New guy here needing help with 7.3 turbo F450

[94f450]

Hey guys Im new here so bare with me! I own a landscape company and needed a 2nd truck for the growing fleet! I have always heard about the idi reliability, cheap price, and cheap parts so I decided to pick up a 1994 F450 with the 7.3 turbo. The truck has a working dump bed which was probably the selling point for me! Ok enough talk, heres the questions... The fenders, rockers, and cab corners are rotting pretty bad. Where is the best place to get replacement metal and are the cabs on a 450 the same as the 250/350? Another thing, this thing will not get out of its own way! The truck does have 185,000 miles and its probably safe to say the injectors and injection pump have never been replaced. Will a fresh set bring this truck back to life? I need the thing to pull a trailer while being loaded in the dump bed for some jobs. The way it is now, theres no way I would even try! What can I do to wake this thing up. I have about $2500 to spend between the replacement metal, paint, and engine fix up. Let me here suggestions! Thanks!

 

[Drew2010]

Well, for replacement sheet metal, yes your cab is the same as the F150-F350... if you ever find a rust free truck, rob all the parts you can because ford sheet metal is going to be better then any replacements. LMC has decent stuff sometimes, depends on shipping.. also Keystone is pretty good.

Also, a new set of injectors and a pump would probably offer quite an improvement. While your there go ahead and do the return lines, and a new filter. For injectors talk to Russ (Type4) and if you want a hopped up pump, talk to Mel (Agnem) I know Mel may be having trouble getting pumps done after the guy who calibrates them no longer does it. Last I knew he was working on a solution...

 

[hesutton]

The sheet metal is the same for the F450 as it is for the F250, F350, heck, even the F150 of that era.

If the IP and injectors are original, they need replacing. That will make a big difference as would having the IP timing set correctly to 8.5 degrees BTDC. The factory down pipe is restrictive, ATS used to make an upgrade, but it seems that is no longer available thru them. You can make your own and there is a tech article on the subject.

The other thing that will help is to up the fuel on the IP. BUT, you really need a pyrometer 1st.

Heath

 

['94IDITurbo7.3]

Hey guys Im new here so bare with me! I own a landscape company and needed a 2nd truck for the growing fleet! I have always heard about the idi reliability, cheap price, and cheap parts so I decided to pick up a 1994 F450 with the 7.3 turbo. The truck has a working dump bed which was probably the selling point for me! Ok enough talk, heres the questions... The fenders, rockers, and cab corners are rotting pretty bad. Where is the best place to get replacement metal and are the cabs on a 450 the same as the 250/350? Another thing, this thing will not get out of its own way! The truck does have 185,000 miles and its probably safe to say the injectors and injection pump have never been replaced. Will a fresh set bring this truck back to life? I need the thing to pull a trailer while being loaded in the dump bed for some jobs. The way it is now, theres no way I would even try! What can I do to wake this thing up. I have about $2500 to spend between the replacement metal, paint, and engine fix up. Let me here suggestions! Thanks!

Yes, new injectors and injection pump will wake the engine up. get a new set of "BB" code injectors. the "G" codes that came in these engines are for emisions. also if it still has the factory downpipe and exhaust system on it you should get a free flowing downpipe and straight pip the rest of the exhaust with 4 inch pipe.

Banks still has a few downpipes left from what i hear. $125

Here is how to use a '94-'97 PSD down pipe with our turbo set up...
http://www.oilburners.net/forums/showthread.php?t=38465

 

[94f450]

Well it seems everyone agrees that new injectors and injection pump are going to be needed! What about these "moose" injectors and pump I have read about through some quick searching. What kind of money difference is there between these and a set of bb injectors? Is the extra power worth the money? I am not trying to build a truck to pull sleds at the fair, but when loaded down with a bunch of mulch and a tractor, I will need plenty of useable power. Wheres the best place to get a pyrometer? Does the larger downpipe make a huge difference? 4 inch straight pipe will be going on the truck for sure.

 

['94IDITurbo7.3]

Does the larger downpipe make a huge difference?

i have not gotten rid of the flat factory POS down pipe so i don't know personaly know of a difference, but if you have seen the factory pipe then you will know that any kid of upgrade to the dp will be of benefit to the flow of exhaust gases.

 

[94f450]

I will call banks tomorrow and see if they still have any downpipes then. If not, I guess I will be making my own. I will try to post some pics of the truck for you guys soon! I am excited to bring this truck back up to ***** and see what she can do!

 

[gatorman21218]

Well it seems everyone agrees that new injectors and injection pump are going to be needed! .

I replaced both mine when they had about 180k on them. WOW did it really wake up the engine.

 

[snicklas]

94f450

Welcome to Oliburners. You have some good pointers here.. You will find there are several of us on here in Indiana.... several in the Indy area....

You may want to look South a bit for good rust free body parts.... here in the rust belt they like to use salt way too much...... Good luck with the truck, and with a tune-up, it will liven the truck up. One other thing to remember, the F450's normally came with 4.56 gears, which help to get a heavy load moving, but to run at interstate speeds, you will be riding the govenor........

 

[idipwr]

I have a nice cab with nice doors off of a 94 F-450 Id like to sell. $450 and I can get you rust free fenders also if youd like.

 

[Diesel_brad]

I hope you didnt pay too much with all the rot

 

[94f450]

Ahhhh I was wondering what gears these trucks came with since mine was singing at 55mph. I thought that I possibly wasnt going into overdrive but the 4.56 gears would make sense. Im thinking of just going to lmc truck for the replacement metal. New rockers, cab corners, and fenders are only about $450 including shipping and I am going to spray the cab with a white acrylic enamel. I figure about $150-$200 worth of paint at most. Another question... where is a good place to buy the bb injectors, new pump, and return line kit from?

 

[snaponprofile]

I got my IP off eBay. Lemme find that link....

PM type4(a member here on OB) for injectors and return line it.

Post some pics of the truck would ya?

 

[94f450]

I hope you didnt pay too much with all the rot

Idk how much is too much but I gave $2400 for the truck. 185,000 miles, 2wd standard cab with a walk in "tool box" and a working dump bed. My goal is to only have around 5k in a clean, reliable, dump truck. The truck will be a company truck so it DOES NEED to be very presentable which is the reason for new metal and paint. I also need it to fire up and run everyday, and for some reason it breaks, I can easily work on it and repair it for pretty cheap. It needs to have enough power to pull a tractor while having a bed full of rock/mulch/dirt. I have a plow that I will be mounting to it for snow season. Which brings up another question. Are the front of the frames the same as a F250/350? I have a mount for a 250/350 and wondering if it will bolt right up?

 

[94f450sd]

hmmmmmm