Detectives wanted
Thread Starter
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,668
Likes: 13
From: Saskatchewan
Detectives wanted
Good day everybody, I recently picked up a 2004 F550 no start from an auction. Charged up the battery’s and cranked it, everything sounded good and the Oil pressure gauge on the dash jumped up pretty quick. So that was good news, I plugged in my Scan gauge and found the ICP low. Like 160 psi cranking. The cranking RPM was about 170.
So being a 2003 engine with the log style oil rails I’m not too worried about the stand pipes/dummy plugs. I figure the HPOP is toast. So now I’ve started stripping it down and I noticed the LPOP cover looks like it’s been off. Should I be worried about the low pressure pump? I drained the oil and found no metal on the drain plug magnet other than a bit of fuzz. No more than my other 6.0s. When I removed the oil cooler the screen was slightly torn and pretty plugged up with crud and small pieces of what looks like brass to me.
Should I stop right here or keep going with my HPOP and oil cooler replacement? Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks
So being a 2003 engine with the log style oil rails I’m not too worried about the stand pipes/dummy plugs. I figure the HPOP is toast. So now I’ve started stripping it down and I noticed the LPOP cover looks like it’s been off. Should I be worried about the low pressure pump? I drained the oil and found no metal on the drain plug magnet other than a bit of fuzz. No more than my other 6.0s. When I removed the oil cooler the screen was slightly torn and pretty plugged up with crud and small pieces of what looks like brass to me.
Should I stop right here or keep going with my HPOP and oil cooler replacement? Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks
Hotshot
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 17,830
Likes: 3,115
From: Jersey Shore
When it was rotating by the starter, did it have an even cadence, or sound like one cylinder was off?
You could pull the LPOP and see if it looks new, in-service, or ate something. Eating something, and pushing it into the HPOP, could have caused the HPOP to fail. Also, no mention of the IPR screen. The IPR could be the cause of your troubles.
You could pull the LPOP and see if it looks new, in-service, or ate something. Eating something, and pushing it into the HPOP, could have caused the HPOP to fail. Also, no mention of the IPR screen. The IPR could be the cause of your troubles.
Thread Starter
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,668
Likes: 13
From: Saskatchewan
When it was rotating by the starter, did it have an even cadence, or sound like one cylinder was off?
You could pull the LPOP and see if it looks new, in-service, or ate something. Eating something, and pushing it into the HPOP, could have caused the HPOP to fail. Also, no mention of the IPR screen. The IPR could be the cause of your troubles.
You could pull the LPOP and see if it looks new, in-service, or ate something. Eating something, and pushing it into the HPOP, could have caused the HPOP to fail. Also, no mention of the IPR screen. The IPR could be the cause of your troubles.
Thread Starter
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,668
Likes: 13
From: Saskatchewan
Looks pretty straight forward, remove the four bolts for the balancer and remove it. Remove the LPOP cover and inspect. Will it be pretty easy to tell if it’s shot? I would imagine if it ate a lifter needle it would be pretty messed up
Thread Starter
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,668
Likes: 13
From: Saskatchewan
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Fleet Owner
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 27,912
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Look in the low pressure oil regulator also - for potential evidence of metal objects.
Unless you want to risk big bucks on an aftermarket oil cooler, be sure you go back in with an OEM oil cooler, purchased from a place that is KNOWN to supply OEM parts. The risk I mentioned is not about the aftermarket oil cooler, it is the engine risk. You probably do not want to spend big quite yet (a lot of "discovery" left to do).
Regarding the front cover - just be aware that a wear ring (front cover seal) was not installed from the factory. If you have one, then it has been disassembled before.
The wear ring can get in the way of Gerotor gear removal IIRC.
Unless you want to risk big bucks on an aftermarket oil cooler, be sure you go back in with an OEM oil cooler, purchased from a place that is KNOWN to supply OEM parts. The risk I mentioned is not about the aftermarket oil cooler, it is the engine risk. You probably do not want to spend big quite yet (a lot of "discovery" left to do).
Regarding the front cover - just be aware that a wear ring (front cover seal) was not installed from the factory. If you have one, then it has been disassembled before.
The wear ring can get in the way of Gerotor gear removal IIRC.
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Hotshot
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 17,830
Likes: 3,115
From: Jersey Shore
Good cadence, not a lifter/lobe issue.
Balancer/damper and the LPOP cover, and you're good; you don't need to remove the entire cover.
The HPOP in-feed screen doesn't show the particles or damage like the IPR, so I'd say it ate the HPOP. You just need to check the LPOP for damage.
CNCFab is my recommendation for an HPOP. And always replace the top J-tube.
Balancer/damper and the LPOP cover, and you're good; you don't need to remove the entire cover.
The HPOP in-feed screen doesn't show the particles or damage like the IPR, so I'd say it ate the HPOP. You just need to check the LPOP for damage.
CNCFab is my recommendation for an HPOP. And always replace the top J-tube.
Thread Starter
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,668
Likes: 13
From: Saskatchewan
Thanks so much for your help guys. I’ll pull the LPOP apart tomorrow morning for piece of mind and if it looks good in there I’ll re assemble with some good parts and fingers crossed
Fleet Owner
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 27,912
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If you do end up needing to pull the front cover, Anthony from SuperDutyService has a short video on the two places you need to be careful around - in order to avoid creating a significant oil leak spot or two.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 27,912
Likes: 3,625
Since it is an '03 engine, are you aware that it has a smaller water pump? They went to a slightly larger one for the '04 engine. This upgrade would require a new front cover though - and they are pricey.
I think it is probably too much to spend at this point (again - the engine risk factor), but just be aware of this option for the future.
Now if you are made of money .......... oh never mind, you were at an auction!
I think it is probably too much to spend at this point (again - the engine risk factor), but just be aware of this option for the future.
Now if you are made of money .......... oh never mind, you were at an auction!
Thread Starter
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,668
Likes: 13
From: Saskatchewan
Since it is an '03 engine, are you aware that it has a smaller water pump? They went to a slightly larger one for the '04 engine. This upgrade would require a new front cover though - and they are pricey.
I think it is probably too much to spend at this point (again - the engine risk factor), but just be aware of this option for the future.
Now if you are made of money .......... oh never mind, you were at an auction!
I think it is probably too much to spend at this point (again - the engine risk factor), but just be aware of this option for the future.
Now if you are made of money .......... oh never mind, you were at an auction!
Thread Starter
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,668
Likes: 13
From: Saskatchewan
So I pulled the low pressure pump apart today and the gears look like new, like to the point that this engine has either been very well taken care of or the gears were replaced. The pump cover had a couple small grooves but not bad. I could hardly catch my finger nail on them. At this point it’s going together with a new oil cooler, HPOP, IPR and see what happens. Thanks for all the help
Thread Starter
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,668
Likes: 13
From: Saskatchewan
Just to finish this one off she’s all back together and running. Oil pressure seems fine, but I still have a couple issues. Injector 3 isn’t working and it’s way down on power but at least it starts now. Lol. Thanks for all the help