Topic: problems with 2000 7.3 ford f-250

[89toy]

I bought this truck about 4 months back.  It has a lift which I am trying to get rid of but that is the only thing that is not factory.  No chip, no intake, no exhaust, no etc...

152,000 miles and automatic tranny (I miss my 6 speed from my last 7.3).

The glow plugs seem to work fine because I do not have any problems starting it in cold weather.  My problem comes after it is running.  On cold mornings (below about 25 degrees F) the truck will lope a few times (about 5) before it finally idles smooth.  If for some reason it chooses not to lope, if I give it a quick "goose" on the thottle it will lope until it comes back down to normal idle.  If after I start the truck and I leave the driveway it will not do the lope problems anymore.

I change the oil regularly but I don't know what type of maintenance it has had in the past.  I just replaced the intercooler and engine turbo boots because I had a leak.  I also noticed I had 2 bolts missing off the turbo exhaust side and those have now been replaced.  The lope problem would happen before I replaced these parts though.  It also seems to have little power at times and seems to have full power other times.  The CPS is good but now I am thinking the ICP may be going out (but not enough to throw a code).

Any help is more than welcome!

[red]

sounds like 1 or 2 glowplugs are either burnt out or not getting hot enough to get those cylinders up to temp right away.

[89toy [OP]]

I'll make sure to check the voltage...probably time to replace them anyway.  Thanks Red.

A problem I forgot to say is that if it is cold out side and it lopes, if I get in the truck and try to drive it has no power.  I mean not until it warms up a bit.  I could floor it and it barely moves.  RPM's don't slip, they stay normal, the truck just doesn't go...

[BLACKDOG]

I would agree with Red on this one. 

[89toy [OP]]

Thanks guys, I'll look into replacing the glow plugs.  Might as well take off the valve covers anyway to make sure everything is good.  Thanks again!

[crazykooter]

My diesel lopes when it first starts up but once it goes away it runs fine.  I believe mine is fuel related.  Such injectors or fuel filter.  If you havent replaced the fuel filter yet then do so since its cheap place to start.   My engine is a pre powerstroke so I have no turbo but the engine is basically a powerstroke minus a turbo.

Not a lot of people know bout this trick, but I was an over the road truck driver and owned a 2006 KW W900 rig.  I would put a gallon of ATF in the fuel once a month.  Atf does a great job on cleaning injectors and keeping the seals soft.  I havent run this current truck much but I do plan on running a quart per tank once a month.  It will smoke a little more then normal but once you get rolling you wont be able to see it. 

 http://www.ehow.com/how_7581921_tell-injectors-bad-73-powerstroke.html

worn/ old injectors,dirty HPOP (high pressure oil pump) oil worn HPOP pump or dirty fuel filters or fuel. you can take truck to a qualified diesel shop and they can do a buzz test on your injectors and see if they need to be replaced with a buzz test the tester will buzz all eight injectors with engine off and you can hear the buzz of the injectors then it will go through and buzz each injectors individually in firing order to determine which ones are bad. the bad injectors will be a lot quieter than the others.