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DerekDallege
Member
Blogs: 0 (Add)
Vehicle: 88 F350 7.3L non turbo
Joined: Apr 2009
Member # 5242
From: Atalissa IA
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 Posted - April 6 : 6:16a
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I have a stock 88 F350 crew cab long box single rear wheels 2wd 5 speed od and as fas as I know 373 gears. I could be wrong on the gears. I try to keep it under 2500 rpms, but sometimes I run around 26 or 27 if I'm weighing in at 20-22k total and I don't like to run too much less than 65-70 mph when the speed limit is 70. What I a m curious about is if running or 25 is pushing it a little too hard. It has 200,000 miles. I don't usually go more than an hour like that, but this year we are going to be taking some longer trips. I was also curious if that gear sounded right? I think I pretty well understand everything I need to know about the gears, but if anyone would like to give a general over view that would be nice. I have run with a topper and no trailer and a lot of gear but nothing heavy at all for a tonner going on a fishing trip to MN. We ran hard all day, like 15 hours of driving, running 75 mph and like 2650-2700 rpms. I got the best mileage ever on that trip. It was like 16-17 as I remember, but it's been a couple years ago.
Also, this spring or summer I am going to be converting it to 4WD. I have a 93 F250 4X4 auto for parts. My really good Ford Guy knew exactly what had to be changed off the top of his head for the most part. I am not to concerned about the gears since I can also swap out the complete rear axle if I need to. Maybe a good idea the newer one has bigger brakes. Gonna have to put some work into the front axle, but the price is right! Anyway I was just wondering if anyone had any tip, thoughts, comments or whatever on the gearing and that with the 4WD conversion. I was concerned about the bell housing since the parts truck is auto and I'm manual, but my Ford guy said it was no problem.
I run stock 16s also.
Other planned mods:
Intake (running a K&N stock replacement now, but those damn flexible ridge hoses suck!)
Exhaust- not sure what I will do there. For starters just get rid of the muffler. I would like to put stacks on it just because, but it'd be a lot of work because I have a huge over the rail took box in the bed. Plus it's just different and the ones in the bed are too narrow for my tastes. It would look better if I had duals. Gonna have to have guards and handles for getting in, too. No running boards, and she sits high for a 2wd. Getting leaks up front so I gotta start thinking. How big should I go if next year I'm planning on doing heads and rings and sleeves and an aftermarket but basically stock 7.3L turbo?
Heads/rings/sleeves. Ok here's the deal: I bought the truck with a busted off glow plug and haven't been able to extract it. Plus I am worried about it breaking and dropping. Since the engine needs to get all new seals and gaskets anyway, my plan is to take the heads off so I can have that removed and have them freshened. If I'm gonna have the heads off I figure I might as well do rings and sleeves. I am looking to fix this truck up and keep it running nice for a while so that I can start saving and pay cash for a new one instead of paying all that interest. Besides I love it. It's always nice to see a nice older vehicle stay nice. It's in great shape rust and paint wise, had a lot of work done already. I'll be getting a lot of help with this stuff. Great learning experience.
Aftermarket turbo that is designed by the guys that used to work for Ford, so close to a stock 7.3L turbo a Ford dealership can work on it. I don't remember the company, but it was $2k when the other was closer to $1k. Makes sense to put this on right after re-installing the engine.
Also I think I should do new injectors. Maybe I should just buy a diff engine! But I like keeping the original block, it's like the heart and soul of the beast. The guy I bought it from had the injection pump rebuilt and that wasn't long ago so that should be ok.
Ok, I think that's it. Lets hear it...And please don't say just get a different truck because no matter how much sense it might make to you and everyone else, it's just not gonna happen.
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| offroad250
Turbocharged Member
Premium Member
Blogs: 0 (Add)
Vehicle: 2005 F350 4x4 Diesel
Joined: Dec 2006
Member # 1754
From: Macedon NY
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Posted
- April 6 : 8:47a
| I think 3.55, 3.73, or 4.10 were gear ratios available in that era. Sounds like you have one of the last two. I wouldnt be too worried about 2500rpm. You are stock, and thats what it does, so as long youre not winding it way out and speeding, you should be fine.
As for the 4x4, dont put that TTB in there. Find a front solid axle from an F350. A much more solid piece, and you wont have the tire wear problems and extra joints of the TTB.
ATS turbos were used, but hypermax has a ton of great stuff for the idi's and have been making systems for them for years.
http://www.gohypermax.com/Catalog.aspx?category=2ed72209-e460-4eef-a5b6-9be62fab40f4&sub=f104cd92-a2df-4c48-8682-90f6cb3dcca2
As for the injectors, I would think you might need larger ones for the turbo, but it sounds like you just turn the fuel up instead as it doesnt mention them being included in the turbo kit.
Jason
| | DerekDallege
Member
Blogs: 0 (Add)
Vehicle: 88 F350 7.3L non turbo
Joined: Apr 2009
Member # 5242
From: Atalissa IA
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Posted
- April 6 : 4:59p
| Jason,
That is an excellent point about the front axle. I hadn't even though of that. Mostly because the wrecked truck is enough newer and is the heavier F250 before the SD, that the rear axle pumpkin is the same size. They increase the towing capacities on a regular basis, so I figured the springs would be about the same. My current truck has front coils and the 4X4 has front leaves. Spring mounts were actually gonna be one of the hardest parts of the entire project, because mine doesn't appear to have the mounts for leaf springs on the frame at all. I have towed some really heavy ass load of scrap steel with the truck that was wrecked, and it squatted a lot but it was with my beater car trailer and most of the weight was on the tongue because it only had fenders on the front half. I know one load was about 20k-22k, same as I weigh with the horse trailer, but it's goose neck. The only problem with getting a solid front axle is the money. I have already made the deal to purchase the entire wrecked 4X4 including spare 7.3L non turbo for $600. And getting the gears to match up. I will deffinitely have to do a lot more research before this all happens. I've been thinking about it lately though, since Spring is here. That reminds me, I need to put the starter back on the wrecked truck and start it. I borrowed the starter when mine went out last year. * maybe even the year before. I really need to get that engine running!
I thought 2500 was a good rpm to shoot to stay under. I did notice the mileage really starts getting really *ty after that. It just depends how much weight I am pulling and how bad I don't want to run under the speed limit. I don't remember where it yellow lines, but I think it's like 2800 or 2850. I won't run her above 2700, except when I am getting on the interstate. I put my foot to the floor and shift them gears to get up to speed as quickly as I can. Well I did until the clutch problem. Leaking fluid into the clutch  . There's always plenty of assholes out there that won't let you over and the closer you are going to the flow of traffic speed the better.
I will have to get out the steel brush and find the tags, but I am pretty sure it's got 373s. My 84 F150 4X4 with the Warner T4 trans has 410s :D. I can put it in 4 low and in 1st and start up about a 30% grade and then slowly let off the gas and it will idle up it! :D The idle is set a hair high so that it will idle when cold better, but it slows down when the engine warms up. If anyone doesn't believe me, come on out and I'd be glad to prove it! (Right after I throw a timing set in it. 302 @ 100k always need a timing kit.) The shifter is cut out for seat in second gear, and first gear is almost touching the dash. It's all stock except for 31.5X10.5 tires, headers, and no emissions. Sounds like is has a cam for torque or something in it, but I don't think it does. I think my 83 F250 4X4 6.9L has 410s too, but not sure. My brother had an 87 F150 (TBI Fuel injection with excellent factory intake for 1987) 4X4 with what must be 355s and a 5 speed, and it sucked. Could barely get it going with a full load of firewood. Ran great though, just too tall of gears. Scream down the highway empty. OK, back to the correct topic. Sorry guys I am lacking of people to talk trucks with!
Where was I??? Injectors and aftermarket turbo. Thanks for the names, I'll have to look them up again. I just remember when I looked them up before there was one brand that was supposedly designed by guys who designed or helped design the factory turbos for Ford. They said it was basically the same set up, and any competent Ford mechanic at a dealership could work on it. I do remember it was twice as much though! I hadn't thought about injectors because of turbo, just because of 200k. I think I have a bad one anyway. There is this strange ticking noise that I think is an injector. I don't remember how I came up with that, but it made sense. Some people I asked (no great diesel guys) thought it made no sense for an injector to make a ticking sound, some seemed to kinda understand what I meant and said yeah could be. It is really loud at idle and related to rpm. Since I have a stethescope now I guess there's my answer waiting to be found...
A couple years ago I went to SD to move my brother and his wife back. Took the standard 16' bumper pull stock trailer I move everything with and the F350. Loaded all the tools and * like that in the bed, along with his bike. I was packing the front of the trailer because was sure as * I was gonna have a time getting everything on. Ran out of stuff and just had the couch and bed and light * on the back half of the trailer. Way too much bumper weight and an unlevel trailer and I think at that time didn't carry as many hitches with me to fix it. I think that was a 2" drop and I now use a 2" rise for that trailer. Anyway, it wasn't horrible for such a big truck, the truck didn't really squat, just the trailer. It pulled fine for a while. During that time it took me about 10 miles to pass a fairly new Duramax pulling about a 28-30' goose neck horse trailer. I'd get up beside him, then we'd hit a hill and he'd pull away and be out of site, me going 12 mph slower . Eventually I passed him and cleared him. Funny story for me. Anyway, she's old but as long as I can do 70 with a 21,000 load, I'm happy. That sometimes requires my foot in the floor. She'll just get back up to speed and start winding up on the flat and there'll be a hill coming so I get a run lol. I get a lot of people asking what year it is and complementing me on how it looks. I will post a pic. * I am windbag. Hope that wasn't too boring for anyone who was brave enough to read it!
Thanks Jason. I love those grills, they look so big and tough. The black plastic honeycomb ones on the half tons look like *. I'd rather have my old thick cross crome plated platic grills from the trucks of mine's era! | | | |
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'88 stock 7.3L rpms and gears question
