Buss \medium duty truck mechanic around?

[DougE]

Still ran me $3000 in parts, but I upgraded the head bolts with an ARP head stud kit and some other extras.

 

[DieselTech]

Still ran me $3000 in parts, but I upgraded the head bolts with an ARP head stud kit and some other extras.

Smart man on the ARP Head studs. Them alone probably set you back at least $1000

 

[DougE]

Smart man on the ARP Head studs. Them alone probably set you back at least $1000

I don't remember the cost, but I would have had to replace the factory "stretch" head bolts with new anyhow, since you can only use them once. The ARP studs have superior clamping force, so it's the smart way to go.

I hope to hell I never have to pull the heads off this motor again (damn that was a job), but I can reuse the ARP studs if I ever do.

 

[bigfurmn]

I am waiting for the 97 F250 with the 7.3 and a 5speed in crew cab trim. 4x4 a must. Told momma if I find the right one, my sons college money will be gone.
Edit: I did rebuild a 97 Ram Cummins from a salvage and to this day I regret selling it but I know I need four doors now.

 

[DieselTech]

I am waiting for the 97 F250 with the 7.3 and a 5speed in crew cab trim. 4x4 a must. Told momma if I find the right one, my sons college money will be gone.
Edit: I did rebuild a 97 Ram Cummins from a salvage and to this day I regret selling it but I know I need four doors now.

Had a buddy of mine in 97 order a brand new 97 Ford F-350 460 5 speed 4×4 with a Dana 60 front steer axle. Wish I knew he was going to sell it.

I think that was the last year of that body style they offered a Dana 60 straight axle 4×4

 

[bigfurmn]

Had a buddy of mine in 97 order a brand new 97 Ford F-350 460 5 speed 4×4 with a Dana 60 front steer axle. Wish I knew he was going to sell it.

I think that was the last year of that body style they offered a Dana 60 straight axle 4×4

You are correct sir. One of the reasons I want the exact truck I do. In these parts the body and frame are all rotted. I used to to do auto body repair but even I say DAMN when I see the trucks and prices.

 

[Fueling Around]

Are you planning to have your Top Kick (Kodiak) as a drive around?
Don't know a whole lot about them but looked into them for my son as he needs a bigger work truck for his Hydro seeding business and found one that appeared to be a good deal.
The electric over hydraulic park brake is a notorious failure point. The old school guys recommend finding the mechanical lever from an earlier model

 

[DieselTech]

Are you planning to have your Top Kick (Kodiak) as a drive around?
Don't know a whole lot about them but looked into them for my son as he needs a bigger work truck for his Hydro seeding business and found one that appeared to be a good deal.
The electric over hydraulic park brake is a notorious failure point. The old school guys recommend finding the mechanical lever from an earlier model

That is exactly what I did. I believe I got all the parts located needed for the conversion.

 

[DieselTech]

You are correct sir. One of the reasons I want the exact truck I do. In these parts the body and frame are all rotted. I used to to do auto body repair but even I say DAMN when I see the trucks and prices.

Yeah stupid azz buddy of mine pulled the dew Eze bed off his & sold it for a $1000 with a bad clutch & cab falling off of it. Rotted out.

I still would have bought that truck in that condition if I knew he had it for sale.

 

[bigfurmn]

Yeah stupid azz buddy of mine pulled the dew Eze bed off his & sold it for a $1000 with a bad clutch & cab falling off of it. Rotted out.

I still would have bought that truck in that condition if I knew he had it for sale.

Still worth more than that. Damned friends.

 

[JIMSMOKES]

You ain't lived till you done head gaskets on a LB7 duramax with the cab still on the truck lol.

Hmm! My first diesel was a 2001 4 door dually with the duramax. Started out with a edge tuner.

 

[DougE]

Hmm! My first diesel was a 2001 4 door dually with the duramax. Started out with a edge tuner.

My 03 is pretty much stock aside from studding the heads when I reassembled it. Haven't run any tuners on the diesel trucks I've owned since I really haven't seen a need for them.

 

[bigfurmn]

I loved my 97. Never touched the fuel plate. Just wish I hadn't.... yeah

 

[nomoreusmc]

I had a 93 f350 4 door 7.3idi. I loved that truck. Welded pipeline in that truck. Lost it in a flood. Left it in a friend's barn. I came back and there was no more barn. Very sad. Had a Lincoln eagle 10k on it, and a sweet pipe rack.....

 

[Fueling Around]

Still ran me $3000 in parts, but I upgraded the head bolts with an ARP head stud kit and some other extras.

I remember this discussion some time ago.
Going with head studs and upgraded head gaskets solved 95% of the problems of the early Duramax.
I upgraded to head studs on my 97 Ram Cummins after venting a head gasket due to over boosting the charge air (turbo).
Local shop did the job for me as they went through the head including milling it flat for the about price as trying to do it at home.
Cummins are so much easier to work on under the hood.

I am waiting for the 97 F250 with the 7.3 and a 5speed in crew cab trim. 4x4 a must. Told momma if I find the right one, my sons college money will be gone.
Edit: I did rebuild a 97 Ram Cummins from a salvage and to this day I regret selling it but I know I need four doors now.

Still own my 97 Ram Cummins. Body is almost completely rotted off. Motor destined for my 48 Chevy cab over project.
I picked up a 2007 F-250 gasser a couple years ago for $2,500 and put $80 in it (coil over and spark plug) to make a great daily driver. Basic truck and beat up box. Looked for a flat bed, but will have to make my own for what I want.

Had a buddy of mine in 97 order a brand new 97 Ford F-350 460 5 speed 4×4 with a Dana 60 front steer axle. Wish I knew he was going to sell it.

I think that was the last year of that body style they offered a Dana 60 straight axle 4×4

Couldn't remember the year that Ford introduced that POS twin I beam 4wd axle.
I thought it was 97 for the 250.
There is a major issue with the pre 2001 7.3 (Direct Injection) Powerstroke. The fuel rails integrated into the heads were undersized. Marginal for a stock truck, but the fun of a diesel is the easy and inexpensive and reliable power upgrades. I don't remember when they did a recall and put special injectors in the rear most side of the fuel rails. Suck ass factory fix.

 

[Fueling Around]

I loved my 97. Never touched the fuel plate. Just wish I hadn't.... yeah

That can get expensive. New plate (and lack of RFG) doubled stock horsepower and took out the torque converter lockup clutch and vented the head gasket. $1,000 for the head gasket and $2,000 for the transmission rebuild including a $1,200 3 clutch lockup converter.

What's the expression?
Cheap
Reliable
More power
Pick 2

 

[bigfurmn]

I was in school for auto body at then time. I had no idea what I had when I rebuilt it. 2500 extended cab long bed with a lift and 35" tires. Everything from the steering box forward was mush. Passenger side frame rail was back 18" drivers was back to the steering box about 14 inches. I pulled both to 2mm of spec and hung a new front end. Ended up selling it incomplete as i never had time to finish it. Still kills me 25 years later.

 

[DougE]

I remember this discussion some time ago.
Going with head studs and upgraded head gaskets solved 95% of the problems of the early Duramax.
I upgraded to head studs on my 97 Ram Cummins after venting a head gasket due to over boosting the charge air (turbo).
Local shop did the job for me as they went through the head including milling it flat for the about price as trying to do it at home.

At the time, it was 5 grand and change to have the head gaskets done by a shop on the LB7. The flat rate guide calls for something like 34.6 hours for the job.

Had my heads done by a machine shop about an hour away that is the go to for duramax heads. They milled them, did the valves and installed new injector cups and leak tested them for a reasonable fee. Total cost with me doing it was maybe $3500. Did it up right with new steel injector lines and all that.

I'll give a shout out to a company the next county over if anyone needs parts for diesels ........ Thoroughbred Diesel in Winchester KY.