project: "Ultimate Tow Rig"

[-Nathan-]

brake controller pic:

I like it here...its easy to see, and easy to adjust if need be.

 

[Boggin]

brake controller pic:

I like it here...its easy to see, and easy to adjust if need be.

low range ftw. i see it also got reverse where it is on big rigs. awesome

 

[Clay Lorance]

I like the new truck -Nathan-. The older Powerstrokes with a six speed behind them are a hard combination to beat.

 

[-Nathan-]

Thanks Boggin and Clay. Yeah I looked really hard before I found this one. Finding a 7.3 with a ZF-6 speed manual, 4x4 and a supercab short box is NOT a common combination. I have seen no others in this combo in person. Seems most of the manuals are either long boxes, or work trucks with no beds. Im really happy with this rig so far. I would recommend a 1999.5-2002 Super Duty to anyone that was seriously looking for a full size rig.

 

[Sasquatch_Ryda]

They are all good from 99-11 if you look after them.

Personally I find my 03 with the 6.0L to be superior to the 7.3L in many ways. I know it sure as hell out tows my dad's 02 DRW 7.3L.

I'm not in any way knocking the 7.3L, they are just getting too damn hard to find with low miles on them now. Plus I prefer an automatic behind a turbo diesel and the 5R110 torqshift is a better transmission by miles compared to the older 4r100 wound behind the 7.3L.

And i'll call you crazy for wanting to keep oil in it for 25,000mi. These engines rely on oil for firing the injectors, injectors are expensive and oil is cheap. I run regular Motorcraft 15w40 in the summer and 10w30 in the winter in my 6.0L and change it every 5000km's. These engines shear oil pretty quickly and I would not keep oil longer than that in my truck personally.

 

[Boggin]

Thanks Boggin and Clay. Yeah I looked really hard before I found this one. Finding a 7.3 with a ZF-6 speed manual, 4x4 and a supercab short box is NOT a common combination. I have seen no others in this combo in person. Seems most of the manuals are either long boxes, or work trucks with no beds. Im really happy with this rig so far. I would recommend a 1999.5-2002 Super Duty to anyone that was seriously looking for a full size rig.

yeah when i finish school and head off to alberta with my brother and dad ill be getting a truck similar to this one. hoping for 7.3, 6 speed, reg cab long bed. or maybe even ex cab with short bed like yours. awesome trucks either way.

 

[036speed]

I like the truck man! I have a ZF6 7.3 as well with a lot of the same goodies as you.

I do have a DP on mine with a 600hp Valair Ceramic clutch. I love it! Have about 50k miles on each now.
I also have a Stealth HPOP. Truck runs super smooth. And with the Banks Intercooler i struggle to hit 1200* if you have EGT issues. I dont think that is a big 7.3 issue though like it is on the Cummins.

 

[-Nathan-]

I agree and disagree Agreed the 5R100 is a much better tranny than the 4r100 as far as autos go. I just prefer the connected feeling behind a manual, not to mention the ZF-6 speed is a beast. My 7.3 only has 188 000 km, and never towed a thing in its life until I bought it. The 6.0 is a much more efficient motor, hands down. But the 7.3 has just proven to be much more reliable, and hence my decision to buy one . As far as the oil is concerned, I am talking about synthetic oil here. Yes dino oil will shear, and must be changed. Synthetic oils do not shear as dino oils shear, and are significantly more wear resistant. They do not 'breakdown' only get contaminated by soot, and the works. As long as the contaminants are filtered out, there is no need to replace the oil. Used oil analysis has proven this, and in some big rigs oil change intervals have been extended as long as 100 000 miles. I will be doing a UOA every 5000 km. I dont plan on going 25 000 miles between changes, more like once a year (10-15 000 km).

And just for reference sake, I run Rotella T6 5w40 synthetic.

Also, will be parting out the Rangebe for good this weekend, picking up a flat deck saturday morning, Ill be sure to get pics of me pulling it

They are all good from 99-11 if you look after them.

Personally I find my 03 with the 6.0L to be superior to the 7.3L in many ways. I know it sure as hell out tows my dad's 02 DRW 7.3L.

I'm not in any way knocking the 7.3L, they are just getting too damn hard to find with low miles on them now. Plus I prefer an automatic behind a turbo diesel and the 5R110 torqshift is a better transmission by miles compared to the older 4r100 wound behind the 7.3L.

And i'll call you crazy for wanting to keep oil in it for 25,000mi. These engines rely on oil for firing the injectors, injectors are expensive and oil is cheap. I run regular Motorcraft 15w40 in the summer and 10w30 in the winter in my 6.0L and change it every 5000km's. These engines shear oil pretty quickly and I would not keep oil longer than that in my truck personally.

 

[Maverick]

And with the Banks Intercooler i struggle to hit 1200* if you have EGT issues. I dont think that is a big 7.3 issue though like it is on the Cummins.

It's definitely an issue. With the DP tuner in my truck I can hit 1200+ empty without an issue if I'm in the throttle heavy. I can't utilize the full power of the truck while towing because of the egt's. First it was turbo surge, and with that fixed it's now the egt's. I've been going back and forth between a water/meth set up or a intercooler.

As far as the oil is concerned, I am talking about synthetic oil here. Yes dino oil will shear, and must be changed. Synthetic oils do not shear as dino oils shear, and are significantly more wear resistant. They do not 'breakdown' only get contaminated by soot, and the works. As long as the contaminants are filtered out, there is no need to replace the oil. Used oil analysis has proven this, and in some big rigs oil change intervals have been extended as long as 100 000 miles. I will be doing a UOA every 5000 km. I dont plan on going 25 000 miles between changes, more like once a year (10-15 000 km).

And just for reference sake, I run Rotella T6 5w40 synthetic.

Is it really worth all the extra $$ to get another 3000-4000 miles out of an oil change? I run my oil for 5000 miles. At the 10-15K intervals you speak of, that's only between 1200 to 4300 farther than I change mine. I don't have any special pre filter set up as you do and run Delo 400. My oil changes are a bargain compared to what you're going to spend with two filters, full synthetic, and a UOA every 5K. Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to bag on you or your set up in any way, I just don't understand. Is it a piece of mind thing?

I've been around many 7.3's that are at the 250,000+ mile mark run on strictly dino oil that have hauled loads neither your truck or mine will ever see. That's why I don't see the need for synthetic, pre filters, or UOA's.

 

[-Nathan-]

If it even doubles my current OCI's, then it will have paid for itself within one or two oil changes. Not to mention it filters the oil to a much better state. Either way, its my perogative.

Okay, more parts to show....Im really starting a stock pile here, Id love some nice weather to get half of this stuff installed. Not to mention I have a 3 gauge A-pillar pod with pyro, boost, and water temp Isspro EV gauges on the way.

Figured since Id be toying with the cooling system, Id upgrade the thermostat and housing. The ford factory stamped housing is known to be crap, not seal, and rust out. So I got this housing from dieselsite, it is a machined billet thermostat housing bling bling! As wel from dieselsite is a 203* thermostat. It is made by International, and is a short stem unit that will not cut off the internal pump bypass, as the stock long stem units do. You may be wondering why Im bumping to a warmer thermostat, well long story short, International acutally designed these motors to run at about 203*, and up until 97, these are the thermostats that they had in them. The engines run better, and some guys have even seen an improvement in mpg. Either way I wanted to change it, and from my research this was the way to go.

I got one more thing in the mail, but it will be a bit of a surprise. There is a VERY common problem that all intercooled 7.3's are affected by, due to a stupid design. Hence I will use the following item and a bit of hardware to fix it........5 points to whoever guesses what Im going to use it for.

And....the Rangebe is getting its final part out this weekend, should be interesting. Anyone needs parts last minute let me know, will let them go for cheap, or for beer

 

[rickf92592]

Picky point, most synthetics (including Rotella which I personally use) are actually 'dino' oil, just a very high grade. Very few true synthetics are sold anymore.
The component that shears are the additives used to make base oils into multi-grade oils.

 

[-Nathan-]

I am aware. Yes Rotella is a syn blend, but is still better than straight up dino.

 

[rickf92592]

Yeah, it's kind of a rip-off, IMHO, for the guys building true PAO's or diesters but they work well. Rotella contains NO true synthetics but I love it.

In the late 1990s, Castrol started selling an oil made from Group III base oil and called it SynTec Full Synthetic. Mobil sued Castrol, asserting that this oil was not synthetic, but simply a highly refined petroleum oil, and therefore it was false advertising to call it synthetic. In 1999, Mobil lost their lawsuit. It was decided that the word "synthetic" was a marketing term and referred to properties, not to production methods or ingredients. Castrol continues to make SynTec out of Group III base oils, that is highly purified mineral oil with most all of the cockroach bits removed.

Shortly after Mobil lost their lawsuit, most oil companies started reformulating their synthetic oils to use Group III base stocks instead of PAOs or diester stocks as their primary component. Most of the "synthetic oil" you can buy today is actually mostly made of this highly-distilled and purified dino-juice called Group III oil. Group III base oils cost about half as much as the synthetics. By using a blend of mostly Group III oils and a smaller amount of "true" synthetics, the oil companies can produce a product that has nearly the same properties as the "true" synthetics, and nearly the same cost as the Group III oil. The much more expensive traditional synthetics are now available in their pure forms only in more expensive and harder to obtain oils. To the best of my knowledge, Delvac-1, AMSOil, Redline, and Motul 5100 are the only oils made from pure traditional synthetics.

 

[4.0B2]

regardless of "if it's cost worthy" for the oil filtration system-- better filtered oil will NOT hurt anything. i know for a face a lot of the semi's i've worked on has them and runs the rotella nathan is talking about for numerous miles.. and the oil still looks almost new..


and i agree with the ext cab short bed 7.3 6 speed- we looked for over a year for one... my buddy finally just got the long bed

 

[Maverick]

If it even doubles my current OCI's, then it will have paid for itself within one or two oil changes. Not to mention it filters the oil to a much better state. Either way, its my perogative.

It certainly is, and in no way was I trying to influence your decision making. I was just wondering why it was that you felt it was needed. Since you answered it the way a Senator answers a question from the crowd at a rally, I'll just go ahead and leave it alone.

Any plans for upgraded injectors, oil system, or turbo? Your definitely going to want install a wicked wheel or a ported shroud housing to get rid of turbo surge. It's not so bad when just driving around, but when you get any sort of load behind the truck, it gets annoying real fast. Not to mention the damaging affects in can have on the turbo.