screwhead
Registered User
Howdy. Thanks to everyone on this forum have helped me out a lot already.
I recently purchased a 1993 7.3 idi non turbo as my first diesel vehicle. (Odometer is out and both me and previous owner have no clue what that mileage is. Dumb move maybe, but she is very fun to drive) Drove from Arlington to Austin as soon as I got it and it rode fine, started up every time, could definitely go it’s max speed or more but I’ve been trying to be nice to it for now at least. Fluids were all at a decent level and seem to have been at least half ass maintained.
Day after I got home it started doing some strange things, blue/whitish smoke, randomly would lose power and have a hard time maintaining any kind of highway speed (switching between fuel tanks actually seemed to help with this which I thought was very strange), and after driving it back from the mechanic first time I had him look at it died on me multiple times on the short and slow drive home.
Mechanic did compression tests, etc and is telling me that the rings on three pistons are going out/need replacement and that’s the biggest problem along with it (1, 2, 6) He said that other than that the motor is in pretty good condition. I have had the transmission serviced. I did an oil change, cleaned up batteries, and am about to do a coolant flush and change.
He also told me that the injectors 4 and 6 need replacement and two of the glow plugs are going to or need replacement soon. My biggest question is should I go ahead and replace all fuel injectors and glow plugs, do whatever else I feel I’m mechanically skilled enough to do and wait a little while to have the pistons serviced or should I just wait till I can get the pistons serviced at the shop and change glow plugs, injectors, etc then. Also any idea what it would cost do get something like that done?
Other questions I have are about possibly upgrading the pistons, would like to put a turbo in it one day but not sure what I can or should start upgrading to be able to handle the turbo.
Any advice or thoughts would be appreciated. Happy truckin
I recently purchased a 1993 7.3 idi non turbo as my first diesel vehicle. (Odometer is out and both me and previous owner have no clue what that mileage is. Dumb move maybe, but she is very fun to drive) Drove from Arlington to Austin as soon as I got it and it rode fine, started up every time, could definitely go it’s max speed or more but I’ve been trying to be nice to it for now at least. Fluids were all at a decent level and seem to have been at least half ass maintained.
Day after I got home it started doing some strange things, blue/whitish smoke, randomly would lose power and have a hard time maintaining any kind of highway speed (switching between fuel tanks actually seemed to help with this which I thought was very strange), and after driving it back from the mechanic first time I had him look at it died on me multiple times on the short and slow drive home.
Mechanic did compression tests, etc and is telling me that the rings on three pistons are going out/need replacement and that’s the biggest problem along with it (1, 2, 6) He said that other than that the motor is in pretty good condition. I have had the transmission serviced. I did an oil change, cleaned up batteries, and am about to do a coolant flush and change.
He also told me that the injectors 4 and 6 need replacement and two of the glow plugs are going to or need replacement soon. My biggest question is should I go ahead and replace all fuel injectors and glow plugs, do whatever else I feel I’m mechanically skilled enough to do and wait a little while to have the pistons serviced or should I just wait till I can get the pistons serviced at the shop and change glow plugs, injectors, etc then. Also any idea what it would cost do get something like that done?
Other questions I have are about possibly upgrading the pistons, would like to put a turbo in it one day but not sure what I can or should start upgrading to be able to handle the turbo.
Any advice or thoughts would be appreciated. Happy truckin