Another Problem

[towcat]

I gotta hold the site record for "Most Trouble For A Single Vehicle" by now!!

only for this site and this site only.
I'm in an area where engineering geeks can make stupid amounts of money and they are just as stupid spending it too. There's a few guys on this board who have witnessed some of the acts of stupidity by some of my customers. But....as long as they have the funds to pay for it, they can blow up all the $8k-$10k motors they want
scott-
even though it's a darksider rig, I do feel for you. Noone deserves that much BS from a truck. Betcha you won't be buying a truck sight unseen anymore. I got really lucky on my '92. It was cheap enough not to feel bad when I blew up the motor.

 

[apextrans]

scott-
Betcha you won't be buying a truck sight unseen anymore.

Thats for damn sure.

 

[69oiler]

i know what you mean, with the 7.3 being the "reliable" PSD and the luck you're having with it, i'd be scared to try a 6.0. i personally like the duramax trucks. i assume you have some kind of warranty with Beans?

 

[92F350CC]

I've seen some Megacabs with fifth-wheels on em. I think the bed is the same length as a regular shortbed. Of course, that doesn't mean it's a good idea. Hell, I've seen retards towing a 5er with a Tundra. It just didn't look safe at all.

 

[apextrans]

It was not discussed in the conversations we had Friday but Ryan said get it to him & he'd fit me in because it sounds like he's pretty busy & he would "take care of it". I'm not assuming that means everything he does is a freebie, but I'm confident if it's a block problem he'll stand behind it. The oil leak has been from day one so that should be "covered" I would think. It's looking like I might be hanging around while it's there cause I can't find any work in TN so far. I don't know if me helping would speed up or slow down the process but I'll offer & let Ryan decide .

Went & did some trap shooting this morning & my neighbor w/ the 6.0 let me take his truck to go shoot since he's working today. Gotta say I liked it alot. Not as strong as mine but 1. it's drivable & 2. it's bone stock. Might start looking soon.

 

[apextrans]

I've seen some Megacabs with fifth-wheels on em. I think the bed is the same length as a regular shortbed. Of course, that doesn't mean it's a good idea. Hell, I've seen retards towing a 5er with a Tundra. It just didn't look safe at all.

I said that about the Mega cabs because our local RV dealer will not mount a fifth wheel in the bed of one. Not even a slider. They say it's still to close. I though the mega cab bed was a foot shorter than a short bed. For about 7000.00 this could be done though. Clicky Doesn't even void the factory warrenty

 

[Mike]

Went & did some trap shooting this morning & my neighbor w/ the 6.0 let me take his truck to go shoot since he's working today. Gotta say I liked it alot. Not as strong as mine but 1. it's drivable & 2. it's bone stock. Might start looking soon.

I like mine too Scott, and again my 6.0 isnt as strong as my 7.3 was either but 1. Its drivable and 2. its bone stock still also. There are things I miss about my 95 and if I had an 02 or 03 7.3L I might not have been looking to upgrade to the 06 but from where I stand now I dont regret it a bit. I wouldnt even consider a GM or Dodge, the durmax and cummins is fine but they are in a worthless package IMHO.

 

[tonkadoctor]

Dayum Scott.... Why do I get the feeling it's a head gasket. Remember how we had to tap all of the holes because the head bolt holes were all full of crud on that block.

I like my bone stock 6.0 alot and love the 5 speed auto tranny. Much more power than my bone stock 7.3 PSD had and does a little bit better on fuel when dragging the travel trailer too. And the new truck has 3.73 rear vs 4.10 in the 2000.

IMHO the 6.0 got a bad rap in it's infancy and alot of it has to do with the internet and forums. I think the problems were a bit over rated and blown out of proportion.

1. If you go back about 25 years you find the early 6.9 had issues with head bolts and blowing head gaskets. No internet, no forums and had to learn by experience or word of mouth.
2. Early 7.3 PSD had it's issues with hard starting because of oil drainback from the HPOP resevoir, CPS problems etc... Internet was in it's infancy, everybody was on dial up.
3. 6.0 PSD comes out in 2003. Problems with EGR valve, headbolts and head gaskets etc..... HOLY SHEET!!! The internet is screaming on broadband around the world and humans being herd type animals pile on the problem. Even if you havn't had a problem you know or have heard of 1000 people that have so it must be junk.

I've been buying nothing but FORD trucks for 20+ years and one rule of thumb I use with any manufacturer is to never buy a first year engine, model or bodystyle. I'd run a Cummins or Duramax engine but like Mike, I don't like the wrapper.

If ya get another, I say leave it stock, you don't need to climb Saluda, Fancy Gap or Jelico doing 95 in a cloud of black smoke dragging the Cherokee. Ya just need to get there.

 

[apextrans]

Well, if I find some way to get out from under this one sometime soon, the next one, whatever it is will remain stock or very close to it. In all honesty though, I think I'm stuck in this one for a long time.

Going to head out to load up so I can get on my way to Bean's. I'll post from the truck as I find stuff out I guess.

 

[69oiler]

i hear ya. the main reason the i like the GMs is that even though it's an IFS it has real live ZERK fittings (imagine that) and the guages in the dash are real guages and not idiot lights with needles. i like the HVAC controls too. and of course the Allison is as good as any auto tranny out there. but the Ford interior is more comfortable to me and the seats are way better, higher ride height and ground clearance, and the solid front axle is simple, which is a big reason why i bought mine. notice i didnt day durable, but i guess you get unitized wheel bearingsnow whatever you buy.

but in the past few years of musical vehicles i have learned it's cheaper to keep what you have.

my 7.3 is still stock, and being an IDI guy at heart it has plenty of power. but then the heaviest thing i tow is a MF TO35.

end of ramble.

 

[Bean]

Scotts on his way, it was head gaskets issues. I will let him fill you guys in on the rest. Pulled it in on Monday morning and out on Tuesday evening.

 

[apextrans]

It's like the man above said. Headgasket on the left side was bad. Burned a groove behind the #8 cylinder. Sent the head out just to be sure it was flat & it was twisted. Machined it flat & put it back on. Pulled the other head because Bean saw some headgasket material on the head bolt shafts when he pulled a few to check them. Gasket was getting ready to go so it was replaced. Every bolt hole was re-tapped & things went back together. Dropped the pan & pulled the rear cover to take care of the small oil leak. Never pin-pointed it but it's gone. And finally, the boost trouble is gone thanks to changing to a non-wastegated exhaust housing. 32psi as it shifts into OD. Never did that before.

About Bean: It was a long damn way for me to go but was worth going. Bean is like PSD 411. The freakin' phone rings all day long & Ryan checks every number calling, even while working in the shop (carries a cordless everywhere). I don't know how many calls result in sales of some sort but it seemed like most are people just asking him questions. Never heard him get short or nasty with anyone, just take the calls as they come. I did get to help some but mostly tried to stay out of the way. The guys there fed me lunch & let me steal some drinks from the fridge. It wasn't a free visit but the price was more than fair. Of course when I was leaving, I got the impression Bean couldn't wait to get rid of me, he said something like "I can't say this has been fun". Can't blame him, he put in 2 long days on a truck that fought him most of the way after being sick for a few weeks.
In any case, I would make the trip again if I had too. Time well spent in a top notch shop. Highly recommended.

Bean, if you read this, Thanks again.

 

[tonkadoctor]

It's like the man above said. Headgasket on the left side was bad.

Bean, if you read this, Thanks again.

Hey Scott....... Wasn't that the side you did J/K......

Any idea what actually went wrong that caused the failure or was it just S--T luck, I know we did everything possible so that wouldn't happen ....from 100% new headbolts, chasing and cleaning threads, calibrated torque wrenches, using the proper specs, sequence and steps, double checking everything we torqued, new heads ect...

 

[apextrans]

Hey Scott....... Wasn't that the side you did J/K......

Any idea what actually went wrong that caused the failure or was it just S--T luck, I know we did everything possible so that wouldn't happen ....from 100% new headbolts, chasing and cleaning threads, calibrated torque wrenches, using the proper specs, sequence and steps, double checking everything we torqued, new heads ect...

Hey hey......my side went but yours was getting ready to go too.

The head that was machined had a slight twist in it. The side you did was not sent out. It didn't seem to me like Bean wanted to put the left side back on without checking it, but from what he saw on the right side, he didn't hesitate to put that one back down with a new gasket under it. Something he does that we didn't is put Moly lube on the threads & the head of the bolt. If you remember, we only used motor oil on the threads. This stops the popping sound we were getting as we tried to torque the bolts & gives a smooth torque & good torque reading. I think between the popping as we torqued & not having a real tap to chase the holes, maybe the heads were not torqued down correctly. That's the only thing I can come up with. Unless the heads weren't decked from Ford. The machine shop Bean uses said just because they were reman doesn't mean they were right. If the right side goes, I'll know he was right.

 

[tonkadoctor]

Whatcha mean I can't "selectively delete" info and blame it on thumbody else


Oh and 32 PSI boost going into overdrive now ....... What's your next thread gonna be titled......

"My fiver goes AIRBORNE when I top hills"