Another newbie question

[ERnurse]

Hi, I have been working on a low mileage (75k) 7.3 (1992) to replace my destroyed 6.9. Motor came from salvage yard with guarantee. I pulled the valve covers to paint and replace gaskets and found a lot of rust on the rocker arms and on one side it was on the push rods too. If I remove the rocker arms to clean them and the pushrods will I need to reset the valve clearances or is it just a matter of replacing them and re torqueing. If it was just a little surface rust I wouldn't bother but there is some "chunkiness" to it that bothers me. Thanks...Andy

 

[icanfixall]

Sorry you have some rust issues. Our idi no matter what size it is does not have adjustable rockers. Remove them but if you plan reusing them make sure you keep them matched to that cylinder and pushrod. BTW those push rods have a top and bottom ball. THEY MUST REMAIN CORRECTLY INSTALLED.. Or the rods wear thru the rockers is short order.

 

[ERnurse]

Will it hurt anything to ****** the motor out good with diesel fuel while the oil pan is off? I want to get as much dirt and sludge as I can before re-assem. Thanks again for the info.

 

[MTKirk]

Will it hurt anything to ****** the motor out good with diesel fuel while the oil pan is off? I want to get as much dirt and sludge as I can before re-assem. Thanks again for the info.

No, You should prime the oil pump after doing this (turn engine over without starting until you see oil pressure on your gauge-disconnect fuel supply solenoid at ip to keep from starting, turn over in 10 second bursts with a minute break in between.) This way if your oil pump sucks up a bunch of diesel it will mix with the fresh oil before the truck starts, the residual diesel fuel with vaporize and pass harmlessly through your CDR valve and into the intake manifold, then be burned in your cylinders. This happens all the time as a normal part of diesel engine operation.

 

[OLDBULL8]

Do you have the engine out of the truck on an engine stand?

The rockers are actuated by Hydraulic lifters and push rods, no adjustment needed.

If the push rods are that bad rust, I would get a new set, the copper color ball goes up into the rockers.
http://www.ebay.com/sch/Car-Truck-P...0 diesel 7.3 push rods&_trksid=p2050890.m1602

With the oil pan off, just clean it out, no need to ****** anything, clean off the oil pump screen as much as you can, it's pretty well protected by a metal shield. Most times these engines stay pretty clean.

You would have to pull the heads to get to the lifters.