Greets to all,
Been a few months since I posted on the forums. As some may remember I've been troubleshooting a "project" truck. Well I've come to the conclusion that it needs a rebuild. My wife and I are looking at sorting out our finances and I MAY have some credit available to me to finance getting this beast out of my backyard to make room for my 68 stang. So here's the question. How should I go about this rebuild, as I believe the engine has been dusted? Check out the last conversation about the truck here...... https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/7...-problems.html. I want to get this running as a daily driver and occasional worker. I want close to factory condition (with some minor improvements of course), not concerned about competitive pulling or racing, just daily durability. This is the first time I will have tackled a rebuild of any engine, though I have serviced upper ends of V8 gassers. What should I look for, what machining should be done, and where's the best place to get parts? Now here's the caveat, if I'm pulling the motor, I'm rebuilding the tranny as well. I know it's ambitious, but I have a fundamental problem with putting a freshened up motor ahead of an unknown tranny. I've heard bad stories about this even in the gasser world where the weak link wasn't as obviously known as with our 4r100 trannies. Now some might tell me to have it done, or get a long block, not happening, not that big a line of credit. I should be able to buy the tools I need and service this thing if the block is still good, cheaper than a long/crate or mechanic. Here's what I'm looking at.

Master rebuild kit (including a lot of goodies like rods, pistons, bearings, etc.
Turbo rebuild kit and balance
transmission rebuild kit (the one i saw had red alto clutches and koleen steels
possibly a 4" exhaust upgrade
some sort of tranny shift kit to correct the 4r100
along with AC parts that will be required when I break open the system.
I would also like to hutch/harpoon while I'm there and some other simple stuff that won't break the bank. So here's what I would like to hear from the members.....
Machining work to be done.
measurements that are critical
tool suggestions
master rebuild kit vendors (prices and parts lists are good)
tranny rebuild kit suggestions (prices and parts again)
turbo kits and servicing companies for balance (one i found on ebay)
good shift kits (if I can't afford the throttle body upgrade)
things I'm missing (like hpop servicing kits, injector servicing kits, i have 3 fresher injectors on the passenger bank already, and anything else you can think of that isn't included in the previously mentioned kits.)
Any suggestions for final motor assembly and considerations (eg, I had a distant relative tell me if the block is bored I should run a cooler thermostat on this engine (i'll take validation on that remark as well))
Thanks for all the help in the past, I hope to hear from all of you now.

Chad

 

bump it up

 

This is another bump. I would try to find another engine from a wrecked truck If you never rebuilted a diesel engine.

 

Great idea, but most super duties don't last 2 weeks in the junk yard before they are down to the frame. Here in rural texas, they are worth their weight in gold. I would have to have a block/engine freighted in from 150-200+ miles away. besides where's the fun in that. I've learned to do a lot of things in my life simply out of neccessity. Not afraid to do it, just trying to get prepared.

 

Thats my kind of attitude. I know what you mean about superdutys here in TX. They are always stripped quick. I hit the junkyards regularly just to see if there is something I can't live without.

 

Yeah when I first got the truck, I went to the local junk yards looking for a few things. Found two superduty trucks that were STRIPPED. No thing but the cab, some portions of the wiring, and maybe a few suspension parts. Both had been there 2 weeks or less. it's nuts. No drivetrain, no body panels, no interior. Couldn't even find speakers for the stereo in mine, had to steal them out of other fords. Only time I see 7.3's available is in classifieds, and why pay for another, when I can rebuild. I have the time, it's a project truck, and most of the classifieds are companies wanting a core exchange. I'm wanting to rebuild, and I don't think it would be harder than a gasser for the most part, just be real sure about the cylinder tolerances for compression. Any thoughts.

Chad

 

Take the block and heads to a machine shop, buy a full rebuild kit from Powerstrokeshop.com, send them the pistons so they can match bore them, if you are capable of tearing down and reinstalling all the new parts it should not cost over 2000-2500 in parts and machine shop costs if you do the stuff yourself.

 

Strokin I don't see a kit form of what I want on that site. Got a link for me?

Thanks

 

Powerstrokeshop.com

 

Thanks
That is a much better price than most of the other places I have seen quoting them. I couldn't find that when I was navigating their site before. Guess I was looking it up wrong or something. That should help the budget considerably.