jesussaves

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...41377539707606


are theses 7.3's reliable. We are just looking for a good reliable youth group bus for the church. Is this a lot of miles for a 7.3? any advice would be appreciated?? i have pics of it and it looks real clean??

Hvytrkmech

Can you post up the picture? The mileage is not that bad, International says the life to tear down on the T444E is 250k miles, but I have seen them with well over 400k on them. All depends on how it was maintained. Will the bus be used just locally or to take long trips in?

jesussaves

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...EF:MOTORS:1123

Sure there is pics in the first auction that no one bid on. it will probably be used for long trip 2x a year

Hvytrkmech

The T444E came with 175hp up to 210hp. It will be slow no matter what power rating it has. It probably has the 190hp motor. Overall the lower hp rating in the T444e gave them greater reliability than the Ford version. The most common failures on that engine are the cam position sensor, easily changed on the side of the road in 15 minutes, glow plug relay's, and #8 injector, plugged fuel return screen, and some wire chaffing issues on the back of the heads at the valve cover plugs. The big secret with that engine is to keep clean oils and filters on it. The oil is literally the heart of the HEUI system on it.

All in all a solid, reliable, low power engine that will get about 8mpg loaded up. I would want to here it run before buying it or at the very least get the repair and service records for it.

You never know on Ebay.

Good luck.

jesussaves

thanks alot for the help!! I dont know anything about those motors I stick with the cummins

vp dually

A friend has a 96 7.3 with 360k.He treats it bad.Ran it out of oil more than once.I checked it for him and the stick was dry.Still runs today.Maybe he just has a good one?The cam sensor did go bad at 300k,glow plugs went bad at 100k.Other than that just the normal stuff.

pind

Just food for thought. I wouldn't have a diesel in a ford van. Sorry. The diesel may well be reliable, but even changing the fuel filter on them is a pain in the butt, due to the location in the vehicle. And, any other repairs, you almost need to be a colo-rectal surgeon to work in there.

Take the doghouse off, and you see turbo and up-pipes... period. Of course, this does make the inevitable up-pipe replacement a LOT easier. They also locate the second battery down underneath, in a tray behind the passenger seat.

I would go with a V-8 or V10 ford van, no problem at all, they are reliable, and get about the same economy or better than the diesels.

Good luck

Hvytrkmech

You should see them in an ambulance package with the extra heater hoses and dual alternators.

Good thing the bus he is looking at is an International with the flip nose.