Some more updates on the 6.9 rebuild for the crew cab.

Time for an update on the 6.9 rebuild for the 'ol crew cab. If you missed the previous posts, they are linked below:
Start Here
Second Update
Third Update
Fourth Update
Fifth Update

Thursday am, I drove to Louisville, KY to Haas Machine with my heads. I spoke to Linus for a good while. He's fimilar with IDI's and has done guides, valves, seats on them before. In fact, he had a set of 7.3 heads there Thursday for new guides and valves. He took me into the shop and showed me all their equipment. When talking about the 3 angle grind on the seats, he said they typically put a 2 degree interference on the third angle, something Justin and I talked about. That's supposed to help smooth the transition of air moving through the head.

We talked again about Manganese Bronze vs. Hardend Cast Iron valve guides. He really didn't want to do the MB guides, and after more prodding, I found out why. They don't have the proper equipment to hone the MB guides. It would have been nice to have them, but the hardend cast iron are a step up from the factory guides (per PEP).

They've won Louisville's "Machine Shop of the Year" several times and have been in business since 1936. I'm hoping to have the heads back and done correctly in a week or so.

Anyway, I did get my intake valves in prior to going to the machine shop. They are Clevite (Perfect Circle) valves, Part number 211-2561

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The exhaust valves are being shipped directly to Haas Machine as I didn't have time to get them prior to taking the heads to Louisville.


I got the new Comp Cam's 910 vavles springs and took them with the heads.

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My four year old (Heidi) is showing you one of the new springs. She's wearing her "I'm thankful for Daddy" PJ's of course!

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More to follow:

Heath

I got a great deal on new Ford lifters. Found a set on eBay for $90. Ford part number E3TZ-6500-A for a pack of 8.

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Next was the oil pump and pick up tube. I cleaned them up and installed them on the engine.

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Oil pan cleaned up and ready for install.

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I cleaned the block with BrakeKleen and put a good bead of Permatex Ultra Copper silicone on the block to oil pan surfaces.

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I cleaned the pan with BrakeKleen and added a thin layer of Permatex Ultra Copper.

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Oil pan installed.

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Cleaned and painted the exhaust manifolds. They'll look good for a few miles at least.

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This is the paint I used to put a coat of flat black on the exhaust manifolds.

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That's all for now. I'm stuck waiting on the heads. Plus, my partner is going out of town the next two weekends so I will be stuck in town and can't travel to Dad's shop the next county over. So, I'll update when I can. I'm expecting a call from the machine shop later this week with an update on the heads.


Heath

Thanks for the pics doc.. You know how I like pics that are clear and not blurry... Nice wedding pic behind someone too... My only suggestion about the oil pan is I would have installed a couple of 1/4 inch ports. One for bypass oil return and one for a temp sender... Seeing all that permatex ultra copper plus gave me wood.... You will never have a pan leak using that stuff. Just for information remove the oil pan drain plug. Look inside. You will see the oil pump pickup about 1/4 inch from the bottom of the pan... Its scarry close... Really nice work too. Glad the shop is taking care of you with the heads. Sounds like they really know their stuff. Makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside knowing someones got your back. Really glad they told you why they wanted to use the hardened cast iron guides too. That shows some pride and integraty in what they do in the shop. If you don't have a depth gauge have the ship show you what the intake and exhaust valves are set into the heads. Its differant and I don't have my shop manual with me. Both of them are out on loan...

icanfixall said:

Thanks for the pics doc.. You know how I like pics that are clear and not blurry... Nice wedding pic behind someone too... My only suggestion about the oil pan is I would have installed a couple of 1/4 inch ports. One for bypass oil return and one for a temp sender... Seeing all that permatex ultra copper plus gave me wood.... You will never have a pan leak using that stuff. Just for information remove the oil pan drain plug. Look inside. You will see the oil pump pickup about 1/4 inch from the bottom of the pan... Its scarry close... Really nice work too. Glad the shop is taking care of you with the heads. Sounds like they really know their stuff. Makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside knowing someones got your back. Really glad they told you why they wanted to use the hardened cast iron guides too. That shows some pride and integraty in what they do in the shop. If you don't have a depth gauge have the ship show you what the intake and exhaust valves are set into the heads. Its differant and I don't have my shop manual with me. Both of them are out on loan...

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Yup, that's me and the misses in the wedding photo. Not planning on a bypass filter or an oil temp gauge, so no pan mods. Yes, the oil drain and pick up screen are close, so close, if you dent in the pan (by putting the engine's weight on it for instance) it will kiss the pick up screen. That can restrict oil entering the pick up and really hamper emptying of the oil pan as well.

I want the MB guides, but it is what it is. I'd rather get the hardend cast iron than have them try and machine the MB guides incorrectly and ruin the heads.

He has the 6.9 and 7.3 spec's on his computer. All their paper spec's are now on a database and he pulled them up in a few seconds while I was talking with him.

Heath

just beautiful.

The reamer for the MB guides is almost 100.00, then finish hone with a sunnen guide hone, 1200.00. Thats why I have them put in at the shop I use. The hard irons will be fine, sounds like you will be fine.

do you still have your old lifters?

Lookin good

I love reading your updates Heath. Such great work.
Not to mention the engine ****
Hope all goes better for you then last time.

Exekiel69 said:

just beautiful.

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racer30 said:

Lookin good

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Ididriver said:

I love reading your updates Heath. Such great work.
Not to mention the engine ****
Hope all goes better for you then last time.

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Thanks a lot guys. Slow progress, but it's coming together. Just waiting on the heads and time to work on it again.

typ4 said:

The reamer for the MB guides is almost 100.00, then finish hone with a sunnen guide hone, 1200.00. Thats why I have them put in at the shop I use. The hard irons will be fine, sounds like you will be fine.

do you still have your old lifters?

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Yup, the new hardend cast iron guides will certainly be better than the old, worn out guides in the head now. And, like I said before, I'd rather have the iron guides than incorrectly installed/machined MB guides.

Yeah, I've got the old lifters in a box.

Heath

Called Haas Machine yesterday, and they haven't gotten started on my heads yet. But, the exhaust valves did arrive Tuesday. So they have all the parts. I'm hoping to hear something soon.

It's not a big deal they aren't done, I've can't work on the 6.9 for two weeks anyway. But, I'd like to know what they found and what they are doing with them.

Heath

Again, I talked to Haas Machine. They work on stuff as they get it..... meaning "first come, first served." My heads are still in line. But, he thinks they will be done by the end of next week. I certainly hope so.

Waiting sucks!

Heath

YOU ARE BORING ME HEATH! ha waiting like everyone else to see this get done.

Sorry man. Once the heads are done, I can get the engine wrapped up and ready to go back in the truck. Then it's a matter of hooking everything back to the engine and putting the clip back on. I hope to have it on the road late March or early April.

Heath

Yeah I know how you are feeling. Everything looks good, and hope it works good for you in the end. Loved that truck since I first seen pictures of it a long time ago.

My heads should be done this afternoon. They are finishing the seat grinding now. I'm going with a different valve seal with the new guides. They are going to put some seals with a teflon ring. They are supposed to be a better seal compaired to the standards, especially the simple plastic umbrella seals on typically used on the exhaust valves.

Hope my wife can pick them up for me in Louisville tomorrow while I'm working so I can get them on the block this weekend.

Heath