How screwed is my 7.3?

AllGoNoShow · Dec 17, 2016

My wife drove our 02 7.3 power stroke to get groceries. The water pump developed a massive leak and drained all the coolant. She said the heat quit about halfway there. So she drove it roughly 15 miles with no water in it. She said it started running rough just as she pulled into town, temp gauge pegged. I run t6 foreplay full synthetic oil. Oil smells cooked. I get there and fill back up coolant and start it to load on trailer. Engine is not smoking and sounds OK as I load it on trailer
. Data logger says oil temp got up to 302 degrees. How ****ed is it? Possible it is OK?

ibrokeit · Dec 17, 2016

AllGoNoShow said:
My wife drove our 02 7.3 power stroke to get groceries. The water pump developed a massive leak and drained all the coolant. She said the heat quit about halfway there. So she drove it roughly 15 miles with no water in it. She said it started running rough just as she pulled into town, temp gauge pegged. I run t6 foreplay full synthetic oil. Oil smells cooked. I get there and fill back up coolant and start it to load on trailer. Engine is not smoking and sounds OK as I load it on trailer
. Data logger says oil temp got up to 302 degrees. How ****ed is it? Possible it is OK?

Change the oil and rock on.

RustyC · Dec 17, 2016

If the coolant temp gauge was pegged hot that means there was still coolant at the sensor. Sensors usually read cooler when there is no coolant around them. 7.3's are tough hopefully nobody put cool/cold water into a very hot engine. Lucky they have an oil cooler on them, may have saved the engine.

TBItoy · Dec 17, 2016

ibrokeit said:
Change the oil and rock on.

X2

Good full sun oil probably saved it.

gottagofast · Dec 17, 2016

Oil cooler won't do anything without antifreeze....
With no water pressure and 300* no there wasn't any water left in the engine...

Put a water pump on, change the oil, scold the wife and pray...

I can pretty much guarantee it took a fair amount of life out of it but it may live quite a while...

I suspect you'll know pretty soon....

gottagofast · Dec 18, 2016

Upon thinking a little more.... After doing the above I'd change all the injector orings and rebuild the IPR as well...
Also expect the turbo pedestal and oil cooler to possibly start leaking and need rebuilt in the near future.

Bronco72 · Dec 18, 2016

Change the oil slap the wife and rock on. It should be fine. Iv seen a few that the oil plug has fell out of because they never got tightened after a oil change and iv seen a few ran really hot from stuipd stuff like that. If any thing it may burn oil from cooking the rings but id thank it would be fine

Zjman · Dec 18, 2016

gottagofast said:
Upon thinking a little more.... After doing the above I'd change all the injector orings and rebuild the IPR as well...
Also expect the turbo pedestal and oil cooler to possibly start leaking and need rebuilt in the near future.

This!!!! I'd say it will be fine but be prepared for oil leaks in the future, orings will prob dry out and start leaking, that's why ya don't let women drive yer trucks. They only look at gas gauge every 3 days lol.

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Zjman · Dec 18, 2016

Also inspect ur front cover behind the pump, mine went out about 4 years ago and the impeller was rubbing the front engine cover pretty good, I felt mine was ok to run but I've heard of it almost rubbing through and if it's thin enough the gouge created turbulence and will actually wear the rest of the way through from the coolant, sounds wacky but true

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AllGoNoShow · Dec 18, 2016

I only own diesel pickups so that is what the wife drives. There were no trouble codes on the data logger. It was still dripping coolant when I got there put 6 gallons in . I will fix the pump and drive it, change the oil, then go from there. Any advice is appreciated.

kevinhumphrey · Dec 18, 2016

I would be surprised if it is hurt that's why I buy Fords :****: Oh and they like a raped ape while loaded

AllGoNoShow · Dec 18, 2016

Really hope you are right. This one is my best pickup.

AllGoNoShow · Dec 18, 2016

Took the oil filter off and cut it open looks OK. going to tear into water pump tonight. Engine has 321,777 miles and ran like a top before...

kevinhumphrey · Dec 18, 2016

Sorry typo I meant runslike a raped ape when loaded I'm sure anyone who owns or ever owned one knew what I meant

truckbroke · Dec 18, 2016

Change the oil replace water pump and drive it. I wouldn't touch nothing else till it gave me a reason.

AllGoNoShow · Dec 24, 2016

Well I got the new pump on and a new filter and oil. Drove it 270 miles today and everything is good so far. no mixing of oil, coolant, or fuel. No blowby.