Notices
1999 - 2003 7.3L Power Stroke Diesel  
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by: DP Tuner

Bolt dropped down the plenum...

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Mar 21, 2021 | 09:53 PM
  #121  
clineco's Avatar
clineco
Thread Starter
|
Mountain Pass
Joined: Jul 2020
Posts: 107
Likes: 8
From: North California
Originally Posted by Listor
Here too , i was sick to my stomach when i started reading this, You are handling this quite well , look behind all the pulleys!
I'll have another look in the morning. If it was behind a pulley, I wouldn't have gotten a hard stop when I turned it over by hand would I?
 
Reply
Old Mar 21, 2021 | 10:03 PM
  #122  
Walleye Hunter's Avatar
Walleye Hunter
Hotshot
10 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 10,750
Likes: 1,065
From: Douglassville, PA
Originally Posted by clineco
I'll have another look in the morning. If it was behind a pulley, I wouldn't have gotten a hard stop when I turned it over by hand would I?
If you were real lucky and it got spun in a way that jammed it, it could happen.
 
Reply
Old Mar 21, 2021 | 11:32 PM
  #123  
b00stleak's Avatar
b00stleak
Mountain Pass
10 Year Member
Photogenic
Photoriffic
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 217
Likes: 43
From: Edgewood NM
Originally Posted by RacinJasonWV
Not trying to be a smart butt, but have you listened to the video? No way this is something that was missed before.
I just listened again with headphones on. Yep definitely not missable. I also didn't listen to the whole thing before.
 
Reply
Old Mar 22, 2021 | 02:41 AM
  #124  
Shovelheadrob's Avatar
Shovelheadrob
Fleet Mechanic
15 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 1,381
Likes: 193
From: Cambs, England
@SkySkiJason as you're the only person here with a head on the bench, did you try the bolt past the valve with the thread towards the port? Not trying to be a smartass, but if that's not a possibility either we can pretty much eliminate the likelihood of the bolt entering the combustion chamber.
 
Reply
Old Mar 22, 2021 | 02:57 AM
  #125  
Y2KW57's Avatar
Y2KW57
Super Moderator
Top Answer: 1
Top Answer: 3
Top Answer: 5
Top Answer: 10
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 13,324
Likes: 6,098
Club FTE Gold Member
Originally Posted by Shovelheadrob
@SkySkiJason as you're the only person here with a head on the bench.
It's one thing being the only person here with a head on their shoulders...

It's quite another being the only person here with a head on the bench.

That's next level.

And to think, this is neither a judiciary nor a brain surgeon's forum.
 
Reply
Old Mar 22, 2021 | 03:03 AM
  #126  
Shovelheadrob's Avatar
Shovelheadrob
Fleet Mechanic
15 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 1,381
Likes: 193
From: Cambs, England
Originally Posted by Y2KW57
It's one thing being the only person here with a head on their shoulders...

It's quite another being the only person here with a head on the bench.

That's next level.

And to think, this is neither a judiciary nor a brain surgeon's forum.
Haha, you're really trying for a new career these days, don't give up the day job just yet though, your serious input is invaluable too
 
Reply
Old Mar 22, 2021 | 03:24 AM
  #127  
aawlberninf350's Avatar
aawlberninf350
It's a Van Gogh
15 Year Member
Photogenic
Shutterbug
Liked
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 7,813
Likes: 1,335
From: Elk Grove, CA
Club FTE Gold Member
Wink

Nah it's FTE, and what normally follows is a posse of folks from all over chiming in with a delightful combo of lived experience, internet lore and camaraderie. Maybe right, maybe wrong.

At the moment my best advice is pull the VCs and the GPs and stick your borescope in each GP hole. I expect you will find that damnable bolt imbedded in the piston where it can slam into the head with each stroke. Would explain why you had a hard stop on barring it over by hand.

Additional advice is.... do no crank it further. If the worst case scenario is correct we need to lessen the cost of rebuilding.

 
Reply
Old Mar 22, 2021 | 06:52 AM
  #128  
SkySkiJason's Avatar
SkySkiJason
Hotshot
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 12,782
Likes: 2,142
From: N.GA Mountains
Club FTE Gold Member
Originally Posted by SkySkiJason
I opened valves to ‘about’ 1/2” using my fat max tape measure...

I was able to get bolt way down in valve, but not through it.

This pic is like a kick in the gut.


Originally Posted by Shovelheadrob
@SkySkiJason as you're the only person here with a head on the bench, did you try the bolt past the valve with the thread towards the port? Not trying to be a smartass, but if that's not a possibility either we can pretty much eliminate the likelihood of the bolt entering the combustion chamber.
This represents the worst case scenario and may not be possible with actual valve lift (I think the valve is open more here than it really opens).
 
Reply
FTE Stories

Ford Trucks for Ford Truck Enthusiasts

story-0

Top 10 Fords at 2026 Carlisle Ford Nationals

 Joe Kucinski
story-1

3 Best / 3 Worst Parts of Modern Ford Ownership

 Brett Foote
story-2

10 Amazing Upgrades That Solve Common Ford Truck Owner Headaches

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-3

Every 2026 Ford Engine Explained

 Brett Foote
story-4

10 Ugly Ford Trucks That We Still Kinda Love

 Joe Kucinski
story-5

10 Things Every Truck Owner NEEDS (2026 Edition)

 Michael S. Palmer
story-6

Rezvani's Latest Post-Apocalyptic Monster Is a Ford F-150 Raptor Underneath

 Verdad Gallardo
story-7

Top 10 Most Expensive Ford Trucks Ever Sold on Bring a Trailer

 Joe Kucinski
story-8

2027 Ford Super Duty Buyer's Guide (Every Model, Engine, & Package)

 Brett Foote
story-9

Top 10 Ford Truck Tragedies

 Joe Kucinski
Old Mar 22, 2021 | 07:57 AM
  #129  
brokestroke's Avatar
brokestroke
Cargo Master
5 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 2,442
Likes: 993
If the bolt lodged the valve open and it made contact with the piston. It could bend the valve enough allowing the bolt to fall right in.
 
Reply
Old Mar 22, 2021 | 08:13 AM
  #130  
F350towing's Avatar
F350towing
FTE Chapter Leader
5 Year Member
Community Builder
Joined: May 2020
Posts: 2,936
Likes: 2,198
From: Langley B.C. Canada
Club FTE Silver Member

Originally Posted by brokestroke
If the bolt lodged the valve open and it made contact with the piston. It could bend the valve enough allowing the bolt to fall right in.
If this was the case, when in the video it went from intermittent to steady wouldn’t there be a corespondent misfire. If there was a bent valve not sealing wouldn’t that quickly become evident.

I wasn’t there, but have watched the video a few times now and it didn’t appear that the motor even skipped a beat.
 
Reply
Old Mar 22, 2021 | 09:25 AM
  #131  
SkySkiJason's Avatar
SkySkiJason
Hotshot
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 12,782
Likes: 2,142
From: N.GA Mountains
Club FTE Gold Member
Originally Posted by F350towing
If this was the case, when in the video it went from intermittent to steady wouldn’t there be a corespondent misfire. If there was a bent valve not sealing wouldn’t that quickly become evident.

I wasn’t there, but have watched the video a few times now and it didn’t appear that the motor even skipped a beat.
I have a tendency to agree with this logic.

I expect a piston striking this bolt or a valve stuck open because of bolt would be more than a ‘ticking’ and produce a difference in the way the engine runs.

There is barely the thickness of valve before it strikes the piston and there is basically no space between flat part of piston and head.

Could we be hearing the bolt bouncing around above the valve??

Still hoping removing the belt allows engine to rotate and bolt is behind water pump pulley. (I’ve ‘lost’ more than one bolt or socket there...,)
 
Reply
Old Mar 22, 2021 | 12:26 PM
  #132  
RacinJasonWV's Avatar
RacinJasonWV
Lead Driver
5 Year Member
Community Builder
Liked
Top Answer: 1
Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 6,860
Likes: 2,335
From: WV
Club FTE Silver Member

Originally Posted by F350towing
If this was the case, when in the video it went from intermittent to steady wouldn’t there be a corespondent misfire. If there was a bent valve not sealing wouldn’t that quickly become evident.

I wasn’t there, but have watched the video a few times now and it didn’t appear that the motor even skipped a beat.
I also agree with this logic.

If the valve was stuck open hitting the piston then the compression stroke should be sending the air back up the intake since the valve is not sealing. This should be easily heard and show a misfire.

If the bolt were somewhat hiding in the bowl then I would expect the injector to be destroyed almost immediately resulting in a misfire.

There is not room for a bolt on top of the flat of the piston. Back in the day I had a glow plug tip get lodged in the piston. It had a solid tick tick tick with nothing more than a piece of sheet metal imbedded in there. There was also a piece of debris under the exhaust valve resulting in a “misfire” due to no compression and resulting white smoke from I burnt fuel. Of course the OP didn’t have time to check smoke situation in this case.

It seems reasonable that it could be smacking around inside the intake port.

I’m hoping for the best. Hopefully you find it nestled around the pulleys.
 
Reply
Old Mar 22, 2021 | 02:26 PM
  #133  
BA86f250's Avatar
BA86f250
Mountain Pass
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 156
Likes: 2
Originally Posted by SkySkiJason
Gooogle-fu says cam lift is 0.43 inches.









Which is good because bolt easily hides in the piston bowl.
Is that actual cam lift or valve lift after the rocker? Not sure what the rocker ratio is on these. If that number is actual lobe lift then it might make it through since valve lift will be a bit more after the rocker. I know you're well aware of how a pushrod v8 functions, mostly just asking so I know for future reference.

Edit: looks like you talked a bit more about this while I was typing
 
Reply
Old Mar 22, 2021 | 05:40 PM
  #134  
SkySkiJason's Avatar
SkySkiJason
Hotshot
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 12,782
Likes: 2,142
From: N.GA Mountains
Club FTE Gold Member
Originally Posted by BA86f250
Is that actual cam lift or valve lift after the rocker? Not sure what the rocker ratio is on these. If that number is actual lobe lift then it might make it through since valve lift will be a bit more after the rocker. I know you're well aware of how a pushrod v8 functions, mostly just asking so I know for future reference.

Edit: looks like you talked a bit more about this while I was typing
This says .400” valve lift and 1.6:1 rocker is stock if I read it right.

http://swampsmotorsports.com/files/7.3L_Stage2.pdf
 
Reply
Old Mar 22, 2021 | 08:19 PM
  #135  
BA86f250's Avatar
BA86f250
Mountain Pass
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 156
Likes: 2
Originally Posted by SkySkiJason
This says .400” valve lift and 1.6:1 rocker is stock if I read it right.

http://swampsmotorsports.com/files/7.3L_Stage2.pdf
Thanks, for some reason the link won't work for me. Is it working for everyone else?
 
Reply



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 12:44 PM.

story-0
Top 10 Fords at 2026 Carlisle Ford Nationals

Slideshow: Top 10 Fords at 2026 Ford Nationals

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-06-09 11:10:08


VIEW MORE
story-1
3 Best / 3 Worst Parts of Modern Ford Ownership

Based on years of owning multiple modern Ford products.

By Brett Foote | 2026-06-09 10:53:36


VIEW MORE
story-2
10 Amazing Upgrades That Solve Common Ford Truck Owner Headaches

SPONSORED: From muddy boots to rain-soaked cargo, these upgrades address some of the most common frustrations Ford truck owners face every day.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-06-08 18:50:34


VIEW MORE
story-3
Every 2026 Ford Engine Explained

Here's everything you need to know about every Ford engine available for the 2026 model year.

By Brett Foote | 2026-06-05 12:58:01


VIEW MORE
story-4
10 Ugly Ford Trucks That We Still Kinda Love

Slideshow: 10 ugly Ford trucks that we still kinda love.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-06-03 09:51:16


VIEW MORE
story-5
10 Things Every Truck Owner NEEDS (2026 Edition)

Slideshow: the best gifts for dads & grads

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-06-03 15:43:58


VIEW MORE
story-6
Rezvani's Latest Post-Apocalyptic Monster Is a Ford F-150 Raptor Underneath

Slideshow: Called the Fortress, the 850-horsepower pickup combines Raptor underpinnings with military-inspired features, survival equipment, and a starting price of $285,000.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-06-03 11:38:36


VIEW MORE
story-7
Top 10 Most Expensive Ford Trucks Ever Sold on Bring a Trailer

Slideshow: 10 most expensive Ford trucks ever sold on Bring a Trailer.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-27 16:24:34


VIEW MORE
story-8
2027 Ford Super Duty Buyer's Guide (Every Model, Engine, & Package)

Here's everything that has changed for the latest model year.

By Brett Foote | 2026-05-27 16:17:28


VIEW MORE
story-9
Top 10 Ford Truck Tragedies

Slideshow: Top 10 Ford truck tragedies.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-18 19:34:33


VIEW MORE