Trailered home a 1989 F350 dump truck that looks great on the outside, but the 7.3 IDI is something else

KansasIDI said:

IDI engines with ‘dealer’ style A/C have them. 84-89. I could be wrong, but I’m pretty sure that’s what they’re for. My 86 has one.

Click to expand...

What's "dealer style A/C"? Like they swapped in A/C on a non-A/C factory truck?

crazydane said:

I read up a little on when to use a reaming tool, and it seems its primarily used BEFORE pulling the pistons to prevent the rings from breaking or causing damage to the ring landings on the piston. Like I said above, they came out pretty easily with just some light tapping, but I did break a number of rings, so in hindsight, maybe that was from removing them.

Click to expand...

This makes a ton more sense to me, though I'm pretty much a noob at bottom-end rebuilding. I did one 22R years ago. My 4 cylinders of expertise!

crazydane said:

Yes, I read the reviews. I'll be sure to follow the advice of those that did get it to work. Should be here Thursday along with the hone attachment. My challenge in the past with an electric drill hone tool is that the drill won't go slow enough to make a a proper 45 degree angle. I think my newish brushless electric drill will go pretty slow, so hopefully I won't have to raise and lower the hone like a madman anymore. That's how I broke my previous hone when I accidentally pulled it too far out of the bore. It just broke apart with pieces flying everywhere.

Click to expand...

I was gonna say, just move the drill faster! I did my best on the above-mentioned 22r, but it wasn't 45* and that's for sure...I wasn't fast enough.

Great progress and holy cow that's a great big and clean shop! Well done!

The_Josh_Bear said:

What's "dealer style A/C"? Like they swapped in A/C on a non-A/C factory truck?

Click to expand...

That would be my guess too. I remember that there used to be dealer installed A/C that was optional in the 60's. Inside was a box that was mounted under the dash that housed the evaporator and maybe it's own fan.

Was able to track down crank and harmonic balancer sleeves for reasonable prices. Rear crank:



Harmonic Balancer:



From what I can tell, you use the include cap to tap them in place, the break off the lip.

On the block heater hole, I read that those rubber Dorman ones can pop out after time but maybe a non issues give how little I'll be driving this truck? I think I'm going to see if I can just put the old one back in. Might need a rubber washer where the screw goes through to tighten it.

The_Josh_Bear said:

What's "dealer style A/C"? Like they swapped in A/C on a non-A/C factory truck?

Click to expand...

My 86 has it, a different looking compressor. I will take pictures to show y’all later. They use the same controls and I think the same condenser as the factory style.

I am not certain that the dealer actually installed it, that’s just what I’ve heard it called… I haven’t seen an IDI with factory style A/C and the high output heater core… I think it might have something to do with that

My 89 had factory air (at least I'm pretty sure it does since everything looks stock inside the cab). Here's the compressor bracket before I started taking it all apart:



Looking at the replacement engine I picked up, I to see the compressor bracket arrangement is different:



Nice catch!

The F350 original engine had an almost grey color, where the replacement F250 engine is a more traditional Ford blue. Not sure what's up with that.

crazydane said:

the replacement F250 engine is a more traditional Ford blue. Not sure what's up with that.

Click to expand...

Someone painted it. Your original engine was the correct color.
I haven't seen either one of your two bracket set ups. This is the V belt set up that I've seen on trucks with A/C.

IDIBRONCO said:

Someone painted it. Your original engine was the correct color.
I haven't seen either one of your two bracket set ups. This is the V belt set up that I've seen on trucks with A/C.

Click to expand...

I’ll have to put a picture of mine on here sometime…

I got the reamer today and it sucks. As many of the reviewers stated on Amazon, it cuts a taper there's really no way around it, even following the sage advice from that one reviewer. There's this little plastic tab on one end of the cutter that forces the taper:



So this is the angle it cuts at when in the bore:



So I started a return and am picking up this style instead:



Cheaper too and I think much safer since you start it down on the bore and then turn it up through the cylinder and it gets rid of the ridge when it gets to it.

I also picked up a 12x24 granite tile that I plan to stick some 120 grit sandpaper on, and side the heads over to get them nice and flat:



Also got a 12x12 one that I plan to use the block deck faces. Will likely switch to 220 once I'm satisfied with the results from the 120 grit.

I got the heads and block face sanded over the weekend using that granite tile. Spent about 1 hour on each surface. Not perfect, but a lot better than it was before:





I took a closer look at the rod bearings:



All 8 are showing wear from the compression stroke. I'm guessing I should replace them?

The main bearings are in worse shape:



Especially this one:



So I'll replace those for sure!

I measured the main and rod diameters of the crank and got the following:



So #3 and #5 main journals are 0.0002 out of spec, but I'm thinking my micrometer is probably slightly off, so I think I'm good and just need to get new bearings?

Any recommendations on where to pick up 0.010 over main and rod bearing sets at a reasonable price?

If you're concerned, plastigauge it.

Great idea getting some plastigauge! Just placed order.

crazydane said:

I measured the main and rod diameters of the crank and got the following:

You must be registered for see images attach

So #3 and #5 main journals are 0.0002 out of spec, but I'm thinking my micrometer is probably slightly off, so I think I'm good and just need to get new bearings?

Any recommendations on where to pick up 0.010 over main and rod bearing sets at a reasonable price?

Click to expand...

I threw my lisle ridge reamer in the scrap, biggest pos ive ever used.


try rock auto.
That one precup with the multiple cracks should be replaced. Its bad enough that pieces could chip off. Did the bores clean up at all?

crazydane said:

I got the reamer today and it sucks. As many of the reviewers stated on Amazon, it cuts a taper there's really no way around it, even following the sage advice from that one reviewer. There's this little plastic tab on one end of the cutter that forces the taper:

You must be registered for see images attach

So this is the angle it cuts at when in the bore:

You must be registered for see images attach

So I started a return and am picking up this style instead:

You must be registered for see images attach

Cheaper too and I think much safer since you start it down on the bore and then turn it up through the cylinder and it gets rid of the ridge when it gets to it.

I also picked up a 12x24 granite tile that I plan to stick some 120 grit sandpaper on, and side the heads over to get them nice and flat:

You must be registered for see images attach

Also got a 12x12 one that I plan to use the block deck faces. Will likely switch to 220 once I'm satisfied with the results from the 120 grit.

Click to expand...

220 is the recommended surface.

I got the other style lisle ridge reamer today. Looks to be very used and the blade is quite dull, so it didn't do a great job either. I did manage to get one of the ridges mostly removed with it. I then spent about 20 minutes honing and was left with this:



That's with the medium 220 stones that came with it. I don't know that it will ever get rid of that depression in the middle. Maybe if I keep honing away for another hour, maybe it will clean up, lol. I'm starting to have this sinking feeling that this block is not the greatest either.

I also noticed that 2 of the pistons have what appears to be part of their top burned off:



The other 6 pistons are like this in that area:



I'm thinking I should tear the other engine down again and take a closer look at those pistons and maybe the heads to see how bad those precups are cracked. EDIT: The other engine has .020 pistons, so I'm stuck with these .030 pistons I guess. But the heads could be in better shape, and maybe the main crank and rod bearings, assuming they are .010 as well.

I'll hit the block and heads with some 220 grit to finish them, thanks. Will also check rockauto for bearings and rings.

Thanks