, safe, and reliable tow rig.
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We’ve had this F-250 for a few years—we got it on the cheap—and it really has been a great truck to travel with. As the odometer approached 200,000 miles, we decided it was time to throw a small rebuild its way before we regretted it later while calling for a tow truck. Being true believers in the aftermarket, we did some research and found the best and smartest upgrades to get us a little extra power and prevent future breakdowns, all while fixing the few shortcomings the 7.3 had from the factory.
The Plan
The Ford had a few oil leaks, so we’d be assessing that situation for sure, but our first concern was the turbo and oil systems. While climbing hills pulling our Carson Trailer Mobile Test Lab, we were losing boost at an alarming rate. The turbo was fluttering (some call it turbo cavitation) and the wastegate could not contain the boost pressure, causing us to down shift and lose momentum.
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We had also noticed a loss in low rpm torque. Part of the problem was the motor simply was not receiving enough fuel to get the fire burning correctly. The 7.3 is a slightly different beast than most other diesel motors, so we turned to Banks Power in Azusa, California, as well as DieselSite for their professional opinions.
The extremely experienced crew at Banks Power recommended a package consisting of their BigHead wastegate actuator, Quick Turbo housing and compressor wheel, and a Techni-Cooler intercooler, all topped off with a Banks ram-air intake system. This system would give us all the boost pressure we would need and the Techni-Cooler intercooler would keep the incoming air charge nice and cool.
After talking with Bob Riley, owner of DieselSite, he recommended a whole slew of parts for the 7.3, including an Adrenaline High-Pressure Oil Pump (HPOP), a 203-degree thermostat with a billet aluminum housing, a Turbo Engine Boot kit, an Exhaust Backpressure Valve (EBV) Removal kit, a Boost Relief Valve Plus (BRV+), as well as all the seals and O-rings needed to fix any oil or fuel leak we might have. Bob also recommended we fit the Power Stroke with a coolant-filtration kit.
