Basically all of my experience with the Powerstrokes are with the 7.3 since I've owned two. All of my learning has been from youtube/forums which it seems like you do the same. The internet is a pretty useful source nowadays if you can weed out some of the "helpful" things lol. But any newer Powerstroke makes mine feel like a dinosaur. I've driven a few 6.4's and man I would love to have one. And the new 6.7's make the 6.4's seem like dinosaurs from what I've heard. I'll keep my slow 7.3 for quite a while. It gets the job done every time and is "cheap" to fix compared to something newer.
All diesel trucks around here are severely overpriced. There is a diesel/tech school about an hour from here so the market is flooded with over priced second gen Dodges that are rusted out with 300k miles for 15k because "they're just getting broken in"
Also, the factory I work in produced the top for your Jeep

and yes, they are very hard to move around by yourself.
Thiel,
That is how I learned most everything on the Duramax, okay well that is how I learned everything about diesel engines.

I've driven a couple of the 6.7's and one 7.3. The 7.3 will just get it done like an old 12v Cummins, but the 6.7 is just a smooth beast of an engine. I see a lot of 300k mile trucks for sale but not many with more miles than that, if they are just broken in at that mileage why aren't there more 4-500k mile truck for sale?
Cool that you helped to make the top for Jeep, it was easier to install with the help from my BIL. Wife ran out last night at 9 to install the two front panels and good thing she did, we got about a 1/2" of rain from 4-6 this morning.
Great job on the Jeep grill. You just can't question a woman's choice of colors.
It will be interesting to see what you come up with on the Silver Coyote.
Your girls are precious.
Andy,
I'll show you below, but I think I'll have plenty of parts to get the Silver Fox back on the road.

I seem to have a soft spot for the girls and I'm fine with that.
All,
I was on the lookout for an engine or cylinder head to get the Silver fox back on the road and did a random search for engine in a diesel group on the book of faces and ran across an add for an Isuzu engine:
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Sure enough that is a Duramax more specifically an LB7 from 01-02. Talking to the guy I was concerned about it being open and out in the weather but figured the head minus the parts I could sell for cores would make it worth it, he was asking $1,000. Then he mentioned he had two others and he'd sell all 3 for $2,500. Well 3 engines for that would be great but then found out he meant he had 2 "whole" trucks and this engine. He ended up taking $1,800 for everything. I picked up the engine and one truck Saturday:
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Sorry about the picture this was taken at about 5 am. The engine shifted a little as I drove home and I kept stopping every 30 minutes to tighen it down bit by bit:
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Started pulling parts to get to what I needed and should have an engine ready to install by the end of the week if all goes well. On Sunday I picked up the other twin:
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So now I had the twins at home and ready to part out. They are old service trucks and I'm working to piece together some history on them now, the tires could use some work, two have tread separated, one has a big cut, and two others just needed aired up to make them both roll. Luckily I have some spare parts laying around to make it all work out.
When I was mowing on Monday I saw a piece of metal in the ground, pulled it out and it ended up being an old bumper jack (No Pictures Sorry) then a few minutes later saw what looked like a license plate. Sure enough:
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A 1937 Oklahoma plate, not in great shape, but for being in the dirt for maybe 80 years I bet it is in better shape that I would be. LOL All in all a good weekend with lots accomplished.
JB