The mid-to-late 1990’s were a turning point where pickups became more accepted and desired as daily drivers, rather than exclusively work vehicles. Dodge released the big-rig inspired 2^nd generation Ram for the 1994 model year, and a year later the landscaper special Toyota Pickup (no name, just proper-noun-capitalized Pickup) grew into the lifestyle accessory Toyota Tacoma. For the 1997 model year, Ford followed suit with an all-new light-duty F-150, which benchmarked their Crown Victoria full-size sedan for ride & handling. Worried that they may have gone too far in that direction, Ford hedged their bet by continuing to offer the 9^th generation (now referred to as OBS, short for Old Body Style) alongside the new model for a few years, and decided to go the complete opposite direction for their heavy-duty pickups.

The 1999 Ford Super Duty pickups were the first to use different sheetmetal from their light-duty or ½-ton siblings, going far more aggressive with a raised hoodline and less consideration for aerodynamics. With a GVWR over 6000 lbs, they didn’t have to publish fuel economy numbers on the window sticker anyway, so who cares about the wind when you have 500 lb-ft of torque? While the F-150 may have been a huge step forward in the day-to-day usability of full size pickups, the F-250 and F-350 would set the tone for how pickup trucks would look going forward.

Of course, that Tonka Truck styling had to have the capability to match, and the new Super Duty definitely did. Base models had the 5.4L V8 from top-trim F-150s, with an optional 6.8L V10 or the 7.3L diesel. The 7.3L Power Stroke V8 is arguably Ford’s most beloved diesel and is up there with the 302 or Flathead V8s as one of the most iconic engines in their 120 year history. It was originally introduced midway through the 1994 model year to replace the ancient IDI diesel (we have a turbo for that available here), which shared the 7.3L displacement but nothing else. IDI stands for indirect injection, and the biggest improvement that came with the Power Stroke was direct injection. Much like the name implies, direct injection is when fuel is injected directly into the combustion chamber. This lowers temperatures inside the cylinders, which gives you more headroom to increase compression, which makes more power. Diesel enthusiasts consider the 1990’s and early 2000’s to be the golden era of diesel engines – modern enough to use turbocharging and direct injection to make good power, but old enough to pre-date many emissions controls and what some consider to be excessive electronics.

In 1994, the IDI diesel was rated at 190hp and 390 lb-ft of torque, and the new PowerStroke made 215hp and 425 lb-ft. Upgrades were made along the way, culminating in 275hp and 525 lb-ft for a 2001-2003 truck with a manual transmission, but no matter what variant you got, you could count on long-haul reliability. The 7.3L Power Stroke would also make its way into the E-Series vans and the Excursion SUV, a Chevy Suburban competitor that shared the Super Duty’s underpinnings and styling. For the 2003 model year, Ford replaced the 7.3L with a newer 6.0L design that made more power, but does not enjoy the 7.3’s reputation for reliability, and resale values of trucks with either engine reflect that perception. Now that the earliest 7.3L trucks are approaching 30 years old, they are becoming desirable classics that fetch big money at online auction sites – many of these were work trucks when new, so naturally decades of mileage has taken some off the road, especially in salty areas, and clean low-mileage trucks are becoming very rare and valuable.

Ford Super Duty & Excursion 7.3L Replacement Turbos

Every 7.3L Power Stroke diesel uses a Garrett GTP38 turbo, but there are a few different variants available. Please find your vehicle on the list below and follow the link to see our replacement options.

1994 - 1997 - New Aftermarket w/ 3 Year Warranty - New Factory Turbochargers Replacement Turbo For Ford F250 F350 & E350 Super Duty 7.3L PowerStroke TUR-102796-FTN

1994 - 1997 - Remanufactured OEM w/ Pedestal - Turbochargers Direct Remanufactured OEM Turbo w/ Pedestal For 1995-1997 Ford 7.3L Power Stroke TUR-102796-TRP

Early 1999 - New Aftermarket w/ 2 Year Warranty - New Turbochargers Direct Replacement Turbo For Early 1999 Ford F-250 & F-350 Super Duty TUR-102776-TDN

Late 1999 through 2003 - New Aftermarket w/ 3 Year Warranty - New Factory Turbochargers GTP38 Turbo For Ford Super Duty & Excursion 7.3L Diesel TUR-102754-FTN

Late 1999 through 2003 - New OEM Garrett w/ Pedestal - New Genuine OEM Garrett GTP38 Turbocharger With Pedestal For Ford Super Duty & Excursion 7.3L Powerstroke Diesel TUR-102754-GTN

Late 1999 through 2003 - Remanufactured OEM w/ Pedestal - Turbochargers Direct Remanufactured OEM Turbo w/ Pedestal For Ford Super Duty & Excursion 7.3L Diesel TUR-102754-TRP

Ford E-350, E-450, E-550 & E-Super Duty 7.3L Replacement Turbos

The Econoline and Club Wagon full-size vans also use a Garrett GTP38 turbo, but the turbo is relocated to make the physically large engine fit in a smaller space. Because of this, an F-Series or Excursion turbo fill not fit an E-Series, but we have replacement options available below.

1995 - 1997 - New Aftermarket w/ 3 Year Warranty - New Factory Turbochargers Replacement Turbo For Ford F250 F350 & E350 Super Duty 7.3L PowerStroke TUR-102796-FTN

1995 - 1997 - Remanufactured OEM w/ Pedestal - Turbochargers Direct Remanufactured OEM Turbo w/ Pedestal For 1995-1997 Ford 7.3L Power Stroke TUR-102796-TRP

1998 & Early 1999 - Remanufactured OEM - Turbochargers Direct Remanufactured OEM Turbo For 1998 & Early 1999 Ford E-350 E-450 7.3L TUR-102946-TDR

Late 1999 through 2003 - Remanufactured OEM - Turbochargers Direct Remanufactured OEM GTP38 Turbo For 2000-2003 Ford E-Series 7.3L PowerStroke TUR-102824-TDR

Early 1999 vs Late 1999 7.3L Power Stroke

Ford made a revision to the turbocharger design in December of 1998 that replaced the internal wastegate found on most turbos with an external exhaust backpressure valve that served largely the same function (more info on that below). This update went into effect on trucks with a manufacture date of December 13^th, 1998, well after 1999 model year vehicles had rolled off the assembly line. That’s why, if you are specifically looking up a turbo for a 1999 F-Series or E-Series 7.3L, you will see an option for early 1999 or late 1999. Checking your truck’s production date, which can be found on the VIN label on your driver’s door jam, is the most accurate way to tell which one you have. On Super Duty pickups, you can also check the location of the Power Stroke badges – an early 1999 would have them on the fenders, and a late 1999 has them on the doors.

7.3L Power Stroke vs International Navistar T444E

The 7.3L PowerStroke is actually manufactured by Navistar, not Ford, and is a variant of their T444E found in medium-duty applications – things like box trucks, utility trucks and school buses. Ford’s own medium-duty trucks, the F-650 and F-750, use a T444E that is sometimes badged and marketed as a Power Stroke, but they would not use the same turbo found on an F-250, F-350, F-450 or F-550. If you have an F-650, F-750 or a T444E in any other commercial or industrial application, please contact us with any part numbers off your original turbocharger to find the correct replacement. There should be a number plate on the intake side of your turbo that lists assembly number, customer number, or it might even just say part number – that’s what we’re looking for. Casting numbers on the compressor or exhaust housings are not particularly helpful in this instance.

What Is a Turbocharger Pedestal?

On most PowerStroke engines, the turbo mounts to what is called a pedestal. Rather than having oil and coolant lines connected to the center section of the turbo, oil and coolant instead flow into and back out of the turbocharger through the pedestal, which attaches directly to the engine. The pedestal is not usually a wear item, but some people do replace it along with the turbo as a preventative measure to prevent leaks from aging seals. The pedestal also has a lever coming off of it that actuates the wastegate on earlier models, and the exhaust backpressure (EBP or “butterfly”) valve on later models that serves the same purpose – releasing excess backpressure in the exhaust side of the turbo to keep the center bearing from spinning too fast.

1994 - 1997 - New OEM - New Genuine OEM Garrett Turbocharger Mounting Pedestal For 1994-1997 Ford 7.3L Power Stroke Diesel TPE-100010-GTN

1994 - 1997 - Remanufactured - Turbochargers Direct Remanufactured OEM Turbo Pedestal For Ford 7.3L Diesel TPE-100010-TDR

1998 & Early 1999 - New OEM - New Genuine OEM Garrett Turbocharger Mounting Pedestal For 1998 & Early 1999 Ford 7.3L Power Stroke Diesel TPE-100011-GTN

1998 & Early 1999 - Remanufactured - Turbochargers Direct Remanufactured Turbocharger Pedestal For 1998 & Early 1999 Ford 7.3L Power Stroke Diesel TPE-100011-TDR

Late 1999 through 2003 - New OEM - New Genuine OEM Garrett Turbocharger Mounting Pedestal For 1999.5-2003 Ford 7.3L Power Stroke Diesel TPE-100012-GTN

Late 1999 through 2003 - New Aftermarket - New Turbochargers Direct Turbo Pedestal For 1999.5-2003 Ford 7.3L Diesel TPE-100012-TDN

We also have buyer’s guides like this for the later 6.0L, 6.4L and 6.7L Power Stroke diesels. For further assistance finding the correct turbo for any Power Stroke, Cummins or Duramax pickup, contact us and we can show you the options we have available from known brands like Garrett, Holset, BorgWarner, Factory Turbochargers and more.