1989 Ford F-250 7.3

[bogeygolf]

I’m looking for feedback on a 1989 Ford F-250 4x4 Crew Cab 7.3 diesel with 32,000 original miles. It has the banks turbo installed. Excellent condition. I have an opportunity to buy.

 

[Waterjunky]

Fair warning: that is not a powerstroke. Remember Ford was buying a different 7.3 from IH before it.

 

[Flying_Lavey]

I’m looking for feedback on a 1989 Ford F-250 4x4 Crew Cab 7.3 diesel with 32,000 original miles. It has the banks turbo installed. Excellent condition. I have an opportunity to buy.

Fair warning: that is not a powerstroke. Remember Ford was buying a different 7.3 from IH before it.

Exactly. That is a IDI engine that has the added turbo.Nowhere near the value of the 7.3 Powerstrokes. I cannot speak to the reliability of the engine and with the added turbo, like with ANY engine that has had work done to it, its only as good as the installation and components used for the upgrade.

Id be more concerned about the Tansmission. Unless it has a 5 speed. The you're golden. lol!

 

[monkeyswrench]

Had one...actually the one I drove off the 210fwy. The Automatics offered was a C6. No overdrive, but stout. The truck is not a speed demon, but a tank. They still have turbo kits available, and used ones come up for sale as well. It really depends on what you want to do with it. Add a "flat" or so on the pressure side of the fuel pump, and advance the pump timing a few degrees, and they wake up pretty good. Add 10psi and they're pretty damn respectable. The killer is the lack of OD. You can add a Gear Vendors, but that gets expensive. I think in 92 they offered the E4OD, but then there is some electrical mods to deal with.

Good bug out rig, not good for river or dune runs. They need the longer legs.

 

[mash on it]

Banks sidewinder turbo?

I put well over 300k miles on an '84 one ton 6.9 with an earlier version of the banks turbo, without a wastegate. 17 lbs manifold pressure up Cajon pass with 14k lb equipment trailer. 4.10 rear/4 speed truck.

A 7.3 truck should even be better with a turbo.

But I'm biased. Still have one 7.3 in my C/30 dually.
And early 2 psd's.

Dan'l

 

[pronstar]

Banks sidewinder turbo?

I put well over 300k miles on an '84 one ton 6.9 with an earlier version of the banks turbo, without a wastegate. 17 lbs manifold pressure up Cajon pass with 14k lb equipment trailer. 4.10 rear/4 speed truck.

A 7.3 truck should even be better with a turbo.

But I'm biased. Still have one 7.3 in my C/30 dually.
And early 2 psd's.

Dan'l

My BIL had the 6.9 with an ATS (I believe) turbo. I wanted that truck soooo badly.

But we’re talking 30 year old technology...and with unknown maintenance history, its a crapshoot.

Might be good to have around tho...in the event only an EMP blast, no electronics to worry about [emoji1787]


Edit: had not has

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[mash on it]

My BIL has the 6.9 with an ATS (I believe) turbo. I wanted that truck soooo badly.

But we’re talking 30 year old technology...and with unknown maintenance history, its a crapshoot.

Might be good to have around tho...in the event only an EMP blast, no electronics to worry about [emoji1787]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

With 32,000 miles on it, it's not even broke in. If the miles are correct.

FYI, U-Haul 7.3's were retired at 300k miles... and wasn't unusual to see 500k on a well taken care of 7.3 idi. My C/30 has ~277k on it.

Dan'l

 

[Willie B]

...I would be most concerned with the transfer case ...I had an 89 with a 7.3 ... the transfer case grenaded twice???...

 

[welldigger00]

The fuel system in those is a stanadyne DB2 rotary high pressure fuel pump with nozzles, that we’re designed to run the fuel of the good old days with parfine in it. The fuel today does not have the lubricity in it to keep those parts lubricated. You’ll need to run an additive for sure.


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[Willie B]

The fuel system in those is a stanadyne DB2 rotary high pressure fuel pump with nozzles, that we’re designed to run the fuel of the good old days with parfine in it. The fuel today does not have the lubricity in it to keep those parts lubricated. You’ll need to run an additive for sure.


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I always ran Marvel mystery oil in with the diesel in mine... Occasionally some ATF...

 

[rivermobster]

Had one...actually the one I drove off the 210fwy. The Automatics offered was a C6. No overdrive, but stout. The truck is not a speed demon, but a tank. They still have turbo kits available, and used ones come up for sale as well. It really depends on what you want to do with it. Add a "flat" or so on the pressure side of the fuel pump, and advance the pump timing a few degrees, and they wake up pretty good. Add 10psi and they're pretty damn respectable. The killer is the lack of OD. You can add a Gear Vendors, but that gets expensive. I think in 92 they offered the E4OD, but then there is some electrical mods to deal with.

Good bug out rig, not good for river or dune runs. They need the longer legs.

Mines a 99, and it has the E4OD. Not sure when they went to those though.

To the OP...

Does it have an intercooler on it? Even with a turbo, it will be a dud without that.

@Flyinbowtie

Is the expert on the 7.3.

 

[Your ad here]

Mines a 99, and it has the E4OD. Not sure when they went to those though.

To the OP...

Does it have an intercooler on it? Even with a turbo, it will be a dud without that.

@Flyinbowtie

Is the expert on the 7.3.

99 has a 4R100

 

[SKIDMARC]

No pictures?

 

[Your ad here]

That year has a 5 digit odometer... Crewcab F250s weren't offered in the brick nose era.

 

[bogeygolf]

No pictures?

I would use this as a tow vehicle for my travel trailer, give the wifes 5.3 suburban a break.

 

[Universal Elements]

How much is a good deal $?

 

[4Waters]

How much is a good deal $?

Those get expensive sometimes. LOL

 

[Willie B]

...When mine hit 212,000 miles it used its first quart of oil between changes...so I sold it...... And bought a 12 valve Ram...
...Got tired of having to replace cruise control switches and the fact that there was no way to manually get diesel to the injection pump ...had to bleed every injector...while cranking it over... pain in the rear end...

 

[lbhsbz]

With 32,000 miles on it, it's not even broke in. If the miles are correct.

FYI, U-Haul 7.3's were retired at 300k miles... and wasn't unusual to see 500k on a well taken care of 7.3 idi. My C/30 has ~277k on it.

Dan'l

UHaul IDIs were non turbo and made about 74HP...I’m not sure how you could wear one out

 

[Flyinbowtie]

The pre-powerstroke 7.3's were known for lasting a long time because the load on the internals was low...no turbo.
I had a friend who had a 89 extended cab when I bought my '97 F-350. He had the Banks turbo, I think they called it "sidewinder" but not sure. The truck ran well for what it was. He was contemplating a Gear vendor to put behind the C-6, so I am fairly certain this has the C-6 as well. The C-6 auto is a very stout piece, but it is a 3 speed, so there is that.
We had a local guy who was good at getting the most you could out of those engines and the old GM 6.2's.
Anyway he was looking at the gear vendor when he managed to kill it. (EGT's) Was arguing with his wife pulling a grade and didn't pay attention to the Pyrometer. Engine cooked itself. He divorced her, LOL.
After he killed it he was under the hood of my truck eyeballing and thinking of stuffing a 7.3 Powerstroke in it. He crunched the numbers and looked at the big picture and went another way...he put a 12 valve Cummins in it. He sold it to his son a couple years ago and bought a new Ram.
I think this truck can work for you, if you educate yourself about its idiosyncrasies. I also think that were you to stuff a 24 valve Cummins in it you would get your $ back were you ever to sell it. It looks really clean and in Calfornia this truck does not need smog.
If you buy it run a lubricity supplement in your fuel. Diesel has changed a bunch since that beast was designed.

Optilube XPD is what I run in my 07 Cummins Dodge, and what I ran from day one in my 97 F-350. Amazon has it.

I have to admit, the first thing I think of when looking at that beautiful old girl is my Ford.
The second thing I think of is a Cummins Swap. 24 valve with a 6 speed manual. How fun would that be.

 

[Your ad here]

I would use this as a tow vehicle for my travel trailer, give the wifes 5.3 suburban a break.

That's a clean truck. Looks like it has a PMF reverse shackle kit with Superduty leaf springs. Should ride nice if it has V and B codes. That 7.3 is maybe making 185hp with that turbo. Not fast at all if that's what you are looking for but will keep running.

 

[Flyinbowtie]

That's a clean truck. Looks like it has a PMF reverse shackle kit with Superduty leaf springs. Should ride nice if it has V and B codes. That 7.3 is maybe making 185hp with that turbo. Not fast at all if that's what you are looking for but will keep running.

Good eye!
It does have a shackle reverse on it for sure. I put one on my 97, got it from Off Road unlimited. Did not do a spring swap.
It definitely improved the ride, especially on the freeways. Those trucks seem to be exactly the right wheelbase to hit two expansion joints at the same time on the concrete freeways.
It does have the monkey-motion front suspension since it is a 3/4 ton. I have never been fond of that set up especially on a diesel pickup. The 1 tons up to 97 have a Dana 60 in them, and that should bolt right in should you be of a mind to do so. If you are going to pull, put a big trans cooler on it. Stay on top of the oil changes as well.
From that one pic it looks like a very clean truck for it's age.
Just go in knowing what it will do and what it won't do, and that since it already has the aftermarket turbo on it there is not a whole lot you can do to wring more ponies out of it...especially if you want it to live. Next step is an engine swap.
Also, before I wrote the check I would see what parts availability is like for that Banks Kit.

 

[Your ad here]

Good eye!
It does have a shackle reverse on it for sure. I put one on my 97, got it from Off Road unlimited. Did not do a spring swap.
It definitely improved the ride, especially on the freeways. Those trucks seem to be exactly the right wheelbase to hit two expansion joints at the same time on the concrete freeways.
It does have the monkey-motion front suspension since it is a 3/4 ton. I have never been fond of that set up especially on a diesel pickup. The 1 tons up to 97 have a Dana 60 in them, and that should bolt right in should you be of a mind to do so. If you are going to pull, put a big trans cooler on it. Stay on top of the oil changes as well.
From that one pic it looks like a very clean truck for it's age.
Just go in knowing what it will do and what it won't do, and that since it already has the aftermarket turbo on it there is not a whole lot you can do to wring more ponies out of it...especially if you want it to live. Next step is an engine swap.
Also, before I wrote the check I would see what parts availability is like for that Banks Kit.

It's a F350 so it has a kingpin Dana 60.

 

[mash on it]

That's a clean truck. Looks like it has a PMF reverse shackle kit with Superduty leaf springs. Should ride nice if it has V and B codes. That 7.3 is maybe making 185hp with that turbo. Not fast at all if that's what you are looking for but will keep running.

The 7.3 was rated @185 hp non turbo per Navistar (Ford)
With the banks sidewinder turbo, banks best pulls were 260 hp, and 505 lb ft of torque. Gales (optimistic) numbers, not mine.

Dan'l

 

[Sherpa]

Somethings not right in your description.

Ford didn’t make a crew cab in the f250 platform.

It’s either an f350 crew cab,
Or an f250 extra cab.

Sherpa

 

[mash on it]

Somethings not right in your description.

Ford didn’t make a crew cab in the f250 platform.

It’s either an f350 crew cab,
Or an f250 extra cab.

Sherpa

The pic shows F-350 on the front fender.
Also a solid front axle.

Dan'l