Powerstroke reccomendations?

Kenneth Brown

Captain
Joined
Feb 3, 2003
Messages
3,481
I recently bought a 94 F250 with the Powerstroke. I'm not looking for more power than it has. It is supplementing a wheezing 1 ton gasser so the power is outragous to me. What I am wondering if there is anything I need to know about it/what I should be on the look out for/etc.
 

SpinnerBait_Nut

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
Joined
Aug 25, 2002
Messages
17,651
Re: Powerstroke reccomendations?

KeltoKrew will be along I'm sure KB, he is the Powerstroke man.
 

Bob_VT

Moderator & Unofficial iBoats Historian
Staff member
Joined
May 19, 2001
Messages
26,064
Re: Powerstroke reccomendations?

Great motor! Good luck with it.

The only tip I can give (based on experience) is that the torque is so powerful that the rear axle bolts have been know to shear off!!!! :eek: Everyone who had a 94 changed the rear axle bolts to grade 8

Keep all the filters clean and the oil changed.
 

Kenneth Brown

Captain
Joined
Feb 3, 2003
Messages
3,481
Re: Powerstroke reccomendations?

Is the the ubolts that hold the rearend to the springs or the ones for the driveshaft or what?
 

Bob_VT

Moderator & Unofficial iBoats Historian
Staff member
Joined
May 19, 2001
Messages
26,064
Re: Powerstroke reccomendations?

The bolts that are at the wheel end of the axle that hold the axle in place ...... the ones in the center of the wheel hub..... if I remember there are about 8 of them. I would imagine if they have not be replaced you should just leave them alone. I know it usually happened when you were stuck with a max load in the bed.
 

Kenneth Brown

Captain
Joined
Feb 3, 2003
Messages
3,481
Re: Powerstroke reccomendations?

Thanks. The diff looks like the same 10.25 Sterling that is in my 89 and I haven't had any trouble out of it, I'll be sure to keep a lookout.
 

Reel Poor

Vice Admiral
Joined
Jan 29, 2005
Messages
5,522
Re: Powerstroke reccomendations?

That's the 7.4 liter engine. That's the best engine they have used yet.
 

ThumbPkr

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Aug 17, 2007
Messages
371
Re: Powerstroke reccomendations?

Be sure that the cooling system has been serviced regularly with the proper additives as those powerstrokes are suceptible to what they call "cavitation" but what it means is that the cylinder liners can be erroded from the inside where they contact the water jacket and if the proper coolant is not used that can be a problem with them.
There are other engines that have this problem but if I were to access the condition of a PowerStroke that is one of the first things I would ask about it.Ron G
 

KeltonKrew

Lieutenant
Joined
Jul 31, 2002
Messages
1,325
Re: Powerstroke reccomendations?

like said above check the sca levels in the coolant. you can buy test strips for it. I check mine every oil change.

keep good oil in it. Most use Rotella 15w-40 or Delo.

also, keep your fuel filter changed every 15K and when I change the oil I'll also open the drain valve on the filter to drain any water that may be in there. the filter is a combination filter/water seperator.

here's a good forum to visit http://www.thedieselstop.com

these are great motors and will last quite a long time if properly maintained. I currently have 191,000 trouble free miles onn my 99.5
 

Kenneth Brown

Captain
Joined
Feb 3, 2003
Messages
3,481
Re: Powerstroke reccomendations?

It has 263,000 on it now. The guy I bought it from is dumb as a box of rocks when it comes to mechanics. That was a good thing for me. He never serviced anything on it hisself, always had it done. He didn't have any records of maint. but told me when everything was due again. He told me his scedule and it was slightly more stringent than Fords. I haven't been able to test the SCA's yet. Do you use FW 15, FW 16, or the newest DC 8? I did as a precaution buy a bottle of anti-cav from Walmart the other day and added it just because.
 

KeltonKrew

Lieutenant
Joined
Jul 31, 2002
Messages
1,325
Re: Powerstroke reccomendations?

I believe I use the fw-15. don't have to really add all the time.
 

Kenneth Brown

Captain
Joined
Feb 3, 2003
Messages
3,481
Re: Powerstroke reccomendations?

The guy I bought it from is inbetween me and you KK. He is North of Madisonville by a mile or so off of OSR. Just throwing that out there, don't know why.
 
Top