Welp my 7.3L idi got taken over by cavitation so im calling salvage yards looking for engines. Most of them are going between $650 and $750 w/core for a complete engine but being a salvage yard and no one knows anything about them like miles how do i pick the right one when its already out of the truck?

I also found one that had been in a truck fire for $350 that is supposed to be good but you guys know how that goes.

When i get done i want a decent motor but im not going to be taking this truck across country or anything like that. BTW im going to be putting my heads back on whatever engine i get b/c i just had them magna fluxed, machined and a valve job done.

 

For that price you could probably get your cylinders sleeved if your willing to take the time. What to late model 6.9s run around for in your area? It really a hit or miss just got to try and see how it goes.

 

I personally wouldn't put any junkyard 7.3 into a daily run around truck. You never know what kind of maintenance they had.

A junkyard 6.9 isn't as bad, as they don't have much problems with Cavitation.


If you know a good place where they know how to, get yours sleeved. Make sure they leave a small ridge at the bottom of the cylinder wall to prevent the sleeve from sliding down and hitting the crank.

 

To backup dieseljohn, they can also pin sleeves. Make sure it is either of those, stepped or pinned. There was a story on here i think of a guy whos sleeves dropped out.

 

Guess that all depends....I really have no intentions of rebuilding any of mine soon, something happens, another one will get tossed in. But, here I've been finding them cheaper, usually around 3-400, I think because so many have the bodies rot away from around the engine. I've got one spare here now, and am lining up 3 more.

 

I called several places that sleeve engines and no matter where i go i'm going to have about $1400 in it and thats not counting new mains. However that is new cam bearings, gaskets, and everthing else i need to go back together.

I'm not against going to the 6.9 which are going for the same price around here but a little harder to find. The only thing being i have already spent money to have the heads machined and fully preped to go on unless i could get what i have back out of them.

 

Here's what I see...3 scenarios

1)
$700 average for a junkyard engine. It could turn out to run for a long time, or it could run for a week. You just don't know.
Consider the time and money you'll spend getting a used engine in the truck and running.
About 20-30 hours of work (depending on how much coffee you drink )to pull your engine, clean up the engine compartment, install the next engine, and get it going.
Around $60 in antifreeze/distilled water/SCA's.
It could run for a long time, it could crap out tomorrow...you never know.

2)
But if it did crap out tomorrow, you'll be doing this same step over again. So tack on another $700...bringing the total to $1,400.

3)
$1,400 is DOUBLE the $700 used engine, the same price as 2 used engines. Maybe even cheaper since you'll only be installing it once with fresh antifreeze, and won't have to buy new antifreeze again.
Look at what you're getting...a fresh engine. The bottom end will be sleeved and rebuilt, and the heads are already rebuilt. This engine will be trust worthy and last a long time.
The install work hours will be the same, no way around that...except that you won't be doing it a SECOND time IF the junkyard engine craps out.

If cash is tight, I'd pick up a used engine. Install your heads on it and run it 'till it blows. In the meantime, you can have your block machined and sleeved. Then when the used engine dies, you'll have a fresh bottom end ready for your heads to be bolted on.

 

I decided to have my block sleeved. My question is i dont think it makes since to sleeve every cylinder so im definatly going to do #2 and #7. Are any other cylinders known for cavitation?

 

I talked to a machine shop today, and we were talking bout cavitation and they said if they sleeve one cylinder then they do them all. They wouldn't do just one. Might just be them

 

I agree with 91dd, I think you should do all the cylinders, not just the ones leaking. Otherwise you will potentially have the same problem again.

 

Cavitation happened to my uncles truck 15 years ago. It's exactly the same as mine, but a 1 ton. He had that 1 cylinder sleeved (can't remember witch one it was) and he started adding additives afterwords. Never had a problem after that.