Coolant is Black as OIL.

[icanfixall]

The question not asked yet is why did the oil and water cross paths. It usually goes oil to water because of the higher oil pressure. Something must have gone wrong when you did the oil cooler o-rings. Really sorry to hear about this turn for the wrost. Really, another motor is what you need if you can't afford the truck being down long enough to rebuild the motor.

 

[8v-of-fury]

I don't see how there could have been issues when putting the cooler back together. I cleaned up all the surfaces where the o-rings sit, lubed them real good, put the small ones in the headers to avoid pinching, and pressed it together with a clamp and had both ends pop together.

SADLY, the truck is not worth the time or effort of swapping motors to the owner.. It is almost certain this one will go to the wreckers

Maybe i overheated it with the pure water enough to make steam force its way through a seal somewhere...

 

[david85]

The other possibility is that the cooler itself is bad, but I'm just guessing and never heard of that happening before.

If I were closer, I'd help you rebuild it because redoing the bottom end and con rods doesn't cost too much time or money. If the rest of the truck is good you can try and sell it as a parts truck or park it until you can afford to fix it.

 

[91f2504x4]

Yeah if you had the equipment to pull the engine you could have the crank turned and new bearings for less than $300. Of course you would want to isolate the coolant/oil problem before putting anymore money in the engine. If you wanted to go ahead and do the pistons and rings while you had it down that would be another $450+ and whatever your local machine shops charge for boring cylinders and all you have left is roughly $100 in gaskets and seals, so you would probably have $750 in parts plus machine work and have a brand new engine in that truck. If you have to buy a new oil cooler I think they run around $200-$300, if you can't find a used one.

If you could find another running engine I think it would be your best option, I hate to see a nice old truck like that go to the junk yard just because a bad engine.

 

[8v-of-fury]

Ok gf's mom says she wants to keep the truck (sentimental value of her late husband and all) and I told her this motor is as good as a boat anchor..and that it will need to be pulled and either rebuilt or replaced.. So we are going to check in to shops around here to see what it would cost to rebuild a 6.9 and all that jazz.

HOWEVER, we would still like the option of getting a new motor and paying a friend with proper tools labor to swap them.. I am looking for a wrecked truck with a running motor ;p

What I need to know is what engines from what years fit? will say a 7.3 fit? its the same block different bore and/or stroke right? What you guys got? this truck isn't dead after all

If were swapping engines, why not try and find a 7.3T? ehh? give this thing a little more CAHONES?!? would it be worth it? will need a trans too.. hopefully from the same truck.. Ok so adding this to the question.. What year truck will have an engine, that is turbo, with a trans(preferred OD lol) that will also bolt in and line up to the drive shaft?

 

[david85]

I would recommend avoiding anything from 1983-early 1985. Those years can crack around the block heater and the heads aren't as good either.

1985.5 up to 1994.5 will have engines that will bolt up perfectly as long as you don't end up with the powerstroke in 1994 but its kinda hard to make that mistake. They look completely different.

If you go with a 7.3L, you get some more power for your trouble but there comes the risk of cavitation from thin cylinder walls. If you go with a 6.9 and get one from before 1987, then KEEP THE ENGINE YOU HAVE......for the parts provided they aren't damaged. The rocker arms are a better design in 1987 and up. The factory turbocharged IDI is from 1993.5-1994.5 but its not going to have as much power as an aftermarket turbo because ford put a restrictive turbocharger outlet on it. Basically its an ATS 093 turbo kit, but ford wanted a smaller downpipe on it. It will still have more power and you can upgrade the housing and downpipe on the turbo to correct this. What I'm trying to say, is you can still get the same results from a non turbo engine, and add a used turbo kit so you don't have to hold out for a rare factory turbo.

I take it the truck has a 4 speed manual transmission now? Best bet is a 5 speed transmission if you want overdrive. It is slightly longer than the 4 speed stick so I'm not sure if you can keep the drive shaft. Do a search on the forum about the ZF5 speed swap because its been done many times before. Or some one will chime in and answer.

 

[8v-of-fury]

so from what you telling me, it would be best to find a 6.9 from 1985.5 and up. lol

I don't think the turbo would be worth all the extra trouble right now.. its just a work truck.. The truck has a 3 spd automatic C6.. BADD transmission for anything over 60km/h lol. It sits around 3600-4000 rpm's at 100 km/h i think, CRAP.

I begin my adventures to find a truck. Alas! the truck not yet be DEAD!