Bulletproof Diesel made the term “bulletproof” widespread for the 6.0 Powerstroke series, insisting on their upgrades for a minimum of four of the five main problems of the engine: oil cooler, EGR cooler, water pump, head studs, and fuel injector control module. If you’ve got a 7.3 Powerstroke on your truck, you must be wondering whether or not bulletproofing is possible for this engine. And if it’s possible, how much does it cost to bulletproof a 7.3 Powerstroke?
Currently, Bulletproof Diesel doesn’t have any bulletproof kit for 7.3. However, if you focus on upgrading the vulnerable parts like cooling components, top-end service, and water pump, you will get a robust 7.3 by spending around $3000.
Keep reading to get a deeper knowledge of the process.
Bulletproofing a 7.3 Powerstroke Engine: How Much Can You Expect to Pay?
As we won’t be doing the conventional type of bulletproofing offered by BulletProof Diesel, the cost might vary from dealer to dealer. However, it will be much less. Still, the overall process might cost you around $3000 at most.
Since the bulletproofing kit is only available for 6.0, you’ve to buy any of these kit components separately to make yourself feel that you’ve bulletproofed your 7.3.
Here is a price breakdown for 4 distinct upgrades for the 7.3.
| Component | Starting Range | Maximum Ranges | Installation Charge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oil cooler | $660 | $730 | $180-200 |
| Water pump | $189 | $229 | $300-400 |
| FIDM | N/A | $489 | N/A |
| Head Studs | N/A | $678 | N/A |
The installation cost may vary depending on the labour cost of each area. You can save $500 if you do the installation yourself.
What Is A Bulletproof Powerstroke?
The company BulletProof Diesel brought this term to light. They have been producing some of the best parts to improve the overall performance of diesel vehicles, especially the Ford Powerstroke series.
However, later on, the term got specific to 6.0 Powerstroke models. Bulletproofing aims to improve the cons of a 6.0 diesel truck to make it sustainable and reliable in the long run.
The parts that are mainly focused to improve are
- Oil cooler
- EGR cooler
- Water pump
- Fuel injector control module
- Head studs
Additional mods like a turbocharger and high-pressure oil system is also available. But these are too rare even to consider.
Upgrade Your 7.3 Powerstroke in the Bulletproofing Style
BulletProof Diesel isn’t providing their facility for the 7.3 Powerstroke currently. So you won’t be able to label your truck as ‘bulletproof’ unfortunately.
However, it is always possible to make the most crucial parts reliable and sturdy. This will be as good as ‘bulletproofing’. The parts we will be focusing our upgrade procedure on are:
- Oil cooler
- Water pump
- Injector driver module (IDM)
- Head Studs
Upgrading these parts will be more than enough to make your truck long-lasting with more mileage just like the concept of bulletproofing.
#1- Oil Cooler Upgrade on 7.3 Powerstroke
A 7.3 Powerstroke doesn’t have EGR. Hence, you won’t be getting any cooling facility from that section. So it’s very important to have a well-functioning oil cooling system.
The built-in oil cooler isn’t well enough to sustain the excessive heating of the fuel intake system for a long time. The passage gets narrow. Although it has one of the most trusted oil cooling systems, nothing lasts forever.
Things you need to do to upgrade the oil cooler are
- Dislodging The Part
This won’t cost extra. All you need to do is dislodge it with proper guidelines.
- Breaking The Part
If you need to break the rear header here, this will cost you above $400.
- Changing The O-ring
This can be the main game-changer. If you just invest around $60-$80, you’ll get a new and efficient O-ring.
- New Cooler Tube
A new cooler tube can cost $200-$250. This is something that will open up the cooling passage.
Afterwards, all you need to do is assemble the parts properly. You might or might not need gaskets. This upgrade is ideal for long-term use. The installation of the oil cooler system can cost you $180-200.
#2- Water Pump Upgrade
If you replace the built-in water pump with a more robust material water pump, then it will surely increase sustainability.
The impeller of the 7.3 truck malfunctions most of the time. This increases the overheating rates greatly.
However, spending ranging from $189.00 to $229.00 will solve all these issues. You will get a freshly built water pump of better materials that will improve the cooling facility. Installation cost ranges from $300 to $400.
#3- Injector Driver Module Upgrade
This part controls or drives all the injectors of your vehicle. A problem or defect in this part can cause rough idling, ignition failure, noises, etc.
If you upgrade this module, then it will cost around $500. However, the cost might go up if you need to upgrade the power supply too.
This upgrade will boost your transmission experience greatly. It will also give the ignition outcome a bit more ease.
#4- Head Gasket And Head Studs Upgrade
Well, this part is also responsible for cooling like the oil cooler. In fact, this problem doesn’t exist by itself. Rather, it arises because of the oil cooler defect eventually.
Hence, in the end, it can cause the head to lift. If you want to upgrade it, the complete top-end service kit will cost $800. However, this will need a lot of hard work to properly install it.
frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Check out some of the most common queries on the topic.
How many miles will a 7.3 Powerstroke last?
A 7.3 Powerstroke can guarantee 400,000 to 500,000 miles with low speed and adequate power without any upgradation.
Why is 7.3 so popular?
Simplicity is the main reason I would say. Without any extravagant features, you will get thousands of miles out of this vehicle.
How Much It Has Cost To Build My 7.3 Powerstroke >> Check out the video below:
key Takeaways
Bulletproofing a 7.3 Powerstroke isn’t possible unfortunately from the commercial meaning of the term. However, you can still make this vehicle way more capable by making the necessary upgrades by spending around $3000. Compared to what Bulletproof Diesel offers, the price is way less.
Moreover, the 7.3 Powerstroke has been a reliable Ford engine without any additional mods. Modifying the parts will not only add to the years of service for the vehicle but will also ensure smooth performance over the years. And you can minimize the cost to around $2200 by DIY.
