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The pictured cylinder is rear most passenger bank (can't remember number off top of my head). Oddly enough the head and valves for that cylinder look just like the rest.
All cylinders have cracks, some radiate to the edge. Prev owner had a tune on the PCM with no EGT gauge.
Cant figure out how to separate the rod caps on these forged rods. The powdered metal caps (in videos) seem to just pop off one the bolts are undone, where as these really don't want to move.
Cant figure out how to separate the rod caps on these forged rods. The powdered metal caps (in videos) seem to just pop off one the bolts are undone, where as these really don't want to move.
Powdered rod bolts are threaded directly into the upper half of the rod. The bolts just drop out when screwed out.
Forged rod fastener assemblies are nuts and bolts or rod cap studs.
Perhaps before pulling the nut all the way off, leave the nut threaded on the last couple of threads, and tap the nut (and bolt/ stud it is threaded to) before removing the nut all the way off.
All pistons have cracks, with number seven showing impact damage.
Number seven doesn't look damaged compared to the others.
Timing cover doesn't look too bad where the LPOP mounts. LPOP itself shows a little wear on the loves.
Looks like some metal clumps stuck in the grate. Pickup tube gasket disintegrating
When we first got the truck we bought one of those stupid expensive dipstick adapters to replace the really leaky stock one. The instructions say to drop the old adapter to the bottom of the oil pan, which we did. However, it seems to have had other plans:
Think this might be the source of the metal. The old dipstick adapter got wedged near the top of the oil pan where the crank (I assume) beat on it.
Guts!
Main bearing caps Thrust bearing Just caps Rod bearings 1 Rod bearings 2 Crank journals look mostly good
Wasn't able to get the cam out today. Unsure if this is standard or heavy wear.
PIstons look mostly ok aside from some vertical scratching, ridges, and random nicks here and there.
From looking at the pics, it's not all that bad really. Rear main bearing has a little more wear than the others. Cracks in the piston lip is pretty common, except for the one that has broken glow plug tip damage, that crack is a bit far. That pickup tube o-ring is typically a root cause of older higher mileage trucks for wiping out HPOPs, and the wear on the front cover behind the lpop. Those two things cause cavitation and that washes out the hpop housing.
Well, the metal coming from the old dipstick flange getting rubbed is good news, right? All the pistons cracked is something else though. At least the cylinder walls aren't scored. When you have decided what you want to do about the cam, consider welding the timing gear to the cam. They have been known to lose index. Swamps did that to mine when they rebuilt the engine.
Side Story: A guy on the FB 7.3 Technical group posted up a picture of his turbo's turbine with the tips burnt off. He admitted to running a hot tune without an EGT gauge. If he ran hot enough to burn the turbo, I shudder to think what his pistons looks like.
Well, that confirms every one of my fears about dropping a chunk of metal into the oil pan.... It’s easy to be a critic, but honestly that is why this engine is no longer in the truck today.
The cracks are typical like Corey said and why delipped pistons are a thing. That said, this engine may have gone a few 100k more miles before failure from those cracks. Even the piston damage from GP tip or whatever that was did not mean failure was eminent.
Lack of a ‘star pattern’ is possibly evidence that whatever tuning may have been on the engine, it didn’t overly advance the timing.
Sad for your situation, but happy to see a smoking gun and a clear path forward. We are rooting for you and look forward to your solution!!!!
From looking at the pics, it's not all that bad really... That pickup tube o-ring is typically a root cause of older higher mileage trucks for wiping out HPOPs, and the wear on the front cover behind the lpop. Those two things cause cavitation and that washes out the hpop housing.
Yeah I think the main bearings that are scored would look better if the metal hadn't been in the oil, but I'm glad they took the damage instead of the journal. Do you know if new pickup tube gaskets are Viton? In regards to the front cover, would a resurfacing of the LPOP making surface suffice?
Originally Posted by FordTruckNoob
When you have decided what you want to do about the cam, consider welding the timing gear to the cam. They have been known to lose index. Swamps did that to mine when they rebuilt the engine.
I don't see any obvious material loss on the cam (still has texture). I'm assuming the shop should be able to grind and polish it up. If they can't though, what are the economical options? Only thing I can find is RCD's stage 1, but can't find community feedback on it.
Originally Posted by SkySkiJason
Well, that confirms every one of my fears about dropping a chunk of metal into the oil pan.... It’s easy to be a critic, but honestly that is why this engine is no longer in the truck today.
It's definitely an odd thing. Many people have done this without incident it seems, and intuitively it makes sense that the old adapter shouldn't cause a problem at the bottom of the oil pan. I'm still racking my brain trying to figure how it got wedged up in that corner like that.
Received package of Mahle lifters from KC Turbos today. All are marked as "Made in China". When did this start happening? I was under the impression that Mahle lifters were US made?
To be clear not knocking the capability of Chinese manufacturing. I just prefer to send some coin to American workers where possible, plus I've just always seen these advertised as made in the US. @Asheville Engine do you've any thoughts on this?
I don't see any obvious material loss on the cam (still has texture). I'm assuming the shop should be able to grind and polish it up. If they can't though, what are the economical options? Only thing I can find is RCD's stage 1, but can't find community feedback on it.
I can’t help you with that one sorry. I went with a factory camshaft for my rebuild.
Originally Posted by PriusLover
To be clear not knocking the capability of Chinese manufacturing.
I will. Back in the day we got a call from a Chinese supplier claiming to be able to do aluminum injection molded parts, a cutting edge manufacturing method at the time. When we got there to audit them, it turned out they had simply repurposed plastic injection molding machines with a a guy in flip flops scooping up molten aluminum out of a giant vat and pouring it into the intake port of the molding machine. All of this going on in a dirt farmyard.
To be clear not knocking the capability of Chinese manufacturing. I just prefer to send some coin to American workers where possible, plus I've just always seen these advertised as made in the US. @Asheville Engine do you've any thoughts on this?
I too prefer real usa stuff
Asheville does nothing but drop ship 7.3 engines from a supplier in va, as per their words to me this winter. They said quality was good, vs the Ford units they used to get that they had to tear down and adjust within spec before sending to customers.
They were very open, honest, knowledgeable, and friendly to deal with
