You only run straight fuel right? I have read WVO can cause build up on the valve stems which make em stick and inturn bend rods. I would want to know why before I put any new parts in. Also I would do the valve springs as well if new rods is the course you go down. Just google powerstroke pushrods and 910's springs, there is plenty out there. OH you will also need a spring compressor as well.

 

Well gosh . . . I would love to know WHY the damn rods are bending . . . but how can I figure that out? I mean . . . I am somewhat limited to what I can accomplish on my own at my house . . . but I can't say that anyone has posted anything that tells me how to figure out WHAT can be causing this. Really, there are probably lots of possible causes . . . I think it seems that first and foremost is trying to figure out if a specific cylinder is bending them. If it is the same cylinder, that is headway. If it is different cylinders . . . maybe it suggests something more general??? Like I've said, my tune is the performance towing tune . . . but I never really thrash on my truck despite having the extra power. Maybe I need to start redlining it??

I think I remember the mechanic suggest that cylinder #4 was the "bad injector" . . . which side is that on?

 

When you remove the rocker arms from the push rods make sure you don't loose the little ball bearing that is inside the rocker arm. You can see them before pulling the arm off. Also, plug all the holes in the head with some rags while you remove the rocker arms so if you loose one of those ball bearing it doesn't end up inside your motor...

 

In a earlier post I asked if you use a exhaust brake? You never answered that I can recall, the use of an exhaust brake has been know to cause push rod failures.

 

The drivers side is from front to back #2, #4, #6 , #8
The passenger side if front to back #1, #3, #5, #7
We would luv to give you a definitive answer but as you can see there are many possible causes. From what I have read from your post there was only one rod that your are 100% sure was bent. You are assuming this is the problem now and we cant clarify if this was the case with your trip to the mechanic. The only way to see whats going on is by getting in there and pulling things apart. The Haynes manual is detailed and there are many posts and videos about this procedure. Google is your friend. If your unsure about anything you can ask here.

 

I don't think I have an exhaust brake . . . I bought the truck second hand, so I dunno??? I think it would be obvious wouldn't it?

And I do run straight diesel fuel in it. Supposedly the diesel fuel here in Mexico is super dirty and sometimes people add water and stuff to it . . . they say injectors gum up here all the time. Again, my faith in what the mechanics here say to me is really starting to get strained. Thus I'm planning on entering the motor solo. Will the superchips tuner tell me which cylinder is having trouble?

 

Well, a rod has bent twice in the last year. Foolishly, I don't know if it was the same one each time, and it was two different mechanics in two separate countries. My paperwork doesn't say which was bad, although it probably should. So two in one year is pretty suspect, however both went screwy without the truck being tuned . . . and certainly not being driven in any manner other than would be considered normal. With that said, I don't KNOW that I have another bent rod, but my money is betting that the same symptoms as twice before is going to be from the same trouble. Injectors are 6 months old(rebuilt by FullForceDiesel - recommended from Swamps due to weeks of back orders) . . .

If anyone cares, she started sending white smoke kinda instantly. It was like one minute I was cruising 70mph normal . . . next thing I know I think the truck feels a little weird, ya know? Check that rearview mirror . . . @#%! Pulled over and got her towed.

The other two times when this happened . . . it was a little more progressive. First noted the truck idling a little rough . . . over the next while the rough idle became rougher . . . got a little knocking with neutral and the clutch out . . . then white smoke. This time I would say things went south within 5 miles of noticing running weird to the white smoke.

 

White smoke.. Hmm. have you checked your fuel pressure, and fuel filter. It would be worth checking. A bad fuel pump can cause white smoke and the truck running like crap.

 

Again . . . I could start checking all sorts of things . . . I'm really going to be hard to persuade that it isn't yet another push rod. Mostly this thread is discussing the assumption that . . . for now . . . it is a bent push rod. The debate is about WHAT is causing the bend, and whether putting a whole new set it(with springs) is worth my time when I don't know really know what is going wrong.

On that note, I'm having trouble finding a store selling the springs . . . all my googling just brings up 100s of threads from 100s of sites talking about them. Anyone got a CHEAP link?

 

The diesel fuel sold in Mexico is dirty compared to what they sell here in the US, but that is due to our lovely EPA restrictions. We get fewer MPG's now than we did before they introduced LSD and now ULSD fuel. Adding water to the fuel is just stupid. Don't ever do that. If the fuel is dirty, there's something called a fuel filter meant to deal with that. The filter system we have works pretty well.

For a manual, you're best bet will probably be alldatadiy.com That will give you access to the same info a diesel mechanic has in regards with how to take things apart and put them back together.

As mentioned, there are several possibilities for your problem. One of the things a tuner will often do is remove the speed or rev limiter on a motor, so your down shifting at such a high rpm might be the problem. Not a definite, but I wouldn't down shift at those RPM's.

Also, if you had an exhaust brake, you wouldn't need to down shift at those rpm's, so I'm guessing you don't have one.

 

Summit racing. Comp Cams part number 910-16 They are a little better than stock. They are for a different application but a ton of people run them in 7.3l powerstroke with good results.

 

What part in Mexico are you? I know about the low mexican diesel quality because I live in Mexico, but I havent have any issues with the injectors, just bad MPG, as mentioned above this engines has a very good filtration system. Here they still sell LSD, NOT ULSD in the most part of the country, just in the border they sell ULSD till I know.

Reading your thread I really dont know what to say about your specific issue, the ppl who has written something there, have more knowledge than me, so I cant help you. Chris (F350-6) sent me a PM to see if I could help a Mexican fellow, I only want to tell you that I live in Mexico in Guanajuato State, and if I could help you with something, here in my coutry, I will; thats the reason I asked where are you located?

Reps sent to Chris.

good luck

 

Hanging out in Guadalajara. Been living here 3 years now. I really can't complain about anything general in Mexico . . . I love it here.

However, I did get screwed by a mechanic in Hermosillo who called my leaking HPOP a bad rear seal . . . of course it wasn't.

And then some guys here in Guadalajara told me that their computer said 2 of my cylinders weren't firing properly . . . and that was due to the really dirty fuel clogging up my injectors. With that said, they wanted to take the injectors out and clean them. I declined since the injectors were installed in California back in January and I cannot believe they would be gummed up this quick, if at all. Besides . . . I'm a clinical type of person. The high tech gizmo gadget stuff in Cali cost me a new set of injectors when I had a bent pushrod . . . and with the truck running perfectly(2 months ago), I was hardly going to accept that 2 cylinders weren't running right because a computer says so.


Anyway . . . the only thing I'd like the computer for is to see which side of the engine I should open up first looking for the 3rd bent pushrod. I don't think the supposedly dirty diesel here could be causing my problem . . . but as soon as I get the new pushrods, I'm going to try and install them and go from there. Obviously noting which cylinder has the bent rod.


One specific question regarding the springs. Is there a way to tell if the spring(s) are bad, thus suggesting a float possibility? I have about 200k on the engine . . . relatively young in my opinion.

 

Oh, OK, you are not to far from me, I think about 3-4 hours. I love Mexico too LOL. Yes be carefull with the mechanics, there are a lot of BAD of them, also as I have read than in USA.
Dont be afraid to do your work yourself, Im a DIYurselfer, for the same reason of the bad thecs. And as you said, I have seen that you are a clinic in the issues, as I am, and thats is good, so just DO IT.
Where are you getting the parts for the engine? I have got several parts in the IH dealer here in my town and if they dont have them I buy them in USA, but the problem is the time to get them to my door . So if you need some parts and dont get them in Guadalajara, let me know and Ill see if I can get them here, and send them to you, OK?. Or if you could come here, it be glad to help you with the job, just let me know previoussly to make an appointment please. Im not a mechanic but I have learned a lot in this forums, and I like as a hobby and have some tools.

 

I appreciate the offer . . . muy amable. Yeah, I'm going to just go for it . . . I figure I really don't have any other options. I'll be sure to keep a better history than the mechanics did for future reference.


What I am still hesitating on is buying a whole new set of springs. Perhaps I should just bite the bullet and get them ???


Another question I have for the motor experts. I've got brand new glowy plugs and new(reman) injectors and the valve cover seals are new . . . HPOP has new o-rings in it . . . what more could possibly be replaced in my engine after I put in a new set of pushrods and springs?

I can re-use my 6 month old valve cover seals again right?