Engine Rebuild Blown Head Gasket
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From: Cartersville Georgia
Engine Rebuild Blown Head Gasket
I'm in the beginning stages of rebuilding the top end of my truck for a suspected blown head gasket. I've got a milky grey substance foaming from the oil dipstick port on the motor. I haven't noticed any drop in the coolant the coolant looks clean, but I guess it doesn't take much water to foul the oil.
I've got a sets of studs and soon to order the head gaskets, my question is what other parts are needed/recommended or things should I look for while I tear it down??
This is my first rebuild and looking to keep it stock, just looking for reliability. The motor has the banks turbo on it, but probably wouldn't hurt to rebuilt too.
The truck runs like a champ, but as soon as it heats up, out comes the milky mess from the dipstick port. Any help would be appreciated.
I've got a sets of studs and soon to order the head gaskets, my question is what other parts are needed/recommended or things should I look for while I tear it down??
This is my first rebuild and looking to keep it stock, just looking for reliability. The motor has the banks turbo on it, but probably wouldn't hurt to rebuilt too.
The truck runs like a champ, but as soon as it heats up, out comes the milky mess from the dipstick port. Any help would be appreciated.
Clueless spectator!
Joined: Aug 2010
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From: Denver, CO
Are you pulling the motor or doing it in the truck? Make sure you have your heads magnafluxed for cracks IDI heads are known for it. You will need a new valley pan, aka intake manifold gasket. If you are pulling the motor, reseal your oil pan with rtv, and do your rear crank seal while you can. Now is a good time to install gauges if you don't have any, also.
Good luck,
Mac.
Good luck,
Mac.
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 8,005
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From: Ottawa, Ontario
Heres my write up on doing head gaskets. Lots of good tips and tricks here, even if mine was in a van. All the torque specs are in the thread to.
Best of luck to ya! It's no walk in the park!
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...l#post12369298
Best of luck to ya! It's no walk in the park!
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...l#post12369298
Clueless spectator!
Joined: Aug 2010
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From: Denver, CO
Allerickb,
if you haven't torn down the motor yet, I'd run some more tests too. Do a compression check and a leak down test to see if you can isolate your problem while you still can. It could be other things, if the motor is running well. Perhaps something as simple as an internal leak in your oil cooler, or as devastating as the dreaded cavitation! Oh noooo, not the c-word. Better to know now though, before you dump a bunch of money into her.
if you haven't torn down the motor yet, I'd run some more tests too. Do a compression check and a leak down test to see if you can isolate your problem while you still can. It could be other things, if the motor is running well. Perhaps something as simple as an internal leak in your oil cooler, or as devastating as the dreaded cavitation! Oh noooo, not the c-word. Better to know now though, before you dump a bunch of money into her.
Last edited by akamacgyver; Feb 23, 2013 at 07:59 PM. Reason: because I typed "good" when I meant "well"
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From: Cartersville Georgia
@ akamacgyver I had planed to pull the motor from the truck. And what gauges are you mentioning? Truck has the standard guages, and pyro guage was added before I got the truck but it has never worked.
I would think if it was a cavitation issue it would be evident with combustion gases in the coolant, which I haven't noticed. And just how "simple" is the repair for a internally leaking oil cooler?
What are the details on doing the compression & leak down test.
@ IDIDieselJohn Thanks for the info!
@ Red454sedgwick The truck is primarily a work truck when I do side work. It wasn't unusual for it to sit to weeks, but it's always been there when I needed it. It's been parked for about a year since I found the fouled oil, but I've needed several times since then, but don't want to further damage the motor. It's sit long enough, so I'm taking the time to repair.
I would think if it was a cavitation issue it would be evident with combustion gases in the coolant, which I haven't noticed. And just how "simple" is the repair for a internally leaking oil cooler?
What are the details on doing the compression & leak down test.
@ IDIDieselJohn Thanks for the info!
@ Red454sedgwick The truck is primarily a work truck when I do side work. It wasn't unusual for it to sit to weeks, but it's always been there when I needed it. It's been parked for about a year since I found the fouled oil, but I've needed several times since then, but don't want to further damage the motor. It's sit long enough, so I'm taking the time to repair.
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From: Cartersville Georgia
A little history on the Truck
I got the truck about 3 years ago, from a kid that didn't know anything about diesels. He was having reoccurring issues starting the truck and sold it to me. Come to find out 7 of 8 glow plugs were shot.
What I didn't know was that there was a blocked oil port that lubricated the rockers on the passenger side. A valve retainer failed and it ended up dropping a valve into one of the cylinders. It ran for a little bit with a horrible vibration. But the next time I tried cranking it (not knowing the cause), It locked down and I could hear the coolant pouring into the block. Once I pulled it out and started tearing it down, I discovered the missing valve. Found the mangled valve after the head come off along with cracks in the head and block.
I got the replacement motor out Alabama, however it was a naturally aspired motor out of '93. The banks turbo off the bad motor was installed on this replacement motor. The truck ran great for a few weeks, and was never run hard, but it was then I started getting the ooze from the dipstick port. My assumption was that I blew a head gasket, but am I'll for doing whatever is necessary to pinpoint what the true problem is before I tear it down.
What I didn't know was that there was a blocked oil port that lubricated the rockers on the passenger side. A valve retainer failed and it ended up dropping a valve into one of the cylinders. It ran for a little bit with a horrible vibration. But the next time I tried cranking it (not knowing the cause), It locked down and I could hear the coolant pouring into the block. Once I pulled it out and started tearing it down, I discovered the missing valve. Found the mangled valve after the head come off along with cracks in the head and block.
I got the replacement motor out Alabama, however it was a naturally aspired motor out of '93. The banks turbo off the bad motor was installed on this replacement motor. The truck ran great for a few weeks, and was never run hard, but it was then I started getting the ooze from the dipstick port. My assumption was that I blew a head gasket, but am I'll for doing whatever is necessary to pinpoint what the true problem is before I tear it down.
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I missed the part about oil coming out of the dip stick the frist time, IN my experince the only things that make oil come out of the dip stick is the crank case vent valve( the tunna can looking thing, I can't think of the right name for it right now) Is pulged or excessive blow by.
You can unhook the waste gate on the banks to get 20 lbs of boost, it is a very easy power mod. but on a fresh rebuild I would worry about your head gasket.
I asked about how much you drive it because, If it sits for long peroids of time and is driven for only short periods condesation can collect inside the engain and turn the oil milky. You said your not looing coolant made me think of that, but it would be a long shot. To test change the oil and rive it for a while.
You can unhook the waste gate on the banks to get 20 lbs of boost, it is a very easy power mod. but on a fresh rebuild I would worry about your head gasket.
I asked about how much you drive it because, If it sits for long peroids of time and is driven for only short periods condesation can collect inside the engain and turn the oil milky. You said your not looing coolant made me think of that, but it would be a long shot. To test change the oil and rive it for a while.
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Joined: Feb 2012
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From: western Oregon
When you say you have fouled oil what is the symptom? Is all the oil like a milkshake? Is the ooz from the dipstick the only spot? Before you start taking things apart you should do several tests to diog this a bit better. You could have a bad cdr valve and its pressurizing the crankcase a little bit and pushing out some oil foam at the dipstick. or a bad oil cooler, Both are much cheeper than a rebuild. I say do the compression test , coolant system pressure test and then see what you find. Also the hood gasket could be leaking and water can drip onto the valley pan and get into the oil through the turbo drain gromet.
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They do it in big trucks but I've never tried it on a 7.3 they can rotate the old bearing out and the new ones back in. You would deffinetly want to check your clearneces. You might have to take out the rear main.
If you going through that much trubble your should rebuild the whole thing, because I would worry about the rings before the bearnings.
If you going through that much trubble your should rebuild the whole thing, because I would worry about the rings before the bearnings.
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From: Cartersville Georgia
I'll get some pictures of what the oil looks like in the morning. It's a gray thick liquid. I can see it while looking down the motor though the oil filling neck. The exhaust is heavy with moisture. It was condensating on my other vehicle when parked next to the exhaust.
The motor had set for some time before I got it, and I changed the oil soon after it was installed. Any suggestions for washing this stuff out of the motor when I change the oil? I'll look into getting a compression test kit tomorrow too.
Wouldnt simply removing the oil filter cap be enough to relieve the pressure if the CDR was blocked? I've never noticed excessive blow by.
The motor had set for some time before I got it, and I changed the oil soon after it was installed. Any suggestions for washing this stuff out of the motor when I change the oil? I'll look into getting a compression test kit tomorrow too.
Wouldnt simply removing the oil filter cap be enough to relieve the pressure if the CDR was blocked? I've never noticed excessive blow by.
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I put sea foam in the oil a while before I change it. It's supoost to clean stuff up.
Have you ever had the blow by tube unhooked while it is running?
Also the quick redneck test to see if you have a bad head gasket or hole in a cyclender wall it take the radiator cap off when it is cold and running and look for air bubbles.
Have you ever had the blow by tube unhooked while it is running?
Also the quick redneck test to see if you have a bad head gasket or hole in a cyclender wall it take the radiator cap off when it is cold and running and look for air bubbles.
Clueless spectator!
Joined: Aug 2010
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From: Denver, CO
aller,
This is one procedure for a leak down test, the compression test is the same as for a gasser, but you need an adapter for the glow plug hole.
From Dave Sponaugle in this thread,
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/9...ked-block.html
The dash gauges are very unreliable. Many of us install aftermarket gauges. The EGT gauge (Pyro) you have is a good start. I recommend a coolant temp, oil pressure, and trans temp also if you are auto.
The oil cooler rebuild is not expensive, Rock auto sell the parts for around 12 bucks plus shipping, but it is somewhat labor intensive, especially with the motor in the truck. If you pull the motor I highly suggest you rebuild it regardless. Here is a how to link. The cooler here is a Powerstroke cooler but the process is the same. If you decide to do it P.M. me there are some tips that will help.
Oil Cooler O-ring replacement R and R - PowerStrokeNation : Ford Powerstroke Diesel Forum
You are getting some great advise from others in this thread. Heed it before you break down your motor. Once you do, your moment of opportunity has passed.
Good luck. Post pics or take vids of your progress for future reference and thread completion please!
This is one procedure for a leak down test, the compression test is the same as for a gasser, but you need an adapter for the glow plug hole.
From Dave Sponaugle in this thread,
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/9...ked-block.html
A blown head gasket or cracked block would probably put coolant in the oil long before it put oil in the coolant.
Do the test with shop air in the glow plug hole and the rockers removed.
Before you apply air pressure to the cylinder, fill the radiator completely full.
When you put air pressure in the bad cylinder/s, the water will overflow.
If you don't get the water running out of the radiator, the problem is somewhere else.
If you do get water running out of the radiator, you know which cylinder/s you need to concentrate on with the inspection when you tear it down.
Do the test with shop air in the glow plug hole and the rockers removed.
Before you apply air pressure to the cylinder, fill the radiator completely full.
When you put air pressure in the bad cylinder/s, the water will overflow.
If you don't get the water running out of the radiator, the problem is somewhere else.
If you do get water running out of the radiator, you know which cylinder/s you need to concentrate on with the inspection when you tear it down.
The oil cooler rebuild is not expensive, Rock auto sell the parts for around 12 bucks plus shipping, but it is somewhat labor intensive, especially with the motor in the truck. If you pull the motor I highly suggest you rebuild it regardless. Here is a how to link. The cooler here is a Powerstroke cooler but the process is the same. If you decide to do it P.M. me there are some tips that will help.
Oil Cooler O-ring replacement R and R - PowerStrokeNation : Ford Powerstroke Diesel Forum
You are getting some great advise from others in this thread. Heed it before you break down your motor. Once you do, your moment of opportunity has passed.
Good luck. Post pics or take vids of your progress for future reference and thread completion please!