Looking for tips, advice or threads on this site that may help me out.
the victim is a 97 F250 PowerStroke with 181k miles and auto trans that has had regular service. In it's day its had a new flywheel, shocks and springs. The tranny has acted up since I got it 90k ago. Pops into third gear so hard it feels like I get hit from behind so I have to back off the throttle to let it shift.

About a week ago it started sounding "more dieselly" during idle, almost a knock but it's a dull knock,it's random and happens mostly during idle. I'd swear I started to hear it while at speed yesterday while driving it to a friends house so he could take a look at it. He's a large truck mechanic that does side jobs out of his garage at home.

How we came to the crank based on his diognostics
-Sound is close to that of a fail dual mass flywheel but this is an auto trans
-dull knock that is random that is really loud at low rpm idle speeds
-no smoke
-no pushing oil anywhere
-no metal in oil filer when he opened it up
-no significant end play in crankshaft but he doesn't feel there is enough
-rotated flywheel and there is little or no movement of crankshaft puley on front of motor.

Does a kit exist that would have what I need to replace this?
What else would you replace while he's in there?
What size cherry picker could get a 7.3 out of the truck?
Any special sealants needed to reassemble?
Tips, tricks or roadblocks you have run into doing this job?

I know this is ton of info but I'll take any advice I can get.

Thanks in advance

 

So the crank is broken but the engine still runs?

 

I bet the flexplate broke. I have a broken one from my 02. I really doubt it would run with a broken crank.

Mark a tooth on the flexplate and mark a spot on the balancer then turn it. The flexplate is a lot larger than the ballancer so it takes a bunch of screwdrivering to turn the balancer all the way around.
Also you can unbolt the torque convertor from the flexplate. It's a pain in the butt so make sure you use the right size wrench. If you round one off you'll really be cussing. I would almost be willing to bet the ring gear falls on the ground when you do that. Well it can't fall that far but you'll know for sure if it's broke if you unbolt it.

 

x3 don't think you'd be running with a broken crank...

Flywheel = Flexplate on auto trans

 

Flywheel = Flexplate on auto trans
That's what he was spinning when he saw little or no movement on the pulley up front. He had the panel off the bottom of the tranny and didn't see anything cracked or broken on the flex plate.
I agree it sounds odd that it would even run but it was getting louder and louder each time I would start it up.

Thanks for ANY input!

 

I would bet the crank pulley has an issue or low pressure oil pump

 

That's what flexplates do. Mine cracked all the way around where the bolts go through it to the crankshaft. I couldn't see anything wrong either till I got the transmission out.

 

The hard shifting probably caused the flexplate to crack if that ends up being the case. Mine was doing the same thing as yours when I bought it. In my case it was a ring / snap ring (?) in the overdrive. I'd rather pull the tranny and give it look than pull the engine.

 

Is it still driving now? That would pretty much rule out the crankshaft. That thing is one tough piece of steel, really. Our engines don't generally have connecting rod problems either. Super duties can.

Something else you can try first is remove the belt and run it. I've had a few where I swore it was something major and I did that and it just turned out to be a pulley. Maybe it's even something stupid if it's just a noise you're tracking down. Downpipe rubbing firewall, parking brake cable bouncing around on the shocks, broken motor mount. They are all fairly common noises.

The fact that you drove it to your friends house really tells me it's not the crank. I have no idea how he can come to that conclusion. There is only a few thousandths end play also. Hard to see with the eye.
Also since you had the flexplate replaced before I'd be highly suspicious of it. Number 1 reason is why did the last one break? Number 2 did the mechanic put it on right? In my experience, I doubt it. Also, I haven't pulled a powerstroke engine or transmission yet where all of the bellhousing bolts were tight. We pulled the engine from my 9 a couple months ago and 4 of them came out with our fingers. When I did the clutch in my 94 the first time all of them came out without tools! Ford did the previous clutch. Even when I rebuilt a bunch of brand new ones that got flooded back in 95 most of them came off with just my air ratchet and a long extension.

 

YouTube - broken crank.mov

don't know if this is allowed but this vid is what mine is sounding like, just the front pulley isn't moving like this one.

Please keep the posts coming.

Thanks!

 

That guy has problems.
Is the bolt in your harmonic balancer still? The big one in the middle of it. It's possible that it's spinning on the crank.
So if I understand correctly when it's running, your belt isn't turning and none of the accessories are running.

 

Number 1 reason is why did the last one break? there were spot that had the teeth worn downso the starter didn't catch. Have the old one on the garage wall as a trophy.
Number 2 did the mechanic put it on right? Had the dealer replace it and that had to be 4 or 5 years ago (30 - 40K miles) so wouldn't poor installation crack it before now. doesn't seem to be wobbling in the flex plate when running.
All accessories run. tried running it with the belt off, same noise. balancer doesn't have the same wobble as in the video either

All items I will bring back to him.

Thanks for all the inout I'm getting!

 

If the ballancer is turning with enough force to drive all the accessories then I really doubt it's broke on that end. If the crank was broke in the middle you'd really know it. And you wouldn't be riving it. If it was broke in the back then it wouldn't go anywhere either. All harmonic balancers, if they are stock, will have a little runout on the outer ring. It's a two piece part held together by rubber so they do that. But if you can move it with your hand its bad.
I'd make sure he takes the belt off and run it. Also try to move the balancer with the belt off. That will tell you a lot. I really hope it's something simple for you.

 

Can you please verify whether or not you are still driving this truck down the road? If the crank was broken, bad things would happen, really bad things. The engine wouldn't run. I have to think cracked flexplate that is getting ready to donut sometime soon or crank pulley.

 

He described the harmonic balancer exactly the way you did and he checked it thoroughly AND we ran it with the belt off and he tried to move it back and forth, up and down - no go

The replies tell me I have some good minds out here. Let's say it is a crank....any ideas where I can get one without getting taken? Been online for hours to no avail. The biggest junk yard in the area shows nothing and an in town crankshaft supply company may be able to fix it (ha!)