All,

I am in the process of getting some more major work done with my 6.7. Unfortunately, it is going to take a while to get to where I can get it in the shop but is what it is.

Where things are right now is the "2" issues up front that I am targeting for it getting worked on are:
- New turbo
- Head gaskets and valve service

When I ran through the issues with the dealer the range they gave me for the "head gaskets" varied by engine configuration and associated issues. What I gather is the "head gasket service" (I don't know how they have that described or listed in their job estimates, just trying to be descriptive here) includes valve service, not just the head gaskets. At least that is what I was told. For ball-parking cost estimates I took the top end of the range the dealer gave me there. I don't have any ground to base that off of, other than I wanted the high end of what ever numbers they gave me. If my engine/truck config isn't the high end then at least I am shooting for over what it would be.

That gets me to the point of the thread here.

The truck has a bit shy of 200,000 miles on it. I was trying to hold off on major engine work, but at this point it isn't worth pushing any further. It isn't dripping oil, but the sides of the engine are oily as in oil has leaked past when running. There is a noticeable "tapping" I attribute to the valves when under load, not idle.

The tapping is why I am not running it. That will only get worse.

My question is - if the tapping is there now and it is already going in for the "head gasket service" (which includes, according to the dealer, valve service) - is there any risk of there being more that needs worked on than just what ever the prescribed "head gasket service" would be that includes valve work?

Is there anything else that would cause the tapping noise that should be looked at? Pistons/piston rings/cylinder lining? Cam shaft/lobes/journals?

Something I am tuned in to, also, are coolant and oil lines. There was a recent (past couple months I think) thread where either an oil line or coolant line had corroded at a fitting to where the engine was loosing fluids. My thoughts are any lines like those that can be replaced while things are apart probably should be replaced.

A couple years ago I replaced the cold and hot charge air pipes with aluminum ones so those and the upgraded boots/clamps are good to go.

Here's a question - the subject of head studs. On the 6.0's and 6.4's that was a common upgrade. The 6.7's have historically, to my knowledge, been much better engines overall. Mine is an early one - first model year, job 2. I am not racing it or doing any truck pulling competitions and have no interest in any "performance" upgrades. My concern is reliability and the stock performance is all I need. With that said, is there anything to gain with head studs?

What all should I have looked at/considered as I go down this path?

 

Tapping could be push rods, rocker arms, lifters, cam lobes, injectors, piston or rod play, crank bearings, etc.

with200,000 miles, it is likely that there are major wear across the entire engine.

 

As I recall the head studs were one time use only so that would mean they are replaced.

Likely the heads or valve guides are probably wore out and the result would be new heads if it were the dealer as I am sure they cannot do more that send it out to a machine shop.

I would suspect rocker arms and lifters need replaced at this point.

So the real issue is where is all the oil coming from? Upper oil pan gasket failure?

 

What year is the truck? And what shape is the rest of it in?
You are going to be dumping a pile of money into this thing with 200k on it, if the engine
is shot and that bad at 200k I’m guessing the rest of it’s about done.

Say you get 20 to 25k wrapped up in rebuilding replacing the engine then you run it a year or so then the dpf wants 8k then in a year or so again then trans wants another 5k………..

 

2011, and the rest of the truck is in OK shape - body, chassis. It has several things that need worked on/updated, but none that prevent the running of it. What does prevent the running of it is the root of the thread.

That is what I am trying to decipher.

The hard part is I am going off of what the dealer told me as rough ball park ranges on a couple key repairs - turbo and head gaskets/valve service. What I am trying to get an idea of through this thread is exactly that - the dealer is not going to be able to tell me anything beyond what they already ball parked because they would have to see it to find out. And seeing it means opening it up/tear down.

Just the 2 "services" mentioned are in the $8k ball park, figure $4k each. The head gasket issue is based nearly entirely off labor, not parts, but it is, as I already mentioned, the "high end" of their labor hours from the range of the list based on engine/chassis configurations. So by using the high end number I am hoping that covers some easing up on the hours based on configuration, which would then account for some parts cost. I am not wanting to rely on that theory for 100%, though. It is only a starting point.

If I am going in to the deep dive here ball parking with $8k and they tear in to the engine and it ends up looking more like $15k - that is going to be a problem. I can drive it there today. If the cost goes up significantly it won't be getting fixed for a long while longer. At that point if it is already apart for them to diagnose how am I going to drive it back? What is the likelihood of it even going back together to get it to run to get back?

I am pretty determined to keep this one on the road. I understand what you're getting at with the numbers chasing numbers. We're already there, unfortunately. I had the high pressure fuel pump and rest of the fuel system (rails, injectors) replaced about 2 years ago. That wasn't cheap and was about 2 months being down with parts shortages.

 

I would be in addition to new heads and valves, a cam, rockers, lobes, turbo, whole coolant flush and then the new coolant that is backwards compatible. Upper and lower pan gaskets, oil change, A/C evac and recharge.
This willl be a body off/on job.

I would almost bet new body mounts..

Me personally, I think around 15K before you are done.

BTW, Crouse Ford in Taneytown MD near me has several trucks on the lot.

 

I was going to say the lower oil pan gasket should be OK, but if they are tearing in to things that would come apart anyway. The pan was replaced with a metal pan and fumoto valve several years back. I used an oil gasket compound in addition to the gasket it came with. Its never been an issue since, and I never had an oil leak period until recently (not dripping, just wet around the sides of the block).

So to the earlier question - where is the oil coming from? I assumed the head gaskets, but could be off.

Either way, with the tapping there is more going on that needs addressed.

And the way I see it is doing the work on this truck is still cheaper than both a new or used equivalent truck. Theres more to that, also - I have done a lot of work to this one to situate it for ways I use it that no vehicle out there is going to be a direct swap in - I'd have all the work to redo to get it there.

The down side to that is if the cab has to come off a lot of what I have done would have to be undone to get the cab to come off cleanly.... Thats another thought, but a good one to have now.

 

This is an older thread, but same situation. Long story short - nothing happened with any of the repairs and the truck has largely sat. It ran very intermittently just to "run" it occasionally through 2024 then when we moved here it got parked in a barn somewhere in the fall of '24. It drove in under its own power.

Getting this back on the road has come up again recently. I forgot about this thread and a lot of the detail I had in it. I just dug it back up and gave a run-through.

Where I was thinking of taking things was to tear the engine down to the crank and rebuild it - new bearings, bushings, seals, gaskets, etc. I did discuss that with the dealer yesterday. They were hesitant with that and offered 4 options of engine swaps - short block, long block, "complete", reman. I think those were all the options. I am not sure I want to do an engine swap.

But therein lies where things are - until they look at things they won't have any solid base to go off of. There are things it may not "need", in which case doing what work is "needed" might be an OK option cost-wise.

My concern is if a lot of work would be done already - what more could be done while "in there" to be ahead of the game of any possible future issues in the near future? If something could be replaced, and isn't, while "there" it seems like a bit of a waste of being in there.

Then the dealer's point - at that rate you might as well forego all the "work" and just do a swap. I'm not sure I like that idea. I am more of the mindset of "fix what I have".

Thoughts?

Are there any non-dealer shops that would be competent to do this type of work that would be worth a conversation with? Or when it comes down to service tools the dealer might still be the best route?

For what it is worth - we're NOT starting it at the moment due to the fuel having sat for so long. That was also a major conversation piece. For the dealer to diagnose they would need to run it which would require a complete fuel system flush. We've already been through one HPFP, this would quickly cause another explosion and ruin everything downstream all over again.

 

Head gaskets need to be replaced for a very specific reason and if there is not a failure you don’t replace them as a maintenance item. Not sure why that was the lead. The tapping could be a lifter failing, which has been reported in 6.7’s. Also, early 6.7’s has some valve issues. The first thing I would do is cut open the oil filter and check for metal. If any metal is found I would do a complete rebuild.

No metal, next step I’d do a compression check, and while you’re there check the cylinders with a scope looking for normal/abnormal wear.

on a 15 year old 200k motor I would not do just a top end rebuild. I’d buy a long block from a reputable source with a warranty, and do a DCR. If metal was found anywhere, filter, bottom of the pan, any lines, I’d do the turbo and oil cooler as well.

Now, in addition to the noise this truck has sat for 2 years, in a barn. You don’t know what other issues you might have, thinking rodent damage here. Find a shop that can lift the cab and do this once, and do this right.

This is not a time for a half measure

Unless you know for sure your dealer is better than most, I would not go anywhere near a dealer with this truck. Find a reputable independent shop

 

Don’t know why things went from head gaskets and turbo to new reman engine.

obviously you don’t need the truck since it’s been sitting for 3 years.

sell it as is and move on

for a new owner a low initial buy price would motivate an investment to do repairs

as time goes buy depreciation will accelerate and yes damage due to rating fuel will only add to the mix.


cut the chains and let someone else take over this problem.

 

The dealer may be suggesting engine swap due to labor hours/cost and warranty. A complete swap would ‘probably’ have less hours than a rebuild and the replacement engine would have a longer warranty when compared to rebuilding the existing engine.

It’s up to you. Though, I’m also confused and concerned with the original diagnosis of head gaskets and turbo to where you are now and also agree that the issue sounds like lifter(s) and/or valves. Assuming you do have lifter/valve issues, I personally would do the complete engine swap but, that’s me.

Mike

 

You mention the truck has a tapping noise and is the reason you're not running it. A couple of easy to check scenarios come to mind:
1. Metallic tapping noise could be a sticking injector. Some have been successful in running Power Service to get it unstuck.
2. Rocker arm support broke and the rocker arm is flapping around and potential lifter failure causing the same issue

 

Things have been busy and moving slow here, but the truck is on the schedule for getting to the dealer this evening. I am hoping to get some initial feedback tomorrow, but going in to the holiday weekend I'm not holding my breath. On the plus side - the batteries have always been maintained since its been down. Until we moved out here I had been pulling the batteries and floating them in parallel. Since we moved here its been in a barn right next to power so we've left the batteries in. It appears to be holding a charge, but I have not cranked it. They'll be well equipped to handle it how ever it arrives I'm sure - it will have to be rolled in the shop no matter what right now anyway for the initial fuel system flushing and other service as required just to get it running to diagnose.