Best Upgrades for the 7.3L Power Stroke

The 7.3L Power Stroke is commonly regarded as possibly the best power stroke engine that Ford has made to date. It wasn’t plagued with the problems of the 6.0, nor was it weighed down by the emission junk that was found in the 6.4 and the 6.7 power strokes. These factors and more allow the 7.3 to have incredible reliability and power capability, making it an excellent powerplant that lasts for a very long time.

Singing my praises for the 7.3 aside, we all know how good it is, but there are still a few things that can be done to improve it beyond what Ford engineered it to do. The best mods for these engines have to do with reliability, adding power, and improving MPGs. A lot of them are quite simple, effective, and cheap, and will work wonders to transform your truck to another level of performance.

We came up with his guide to categorize the most popular mods for the 7.3. In the name of keeping it simple, it starts with the most popular mods to do, the ones that have the most impact on performance and goes down the list from there. You can also use the table of contents below to skip to whatever mod you might be interested in most.

Best Intake Kit for the 7.3L

• S&B Filters Cold Air Intake (Reusable Filter)

S&B Filters 75-5062 Cold Air Intake For 1998-2003 Ford Powerstroke 7.3L (Oiled Cleanable, 8-ply Cotton Filter)

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as of February 19, 2020 8:16 pm

Features

• 53.66% More Airflow & 99.37% Efficiency Rating. Tested To The Internationally Accepted ISO 5011 Standard
• Designed To Avoid Check Engine Lights
• Premium Silicone Parts Last Longer And Look Better
• S&B utilizes robotics to precisely apply the correct amount of oil to your filter before it ships. Oil Amount: 91 Grams on Filter Element. Replacement Filter: KF-1059 & Filter Wrap: WF-1040
• Street Legal in All US States, CARB Exempt ID: D-590-9

Best Exhaust Kit for the 7.3L

• MBRP Turbo Back Single Side Exhaust System

MBRP S6200P Turbo Back Single Side Exhaust System

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as of February 19, 2020 8:16 pm

Features

• Designed for maximum power and performance
• Mandrel bent tubing and heavy duty aluminized steel
• Installs with common hand tools
• Can improve fuel economy by 1-2 mpg
• Boosts torque and horsepower

Best Tuner Chip for the 7.3L

• TS Performance 6-way Switchable Tunes

Ford Powerstroke Diesel 7.3 1994-2003 TS Performance 6 Position Chip WITH KNOB 140+ HP

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Features

• Blank TS chip, Provide Vehicle info for programming.

Best Gauges for the 7.3

• GlowShift complete gauge kit

GlowShift 1999-2007 Ford Superduty Tan Gauge Package Black Face Boost, EGT & Trans Temp

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as of February 19, 2020 8:16 pm

Features

• GlowShift Diesel Gauge Package for 1999-2007 Ford Super Duty Power Stroke F-250 F-350 Trucks with Factory Color Matched Tan Triple Pillar Pod, Black 7 Color Series 3 Gauge Diesel Set & Installation Accessories You Need to Successfully Install the Fittings & Sensors
• Includes 60 PSI Boost Gauge with Compression Fittings, 9’ Nylon Hose & Boost T-Fitting - 1500° F Pyrometer Exhaust Gas Temp Gauge with EGT Probe - Transmission Temp Gauge with Temp Sensor
• Factory Color Matched Tan Triple Pillar Pod Mounts the Gauges to 1999-2007 Ford Super Duty Power Stroke F250 F350 Trucks - Manufactured from ABS Plastic - UV Protected - Includes Mounting Hardware
• Includes Ford Super Duty 7.3L 6.0L Power Stroke Installation Guide Complete with Step-By-Step Instructions & Photos that Help Walk You Through the Process of Installing & Wiring this Diesel Gauge Package to Your Truck
• GlowShift Guarantee with One Year Limited Warranty & Free Lifetime Technical Support

Turbocharger Upgrade for 7.3L

• Garrett Powermax GTP38R Ballbearing Turbocharger

The best turbo upgrade that you can do for your 7.3L is to swap over to this Garrett ball-bearing monster. With this upgrade, you can replace your tired original turbo with one that can spool much faster and supply significantly more boost throughout the entire rev range, giving you more power and torque.

Garrett Powermax GTP38R Ballbearing Turbocharger for Powerstroke 7.3L

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as of February 19, 2020 8:16 pm

Features

• Fits:99.5-03 Ford Powerstroke F250, F350, and Excursion
• Patented Garrett® dual ball-bearing cartridge
• Maximum recommended boost level is 40psi
• Capable of an additional 370+hp increase over stock
• Complete bolt-in kit

AIH Delete Mod

• GlowShift Air Intake Heater Boost Plug Sensor Thread Adapter

This mod allows you to remove the restrictive air intake heater out of the flow of incoming boost.

This heater is only activated at low ambient temps while the truck is idling for an extanded time, so 90% of drivers won’t even know its gone. The conditions for when it runs are as follows: oil temps below 131°F, glow plugs off, trans in park/neutral, parking brake on, charging system between 11.5 and 15.0 volts, and ambient temp below 32°F.

For how little it runs, it’s a lot better to pull that big heater element out and replace it with this plug, which also allows you to easily add an aftermarket boost pressure sensor.

GlowShift Air Intake Heater Boost Plug Sensor Thread Adapter for 1999.5-2002 7.3L Ford Power Stroke & 2001-2004 6.6L GM LB7 Duramax Diesel

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as of February 19, 2020 8:16 pm

Features

• Compatible with 1999.5-2002 Ford Super Duty 7.3L Power Stroke & 2001-2004 6.6L GM LB7 Duramax
• Install Boost Sensor or Fittings to Intake Manifold Without Drilling and Tapping
• Replaces Air Intake Heater
• Thread Size: 1/8-27 NPT Female to m22 x 1.5 Male
• Free Lifetime Technical Support & One Year Limited Warranty