Lazy Power-Stroke

4020guy · Apr 29, 2012

Have a '95 7.3 Power-Stroke in a 4700 IH truck. It has the 6+1 transmission and 17500 and 8000lb axels. It has 300K miles but starts well and runs with 45-50lbs oil pressure all day long. We pull a flat bed gooose-neck and a 32 foot travel trailer. Just got it a few years ago but it seems a little under powered. It has the 175HP marked on the valve covers. Someone told me it probably needs new injectors at 350$ a pop. Any thoughts or suggestions? Thanks in advance....Ron

in-too-deep · Apr 29, 2012

Fuel filters lately?

LazyWP · Apr 29, 2012

Injectors, a chip, open the exhaust up, and cold air intake all improve the performance. I never thought my Powerstrokes had near the power that I was getting out of my straight 7.3, and I know that my 5.9 Cummins has bunches more power then either of the Fords.

Anonymous-0 · Apr 29, 2012

IN late 60"s and early 70"s i was driving Kenworth with 318 detroit oil dripper.It would get a little lazy about maybe every 6 to 8 mounths. It had a hundred gal.tank on each side. I would drop a qt. of atf.in each tank to clean up the injectors. By the time i got 80 to 100.miles down the road it would wake right up to its old self again... dont know if it will help you ..but may be worth a try to run a little injector cleaner in it...

David G · Apr 29, 2012

I would not worry about the injectors if it does not smoke at idle. If you are new to this truck, you do not know how it was before. The chip and exhaust make a world of difference.

Ralph Bauer · Apr 29, 2012

others already chirped in, but put a K&N air filter in it. world of difference!

Erik Ks farmer · Apr 29, 2012

I put some of this in with every fill up in my tractors and pickup...91 7.3

BANDITFARMER · Apr 29, 2012

Have you checked the fuel pressure out of the lift pump down in the valley? It may be weak enough that its starving alittle for fuel. It maybe time to have it hooked up to the computer and have to hole system checked out, Maybe something simple. Bandit

hoof print · Apr 29, 2012

First thing I do when a customer complains of low power is change the fuel filters. If that does not pep it up I check the boost pressure, and check for leaks around the connector boots in the air cooler. You need to check the function of the exhaust back pressure flapper down stream from the turbo too IF it is so equiped (optional in 95). If that flapper is stuck closed you won"t go anywhere fast. You need to do a buzz test to check the function of the injectors, again you need the compute for that.

You have to understand that there is no "chip" that you can put In that truck, I just don"t know where the other posters are getting that info from. I"ve been a school bus mechanic for many years and I have worked on MANY international 444"s. You can reprogram the ECM but only to a certain extent, and only if you have the computer and cables.

The 95 and 96 444s. Were low on power when new too.

Anonymous-0 · Apr 29, 2012

There is a little fuel strainer on the side of the fuel filter housing. Has a plastic bowl that unscrews. Had problems with mine plugging. Have to remove it from filter housing to be able to unscrew the plastic bowl.

BrianJasper co. Ia · Apr 29, 2012

As far as a K&N air filter goes, a piece of window screen is much cheaper and filters just as well.

Aaron SEIA · Apr 29, 2012

I'm not sure anyone makes a chip for the IH version, but they are easily available for the Ford PSD. I think 175 horse isn't going to feel like a lot of power on something that big. The money it would take to make it feel like a lot of power would easily buy a truck with more power to start with. I'd look at fuel filters, the fuel filter screen and boost. It'll start world war 3, but K&N+turbo=$$$. There are people that make large air intakes using paper filters that don't let dirt in. Injectors can be found cheaper than $350 a pop, but I doubt that'd help a lot on it's own.
AaronSEIA

RusselAZ · Apr 29, 2012

It is almost 20 years old and as it says, rated at 175 HP. It was built to move stuff, not win races doing it.

Only thing it needs for running todays fuel is some injector lubricant added to the tank now and then. It may need the turbo controls checked to be sure it is operating as designed.

RodinNS · Apr 29, 2012

As others have suggested.... change the fuel filters and make sure it's not otherwise staggering because of a lack of fuel. Could also change the air filter and check the boost pressure..... but if it starts fine and doesn't smoke too bad under load... I'd say what you got is a typical dead dog of a 444 IH. They were never any powerhouse to start with. A DT466 is a much better engine.

Rod

ralph wilton · Apr 29, 2012

ive been a navistar diesel tech for 13 years get a fuel psi gauge and hook to it should have about 55 psi of pressure at wide open no load take the return line off the filter housing and take the fittimg out of the housing there is a spring in there streach it out a little but dont get carried away get the fuel psi to around 70 to 75 psi this will pep her up a little also they make a kit you can put in the wiring to the injector contol pressure sensor that will lie to the ecm and make it have more injection pressure that will really pep them up. as far as going to a dealer and having it turne up in the ecm with all the emisions stuff out there now you probably wont gain much and it will cost a lot.

dhermesc · Apr 30, 2012

The early powerstokes only had 185hp and 350ftpd torque. They are not that powerful of engine (the gas 460 of the same years has much more HP and torque)and it is not all that much more than a 351.

Lazy Power-Stroke

4020guy

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in-too-deep

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LazyWP

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Anonymous-0

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David G

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Ralph Bauer

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Erik Ks farmer

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BANDITFARMER

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hoof print

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Anonymous-0

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BrianJasper co. Ia

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Aaron SEIA

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RusselAZ

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RodinNS

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ralph wilton

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dhermesc

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