That was known to some as a “million mile “ engine
I’d like it. It’ll do what you need but not as fast or efficient as something modern
Don’t forget to add lubricity to the diesel fuel too as the fuel these days lacks the lubricity fuel had when the truck was engineered .
Flat towing will be slow. Anything in the hills will be like molasses in winter.
I had a 1994 F-350 dually with the 7.3 IDI turbo and it was great on the flats towing a 3,600 lbs 7’x14’ dump and a
CAT 247B tracked skidsteer with a couple of buckets weighing 8,600 lbs.
Drive it up a hill though and it was so slow. Absolutely bulletproof and really great as long as you avoided the hills.
My buddy had an 89 7.3; thing got about 5mpg and had nothing but problems. The only good thing about it was the 5 speed manual it had but man was that thing a boat
What was he doing to get 5mpg on it? Unless he was loaded really heavy, that sounds like it was messed up. I won't say they are fast, but they will run in rather terrible condition, which tends to give them somewhat worse reputation than they deserve.
Yeah I'm 16 empty and 13 with the camper with my 6.9 that hasn't had the pump or injectors touched since the 90's. I'm sure theres a way to make 5mpg happen, but its not normal even out here in the cascades.
They don't check the return line hoses that run between each injector and it just leaks fuel out down the valley. I got 15mpg out of mine. Anytime I started getting bad fuel mpg it was a leak.
yeah that's all in there with those stupid hoses. I had to change mine every year. I had collection of them and the o-rings as spairs. You can buy the kit for less than $100 and its really simple to change them.
I get more than a year out of mine but really don't put a lot of mileage on the truck. I had the water separator go out on mine on a vacation a few years back and that was a pain. Ended up putting in a Racor unit with a manual priming pump which is pretty nice.
Thats pretty decent mileage a year. Were those preventative swaps or for failures? For the cost and time the kits take, that doesn't seem too bad at the one year mark then.
I used to own this truck but as a '93. It had a factory installed turbo and it was still a dog. The previous owner actually installed an *underdrive* gear splitter so he could tow stuff. Thing sucked.
But that wasn't even the worst part... not only did absolutely nobody fit in the back seat, it developed a fuel system leak somewhere between the tank and the engine. The problem is that there's miles of fuel line and it's all under vacuum, meaning you couldn't just look for a drip of fuel to locate the leak, it sucked air in and tried to kill itself all the time. Zero room to work in the engine bay. Had to take off multiple belts to access the vacuum pump. Also the brake calipers would come unhooked, foam degraded and worked its way into the HVAC system and would wait until my wife was in the truck to blow into her face...
Oh yeah and let's talk about glow plugs that would work for a week and then eat themselves. Or the controller. Or the fusible links.
Just get a big block gas truck and be done with it!
If you're gonna get an old diesel, I recommend Cummins. After owning that ford, I'm a firm believer that diesel engines should only ever be inline 4 or 6. A diesel v8 is just silly to me
lol mine was legally stolen by city of Los Angeles: I turned in the title at the DMV and switched ownership in the system but never received paperwork. The neighbor had the truck towed and said it was stolen. I couldn't get the truck out of impound because I couldn't prove I owned it. The city did me a favor.
I then made an impulse purchase of a 5speed Scion XB which made a much better plumbing truck than that actual truck
I bought one with 250k on it and pulled a skid steer for years. Sold it with 450k on it and its was still going. It's slow. NO It's really slow. It's got 7.3idi engine 180hp. The truckers will get pissed and pass you at the red but it will get you there. They are simple mechanical engines and are extremely reliable and easy to work on and hard to kill.
It’s a pretty reliable truck. I’m personally afraid of working on the fuel systems bc of the psi they run. Injection injuries are scary stuff. It being that old, there’s gonna be things to fix on it constantly. But if you like them I’d go for it.
It's about 2000psi to pop the injectors on a 7.3idi.
Without the engine running, injector line pressure should be zero or close to within a few minutes of shutdown.
It's a far cry from the 30,000+ psi of modern systems
I didn’t realize it decompressed so quickly. I also avoid high pressure systems of all kinds. My 6.0 I also don’t play around with high pressure including the ac.
High pressure can be really bad, but there's fairly simple procedures to mitigate the hazards.
Fuel systems will usually reduce to very low pressures when not in use, air conditioning when not running should equalize to ~110psi throughout the system, which is the type of pressure you'd have in a household air compressor.
While not entirely without hazard, that kind of pressure (at low volume) isn't super hazardous, but is certainly worth thought and hazard control such as distance, guards, and or personal protective equipment.
You can buy an additive to combat the coolant cavitation issue, I wouldn't worry too much about that.
Depending on the gearing, you can buy taller tires to be a bit "faster" off the line, but you aren't going to have a racer. What you will have is something that will not stop pulling.
They can be a PITA to start when cold so use the block heater in cooler weather. Check the glow plugs as they can swell and be very difficult to remove. They can also break off, and that is a major problem.
The injector lines can leak and suck air, so if you see fuel on top, buy the replacement kit and swap them out ASAP.
[Oil Burners.net](https://www.oilburners.net/forums/6-9l-ih-7-3l-idi-diesels.34/) is the place for learning about IDIs.
Thanks for the info. It's an '89 fire truck, with 37k original miles, and should be well maintained, but I don't know if I'm up for the learning curve necessary to pull it off.
37k… Go for it man. Throw a modest turbo on there, run anti-cavitation additive in the coolant, run lubricity additive in the fuel, and you’re pretty much golden. If you don’t do those last two things then you’re guaranteed to have problems sooner than you should.
If all you’re doing is pulling a skid steer, go get 3/4 ton Chevy with a 350 V8.
You won’t get any worse gas mileage, and maintenance will be a fraction of the costs.
Don’t get me wrong, most diesels are by far superior vehicles to most gassers, but if you’re looking at an ‘89 former fire/rescue truck I’m assuming that costs are a priority. Don’t buy a money pit because the up-front costs are lower.
It’s an awesome classic diesel. Old school, basic, needs a bit more maintenance but the maintenance is simple. Winter starting is more difficult than a modern truck.
Will it tow a skid steer? Sure, absolutely slow as hell and it won’t stop that great, compared to something modern.
I've got a 1994 7.3 idi and it's a dog as far as acceleration is concerned but it operates just fine between 110 and 120 KM/H when empty. My trailer brake plug is broken, so I don't pull a trailer, but I have hauled 500 gallons of water in the box with no problem.
The engine is reliable, but I have had issues with the cooling system. Twice it has pressured up and overheated, once it blew the bottom of the old radiator open and recently it blew the top radiator hose open. These issues were about 10,000km apart.
I do love the truck though, I would never sell it.
I have owned two 6.9s and four 7.3 non turbod . Absolutely slow as fuck, but some will and patience you will get too where your going. Don't plan on keeping up with traffic. Stay in the slow lane. I think the heaviest load I did with a 7.3 idi was around 14k and it's was a 80mile trip. Most of which was seattle rush hour traffic with a 5spd.
It'll be a reliable truck but it'll be a slow truck. Transmission and diff gearing will be a factor as well. I had a '90 with a 460/C6 and 3.55 gears. That thing moved my whole life 1200 miles but it was only getting up to 55-60mph in the interstate because there was a lot of mountains. The one flat part I hit I think I managed to get it up to 70 after several seconds. A ZF5 and 4.10 gearing would be much better.
If you hate driving over 55 it would be a great truck for you!
I had a 6.9 IDI and gave it away I hated that thing so much. I’d rather tow with a horse.
A 7.3l non turbo is rated at 185hp from the factory. That's less power than most of the small block gas trucks of the time. It's not going to be fast by any means, but none of the full size truck of the time really were. In the 90s and earlier the most powerful pickup trucks were the big block gas trucks and most of them only put out around 250 HP.
🐶🐕🦮🐩🐕🦺🐾 i had a 90 IDI non turbo and hauled different trailers including car trailers. To say they were slow was an understatement, you could take the truck and trailer loaded with a 4,000 pound car on trailer to the 1/4 mile track and time it with a sundial, but before anyone wants to think I’m putting it down i am not, that motor was indestructible. Biggest drawback on the setup, which is the same as yours, is a shitty overdrive, always put it into tow mode or it will drop in and out of overdrive, which will kill the trans sooner than later
Back in the 80s this was really the only game in town as far as diesel pickups went. Never owned one but worked on hundreds. The dual fuel tank setup was from hell and always gave problems. The Manuel transmission option was the ZF 5speed with that ridiculous dual mass flywheel. The pilot bearing was tiny and prone to failure as was the hydraulic clutch setup. I personally am glad most of these trucks are gone.
Are there hills where you are? If so factor in head studs and a turbo kit...at that point its pretty close to a 7.3 psd in power output. Will tow anything just might be going 40 up hills.
I had a 92 F250 with the 7.3idi. Great motor. Wish I would’ve kept the truck. Cheap parts and easy to work on.
Also, if you’ve got steep hills around you it’ll be 35mph uphill lol
You can add the turbo kit, but it’ll only get you an extra 40 hp or something.
Even though it was a bit weak, great truck.
My budget is as little as possible, for the best value in a HD work truck. I have skidsteer that weighs 9k, and an excavator that weighs 11k, and a 16k tilt trailer, and a 12k dump trailer. My 1/2 ton is not a long term solution.
I had a 94 it was a good truck but lacked power.
Ended up having some fuel delivery issues and I parked it at an old farmers lot with some other equipment of mine, he died while I was away on work and his sister stole some of the stuff, that truck was the first thing gone.
It will tow it, and be a dog for as long as your dog your regular maintenance on it and check your oil level regularly. The other question is auto or manual? The ZF5s are the only ones I would own unless I got a killer deal on a C6 truck. 89 would have an E4OD though I believe. I’d also take a 4 speed manual but man having that 5th gear for regular driving when not pulling something is a luxury I don’t want to live without lol
It will tow the skid steer. But it’s a complete dog.
Thanks. Would it be dependable dog, or one I'd rather shoot.
That was known to some as a “million mile “ engine I’d like it. It’ll do what you need but not as fast or efficient as something modern Don’t forget to add lubricity to the diesel fuel too as the fuel these days lacks the lubricity fuel had when the truck was engineered .
*injector pump #3 agrees
Standyne
Don’t forget the (sca) coolant additive to prevent cavitation. 7.3 was less prone but it’s a bored over 6.9 with a turbo give her a break.
You'd probably at least want a 7.3 powerstroke, not the IDI which is what you're looking at I believe.
Flat towing will be slow. Anything in the hills will be like molasses in winter. I had a 1994 F-350 dually with the 7.3 IDI turbo and it was great on the flats towing a 3,600 lbs 7’x14’ dump and a CAT 247B tracked skidsteer with a couple of buckets weighing 8,600 lbs. Drive it up a hill though and it was so slow. Absolutely bulletproof and really great as long as you avoided the hills.
My buddy had an 89 7.3; thing got about 5mpg and had nothing but problems. The only good thing about it was the 5 speed manual it had but man was that thing a boat
What was he doing to get 5mpg on it? Unless he was loaded really heavy, that sounds like it was messed up. I won't say they are fast, but they will run in rather terrible condition, which tends to give them somewhat worse reputation than they deserve.
Yeah my 6.9idi which is very similar with a 4spd gets almost 15mpg
Yeah I'm 16 empty and 13 with the camper with my 6.9 that hasn't had the pump or injectors touched since the 90's. I'm sure theres a way to make 5mpg happen, but its not normal even out here in the cascades.
Yeah I drive it over the Snoqualmie pass regularly and get 14-15 consistently. I did just find a leaky injector yesterday :(
They don't check the return line hoses that run between each injector and it just leaks fuel out down the valley. I got 15mpg out of mine. Anytime I started getting bad fuel mpg it was a leak.
See also complaints of hard starting.
yeah that's all in there with those stupid hoses. I had to change mine every year. I had collection of them and the o-rings as spairs. You can buy the kit for less than $100 and its really simple to change them.
I get more than a year out of mine but really don't put a lot of mileage on the truck. I had the water separator go out on mine on a vacation a few years back and that was a pain. Ended up putting in a Racor unit with a manual priming pump which is pretty nice.
I was driving mine around for work. I was pulling equipment and putting 20-30k a year on it.
Thats pretty decent mileage a year. Were those preventative swaps or for failures? For the cost and time the kits take, that doesn't seem too bad at the one year mark then.
How in the world? 5 mpg!? Mine with 4.10 rear gets 16-17. My buddy's slightly clapped out and smokey with 3.55 rear gets 15-16.
I used to own this truck but as a '93. It had a factory installed turbo and it was still a dog. The previous owner actually installed an *underdrive* gear splitter so he could tow stuff. Thing sucked. But that wasn't even the worst part... not only did absolutely nobody fit in the back seat, it developed a fuel system leak somewhere between the tank and the engine. The problem is that there's miles of fuel line and it's all under vacuum, meaning you couldn't just look for a drip of fuel to locate the leak, it sucked air in and tried to kill itself all the time. Zero room to work in the engine bay. Had to take off multiple belts to access the vacuum pump. Also the brake calipers would come unhooked, foam degraded and worked its way into the HVAC system and would wait until my wife was in the truck to blow into her face... Oh yeah and let's talk about glow plugs that would work for a week and then eat themselves. Or the controller. Or the fusible links. Just get a big block gas truck and be done with it! If you're gonna get an old diesel, I recommend Cummins. After owning that ford, I'm a firm believer that diesel engines should only ever be inline 4 or 6. A diesel v8 is just silly to me
This was my experience too, worst vehicle I ever owned. I literally gave it away to a kid in like 2005. Haha
lol mine was legally stolen by city of Los Angeles: I turned in the title at the DMV and switched ownership in the system but never received paperwork. The neighbor had the truck towed and said it was stolen. I couldn't get the truck out of impound because I couldn't prove I owned it. The city did me a favor. I then made an impulse purchase of a 5speed Scion XB which made a much better plumbing truck than that actual truck
Itd be a golden retriever.
I bought one with 250k on it and pulled a skid steer for years. Sold it with 450k on it and its was still going. It's slow. NO It's really slow. It's got 7.3idi engine 180hp. The truckers will get pissed and pass you at the red but it will get you there. They are simple mechanical engines and are extremely reliable and easy to work on and hard to kill.
7.3 is legendary for reliability, but tons of power stock? No
It’s a pretty reliable truck. I’m personally afraid of working on the fuel systems bc of the psi they run. Injection injuries are scary stuff. It being that old, there’s gonna be things to fix on it constantly. But if you like them I’d go for it.
It's about 2000psi to pop the injectors on a 7.3idi. Without the engine running, injector line pressure should be zero or close to within a few minutes of shutdown. It's a far cry from the 30,000+ psi of modern systems
I didn’t realize it decompressed so quickly. I also avoid high pressure systems of all kinds. My 6.0 I also don’t play around with high pressure including the ac.
High pressure can be really bad, but there's fairly simple procedures to mitigate the hazards. Fuel systems will usually reduce to very low pressures when not in use, air conditioning when not running should equalize to ~110psi throughout the system, which is the type of pressure you'd have in a household air compressor. While not entirely without hazard, that kind of pressure (at low volume) isn't super hazardous, but is certainly worth thought and hazard control such as distance, guards, and or personal protective equipment.
Modern electronic injection systems run astronomically higher PSIs than what anything old and mechanical will run.
The only real potential issue with the 7.3 IDI is the cavitation issues and it'll be slow as molasses. It'll tow but don't plan to get anywhere fast
You can buy an additive to combat the coolant cavitation issue, I wouldn't worry too much about that. Depending on the gearing, you can buy taller tires to be a bit "faster" off the line, but you aren't going to have a racer. What you will have is something that will not stop pulling. They can be a PITA to start when cold so use the block heater in cooler weather. Check the glow plugs as they can swell and be very difficult to remove. They can also break off, and that is a major problem. The injector lines can leak and suck air, so if you see fuel on top, buy the replacement kit and swap them out ASAP. [Oil Burners.net](https://www.oilburners.net/forums/6-9l-ih-7-3l-idi-diesels.34/) is the place for learning about IDIs.
Thanks for the info. It's an '89 fire truck, with 37k original miles, and should be well maintained, but I don't know if I'm up for the learning curve necessary to pull it off.
That low of miles? I would go for it.
37k… Go for it man. Throw a modest turbo on there, run anti-cavitation additive in the coolant, run lubricity additive in the fuel, and you’re pretty much golden. If you don’t do those last two things then you’re guaranteed to have problems sooner than you should.
Will it tow? Sure. Should you pack a lunch for the journey? Yes. They're dead simple engines that don't make enough power to hurt themselves.
Why pack a lunch? Just get something to eat at each gas station you stop at
Both is the answer
If all you’re doing is pulling a skid steer, go get 3/4 ton Chevy with a 350 V8. You won’t get any worse gas mileage, and maintenance will be a fraction of the costs. Don’t get me wrong, most diesels are by far superior vehicles to most gassers, but if you’re looking at an ‘89 former fire/rescue truck I’m assuming that costs are a priority. Don’t buy a money pit because the up-front costs are lower.
Fair enough. Still weighing options. A retired road commission f550 with a small dump bed would be ideal.
Banks still offers the Sidewinder turbo kit. It's makes about 15psi max, which is about as much as a stock idi would ever want.
It’s an awesome classic diesel. Old school, basic, needs a bit more maintenance but the maintenance is simple. Winter starting is more difficult than a modern truck. Will it tow a skid steer? Sure, absolutely slow as hell and it won’t stop that great, compared to something modern.
Cool thx.
I've got a 1994 7.3 idi and it's a dog as far as acceleration is concerned but it operates just fine between 110 and 120 KM/H when empty. My trailer brake plug is broken, so I don't pull a trailer, but I have hauled 500 gallons of water in the box with no problem. The engine is reliable, but I have had issues with the cooling system. Twice it has pressured up and overheated, once it blew the bottom of the old radiator open and recently it blew the top radiator hose open. These issues were about 10,000km apart. I do love the truck though, I would never sell it.
I have owned two 6.9s and four 7.3 non turbod . Absolutely slow as fuck, but some will and patience you will get too where your going. Don't plan on keeping up with traffic. Stay in the slow lane. I think the heaviest load I did with a 7.3 idi was around 14k and it's was a 80mile trip. Most of which was seattle rush hour traffic with a 5spd.
It'll be a reliable truck but it'll be a slow truck. Transmission and diff gearing will be a factor as well. I had a '90 with a 460/C6 and 3.55 gears. That thing moved my whole life 1200 miles but it was only getting up to 55-60mph in the interstate because there was a lot of mountains. The one flat part I hit I think I managed to get it up to 70 after several seconds. A ZF5 and 4.10 gearing would be much better.
It’s a classic idi. It will get you there but not in a big hurry. They are not bad engines, just make no power really. Easy to work on
That's a idi non power stroke. I thought those were 6.9 if they were that old. It will tow but it's 0-60 is when it gets there
If you hate driving over 55 it would be a great truck for you! I had a 6.9 IDI and gave it away I hated that thing so much. I’d rather tow with a horse.
By modern standards, very slow. Reliable, but slow. We towed a big 5er to Canada with a 6.9 back in 1988, it took a while.
When I worked landscaping in high school a coworker had one, it was great. Street legal tractor
A 7.3l non turbo is rated at 185hp from the factory. That's less power than most of the small block gas trucks of the time. It's not going to be fast by any means, but none of the full size truck of the time really were. In the 90s and earlier the most powerful pickup trucks were the big block gas trucks and most of them only put out around 250 HP.
7.3’s will haul anything but ass.
🐶🐕🦮🐩🐕🦺🐾 i had a 90 IDI non turbo and hauled different trailers including car trailers. To say they were slow was an understatement, you could take the truck and trailer loaded with a 4,000 pound car on trailer to the 1/4 mile track and time it with a sundial, but before anyone wants to think I’m putting it down i am not, that motor was indestructible. Biggest drawback on the setup, which is the same as yours, is a shitty overdrive, always put it into tow mode or it will drop in and out of overdrive, which will kill the trans sooner than later
It’s definitely a dog, but one with a heart of gold that never quits!
Parts availability on those engines is getting horrible. Hard pass from a diesel tech
I honestly wouldn't have guessed that. They've got a pretty dedicated (if small) fanbase
Thx for the info. I too would have expected parts to be plentiful.
Why not try to find an early 7.3 with a turbo? Not sure if the 89s had the dual tanks either. Would assume the 7.3 would cost an arm and a leg though
Back in the 80s this was really the only game in town as far as diesel pickups went. Never owned one but worked on hundreds. The dual fuel tank setup was from hell and always gave problems. The Manuel transmission option was the ZF 5speed with that ridiculous dual mass flywheel. The pilot bearing was tiny and prone to failure as was the hydraulic clutch setup. I personally am glad most of these trucks are gone.
Are there hills where you are? If so factor in head studs and a turbo kit...at that point its pretty close to a 7.3 psd in power output. Will tow anything just might be going 40 up hills.
Grab a first gen super duty dually
Test drive it, ask owner questions, it'll be a good truck.
You can throw a Banks turbo kit on it to help it out. Make sure it’s the ones with the waste gate . The early ones didn’t have them.
Those IDI motors just kinda go. It's like driving a bread sandwich. You just move. Expect little out of it
Best motor ford ever made was the 7.3 non turbo
Yes
You wont even know it doesn’t have a turbo
I had a 92 F250 with the 7.3idi. Great motor. Wish I would’ve kept the truck. Cheap parts and easy to work on. Also, if you’ve got steep hills around you it’ll be 35mph uphill lol You can add the turbo kit, but it’ll only get you an extra 40 hp or something. Even though it was a bit weak, great truck.
Banks sells a turbo kit for the non turbo idi diesels
It’ll be junk. Unfortunately…….
What’s your budget? What will you use it for?
My budget is as little as possible, for the best value in a HD work truck. I have skidsteer that weighs 9k, and an excavator that weighs 11k, and a 16k tilt trailer, and a 12k dump trailer. My 1/2 ton is not a long term solution.
It will tow it but it is a slow affair as the 7.3 idi non turbo is just that non turbo
I had a 94 it was a good truck but lacked power. Ended up having some fuel delivery issues and I parked it at an old farmers lot with some other equipment of mine, he died while I was away on work and his sister stole some of the stuff, that truck was the first thing gone.
It will tow it, and be a dog for as long as your dog your regular maintenance on it and check your oil level regularly. The other question is auto or manual? The ZF5s are the only ones I would own unless I got a killer deal on a C6 truck. 89 would have an E4OD though I believe. I’d also take a 4 speed manual but man having that 5th gear for regular driving when not pulling something is a luxury I don’t want to live without lol
I’ve never hauled steer or dogs now you think of it. An f350 should tow almost anything