Rebuild Thread
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Postmaster
Joined: Sep 2016
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From: Texas
Rebuild Thread
April 2019 I had the engine out for a lot of upgrades including a custom regulated return fuel system with a 6.7L fuel pump at the heart. I hand lapped the block decks and installed UCF o-ringed heads, 6.4 pushrods, Mahle head gaskets, rocker box gaskets, oil pan reseal/POR15 paint, oil cooler reseal, IPR stainless HPOP screen, Motorcraft glow plugs, Motorcraft glow plug harnesses, Motorcraft injector reseal, Driven Diesel coolant return lines, firewall heat shield, Motorcraft IPR heat shield, wrapped down pipe and y-pipes with DEI heat wrap then sprayed with ceramic paint. 5200 miles later I was changing the oil and noticed a thin brown line in my degas bottle and sure enough, it was diesel. I pulled the engine and sent the heads back to UCF for inspection and they found their proprietary cylinder 4 and 5 injector cups were leaking and could not repair so they sent me new heads and head gaskets. Both heat tabs were not melted out so they were warrantied. While I was this far I figured I may as well check the cam wear and it had some scuffing but no pits or lines but I wanted to swap it for a Colt stage 2 so the crank needed to come out. I flipped her over, removed the bedplate and had more wear than I was comfortable with so I decided to jump in the rabbit hole and do a full rebuild. I broke her down to the short block and took it to Texas Engine Machine and let master machinist Jeff Winn and his crew do their magic. I decided to go with Johnson Hylift HD made in USA lifters, Mahle 20 over shaved top pistons and the full package deal on the crank, block, connecting rods and cam. I had Jeff install the bearings, measure clearances then grind the crank journals to fit so there would be absolutely no guess work when I go back together with it.
I’m going to try to keep this updated but can’t get as in depth as some of the builds I read over the last few years on here. I’ll do images separately because for some reason when I type a long paragraph and try to post it with a photo it will delete everything and take me to the top of the page.
Here we go...
I’m going to try to keep this updated but can’t get as in depth as some of the builds I read over the last few years on here. I’ll do images separately because for some reason when I type a long paragraph and try to post it with a photo it will delete everything and take me to the top of the page.
Here we go...
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Postmaster
Joined: Sep 2016
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From: Texas
Scuffed cam lobes
Lifters looked fine
Crank journal wear
More wear
Crank bearings worn to copper
More crank bearing wear
Cam lobe scuffing
Going back in with the crank you can just use the right size screwdriver and pin the cam gear through a hole that comes drilled in the block. This method works to set crank in the proper orientation to ensure timing is right. One tooth off and the truck won’t start. The Rotunda tool to center it is too expensive for what it does.
Short block prepping for hauling
Crank no cranky like this!
Loaded up for the 3 1/2 hour drive to the machine shop
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Postmaster
Joined: Sep 2016
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From: Texas
My little shop isn’t much but it sure beats working under an open air carport and have to cover tools and everything to protect from the elements. 18x38’ I built on a slab from an old wood shed my father and I built 30 years ago that burned down. The slab cracked from the heat but is good enough for my shop. I plan on filling and smoothing it one day and possibly raising the shop another three feet.
Hotshot
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 17,823
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From: Jersey Shore
Cool story about the shop.
The garage/shed at the farm was built by my Dad, 24’x24’ but with a dirt floor. Someday I’m going to get a real floor in there, but it’s filled with leaky farm equipment. He built it with 2x3 studs and underside rafters that would never, never pass code. Inspections weren’t necessary back then. Damn thing is still there after all the hurricanes and Nor’easters we’ve had over 60 years.
The garage/shed at the farm was built by my Dad, 24’x24’ but with a dirt floor. Someday I’m going to get a real floor in there, but it’s filled with leaky farm equipment. He built it with 2x3 studs and underside rafters that would never, never pass code. Inspections weren’t necessary back then. Damn thing is still there after all the hurricanes and Nor’easters we’ve had over 60 years.
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Postmaster
Joined: Sep 2016
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From: Texas
Engine enamel primer on the heads
Red!
Upskirt shot of o-rings
Front cover cleaned with NuBrite AC coil cleaner. It works great on radiators to foam out bugs and crud from in between the little fins. It’s made for aluminum coils but don’t get it on polished aluminum like the top of a Mishimoto radiator...ask how I know.
My little shop hand helping me clean and prep the shop.
Have to keep those valve springs clean
I had my local coatings shop bead blast and Cerakote my exhaust manifolds titanium. It’s good to over 2000 degrees and he did inside and out. It’s the same coating people get on their guns and rifles. It’s durable and looks great! The Flameproof VHT red I did before didn’t cure on the truck like the instructions said it would.
Cerakote
More cerakote
Colt Stage 2
New tapered wrist pin bushings machined to wrist pins
Pile of con rods ready to go!
Rings
Lifters
Ooooo nice!
Heavy duty clip
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Postmaster
Joined: Sep 2016
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From: Texas
188,640 on the engine, hopefully another 300k after this. My frame is rust free and I’m about to install a Blue Top steering gear, new power steering pump, hydroboost rebuild and Sweeting’s high flow hydroboost banjo fittings and braided stainless lines.
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Postmaster
Joined: Sep 2016
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From: Texas
So here’s the full list with some last minute additions. Do it right, do it light, do it wrong do it long!
20 over Mahle shaved top pistons, Clevite rod/cam/crank bearings, crank regrind, block decks resurfaced (painting VHT aluminum grey), rod bushings milled to wrist pins, Colt Stage 2 cam/clevite bearings, new UCF o-ringed heads, front and rear seals, LPOP gearotor, stand pipes and braided hoses, HPOP reseal, Motorcraft updated oil cooler kit, Motorcraft head gaskets, injector clean and reseal, Johnson HyLift HD direct shot lifters, bedplate reseal, oil pan and rocker reseal, Motorcraft camshaft sensor, Mishimoto 200 degree thermostat and housing, Dieselsite intake elbow/butterfly delete (at powdercoat shop with intercooler pipes), Dieselsite 90mm billet impeller water pump, Motorcraft belt tensioner, Motorcraft grooved and smooth pulleys, Motorcraft v-band clamps, hydroboost rebuild, Sweeting’s upgraded hydroboost hoses/fittings, Blue Top Steering Gear, fresh Rotella ELC, Joe Gibbs DBR 05308 break in oil, Cerakoted exhaust manifolds.
20 over Mahle shaved top pistons, Clevite rod/cam/crank bearings, crank regrind, block decks resurfaced (painting VHT aluminum grey), rod bushings milled to wrist pins, Colt Stage 2 cam/clevite bearings, new UCF o-ringed heads, front and rear seals, LPOP gearotor, stand pipes and braided hoses, HPOP reseal, Motorcraft updated oil cooler kit, Motorcraft head gaskets, injector clean and reseal, Johnson HyLift HD direct shot lifters, bedplate reseal, oil pan and rocker reseal, Motorcraft camshaft sensor, Mishimoto 200 degree thermostat and housing, Dieselsite intake elbow/butterfly delete (at powdercoat shop with intercooler pipes), Dieselsite 90mm billet impeller water pump, Motorcraft belt tensioner, Motorcraft grooved and smooth pulleys, Motorcraft v-band clamps, hydroboost rebuild, Sweeting’s upgraded hydroboost hoses/fittings, Blue Top Steering Gear, fresh Rotella ELC, Joe Gibbs DBR 05308 break in oil, Cerakoted exhaust manifolds.
Tuned
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 286
Likes: 12
From: Central CA
Wow, looking good. That's quite a job. I'm tired just thinking about all that work.
Are the Sweeting's upgraded hydroboost hoses/fittings supposed to help with steering and braking? My brakes don't work as well as they used to and I think the hydroboost may be the cause.
Are the Sweeting's upgraded hydroboost hoses/fittings supposed to help with steering and braking? My brakes don't work as well as they used to and I think the hydroboost may be the cause.
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Postmaster
Joined: Sep 2016
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From: Texas
Well I broke the oiler ring on my forth piston so I had three piston sets overnighted to get this thing done. I didn’t have my piston ring compressor tight enough and I needed a heavier deadblow hammer to knock it in in one whack instead of tapping on it with the butt of the small hammer with an oily hand like a woodpecker. Live and learn! I am using the Lisle wrinkle band compressor. I like my engine stand but it’s a pain in the butt having to rotate it versus having an engine stand that mounts to the front and rear so the engine can be rolled on it’s side. I’ll post photos tomorrow.
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Postmaster
Joined: Sep 2016
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From: Texas
I don’t want to clutter this thread debating about these lines and fittings but don’t mind letting you guys know what I know this far and will report back with a review.
Long version
Meat and potatoes