Hey folks. I just made what is arguably a poor financial decision and bought a 96 F-350, crew cab, dually. Unfortunately, it needed significant engine work, potentially an engine replacement, and had been sitting since 2005 sometime. Fortunately, I was able to talk the seller off his price quite a bit and also worked in him delivering the truck in the deal. Could have been better... but I ain't complaining. Anyways, here she is once she was delivered....



Once it arrived, I got busy with figuring out what was wrong with the engine. The person I bought it from believe it had an issue with leaking coolant into the oil due to bad o-rings/seals on the oil cooler (at least he said); however, one climb underneath the truck proved it to be a much worse issue. Turns out it had tossed a rod, there was a significant ding in the oil pan where the rod had hit and the block had chunk knocked out of it. So began the process of pulling the engine and trying to find a replacement.

I ended up finding an engine about 4.5 hours from me, and since I had not truck, I had to rent a Dodge Ram from Enterprise to go pick it up. Gotta say, this engine moved this truck around on the highway; no quick stopping or swerving at all.



The engine did come out of a higher mileage truck that had rolled, so after I got it home, I went ahead and resealed it and freshened it up a bit. Once that was knocked out it was time to pull the old engine. Out with the old....



In with the new!!!! Well, new to the truck.



At this point, I have 90% of it buttoned up. The only thing I am waiting on is a PCM and the core support bushings (right now I just have steel spacers to hold it in place), and a couple other odds and ends. Fingers crossed this pile starts after that. If it does, then I get to start working through all the other issues that likely exist from a decade and a half of sitting.

A bit of background on myself.... I'm active-duty military, so not a professional mechanic by any means. I did grow up with a mechanic for a dad and have been wrenching as long as I can remember though. The toughest part of taking on a project like this is simply not having the facilities to get it done quickly. I'm working out of my one car garage, and it's pretty damn packed. I had to take my GT-R (another project) off its cribbing and move it all the way forward in the garage to even fit the two engines in the garage. Kinda sucked, but got it done.



This is the first time I have owned a Powerstroke truck, but I have had a 6.9 IDI in the past. I "inherited" my grandpa's old truck he had bought to pull cattle trailers around in the windy roads of California. It was an 87, 6.9 IDI, auto, 4x4, 4.10's, it was an absolute pig but was deadnuts reliable. Here's the old girl when I first got back to the states from a four-year stint in Germany. This truck literally sat in the weeds at my parent's house for four years and fired up soon as I bumped the key.



Without so much as an oil change, I drove from southern Missouri up to St. Louis, loaded up my GT-R from the port facility and then drove it all the way to Las Vegas. I was able to hit Amarillo on the first day and then Las Vegas on the second. The only issues I had on the drive was losing the belts since they had dry rotted and a busted low pressure power steering line, all issues I fixed on the side of the road or in a Napa parking lot.



Anyways, it made it fine, there were times I was doing like 25 mph up the side of a pass, but it made it. Anyways, I ended up selling the truck a bit after getting to Vegas. After that truck, I ended up buying an 02 Duramax, which I sold later on as well. So I've been without a truck for around 2 years now, and I decided it was time to get back into another. And that's why we are here now.

I'll try to keep this thread updated as I progress on with the truck and get it running.

Cheers!!!

 

Looking forward to the revival of your truck. And same color as mine Tourmaline green, nice

 

Always glad to see another truck build, and a crew cab dually at that!

 

First, thank you for your service to our country and defending our way of life!
Second, welcome to the FTE (kind of...). I know you have been here since 2012, but with only 4 posts I feel a welcome or perhaps a welcome back is in order.

Third, thank you for sharing your journey and build with us. We love stories like this and will help you out in anyway we can.

Fourth, southern Missouri is not real close to north GA, but we have had people come from over 1,000 miles on several occasions. We have a couple of GTG's or Tech Day's throughout the year in the north GA mountains. Bringing the 7.3L is not a requirement to attend if you feel as if you would like to join us one day. These gatherings are about the people, not the trucks. We can always get another 7.3L... We usually have at least one OBS owner join us.

Check out the link of the last GTG we had a last month if you have time: https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...l#post20125365

Fifth, pretty cool to see the GT-R on the trailer here in the USA.

Welcome (back) again and we look forward to more pictures and stories of your adventures.

 

Seems like every dually I see down my way is a crew cab...rare times you find an ext cab like mine or the super rare bird reg cabs that are not F-superduty. You also have Alcoas, so cool! I finally have a full set for myself I need to install once I clean them up. Tired of the heavyass steelies...you still have me beat with the man mirrors!

You also have a nice core motor for spare bits.

Check that switch on the master cylinder, from the photo is appears original.

 

You finally have some alcoas? Sweet ese.

 

Yep! @Edgethis hooked me up with four. Swindled few more from mi amigo en Tejas. Gotta figure out some sort of front lug covers or something.

 

Thanks for the kind comments folks.

I noticed your MSgt pic in the other thread I have asking about PCMs and wiring harnesses. I'm actually Air Force as well, was a MSgt until Dec 2020, then I decided to cross to the dark side and went through OTS. So now I'm back at the bottom.... Thank you for your service as well.

Also, regarding the GT-R, I actually have a thread over on Garage Journal (if anyone frequents that forum) which is tracking the progress of the restoration on that car. It also prompted me to start a Youtube channel, which is super small, but growing. Here's the thread for anyone interested: GTR Restoration and Build | The Garage Journal

 

I do have a quick question if someone can help. Unfortunately, I did not do the entire disassembly on this truck so I am having to piece things together somewhat.

What is this (the plug laying on top of the blower)? I was thinking it may be the plug for the windshield washer tank, which isn't in the truck at the moment so I'm not too sure where it actually goes.



Also, anyone have a picture of how the trans cooler mounts? Once again, I didn't remove it, just trying to figure out where it goes until I end up replacing it.

 

No sure on the connector I'll have to check mine in the AM to see where it goes to.

as for the transcooler, get rid of the tiny factory cooler and install something bigger like one from a 6.0 powerstroke truck (03-07) or even a 99-07 super duty gasser cooler, anything is better than the factory one, well you can use the factory trans cooler as a powerteering cooler if you like.

 

That's the plan in the future, but for now I'll just get this one set back up. Though I do have an old oil cooler laying around I could probably make work.

 

Yah, those coolers are comical at best. Lots of GMT800 trucks (4.8/5.3/6.0) with tow pack and/or 4x4 like my '01 Z71 have a good sized trans cooler that could be pilfered from and 10th Gen F150s (5.4 at least with 70W or 4R100) and 1st Gen Expedition/Navigator 5.4s have large coolers could snag and repurpose. Only issue on the 5.4 ones I THINK they use 1/2" lines and the small block GM Gen III use a 3/8" pretty sure.

1996 has wiper tank behind expansion tank, so your connector is for that...mine is !

 

You familiar with the "thoroughbred and mustang" comparison for prior service officers? If not, check it out... It is pretty good to know for those opportune moments in time, like a retirement ceremony or when you are eloquent enough to pass it off during a conversation.

I aided in writing packages for 5 of my subordinates to cross over to OTS and "the dark side" and could not be more proud of them. I still hear from them from time to time and hope to attend their retirement ceremonies one day. You have to do what is right for you and your family and I hold no grudges against officers or enlisted. The person is what matters, not what they wear on their uniform. I sincerely hope that your new career path works out for you, the pay is better at the very least!

I do not frequent any other forums as there is none other like this one. Although, I have saved the link you provided to my bookmarks and will drop by there once in a while to see how things are going. It is not often we see one of these in the states.

Good luck to you sir (it is official now...) and I hope to see you at a GTG one day or in your neck of the woods on one of our cross country trips.

Subscribed to this thread.

 

That's awesome you helped them in that endeavor. Far too often I've seen our SNCOs get salty at a young Amn for wanting to pursue commissioning. Seeing others achieve their goals is one of the most rewarding aspects of being the military.

 

Well, the truck lives. It seems to run pretty decently; however, there are two issues I'll have to chase down.

First: It does take a bit to start. It will sit there and crank for about 5-10 seconds, then it will fire up. Once it starts, half the time it is running perfect, the other half the time it sounds like it isn't firing on all cylinders for a few seconds then it smooths out. Thoughts?

Second: I tried to get the oil pan sealed up the best I could, but turns out it still has a damn leak. So, looks like I'll get to be resealing it in the near future. FML!