When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I plan on leaving the doghouse attached to the cover, however I do have the hose in the basket waiting on Clay to respond to my question about the CAC boots.
His site has two choices on each side for the 2001 7.3, straight 3 inch or 3 to 3 1/4 inch. Is there a standard or is it really hit and miss on these items. The intercooler and tubes are original if that makes a difference.
Most likely 3" to 3.25" boots. Mine is a 2000 and that's what it has. I can pretty well guarantee that my truck has stock IC and pipes.
IIRC when you look where the pipes connect to the IC, it's a fairly obvious difference in size.
Originally Posted by Dan V
If you pull that PCV doghouse off...you better have the new o-rings.....don't say you haven't been warned.
1) If you were talking to me, I've had them for a while.
Or keep OEM, which while now old, may very well have been made with better / longer lasting materials than what new replacements are made from today?
My 7.3L made it to 20 years of operation without ever having a valve cover pulled. All original glow plugs, injectors, UCVH, and no quarters.
When finally digging under them about a year ago or so, I thought for a minute about the original valve cover gaskets... if they should be changed or not. I ultimately decided to not fix what wasn't broken, and just address the well known fault that brought me under the valve covers in the first place... the harness connector had wiggled out a little bit. So I put the OEM designed shims ( 2C3Z-14A163-AB ) in place, popped in some new Motorcraft (from Ford) glow plugs, and kept the old original production valve cover gaskets right where they were.
The quality of readily available replacement parts has declined to such a degree that "old" often seems more trustworthy than new.
Here are what the factory clips (in lieu of quarters) l
What I found on my engine, straight from the factory was the glow plug lead on three push rods had been rubbing on the pushrod, grounding out and burning up one of the pins in the VC plug. Requiring replacement of both VC gasket assemblies and under cover wiring harnesses. In addition, I had to replace the conductor inside the wiring harness plug that attached to the outside of the valve cover gasket wiring connector. All on an engine that had less than 60K on it.
Still waiting on parts that should arrive tomorrow. I did dig into the engine today inside the hangar as it is out of the elements and has an outlet 10 feet in front of the truck so the block heater keeps everything warm..
The under cover harness had a crack on the clip that broke when I touched it and while disconnecting the injectors two of the harness plugs came apart in my fingers so I am hoping that was the issue.
All parts are cleaned up and waiting for re-assembly maybe tomorrow.
The clips holding the harness to the gasket were all brittle and no longer doing their job. The clip holding the harness to the main connection was brittle and cracked. When touched it broke off in my hand. As you can see the harness had a few issues. Injector 2 and 4 clips were brittle and broke upon removal and there were rub areas on the injector wires which likely lead to the hole in the connection at the harness.
All injectors checked good prior to closing up the engine however out of 8 glow plugs only #2 is not playing. I could not get a Motorcraft glow plug so it is on the next time it is open list. The gasket is a Motorcraft and the harness is from Navistar, Clay had everything I needed. I also have a new set of CAC boots but only did the hot pipe so far. Those RiffRaff boots are nice. Re-torqued everything under the cover to Ford specs while there, the rockers were all good with the injectors close but loose.
All injectors buzzed good with a good contribution check both cold and warmed up after a 20 run.
Engine is happy so is the owner.
For anyone looking at doing this job it is easy just take your time. I did lots of cleaning and even re wrapped the hot pipe and probably only took about 5 hours.
Next new up pipes and the other boots..... Not today.....
