12 Common 7.3 Powerstroke Problems and How to Fix Them In 2023

7.3 Powerstroke Problems can be pretty annoying. For some drivers, this feels like the end of the world. And to be fair, we can’t blame them.

We’ve been there and know how terrifying it can be. But you can learn from our mistakes and fix most issues you might experience.

Here, we’ve done our best to gather the most common problems found on the 7.3 Powerstroke engine Upgrade systems.

That said, down below, you will find the most common engine issues and how to fix them.

Common 7.3 Powerstroke Issues and Fixes

The problems detailed below impact many engines, but they can be fixed.

1. 7.3 Powerstroke Alternator Problems

A lot of owners of the 7.3 Powerstroke engine talk about how common 7.3 Powerstroke alternator problems are.

So, you’re not alone here. One thing we recommend must drivers do, is to check the battery connections.

Pop the hood of the truck, and clean the battery connections. There’s probably gunk all over it. So, go ahead and get rid of all that debris.

That being said, get a multimeter to check the alternator. Disconnect the wire going into the alternator, and then check if there’s any power.

After that, test the back of the alternator and make sure you got current there. Now get a plug-in voltmeter and plug it in.

Now start up the engine. Be patient when doing this. When the engine is running, you might get low power.

Let it sit for a minute and see if it charges. If it’s still not charging, replace the alternator.

If you want to know more about the alternator on the 7.3 Powerstroke, watch this video:

2. 7.3 Powerstroke lift pump problems

7.3 Powerstroke lift pump problems are pretty common and can be the beginning of a long road for many drivers.

For instance, one of the easiest ways to find out if the lift pump is not in great shape is if the lift pump has trouble flowing fuel back to the engine right after replacing the fuel filter.

Drivers can also tell if the lift pump quit working by checking the vehicle’s pressure.

The fuel pressure should always be between 40 and 65 psi when the truck is in motion. It should never drop below those numbers.

So, if you got a fuel pressure gauge and noticed that you’re getting 20, it’s safe to assume the lift pump needs to be replaced.

Although this part of your car is responsible for flowing gas into the engine, it’s nowhere as expensive as you would imagine.

You can get a new replacement for nearly $220. And if you don’t feel like replacing it on your own, expect to pay $260 for the labor.

3. Wastegate Leaking Exhaust

We all love turbo upgrades, but it’s no fun when 7.3 Powerstroke wastegate problems mess up your vehicle’s performance.

So, what’s the ideal with the wastegate? Owners of the 7.3 Powerstroke engine have expressed that they are not getting any boost until the vehicle reaches high RPMs. This is a sign that wastegate is not working.

This means the wastegate is leaking too much exhaust, and it shouldn’t leak exhaust.

For this problem, we could be looking at two culprits. So, here’s a list of common symptoms:

• First, the diaphragm inside the wastegate probably got damaged. If your diaphragm went bad, it wouldn’t be able to open up the valve, resulting in poor performance.
• Second, the ring that seats against the valve probably went missing. If that ring disappears, your wastegate will leak exhaust gas.

And as silly as it sounds, drivers have reported that the ring going missing is a common issue. So, it’s worth checking those two things out. For that reason, you will have to replace the wastegate.

After replacing the part, your wastegate should be able to spool up properly.

If you want to know more about this problem and how it affects your performance, watch this video:

4. AC Blowing Hot Air

If there’s an issue that can piss off anybody, that’d be 7.3 Powerstroke AC problems.

Seriously, nobody wants their AC to blow hot air—especially if summer is around the corner. Nonetheless, this annoying problem is more common than you’d think.

While we could go on and off about all the problems that could mess up your AC, let’s narrow down the endless possibilities.

First, refrigerant leaks are one of the most popular reasons why your AC is blowing hot air. The AC system needs that liquid to remove heat and humidity.

If your vehicle is leaking the refrigerant liquid, the AC won’t blow cold air.

Typically, the leak happens due to an old and rusty hose. So, replacing the hose should fix your problem.

Second, a clogged orifice valve can also blow hot air. This valve is responsible for controlling the fluid flow.

If it got clogged, your AC system would malfunction. So, change the damaged orifice valve to get rid of the problem.

5. Damaged Oil cooler

Don’t get me started on 7.3 Powerstroke oil cooler problems. They’re one of the worst problems any driver can have.

The oil cooler cools down your engine. So, we probably don’t need to tell you why a damaged oil cooler is annoying to deal with.

Don’t worry, though. In many cases, it’s just the seal messing up the oil cooler. Your oil cooler has a seal, which keeps the oil from leaking.

If that seal stops working, the car will dump out a lot of oil. So, you’ll have to replace the oil cooler gasket to solve this problem.

If you want to know more about this problem and how you can replace the seal on your own, we strongly suggest checking this video out:

6. 7.3 Powerstroke stalling problem

Engine stalling can be frustrating and scary. Usually, this means your engine might have died, which nobody wants to hear. But don’t panic just yet. You might be able to fix it right away.

Engine stalling is usually a sign that there’s something wrong with the PCM or ECM. Thankfully, these two are not expensive to swap out.

Clogged fuel lines can also mess up your vehicle’s engine. These lines are made to last, but just like anything, they can fail over time.

When this happens, they can do some weird stuff to your vehicle, including stalling, engine misfires, and fuel leaks.

While this might sound expensive, the average price for replacing fuel lines is about $120.

Fuel lines cannot be fixed. They must be replaced if you want to get the car back on the road.

7. Turbo Stops Spooling Up

You never really know when you could have 7.3 Powerstroke turbo problems.

Your vehicle could be running just fine, and then all of a sudden, you hear some noise, and then the truck loses power.

Although the turbo can fail for different reasons, these failure symptoms can be related to the wastegate.

As we noted before, the wastegate regulates the turbo. If it’s not working, the car will lose power.

So, pull it out and inspect the inside of the wastegate. When doing this, look for a pinched diaphragm and missing rings.

A clogged intercooler can also be related to power loss. When this happens, your engine will overheat, leading to power loss and stalling. Fortunately, you can get rid of this problem by cleaning it off.

And finally, make sure your fuel filter is not dirty. The fuel filter screens out the oil before it makes it to the engine.

However, if debris builds up around it, it’ll have a hard time doing its job. Replace this filter, and you should be good to go.

8. Inline Fuel Pump Keeps Failing

If you’re having 7.3 Powerstroke fuel pump problems, there’s a high chance you have a clogged fuel pickup.

So, you’ll have to drop the tank and then check the filter to make sure there’s no gunk inside them.

If they got clogged, you’d have to replace them. For better results, add an inline pre-pump filter.

It’ll save you so much time in the future, and you won’t have to tear apart the fuel pump again.

9. Loud Noise Coming From the Exhaust

If you’ve noticed that your car is louder, you might have a bad EBPV. This part of your vehicle is responsible for warming up the engine when it’s cold outside.

But if this valve is not working, it will remain open even in cold weather, making some noise when the car is running.

Perhaps you’ve heard it before. It sounds like a jet engine about to take off.

10. Engine Overheating

Overheating is one of the most 7.3 Powerstroke common problems. In many cases, this problem is related to the radiator.

As you might know, the radiator cools down the engine. So, if your radiator is not working as intended, the engine will reach high temperatures when going down the road.

In other cases, the car will leak coolant if the radiator stopped working.

11. Engine Misfire

Common problems with 7.3 Powerstroke can be related to the injector control pressure sensor or ICP pressure sensor for short.

As the name suggests, this sensor monitors all the fuel pressure flowing into the injectors.

This interruption with the ICP pressure sensor can make your engine work poorly.

For instance, you might have difficulty starting up the vehicle if there’s something wrong with the sensor.

Another clear sign the ICP pressure sensor needs to go is a lack of power.

However, keep in mind that other parts of your vehicle could cause power loss, including a bad intercooler and wastegate. So, inspect the car carefully before throwing parts at it.

12. Truck Jerking & Surging

And last but not least, if you’re having 7.3 Powerstroke problems, you might want to check the camshaft position sensor.

If you’re not sure what that sensor does, it simply makes sure your engine runs as intended.

So, if this sensor is no longer in great shape, your engine will lose power, leading to jerking and surging.

Worst-case scenario, the engine might shut off in the middle of the highway.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

There’s plenty you can do to fix your engine, but it’s always a great idea to learn more about the 7.3 Powerstroke to find the problem and fix it.

Is the 7.3 Powerstroke reliable?

Yes! The 7.3 Powerstroke engine is one of the most reliable engines to this day.

Sure, you might run into some issues here and there, but the same goes for every engine out there. As long as you stick to the owner’s manual, you should be fine.

Why is my 7.3 Powerstroke so loud?

Don’t worry too much about it. The 7.3 Powerstroke engine is pretty loud by default. In fact, most Diesel engines are pretty noisy, and the 7.3 Powerstroke is no exception.

What causes a 7.3 to lose power?

If you installed a turbo, please check the inside of the wastegate.

There’s a high chance there’s something wrong with it, causing your vehicle to lose power when going down the road. Alternatively, check the fuel filter.

How much does it cost to replace an oil cooler?

Replacing your oil cooler can cost anywhere from $500 to $620. That’s including labor and parts.

Conclusion

Some 7.3 Powerstroke problems are indeed difficult and expensive to fix. But for the most part, they are easy to solve.

The examples we showed above should be more than enough to fix your engine problems. And as always, we suggest diagnosing the easy stuff first.

Drivers tend to throw parts at their vehicles, only to find the fix was a simple $5 problem.

And when in doubt, hit up your local dealer. They know a lot about vehicles, and they’ll get you out of trouble.