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I am looking at a 92 F250 with a 7.3 and IDI diesel. I would like a power stroke however for the money it looks to be a good value. Years ago I drove a 91 with same engine and my dad and brother both had 92 F250 years ago.
Any idea on potential maintenance issues, costs. Any suggested upgrades (besides a turbo charge) or other input?
I am looking at a 92 F250 with a 7.3 and IDI diesel. I would like a power stroke however for the money it looks to be a good value. Years ago I drove a 91 with same engine and my dad and brother both had 92 F250 years ago.
Any idea on potential maintenance issues, costs. Any suggested upgrades (besides a turbo charge) or other input?
That is what I am thinking. But I am also thinking of what might break. I guess it is not much different than stuff breaking on a 5 year old pickup either...
Longevity would be high with those engines but they are underpowered. The gas 460 from those years also has great longevity but much better pulling power with lower fuel mileage.
Yeah a 460 would be good engine, and for shot trips okay fine. I have a 79 F150 with a 300 6 and a flatbed, Its led a hard life, the engine is in good shape, needs to TLC. Also would been front fenders and floorboards replaces... starting to rust through. I would also need to replace seat or repair it.
I am debating between fixing on the old 69 or updating. The 79... it is sometimes like sending a boy out to do a man's job. The diesel could pull more, is heavier, has an extended cab. Body for most part is better off. Box damage, which I would amend by placing the flatbed on it.
We've owned several of the late 1980's - early 1990's F250s w/NA diesel, and one 1991 that had the full Banks treatment (turbo, exh system) and a two-speed diff. We then got a 1995 PowerStroke F250 with the manual transmission.
While the NA diesels were solid & reliable workhorses and got decent fuel economy (as high as 21-22 mpg lightly loaded, 17 when pulling a horse trailer), they were definitely a bit shy in HP department. The Banks turbo'ed truck was a revelation in how much better these motors ran with the modification, and it was a better rig for towing the trailers, our primary useage. I'd mention that we're at 6,100' elevation, and in the Rocky Mountain Region ... so we have lots of passes to pull as well as high alititude cruising.
But the best truck of all, by far and away, has been the 1995 Powerstroke. At 225,000 miles, it's still able to turn in 22-23 mpg lightly loaded (at 65 mph), and around 17+ with a BP horse trailer at the same speeds. The key issue has been dead-on reliability ... the only mechanical item replaced so far has been the speed sensor in the diff. Everything works properly. It's still on the original water pump, injectors, clutch (although it did get the factory update on the master/slave cylinder), etc. The truck hasn't used two sets of brakes, they seem to wear forever (our trailers have electric brakes). Most significantly, when we get in a line of traffic that slows us down on the grades around here, a light squeeze on the throttle pedal will have us back to cruising speed in a couple of seconds when we get the opportunity to pass. A good mod was to add the exhaust brake, which will comfortably hold the truck back to our target cruise speed on the descents, even when pulling a heavy trailer. The truck is a bit more sensitive to proper maintenance ... oil changes are critical to the injection system performance and the motor is sensitive to poor quality fuel or high percentages of bio-diesel which we've encountered on our trips East of the Mississippi. You must use a quality fuel conditioner when running these fuels, which we could not avoid in places like Ohio ....
However, if you don't need the PStroke power for towing, then the NA motors are fine, IMO, and the trucks were just as sturdy. The only weak spot I ever found on the older mechanical fuel injection motors was the glow plug controller and glow plugs. My 1985 ate a few of those in 250,000 miles ... but only one water pump and an alternator & starter. It's still on the original clutch and trans, and is now being used by a local farm kid for his chores and local livestock trailering ... it doesn't get a lot of miles anymore, but it does get a lot of daily use.
If it was a Powerstroke, it would be no brainer. Or even a Cummins bt6... I don't have any problem with the 7.3. Yes if I get this pickup I would be pulling with it. And I would work it, hauling landscape materials, hauling equipment and perhaps an offroad adventure.
I did a little research on this. It has 185 hp and 360 pound feet of torque. For the year, and especially since it is not turbocharged, that is not bad at all.
I did a little research on this. It has 185 hp and 360 pound feet of torque. For the year, and especially since it is not turbocharged, that is not bad at all.
No its not. Doing some reading a person could bump up the injector timing and get some more power with no loss of economy, and opening the intake and exhaust to add some more giddy up.
No its not. Doing some reading a person could bump up the injector timing and get some more power with no loss of economy, and opening the intake and exhaust to add some more giddy up.
I was only quoting the stock numbers from the factory, not with modifications.
7.3 L Diesel V8 1992-94 185 hp (138 kW) 360 lb·ft (490 N·m) IDI
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