what gets me is why they say the engine will not work where a valley mounted turbo is used?they sell them without the intake so it shouldn't matter.just use your old intake.i have never messed with a van 6.5 so can't say just what would be different.

I'm pretty sure the angle of the ports on the heads are different on the side mount and valley turbo heads. But you could just run a side mount turbo engine without the turbo as an NA version. Might have to construct an air filter system for it.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

I wised up and stripped the van of useful stuff i added, then sold it to a kid with the problem fully disclosed for cheap. With the body rust it made the most financial sense. He intends to ride out the inspection sticker adding coolant or water i guess.

I then replaced the van with an identical chassis 3500 same year, but powered by a traditional 350 5.7 that is a lot more reliable.

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This post brought to you by Carl's Jr.

Something I'd wondered before... why not go with an E350 with the 7.3? Too expensive/hard to find?

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"Senior Luna, your sense of humor is still loco... but we love it, anyway." -rickymay ____ "Your sense of humor is still loco... " -MBeige ____ "Señor Luna, your sense of humor is quite järjetön" -Delibes

1982 300SD -- 211k, Texas car, tranny issues ____ 1979 240D 4-speed 234k -- turbo and tuned IP, third world taxi hot rod

2 Samuel 12:13: "David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die."

Local rot preferences.

My experience has been with older domestic work vans, dodge rusts by far and above the worst, ford a distant second, and these express vans are a pretty decent 3rd. Somewhere between dodge and ford are sprinter vans and their awful cosmetic rust issues.

When the express vans do rot they tend to rot along the rockers and where the usual upfitting a-hole drilled holes for shelving when the van was new. Essentially not danger areas. They have other weaknesses like hinges and door handles, but those can be repaired and replaced easier than major rust.

The fords in the same price range see more structural rot, body mounts, frame issues, ect.

Of course there are no hard and fast rules and each van must be considered as an individual based on use, but thats been my general impression in the under 3 grand 15 year old beat up van market. I looked at several 7.3s with horrendous bodies that owners were holding out a high price on.

Also on a purely utility standpoint, i like the express rear barn doors. Now having said all that, the econoline extended body has a much better turning radius, and i would have jumped on a sufficiently decent body ford for a good price, but already having an express means i have many express body specific widgets for a new van


This concludes more than you ever wanted to know in my selection process for crappy old vans.

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This post brought to you by Carl's Jr.

I am not a fan of the Fords with the International/Navistar engines. I have seen so many of those broke down. I remember having a conversation with a Ford mechanic about 12 years ago. All he did was work on those diesels. He stated to me "those engines keep me VERY employed".

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Current:
1985 300D aka Miss Margaret
1991 300SE aka Alarice
1995 SL320 aka Samantha
1997 K1500 Silverado
Past:
1999 E300 ex-wife got it and let her son ruin it
1984 190 2.3 ex-wife got it and let her son destroy a great car
1985 300D (CA version) aka Maybelline lost to deer at high speed.
1981 300D aka Madeline (went to salvage at near 400k) rusty, yet best car I ever drove
Wishlist:
McFarlan TV6 (only a few privately owned)
ReVere with Rochester engine
1917 Premier (only one left)

I cant imagine a mechanic having that opinion on the earlier pre and powerstroke engine series. 12 years ago? Maybe early 6.0s he was thinking of.

The 7.3 and 6.9 are about as reliable as an engine can possibly get. Hell, i pulled a bunch of bent and broken push rods out of a 350k 7.3 once and replaced them, and the thing ran fine again. It was amazing

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This post brought to you by Carl's Jr.

I am not certain of the engine size, but it was the Navistar/International engine that he spoke of.

__________________
Current:
1985 300D aka Miss Margaret
1991 300SE aka Alarice
1995 SL320 aka Samantha
1997 K1500 Silverado
Past:
1999 E300 ex-wife got it and let her son ruin it
1984 190 2.3 ex-wife got it and let her son destroy a great car
1985 300D (CA version) aka Maybelline lost to deer at high speed.
1981 300D aka Madeline (went to salvage at near 400k) rusty, yet best car I ever drove
Wishlist:
McFarlan TV6 (only a few privately owned)
ReVere with Rochester engine
1917 Premier (only one left)