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Okay, so after tracking down all the parts needed and the elusive Rotella Ultra ELC coolant I went ahead and did the oil cooler seals this weekend. Holy ***** did that job suck. I watched the late Diesel Tech Ron's (RIP) video on how to do this and it seemed easy enough. Except my block drain plugs are seized in. No amount of penetrating oil or torching would get them out. I twisted my 1/4 in extension. That led to a GREAT time when I popped the housing off. Writing those pants off. Anyways, I got the cooler out and did a bit more research on the seals where I stumbled across a few posts on both powerstroke.net and FTE stating that the DTR method is a "hack" and to remove the front housing as well. I had the gasket so I did so. Also found my block heater was bent, so I replaced that as well. lubed all the gaskets with assembly lube and jammed er back in there. I'm still in the process of the coolant flush (in one of the run the water and drain sessions) and what do I see?
A F!@#$% oil puddle. Get under and now that I have the truck running on a hill nose down (my driveway is weird) It's very obvious I have a second leak coming from the PAN.
So yeah. I'm not sure what I'm going to do yet. I understand I need to pull the motor in order to fix that?
I'll need a bigger engine crane alongside several other things. My fuel leak still remains unresolved. I do have the return line here already though, and since I've already done the bowl drain I'm sure that's the source of that leak. I hope.
I would not recommend it in any way whatsoever but I have read where a guy or two have cut the cross member out with a torch expecting to weld it back together when done. I have yet to hear a report on how welding it back in went. However, I have looked up under there and I see that that cross member is riveted in. Has anyone ever considered grinding the rivets off and replacing them with bolts to avoid pulling the engine to drop the pan?
Okay, so after tracking down all the parts needed and the elusive Rotella Ultra ELC coolant I went ahead and did the oil cooler seals this weekend. Holy ***** did that job suck. I watched the late Diesel Tech Ron's (RIP) video on how to do this and it seemed easy enough. Except my block drain plugs are seized in. No amount of penetrating oil or torching would get them out. I twisted my 1/4 in extension. That led to a GREAT time when I popped the housing off. Writing those pants off. Anyways, I got the cooler out and did a bit more research on the seals where I stumbled across a few posts on both powerstroke.net and FTE stating that the DTR method is a "hack" and to remove the front housing as well. I had the gasket so I did so. Also found my block heater was bent, so I replaced that as well. lubed all the gaskets with assembly lube and jammed er back in there. I'm still in the process of the coolant flush (in one of the run the water and drain sessions) and what do I see?
A F!@#$% oil puddle. Get under and now that I have the truck running on a hill nose down (my driveway is weird) It's very obvious I have a second leak coming from the PAN.
So yeah. I'm not sure what I'm going to do yet. I understand I need to pull the motor in order to fix that?
I'll need a bigger engine crane alongside several other things. My fuel leak still remains unresolved. I do have the return line here already though, and since I've already done the bowl drain I'm sure that's the source of that leak. I hope.
Don't drop the pan just yet....I didn't re-read the whole thread but...if it is the dipstick flange, that is easily done without having to drop anything...pan, crossmember or your pants. Just saying
I'll get some video of the leak. It's obviously dripping from the front of the pan where it contacts the motor, right below the crank pulley.
After calling around I've decided to have a shop perform the pan reseal. It's going to cost me $1,200 to have it done but I really don't have the extra time or right cherry picker to pull the motor.
I also don't trust myself that much. I am also going to have the dipstick flange replaced and may upgrade to the Mocco (sp?) oilpan at the same time. I figure If I'm yanking the motor lets knock as much out as possible.
The shop is Northwest Custom Diesel in Tacoma for anyone who's around the PNW area. They have good reviews and out of all the places I called they were the most willing to explain the process and had the best price.
I had the HPOP gear bolt cover (the little plate that holds the EBV sensor tube, behind the heater hose & above the water pump) leak on me last month. Apparently I must have twisted it when putting it all together when I changed the HPOP years ago. Once the RTV finally came out it just poured oil out the front of the engine and the crank pulley threw it everywhere. Took me awhile to find the source, but I too thought it was the front seal / LPOP / pan gasket in the front of the engine.
I'll get some video of the leak. It's obviously dripping from the front of the pan where it contacts the motor, right below the crank pulley.
That sounds like the location where oil drains down from the top of the engine when there is an top end oil leak, there is a drain hole in the back of the valley for that purpose. Is your valley full of oil?
Okay, so after tracking down all the parts needed and the elusive Rotella Ultra ELC coolant I went ahead and did the oil cooler seals this weekend. Holy ***** did that job suck. I watched the late Diesel Tech Ron's (RIP) video on how to do this and it seemed easy enough. Except my block drain plugs are seized in. No amount of penetrating oil or torching would get them out. I twisted my 1/4 in extension. That led to a GREAT time when I popped the housing off. Writing those pants off. Anyways, I got the cooler out and did a bit more research on the seals where I stumbled across a few posts on both powerstroke.net and FTE stating that the DTR method is a "hack" and to remove the front housing as well. I had the gasket so I did so. Also found my block heater was bent, so I replaced that as well. lubed all the gaskets with assembly lube and jammed er back in there. I'm still in the process of the coolant flush (in one of the run the water and drain sessions) and what do I see?
A F!@#$% oil puddle. Get under and now that I have the truck running on a hill nose down (my driveway is weird) It's very obvious I have a second leak coming from the PAN.
So yeah. I'm not sure what I'm going to do yet. I understand I need to pull the motor in order to fix that?
I'll need a bigger engine crane alongside several other things. My fuel leak still remains unresolved. I do have the return line here already though, and since I've already done the bowl drain I'm sure that's the source of that leak. I hope.
I don't have much to say the others already haven't, but..... First, the DTR job is definitely NOT a hack job. I have done it this way on a few trucks and it works pretty darn well if the front housing is not leaking. Second, and JMO of course, but I think you are jumping the gun on paying a diesel shop to fix this for you, but it's your money. Just because they come highly recommended does NOT mean they know about the 7.3 and if one doesn't know the 7.3, it can turn into a financial nightmare for the owner. Take it for what it's worth.
Lastly, you came for help, so I am going to help you. Quit panicking and spend an hour really looking for the leak and do it the right way. $1200 is a lot of coin to spend on something that, I would venture to say, does not exist. These trucks just about NEVER leak from the front of the pan.YOU need to find the source instead paying some "diesel tech" to find it for you. Start from square one and take your time, about an hour...maybe two....and source the leak. Then we can help you fix it for a fraction of that if you are willing to do so. No one knows panic better than me and I have learned it just costs money and gets me nowhere.
Please pardon the audio and amateur filming. I really think this is a pan leak, but I fully acknowledge that I am not a expert at all. My theory is that the truck started leaking and someone goobered on all that orange RTV crap to try to stop it. The seep is only really prominent when the truck is running on a downhill. If it's flat the seep only seems to start when you shut it off.
Thoughts & Ideas are always appreciated. Thanks again.
Clean real good and remove all the old sealant on the front of the pan and buy some MC sealant try to force it in the problematic area, and seal all around the pan till you reach the block. 99% of the time this will stop the leak.
Clean real good and remove all the old sealant on the front of the pan and buy some MC sealant try to force it in the problematic area, and seal all around the pan till you reach the block. 99% of the time this will stop the leak.
My pan was seeping from the dipstick tube flange. I didn't have the cajones (time or money either) to attempt the repair at such a low leak rate. I cleaned up the area and slathered it with TA-31 (~ $20 for my local Ford dealer IIRC). That stuff is designed specifically for the 7.3L (you will also need a caulking gun to use it). It comes out already tacky and will stick to anything that it touches. It has been working like a champ for me.
Well, I ended up getting the engine pulled so the pan could be resealed.
When the pan was pulled the discoveries were quite interesting. Whomever had the truck before me pulled the pan and knocked all the grey RTV/Glue into the oil as well as a ford part label.
That's right. We found all this stuck up against the screen on the sump intake. Sure am glad I got the pan pulled off now!
Anyway, resealed with the Motorcraft grey RTV/Sealant/Glue and she's all good to go now.
Here was some of the crap we fished out of the pan and from the screen This was the tag found in there!
It looks like they used it for a trash can while it was off and forgot to dump it out before reassembly. You really have to keep an eye on the hired help!
It looks like they used it for a trash can while it was off and forgot to dump it out before reassembly. You really have to keep an eye on the hired help!
Annnnnnnnd this would be why I never want anyone working on my truck. You just can't seem to trust anyone these days.
05-08-2017, 01:50 AM
