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Old 10-21-2013, 11:23 AM   #1
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Location: Galion, OH
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Looking at a 1998 E350 7.3L with almost 300k...

So, a local dealer has an E350 7.3L with about 300k on the ticker. What I wanted to ask was maybe what I should ask to know about the motor.

Also, what I should ask the dealer to produce in terms of things like getting it inspected and what to look for, etc. I had two 7.3s in trucks and both were over 300k without an issue. But, the tranny went south on both shortly after selling. I don't want to buy a 300k van and have to replace the tranny just after buying...

My idea is to take the body and paint and redo the inside and transfer the goodies from my V10 and transplant on to the diesel. Converting the V10 back to stock and selling or keeping for my son.

I just hate to buy a 6.0 with the issues and at the price this is being asked for, I wouldn't be out much other than time. It has some body work needed, but straight. Chassis looks to be typical with mild rust and not much more. The motor looks good.

But I want a laundry list of things to either expect to replace or to have checked...

Numerous threads and piles of info. Just bullet points like this:

What to look for:

-XXX
-XXX
-XXX

What I should expect to replace:

-XXX
-XXX
-XXX

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Old 10-21-2013, 11:49 AM   #2
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Re: Looking at a 1998 E350 7.3L with almost 300k...

Check the air cleaner. If it doesn't have a stock paper filter in it (or looks like it didn't at one time), it has probably sucked in enough sand to wear both the turbo and the valves. If the rig feels sluggish, or isn't making enough boost, good chance this is why. When I was shopping 7.3L trucks for a friend, his price point meant trucks near 200k. About 2/3 of them had aftermarket intakes and were WAY down on power compared to the trucks left stock. If you don't see proof of them being done, you'll probably want to do the glow plugs (and replace the valve cover gaskets which most likely leak).

If the transmission hasn't been done yet, you'll be needing one. But I seriously doubt the stock trans would make it that long behind a 7.3L. Ford reman HD units are a good. Otherwise, do some research on who did the rebuild. Good news is wrecking yard 4R100s are cheap. You could pull one from a V10, drop in an upgraded torque converter, and probably get some good life out of it.
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Old 10-21-2013, 12:16 PM   #3
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Location: Irvine, CA
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Re: Looking at a 1998 E350 7.3L with almost 300k...

bought my '97 7.3PSD April of 2012 with 209,000mi.
*
i've completed a 6" UJoint lift and 4x4 conversion.
I now have ~238,000 miles. It's my daily driver.
during this time, along with the 4x4 conversion i had to do the following repairs/maint...
*replaced blown radiator
*vacuum pump failure, replaced.
*fuel lines cracked, replaced
*had to replace dipstick interface to oil pan... really bad oil leak, went with an aftermarket piece from Strictly Diesel ->> http://www.strictlydiesel.com/p-2690-st ... r-kit.aspx
* had to replace glow plug relay/harness.
* rear AC broke down, needed to be fixed [non engine related]
* before 4x4 conversion was done, transmission was slipping and needed to be rebuilt but I drove around for a few months without any real issue until I got the conversion done.

our van's look alike!


I just can't wait til i have to get the fuel injectors replaced
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Old 10-21-2013, 03:54 PM   #4
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Re: Looking at a 1998 E350 7.3L with almost 300k...

How much is replacing the rail system?
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Old 10-21-2013, 04:36 PM   #5
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Re: Looking at a 1998 E350 7.3L with almost 300k...

Test drive it like you stole it and then ppi at a ford dealer to check for codes. Besides they'll probably do a better visual than you would.

306k here and going strong.
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