hey guys, I'v got a chance to buy an F350 Quad cab 4x4 flatbed in pretty decent shape, the problem is its got 275,000 miles on what i believe is original everything. I can get it at a really good deal and the hard part is I have to make my decision tomorrow. So it leave's me with little to no time to think on it. What you guys think ? could it hold out for a lil while longer. Owner says it was maintained properly but you know how that goes, can never be sure.. Any input would be appreciated. Thanks.
If the body and everything else are in good shape the engine has some life in it. A friend of mine bought a 99 with 300k and I think he had to put a trans in it. If you aren't afraid to put some money into it if you need to it could be a good deal. I kinda doubt the trans is original but it could be.
The 7.3 was a great engine. If you can get it for a good price, you have some room to spend some and end up with a great truck. I'd go for it. Good luck
It all depends on the price..
You could spend a few grand quick on front end parts, brakes, starter, alt, batteries etc. not to mention a trans or motor. Better be a great deal. Just remember its possibly a 15 year old truck
There a few around here that have had tough lives with 400k. I've got one over 300k and if I hadn't started truck pulling with it it would pry still be all original. If it's a super duty I wouldn't be afraid of it
I didn't know 275,000 was suppose to be a lot... Its a diesel if the price is right get it. Hell the 7.3 is the best engine Ford ever had. Now it is an old truck so don't be surprised if it needs a grand put into it to be 100%.
I have owned 18 of the 7.3 diesel Fords. All had over 235,000 miles when I bought them. I ran most of them up to around 300,000, then sold them. Many were sold to friends of mine, so I have kept up with how they are doing. I know of 10 or 11 of them that are now over 500,000 miles and running strong. You might need to put a couple of thousand into things like belts, tensioner pulleys, brakes and glow plug relays. But, if the price is right, I would grab it before someone else beats you to it. Great trucks that will run almost forever.
I gave my wife my '99 with 298,000 on it to tow her GN horse trailer. I towed with it every work day until the end of last summer. It still runs great!
Appreciate all the feed back everyone. But I'v got a story for you guys, lol. So early this mourning I decided to go with it and drive up, check it out a little more, bit the bullet, pay for it and drive it home. The problem is, I never made it that far. We drove the first hour or so and happen across an f250 4x4 7.3 crew cab In this little hole in the wall town out side of Columbus, sittin on the side of the road. Decided we would swing back around just to take a peak because it looked like a hell of a sharp truck. Old man comes out while lookin in the window, throws me the key and says fire her up. Long story short, I bought it cold hard cash right there on the spot. 2001 7.3 4x4 crew cab short bed with 109,347 ORIGINAL miles for $5,900.00 the truck is MINT!!! It was almost to good to be true and thought there has to be something wrong, drove her 132 miles back home and around this evening and purrs like a kitten, drives like a brand new truck. Found an inch thick booklet of receipts in the dash from services at the dealer ( all oil and fluid changes, maintenance) everything works perfect, its really like a brand new truck ! Never in my life did i think i would come across a deal so bitter sweet !! Absolute real talk true story boys !!
Can't beat that!!! :beer:
Now that's a good deal. Congrats!
That's a smokin deal! I would have jumped in that even tho I don't need another truck haha. Congrats!
Me too. I would have bought it as well and the last thing I need is another vehicle! Congrats! :drinkup
Congrats I love the old 7.3s they just don't make power like the new common rails though.
great buy! I would have drove it home too but to answer the OP I am with the majority on this one, there is ALMOST no such thing as too many miles on a 7.3 lol pj
Ok, another question.. So i'v tuned her up (oil, fluids and so on ). And have already put a few hundred miles on her and she drive's and runs like a dream. Start's right up even in this cold weather (been 4 degrees a couple mournings) has plenty of power, just all in all runs smooth and nice. But im getting 10 maybe 12 miles to the gallon empty ! Driving like im 80 years old ! My old 7.3 got a little under 17 but I had it modded. Its completely bone stock so shouldnt i be getting somewhere around 15 ? She has plenty of power, no smoke what so ever, even when throttled and only has 265/70/17's on it. What do you guys think ? i mean, I'm happy either way I guess but i figured id see atleast 13 or 14...
Since it is a 4x4, you are moving around more weight. It might also have differentials that are set up with lower gearing. The 4x4 F250 diesels I had always got worse fuel mileage, than the two-wheel drive ones I owned.
for the most part yes you should be getting better ( or at least mine always did) one thing to check is to make sure your hubs arent locked in even though they are probably automatic make sure they arent spinning more weight than necesarry. as mowing man said its hard to say what gears and such. what's your RPM's rolling at 60mph btw. i know that everyone including myself believe that 4x4's get worse economy but can anyone actually copy n paste a study ? i know dodge did cross country test many years ago about tailgate up vs down and turned out that tailgate UP reduced a vacum and kept from pulling on the truck, hence the reason the "air net" tailgates didnt last long lol pj
How's the heater (thermostat) work? Any brakes dragging? Not much that can cause mileage to drop like that. You're not taking real short trips? How you figuring mileage?
Usually the mods or adding a chip will improve the mileage over stock.
I checked the hubs and they are unlocked, both drive axle shafts spin freely. Brakes arnt draging any as i spun tires while jacked up. Axle tag lists it as a 7.73 ratio. I wouldnt expect injectors or hpop as I have no loss of power. I did notice a slight fuel seep out of the top of the fuel filter, am gonna replace tomorrow afternoon, led me to believe that the filter hasnt been changed in a while but wouldnt a clogged filter cause loss of power ? and if restricting fuel, i would'nt emagine it to cause the engine to burn more fuel ? Ands its a MINNOR fuel seep. The only other thing i can think of is the turbo actuwaiter, not building proper boost maybe ? Thanks for all your input fellas, this one has got me a little stumped,lol. Either way, extremely happy with the truck.
Oh, and DELMER, i replaced the thermostat as i tuned her up as well, running at proper operating temperature.
My current work truck is an 01 with 328,000 on the ticker. I can only get about 16mpg at best and it has hit 11.8 mpg a few times towing a trailer and when feeling froggy on the interstates. She's the oldest highest mileage truck in the company's fleet and has no signs of slowing down. My 2002 Excursion routinely got 14 around town. Both of these are 3:73 4x4 trucks.
Got a 97 F350 4x4 4dr long bed with 355k on it. I would not sell for a penny less than $7500.
7.73 gears?? There's your problem!! :wink2 Probably 3.73 gears which is what my '01 F350 4x4 has. I get 14 to 15 around town, 16.5 on a trip at 80mph. You ought to be doing better than what you posted.
At what you paid for it mpg isn't much of a problem I would say. Is it an automatic? You may have said but I didn't see where you had.
Just wanted to update you guys !! I solved the fuel millage problem a while back. It turns out the truck was burning oil ( or oil going somewhere) I tore into her and found one of the injector seals had went bad ! She was pressurizing oil into my fuel rail and causing a pressure loss at the oil end of the injectors. $106.00 at the ford dealer got me 8 new sets of injector O-rings. Installed them and she runs like a top ! Better fuel millage definitely and even a tiny tiny bit more power it feels. Alll in all im extremely happy with her. We have taken her on 3 trips now to pickup equipment. all being several hour trips to and from while all being very heavy pulls...
Well, you certainly got a deal there. Glad you got the problem sorted out. What did your mileage do after the fix? Feel good that you have another 300 to 400 thousand miles of life left in it.
Id plan on doing water pump right away. Starter and alternator are due anytime for replacement. Just sayin.
Geez, high mileage trucks! My 01' F-350 6spd has 65K! (Just being a wise ass, LOL)
Id plan on doing water pump right away. Starter and alternator are due anytime for replacement. Just sayin.
I agree with all my ford vans have 290,000 and 298,000 change the oil and it will run, if you are unsure pull a valve cover and look for varnish in the valve head, if it is clean you have some life left. the best way is to pill the pan but I do not know if you can do that Good luck
My company truck is up to 360,000 now. I put 39,000 on it this year and the quarter mod under one of the UVCH's has been my only hiccup this year engine wise. The truck had a new bedside put on it, tires, rear leaf springs, front end work, brakes, serpentine belt and basic maintenance. So we put about f $4k into this year and I feel its poised to go another 100,000 miles with a good cost per dollar number attached to it. Some would say heck with that, putting $4K into a truck that old is a waste but I will stand by it. I believe the 7.3 PSD is about as good as it gets for going the distance economically.
I sure won't argue that. Since my '99 is now a backup truck for me and GN puller for my wife these days, it only got 5k miles put on it this year. Before spring I'll be having the frontend rebuilt, a bit of body work and tracking down an annoying oil leak. I met a guy at the diesel drags that has a bunch of take-out seats and I can get King Ranch front and rear sets with the console for $700. At 304k miles this truck still runs great and as far as I'm concerned it's a worthwhile investment to spruce it up.
My '13 is half way to 65K.:tong