When you get the machine shop work done, inquire about buying the parts through them.

Most of those shops buy enough quantity that they get great discounts.
If you are lucky, the shop will pass the discounted price on through to you.

The machine shop I used got my parts about 20-25% cheaper than I could buy them myself.

Victor Reinz head gaskets are about as good as it gets, however the shop I used could not get them.
So I went with Fel Pro, which have served me well.

One thing to remember about utility company and municipal trucks.
They most likely were on a maintence schedule that was within specifications.
The mileage might actually be low, but they usually have a ton of idling time on them.
Gotta have a warm vehicle in the winter and a cool vehicle in the summer.

 

Thanks, Dave, I'll ask the machine shop.
I was hoping that it was maintained well, but I don't know how big of a town it came from. You never know what gets neglected due to budget issues, etc. I also don't know for sure that it had the original odometer...
It was a plow/sand truck, or should I say plow/salt truck. The bed was basically eaten away from the inside out. When I bought it, the listing said "light surface rust". I told the guy that that usually doesn't mean you can see light through it... Ended up rebuilding the dump bed almost from scratch. Even so, it's paid for itself several times over, so no complaints. :-)

Phy

 

Well, I haven't had any luck finding a 6.9 builder. There's a 7.3 builder I can get for $150, but I'm worried about a cavitation issue.
There are a couple 6.9 supposedly recently rebuilt engines around, one in an 86 F350 that's been sitting for a couple years. I'm thinking of taking a couple good batteries & trying to get it running... Is there an easy way to tell if it's an early or late 6.9? The truck is an 86, but you never know what may have been dropped in... For that matter, it might even be a 7.3.
The lady is selling it for a friend, & she doesn't know much about it...

 

6.9 blocks up to serial #u2u17900 had a thinner casting around the block heater.
It is very common for these blocks to crack with extended block heater use.


6.9L Old Style Block

Block Casting Number:


On left side of block (beneath oil cooler) 1805440C1
Note: Some 440 blocks are truly new style and must be visually inspected by raised donut around the block heater, frost plug (right rear). Old style below serial number 173828.
Visual Identification: *No counter bored area for block heater
*No defined area on side of block for dip stick
*Thickness of cast iron around block heater 3/8" (.375")
Head Bolts: *7/16, 12 point socket is used to torque head bolts
*Block tapped with 7/16-14 for head bolts

6.9L New Style Block

Block Casting Number: 1807996C1 Note: Some new style blocks have casting
number 440. Above serial number 173828.
Visual Identification: *Has counterbored area for block heater
*Very defined relief area cast in side of block for dip stick tube.
*Thickness of cast iron around block heater 15/32" (.470")
*Latest style (not all new style 6.9) has ribs around head bolts, rear two on left side go from head gasket surface to pan rail - same as 7.3
Head Bolts: *Same as old style 6.9

 

Thanks much Dave!
That'll help a lot.

Phy

 

So, I'm probably gonna go look at this truck, with the idea of dropping it's 6.9 into my truck.

86 Ford F350 Diesel

Other than bringing batteries & fresh fuel, any tips on getting it going?

 

bring a rag with ya,and some gasoline.
soak the rag in the gas (not enough to drip though!) and set this rag over the air filter base,and this is said to help aid starting very nicely.
iv never tried it personally.

id also bring a 5 gallon jug of diesel fuel,and length of fuel hose.rather than sucking up who knows what from those old tanks and fuel that has been sitting for 2 years (algae/water/rust etc) id unhook the lift pump from tank line,and connect my own hose and run it into the clean diesel jug so it runs off that instead.
having a new fuel filter handy with ya wouldn't be a bad idea either.
sounds like a nice deal.the flatbed,engine,and dually rims seem well worth that.might even find it has decent tires to boot.

 

Yeah, if the engine's good, I think it'd be a good deal. I'll pull the engine & part out the rest...

 

OK, a couple dumb questions:
If I end up getting a 6.9 from a truck with a C6 will that flywheel work with my E4OD?
If I end up getting a 6.9 from a stick shift truck, will my 7.3 flywheel work on it?

Thanks,
Phy

 

question would be why would someone rebuild an engine.... drive it 500 miles..... then park it for 2 years and then finally decide to sell it. that raises a red flag to me.

 

Yeah, me too...
I haven't been able to look at that one yet, but if I get it running, I can check things out...
I've got a line on a couple others, though.

 

i want to do a 6.9 build as well ive got a turbo off a 93 7.3L turbo and i want a 6.9 so when my 7.3 needs rebuilt i can yank it smack in the 6.9 and work on my 7.3 rebuild.... i just can't have down time with my truck cause 1 it bugs me and when i run into problems with the build i won't have the truck until its done and 2 just as soon as i start working on something major on it somebody will need something done and i'll miss out on makin money.

 

Any updates? Im from Denver CO also.

 

Those readings are low across the board. An IDI should have at least 400 cranking psi because of the higher compression. Newer diesels(6.0's mostly what I work on) won't run correctly on cold startup below 350psi.

If that was a municipal truck I would guess that poor maintenance was the key here. You should try some auto Rx to try and free stuck rings. City trucks around here are maintained at the choice of the driver, it's not their truck so they don't care.....10k (or more)oil changes are common. Not a good thing for these IDI's they dirty the oil very quickly.