Crankshaft end play spec is 0.0025" - 0.0085", with a service limit of 0.020".

 

8.5 thousandths, eh? That's going to be tough to spot without a real tool. I guess I'll raid the shop at work for something to use on this.

 

The 0.0085" is only really relevant during assembly. The important number on an engine that's been in service a while is the 0.020" service limit. You could probably get by with a dial indicator on a magnetic stand stuck to the block somehow.

 

Rich, you should be able to locate the crankshaft endplay in some rebuild manual.

 

I really appreciate your help with the numbers on this. I have a very well-equipped shop at work that I have full access to as needed, but it's 45 miles from home and I hate the concept of risking a downed truck at work. I will sometimes borrow the more exotic tools to take home, and this sounds like one of those times. While I'm glad I know how to use the tools, I dread having to go to this level on such a big piece of iron.


Case in point: Way back in the day of the dinosaurs, I would use a measuring device to verify the centering of a VTR helical-scan drum (professional Video Tape Recorder - not a VHS). This is not on par with a drum that can put a chip in the driveway if I drop it. I feel like a pocket-watch horologist working on Big Ben. I get the concept, but jeez....

 

Don't pry on the flex plate. Even connected it can bend or worse break. I doubt end play will give you what your looking for anyway. It would have to be giant. And it would also do it in the drive way if you rev it.

 

It does that.

 

Didn't know it did it in the drive way. I thought I read under a load with pedal off and convertor locked, sorry Rich. Just trying to help.

 

No sorry needed, you're trying to help. My message above reads rather curt - but please note the lack of a signature up there. Lack of sig means I posted from a mobile device, and I'm all thumbs at my usual clarity of expression.

 

Well... the end play is about .007 - not bad for 300K miles, based on what I've been told. That rules out calling the engine droppers - for now. My Harmonic balancer is marked and it's staying put in the driveway, I'll have to see what happens over a drive. I looked in the inspection plate, and that will bring a new thread from this.

Until Stinky is stable, that Swamps 140 will just collect dust - but I want this done before mid-November. This thread is windy and stretchy... so I'll start a fresh thread for the Swamps, when the time comes. I'm starting a fresh thread for the engine vibration as well - because few would want to be dragged through pages of my blather to get to the point.

I thank everybody who contributed to this, I now have more answers and confidence in Stinky than I've had since the vibrations began.

 

Hey Rich, I'm thinking about the 140 Volt IDM, and was curious what you decided. Did you ever install it? Thanks for this thread! I also went to Swamps website and saw the graphs, and I tried to understand it, but your explanation made it more understandable for me!

 

I also bought a IDM just for this. They did raise there prices. Strictly Diesel has lower prices on there IDM, swamps, but there core is higher.

 

I couldn't tell the difference between the stock and HFHV IDM. I think it becomes more noticeable with bigger nozzles calling for 1-1.5ms of InjPw. My 80% nozzles run between 1.5-2.2ms InjPw in most cases. Also, with the HVHF IDM, a buzz test will fail when there is no problem.

 

Timely resurrection here, as I have much that has happened recently. I let one injector get away from me, taking out a cup, taking out the injector. I now know how a really damaged injector sounds, smells, and looks (on the data). #5 was the culprit, Scotttahoe was there when I found it - and fuel in the coolant was the finder's fee (not quite the way that's supposed to work).

I now have my VC-pops down to 4-5 minutes per side. Yes... I am that pathetic. I did the cup repair in one hour and jumped over to replacing all the O-rings on every injector while it set - one hour down, 23 to go. I installed 7 injectors, but left the hold-down bolts out. The reason behind this I have to hot-torque before the thread lock sets (24-hour complete dry time), and I can't hot-torque an engine with a drying cup.

Important notes:

• It's a real bugger to work with frozen injector O-rings - one might consider keeping those in the house until install time.
• Really cold thread lock on a dry/cold thread gives false torque readings. I normally get about 1/3 turn on hot torque - this time I got up to 1 and 1/2 turns on hot-torque. Doing sticks in the winter with thread lock, but without hot torque, is a disaster kit.
• Low RPMs under load elevates the EGTs, but high RPMs elevates the EOT. When I wanted to get the engine flush done quickly, I put Sintky in 3rd gear and drove 25-2700 RPM at a sane speed. Hill or flat, he's gunna warm right up over the thermostat temp. 2nd gear works great in town... just ignore that sound that makes you think the engine is going to fly apart and leave a trail of steel crumbs and oil.

Now... onto the Swamps 140.

I installed it some time back, and the very first thing I noticed was out the window - the audio feedback of Stinky's noise bouncing off the buildings. While driving in town, Stinky (with the big nozzles) sounded more like a 7.3L than he had since I installed the stage II injectors. I felt this was reassuring. I also noticed that my idle with a pretty short FIPW (1.6-1.7 ms) got downright gasser smooth. Maybe not V12, V10, or V8 smooth, but very close to the V8. At cruise (1.4-1.5 ms), it's just smooth - no getting around it.

Saying he's 7.3-ish in town and smooth-running does not mean he sounds stock. The engine sound is undoubtedly... uh... er... snappy. Scottahoe, is one of the few other members that have driven Stinky, but Scott drove him after I had Stinky pretty much dialed in. He might have a better way to describe it, because he is not numb to the unique audio signature that is the single-shot injector. The sound from splits to singles with big nozzles is one jump, and the sound of the Swamps 140 is another jump - but in two directions: Smoother, but "raspier"?

Anyway... I have a video of Stinky that I will be uploading - when I get some time. I spent 4 days under the hood, and finished when the fresh snow storm reached one inch on the driveway. "Stingy" (the P'us) was whining about the possibility of driving on bad roads the next day.

Oh... and the vibration Stinky developed... and the fickleness of the engine:

• Slightly bent rims - never overlook anything. I found this by putting the rear axles on jack stands and the transmission in Drive.
• Warped rotors. In my ever-so-cleverness, I matched up the wrong pads with my expensive EBC slotted rotors. OEM for me. It's not the same as slotted when wet... but its' straight forward, inexpensive, and it works.
• I am sucking air into my ICP oil when I go up a steep grade. I figured this one out shortly after they opened a new road for my drive home. It has an 8% uphill grade and the problems started on a daily basis at almost the same location on that hill. This has me looking hard at lifting one side of the engine to drop the pan, then replace the bad seal on the oil pickup tube. A regular reload of air in ICP oil may very well explain why it's so tough to keep injectors from working loose. I know for sure it explains a whole myriad of symptoms until the air works out.

 

Rich sorry about all your head aches and thanks for the reply. Did you have any of the problems Brad has about failing the buzz test? Don't know why that should happen. I'd like to make this purchase before injectors but hate to give up that test. It's about all I have on my aero scan gauge.

Chet