Three decades later, the engine that revolutionized the diesel truck market lives on—and this comprehensive 7.3L convention confirms it will be here for many more years to come.
In 1994, Ford released the first electronically controlled diesel engine in the pickup truck segment: the 7.3L Power Stroke. In time, its reputation for power, fuel efficiency and especially durability translated into more than 2 million engine sales in North America alone. Thirty years later, the 7.3L still enjoys a reputation for reliability—along with significant performance potential thanks to unwavering support from a vibrant aftermarket. Recognizing that 2024 would mark the 30th anniversary of the arrival of the 7.3L, Power Hungry Performance, home of the game-changing Hydra Chip, came up with the idea of hosting an exposition to celebrate all things 7.3L. They named it Summit 7.3.
The weekend of April 18-20 brought mechanics, shop owners, retailers, engineers, and enthusiasts alike to Summit 7.3. There, attendees were privy to presentations on everything from 7.3L history to industry trends, and emissions compliance to running your repair business more effectively. They also learned the key role the aftermarket will have to play as more OEM parts become obsolete or discontinued. The expo was even preceded by an optional training day, where Power Hungry Performance owner, Bill Cohron, guided current and prospective calibrators through the company’s Minotaur tuning software—the premier software employed in tuning 7.3L’s. As you’ll read below, Summit 7.3 was highly educational, informative, and entertaining. Look for it to become an annual affair.
Summit 7.3 is the brainchild of Power Hungry Performance owners Bill and Angela Cohron. Bill has been tuning 7.3L’s since the 1990s and was actually one of the first aftermarket calibrators to ever tune a 7.3L PCM. He worked at Superchips and then Edge Products before opening Power Hungry Performance in 2007. In 2012, the Hydra Chip (shown) was released and, with the ability to hold up to 17 different calibrations, support virtually any tuner’s calibrations on the market and be reprogrammed without removing the chip from the PCM’s circuit board, effectively revolutionized the 7.3L tuning industry.Thanks to a quick intro video that featured a clip from the iconic 2002 Ford Super Duty commercial (the one where a 525 lb-ft dually frees an icebreaker from its standstill position on frozen ocean), Summit 7.3 commenced in captivating fashion. As the host, Bill Cohron (left), kicked off the expo by introducing former Ford software engineer, Michael Relph. The following day, Bill would sit in on a panel discussion Q&A with a group of gifted speakers to close out the event.As mentioned above, Summit 7.3’s first guest speaker was former Ford software engineer, Michael Relph. Without him, and seven others like him, the 7.3L Power Stroke might not have ever existed—as Ford dedicated just eight employees to the 7.3L’s electronics (there were 3,000 software engineers working on the gasoline side…). It’s important to remember that, in the early 1990s, there was no diesel engine software to speak of. It didn’t exist. So, Michael and team created their own hardware and software from scratch—the first program of its kind in the industry. After that, Michael was instrumental in convincing Ford that it would sell millions, not tens of thousands, of engines. With the 7.3L powertrain eventually becoming the most profitable in Ford Motor Company’s history (demand leapt to 1.2 million engines just 90 days after the 7.3L Power Stroke launched), not only could you say that Mr. Relph was right, but that he and his colleagues hit a home run.A host of heavy hitters within the 7.3L aftermarket were in town, many of which set up shop in the vendor section. This included Full Force Diesel Performance, a company that got its start remanufacturing 7.3L injectors behind its owner, Ryan Casserly, in 2005. Since then, it’s become one of the larger operations in the diesel performance industry, and company representative Kirk Brown spoke on the company’s behalf, covering industry trends and forecasts. During Kirk’s presentation, we took note that 2.18 million 7.3L Power Stroke powered vehicles are still registered in the U.S. today. Combine that number with the 7.3L’s tendency to run forever and you begin to see why it continues to enjoy a strong aftermarket following.When it comes to drop-in turbos for the 7.3L Power Stroke, KC Turbos all but owns the market, and Charlie Fish is the man behind the company. At Summit 7.3, he presented on upgrading vs. OEM parts—and as it relates to the 7.3L, a lot of factory parts are being discontinued (or already have been). In many instances, aftermarket replacement parts are the only option, but Charlie stressed the importance of buying from a reputable source or manufacturer (i.e. you get what you pay for), and drove home the point that many aftermarket components, if properly designed and manufactured, can exceed OEM quality, performance, and even reliability.Over at the KC Turbos booth, we found this drop-in charger for 7.3L Super Duty’s on display. In billet 69mm form, it’s capable of supporting 575-rwhp in conjunction with standard hybrid injectors (238cc units equipped with 80-percent over nozzles, or 238/80’s in HEUI speak). Ten to 12 years ago, you needed a T4 mount, an S400, and considerably larger hybrid injectors to reach that power level. It’s proof that turbo technology has come a long way over the past decade, and KC Turbos is definitely on the leading edge of it. We’re told it’s nearing release, and when it does customers will have a 62mm and 65mm option to choose from in addition to the 69mm wheel.Driven Diesel was on hand, a company that, thanks to its owner, Dennis Schroeder, is renowned for its top-shelf fuel systems and fuel-related parts. High-quality hose, filters, fittings, hardware, bracketry and extensively detailed instructions are par for the course when you order Driven Diesel products. At Summit 7.3, Dennis shared that his fuel systems had undergone an extensive redesign last year in an effort to make them installable on any 7.3L chassis Ford offered, be it Super Duty F-250/F-350, van, F-450/F-550, or Excursion. Note: The full guest list (booth or not) at Summit 7.3 included: Full Force Diesel Performance, KC Turbos, Irate Diesel Performance, Jelibuilt Performance, Driven Diesel, Unlimited Diesel Performance, Complete Performance, Strokers Diesel and Automotive, RD2 Diesel Performance & Parts, AA Design & Performance Tuning, Eco Diesel Dynamics, CNC Fabrication, SEMA Garage, J&K Engines, Dale County Diesel, 73dipstick.com, Performance Custom Cables, Thoroughbred Diesel, and Houston’s Diesel Repair.Day 2 at Summit 7.3 brought Zeb Beard to the stage. Zeb runs Strokers Diesel And Automotive, a large independent repair shop that operates out of Monticello, Arkansas. His rags to riches story is something many diesel shop owners can relate to, and he offered valuable insight on how to manage overhead, make your operation run efficiently, how to educate your customers, and also how to cover your back. Some of Zeb’s invaluable advice included performing a digital video inspection (DVI) as a means of confirming a truck’s condition when you take it in vs. when it leaves (for liability purposes). Additionally, he stressed that every truck should be driven before and after you perform the repair. “This leaves no doubt that that ‘vibration’ was there before the repair, and didn’t just show up after you worked on it…”Complete Performance is a great place to go if you want to keep your 7.3L OBS Ford on the road, or in mint condition. Rest assured, they support the ’99-’03 trucks, too, but specialize in restoration parts for ’92-’97 models (and in fact, ’67-‘97 Blue Ovals). Billet inner door handles, door handle reinforcement plates, power window switches and covers, and countless other interior repair items can be found in their catalog, as well as the kinds of pieces you can’t really find anywhere else such as dash bezel repair inserts, OEM quality badges, and direct fit cab lights. The company’s line of Hydra Chip mounts, custom cup holders, and seat accessories are also geared at making life more tolerable inside the older Fords.At the RD2 Diesel Performance & Parts booth, Fernando Parajon filled us in on the new T-800 high-pressure oil pump from Terminator Engineering. According to Fernando, the T-800 will support 300/200 hybrid injectors—a pretty impressive feat for a single pump that may just prove to be a sound option for enthusiasts who don’t want to run dual pumps. It’s said to provide noticeably more high-pressure oil volume than Terminator’s long-running and popular T-500 HPOP and is currently in testing in roughly 400 trucks. Also on display were a set of RD2’s stainless steel bellowed up-pipes and exhaust collector, a common area in need of attention on ’99.5-’03 7.3L Power Strokes.Veteran 7.3L calibrator, Andrew Arthur of AA Design & Performance Tuning, traveled 2,500 miles each way to be part of Summit 7.3. On Day 2 of the event, he spoke about different combinations of parts, the varying power levels they support, and fine-tuning the 7.3L for maximum efficiency. A horsepower junkie at heart, Andrew is actively involved in trying to push the 7.3L Power Stroke platform to the next level and has a set of ported heads in the works that he believes will support 1,000 hp (on fuel). He’s also collaborating with industry leader, KC Turbos, on a one-off, 11-blade S464—perhaps a turbo with enough turbine flow to support moderate-to-high horsepower yet still tow extremely well?…We like the way Mitch Olsen’s mind works. He knew the 7.3L Power Stroke was a solid reliable engine, but didn’t want his customers getting rid of their trucks due to the dreaded (and common) oil leak at the dipstick flange on the oil pan—a job that entails pulling the engine to properly address. So, he came up with a permanent fix (as well as 73dipstick.com) that can be performed relatively quickly and without all the labor involved in pulling the engine. The all-inclusive fix comes with Ultra Black Permatex gasket maker, a new dipstick tube O-ring, a new dipstick tube adapter nut, and an adapter washer and gasket. The kit retails for roughly $90.Of course, 7.3L owners within reasonable driving distance brought their own trucks to the event. It’s been at least 21 years since even the newest version of one of these Super Duty’s was produced, but they keep ticking away, racking up miles in trouble-free fashion—many of them doing so with double the factory horsepower (or more) on tap. The fact that so many ’94.5 to ’03 diesel-powered Fords are still alive today is a testament to the fine product Ford initially built, that the repair industry has risen to the challenge of keeping them on the road, and how fun the aftermarket has made them to drive.
