Just what the title says...
Are 7.3 powerstrokes interference or non-interference motors?

 

If i can remember correctly they are interference engines. Someone will chime in to correct me if I am wrong.

 

ok guys what does all that mean please enlighten me

 

interference engine= if your timing is off or if you have a failure of the timing system (throw a timing chain, belt, or for the 7.3s-gears) the valves/pistons will contact (or interfere)

and vice versa for non-interference motors

 

I know on the 7.3 the cam gear and crank gear are connected right to each other, no idler or timing chain or any of that sillyness. Does that help?

Photo:


On edit- the photo appears to be an IDI 7.3 but same deal on the Stroker.

 

no but extra points for the sweet pic! (guess who has a new PC background)

the system used the time the motor (chain, belt, gears, etc) doesn't effect interference/non-interference setup of the motor

I think they are interference motors though.....

 

as far as I know, all diesel engines are interference engines. Beacause of the high compression ratio, there just isn't enough space for a valve to be open when the piston is at or near TDC.

 

Big time interference.

At TDC the piston is only .020" from the head. There's just no way to not be interference with that kind of compression.

Baring a bonehead assembler, there's no way for that to be an issue. As posted above, the cam drive is gear based.

 

dang!!! those are some super tolerances!!!

Also yea being gear driven it would be difficult to suffer a failure of the system but I was mainly wondering just to know...no real reason

 

So the basic definition of an interference motor is that a valve WILL hit the piston if something goes wrong?

 

you sir, are correct

 

Got it mang

 

definatly interference. and the reason for the tight clearance is because unlike your gas engine with a combustion chamber in the head, a 7.3 has no chamber, the cylinder head is perfectly flat across. the combustion chamber is part of the piston

 

you assume I own a gas engine? I take offence to that lol

 

so are you knocking gas engines? just remember the grand daddy of our beloved powerstroke is supposed to be the old 444 loadstar gas engine.