Is cavitation REALLY an issue in the PSD?

[MeanGreen]

I know the older 7.3 IDI's had real issues with this, and I have owned 2 idi's and 1 PSD. I have always maintained the SCA levels, with no issues, BUT I am looking at getting another truck (a 96). If this thing tests out with little or no SCA's should I run from it? I have never actually heard of a PSD that was cavitated. Oh and the truck has 160,000 miles on it. Looking at it tomorrow so quick responses would be appreciated.
Jerry

 

[ameristar1]

The cavitation issues are primarily with the IDI's. The PSDs should have an improved block casting.
If it'll give you any comfort, there's a 99 PSD still running around that Hypermax services that has 1.3 million miles on it and it never has been apart ( the longblock that is ).
As long as it has been taken care of, you can't kill them.

 

[OLDBULL8]

The cavitation issues are primarily with the IDI's. The PSDs should have an improved block casting.
If it'll give you any comfort, there's a 99 PSD still running around that Hypermax services that has 1.3 million miles on it and it never has been apart ( the longblock that is ).
As long as it has been taken care of, you can't kill them.

1.3 million miles? That's hard to believe. That's 356 miles every day for 10 years.

My 99 has 150,000, just turned that yesterday. Got it a year ago with 126,000. Put 14,797 on trip to Alaska last summer. Changed coolant to Fleetgard Red W/SCA just to be on the safe side. No problem's so far except the UVCH came partially unplugged on the drivers side. Love to drive it.

Bill

 

[Agnem]

Not only that, but by the time the PSD came out, Ford had learned their lesson and started putting SCA's in from the factory, so even if the present owner isn't using the right stuff, it still got a firm push in the right direction early in life.

 

[Mike]

The lower compression ratio on the PSD is the biggest difference, if the truck has had even minimal attention paid to the cooling system it will be alright.

 

[ameristar1]

1.3 million miles? That's hard to believe. That's 356 miles every day for 10 years.

My 99 has 150,000, just turned that yesterday. Got it a year ago with 126,000. Put 14,797 on trip to Alaska last summer. Changed coolant to Fleetgard Red W/SCA just to be on the safe side. No problem's so far except the UVCH came partially unplugged on the drivers side. Love to drive it.

Bill

The customer was a car hauler who commuted between Illinois and California on a regular basis, one of Hypermax's customers. I asked them out of curiousity the highest mileage Powerstroke that they knew of and they told me about this guy that was a regular customer of theirs. Call 'em up and they can verify it for you. Blew my mind. After that my concerns about getting a high mileage PSD 7.3 were over. I've had 2, a 94 and a 96, and they were really good to me.
Oh, and that 99 with the big miles is still going over the road today.
The routine for this truck IIRC was once a year the fuel injection system was gone through, anything that needed to get fixed got fixed and that was it.
He ran it like a semi doing 2500-3000 miles a week.

 

[MeanGreen]

Thanks guys. I looked at the truck today. It's pretty nice. Needs a little work, but not bad, especially for the age. The SCA's tested out as 1.0 so it has some, so I'm not worried....especially with the comments mentioned here.
Let's see, I have a 97 and a 93 Both crew cabs and 4x4. Now I'm thinking of getting this 96....4x4 crewcab.
My initial plan was to replace my 97 with it, but now I'm thinking about selling the 93. Or maybe just have three!
Jerry

 

[tknomaj]

Sell the IDI and go Down the Road to the DARK SIDE DON'T let MEL see This

I Don't think the FORCE is STRONG in this ONE

 

[ameristar1]

If the 96 is a goodun, just get the old girl. Keep it stashed away for us if you decide to sell.;p
Besides, 160k for a 13 yr old truck is low mileage.

 

[MeanGreen]

Thanks guys. The 96 is pretty nice. The only things that bother me on it, are all the holes drilled in the dash (which I know I can buy a new bezel etc.) But there are also 5 holes drilled in the roof. It holds an overhead gun rack plus a hole for the CB wire. I now it's 13 years old, low miles and pretty nice, and it's a truck but I'm REALLY picky. So I'll have to fix all this stuff and after my last go round with body shops....
Just don't have time to do paint work myself anymore! I may hold off for another one, but as time marches on finding a clean, well maintained 96 or 97 is hard to do...especially when it has to be a 4x4 crewcab and 5 speed. I told you......I'm picky!
Jerry